Who We Are
WHO WE ARE
Scott Cassa
Fitness and Wellness
Scott has earned certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and Harvard Medical School's Executive Ed Program for Health and Wellness. He is a Certified Advanced Cancer Exercise Specialist through The Cancer Exercise Training Institute. With over 20 years experience of being a fitness Trainor, Scott specializes in private personal training, group wellness, corrective exercise training, weight loss management, athletic strength and conditioning, post-physical therapy and cardiac rehab fitness, oncology exercise, brain injury fitness resources, fitness for fragile health status, and corporate wellness.
Additionally, Scott enjoys assisting with adaptive sports and fitness and has experience working with both youth and adult adaptive sports clients. As a survivor of Brain Injury in his teen, Scott strives to help clients overcome health setbacks to stay strong, body and mind.
Scott is a father of two and an accomplished personal athlete as an eight-time competitor in the Mount Washington Race to the Summit.
Melissa Matheson
Fitness, Nutrition, Athletics, and Wellness
Melissa is certified through The National Academy of Sports Medicine and holds her Pn1 Certification through Precision Nutrition. She has recently completed her Master Health Coaching certification and is working toward becoming a Nationally Board Certified Health and Wellness coach. She specializes in personal training, nutrition, and health and wellness coaching, group fitness, youth fitness, sports conditioning, and enjoys working with our corporate clients designing wellness workshops and resources for a variety of employee populations. Melissa is passionate about nutrition and enjoys using her expertise and education to help people develop plans to reach their health and wellness goals. Melissa is an avid runner qualifying and competing in the Boston Marathon in addition to many full and half marathons.
Ron Rigazio
Fitness, Athletics, Wellness
Ron is certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. His strength and conditioning programs focus on the quality of movement, stabilization, and agility. He enjoys working with people of all fitness levels, adapting the workout to the individual.
Following years of being active and training, a back injury and the demands of life caused Ron to stray from weight training for a while. Then he met a personal trainer who showed him how to strengthen his back, glutes, and hamstrings, as well as how to move correctly alleviating his back pain. With the pain gone and newfound energy, Ron left the corporate world to work in an environment he loves. His desire is to help others overcome similar challenges and reach their fitness goals.
Outside of the gym, Ron enjoys coaching youth sports and being with family.
Meghan Kwartler
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Yoga, Lifestyle Wellness
Meghan is a lover of movement, breath, and the powerful peace of awareness. Originally she wanted to be a Physical Therapist but ended up in the world of Tech & Business. Yoga became her refuge during a health crisis as a young adult and is still her anchor as she mothers her twin daughters and navigates life. Meghan is passionate about helping her students honor their body, mind & spirit by connecting to their inner wisdom. Their wisdom knows when it’s time to rest, challenge or stay steady, but can be hard to hear without consistent practice.
Meghan started her 200 hr. teacher training in 2011 with Anusara when living in the Pacific NW and finished in 2019 when she finally found her east coast teacher. She is certified in Love Your Brain yoga (accessible yoga for those with brain injuries) and most recently completed her 300 hr. Advanced modern yoga teacher training with Heart and Bones Yoga Studio. She is passionate about weaving embodied anatomy, movement science & mindfulness into her teaching. She teaches privately and in groups including in corporate settings.
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Chris Kandianis
Pilates ,Yoga
Chris has been studying Pilates since 2004 and yoga since 2000. She is passionate about helping people use these practices to develop the strength and flexibility needed to enjoy sports and to prevent and overcome injury.
Chris is STOTT™ Pilates certified in Matwork and Reformer and is an RYT 200 yoga instructor. In addition to her core certifications, she regularly attends workshops and has training in Injuries and Special Populations and Anatomy. Since opening her studio in 2006, she has taught thousands of classes and has worked with hundreds of clients in group classes and one on one helping them to get stronger, overcome musculo-skeletal pain, and improve their sports performance.
She holds a BA degree from Tufts University and an MBA from Simmons College. When not teaching, Chris enjoys biking, skiing, hiking, rock climbing and walking.
Shagufta Rahmen
Yoga
Shagufta first came to yoga during college, taking classes as they were available. This basic introduction to yoga was enough for her to pursue a more regular practice and during this time she came across one of her mentors Barbara Rich of Kripalu who taught a very meditative,
breath-focused sequence that resonated deeply with Shagufta. This foundation of breath-work
would become a guiding light for her during a time of loss in her family and helped her begin her journey into a formal training of mind and body. Yoga saved her!
Shagufta completed her 200-hour Yoga Alliance Fluid Yoga certification program under Kevin Gale and his extraordinary team of teachers in May 2016. She loves to share the psychological and physical benefits of Yoga with everyone around her. She has also completed her Yin Yoga Teacher training under the guidance of Anne Dries of Buddha Nest yoga in May of 2018. While her classes are technically in the style of Vinyasa Flow, her Yin approach to
teaching encourages focusing on mindfulness and breath, and she hopes her classes can serve as a restorative time for mind, body, and spirit.
Julie Hanagan
Yoga, Lifestyle Wellness
Julie is a registered yoga teacher from the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. She received her 200 hour certification in 2020. She is also a Certified Nutrition Health Counselor from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and Reiki Practitioner. Her yoga journey started later in life when she was experiencing painful arthritis and stress. She consistently attended yoga classes and fell in love with how it made her feel! The balance of class that incorporated postures with centering meditation and breathing techniques allowed her to bring her attention inward. This helped to manage stress while enhancing physical strength, flexibility and well being. Her classes are geared towards beginners or those who have been away from yoga for awhile and could use a refresh. Julie truly believes that yoga is for everyone and it's never too late to begin!
Melissa Ackerman
Yoga
Melissa has been a practicing yogi for over 25 years. She views the limbs of yoga as her life compass helping her to ground, balance, focus, develop strength and stay true to herself. She completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training under Cindy Boulter in May of 2019. She has additionally trained in Yin Yoga under Theresa Murphy and the anatomy of yoga with Susi Hatley.
Melissa draws on her counseling background to acutely tune into her students and thoughtfully communicate her cues. Her classes encourage students to link breath with movement, quiet the mind and be present in their practice. Turning awareness inward allows students to hear the signals their body is sending and move in their own pain-free range of motion. Through her classes, she hopes to pass on all the joys and gifts that yoga has brought to her life both on and off the mat.
Jen Donovan
A mixture of sweet and spicy, Jen is known for her fun & compassionate, teaching style that is inspired by Buddhist philosophy. She continues her studies under Khenpo Migmar Tseten of the Sakya Institute for Buddhist study and Kevan Gale of Triyana Studies. She has completed her 200hr & 300hr training with Fluid Yoga School a Reiki Master and certified in Thai Yoga massage, Spa yoga & Healing yoga.
Availing herself to continuous philosophical education and practice, Jen weaves a thought-provoking flow, applying ancient wisdom to our contemporary western world in a useful and understandable way. She encourages growth of the physical and spiritual self.
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Evelynn Sablone
Yoga
Evelynn began taking yoga classes over a decade ago. Curiosity brought her and kept her returning to her mat, and it is where she invites students to explore their breath, movement, return to the present moment, increase awareness, clarity, and mindfulness.
Yoga is about balance to Evelyn. As a mom who loves to backpack, ice, and rock climb, she is always on the go and yoga provides the perfect opportunity to seek out stillness or simply move quietly. She is trained in Yin, Restorative, and Hatha Yoga.
Amy Saunders
Yoga
Amy received her 200HR training through Fluid Yoga School in the spring of 2023. She has been regularly practicing yoga since ~2017. Amy came to yoga initially to have a physical movement practice, but quickly discovered the mental and spiritual aspects of a yoga practice. Having a regular yoga practice during the pandemic was especially valuable in dealing with the pandemic and stress from working at Moderna.
Some fun facts, Amy is married to her partner James (10 years in 2024!) and they have been living in Lowell for about 12 years. They have a rescue lab/shepherd mix dog named Whiskey and a cat named Puck. When she is not on her mat or teaching, Amy loves traveling, hiking, and spending time with family and friends. Favorite books or ones that had the most personal impact: The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche and Lord of the Rings Trilogy by JRR Tolkien. Current books she is reading: Reality and Wisdom by Lama Migmar Tseten and also some Brian Sanderson novels.
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Lelia Leary
Lelia was unprepared to discover the power of yoga when she signed up for a class as a way to add mobility to an exercise regimen. Very quickly she learned that yoga was something extraordinary. She dove into true practice and has never looked back. Her most valuable lesson was cultivating the power of the yogic breath to become more responsive and less reactive.
She’s a mom, a science teacher, and a nature lover. Currently, her passion is training Brazilian jiu-jitsu. She completed her 200-hour training at Revolution Community Yoga. She offers a challenging yet compassionate practice to build strength, flexibility, and balance. All levels are welcome with modifications to ramp up or tone down the offerings. Expect to feel calm, grounded, and restored from the practice.
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Katherine Cota MacDonald
Yoga
Katherine Cota MacDonald (she/her) is a certified early childhood educator and wellness instructor. She holds a BA in Psychology from UMass Lowell and she has taught early education for 14 years. Her wellness teaching experience includes yoga, meditation, and specialty workshops and retreats. Katherine will be pursuing her MSW this winter. Her work within the perinatal population includes prenatal and postpartum yoga, new parent support, and volunteering with Postpartum Support International and Return to Zero: HOPE. She has a strong background in creative arts and a great passion for combining art and wellness.
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Eleonora Cordovani
Yoga
Eleonora Cordovani is a Yoga Alliance certified yoga teacher with more than 500 hours of training and is currently a yoga therapist intern. All her classes are trauma-informed and inclusive for every body. She also has a background in the Arts, having studied Theater Therapy in Italy.
Tina Jost
Fitness, Corrective Exercise
Tina is an Orthopedic nurse, qualified in Germany. Her passion is Health and Fitness. She spends her weekends and vacation time hiking, cross country skiing or paddle boarding, as well as water skiing with her clients, friends, and family. Tina is a NASM qualified Personal Trainer, holding the NASM nutrition certification and Corrective Exercise specialty.
Dr. Courtney L'Hussier DPT
Physical Therapist
Dr. L'Hussier received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Rhode Island and has experience in a variety of settings including outpatient orthopedic, skilled nursing, pediatrics, and acute care. She is a Graston Techique certified LSVT BIG clinician, and NASM certified Nutrition Coach, Corrective Exercise Specialist, and Golf Fitness Specialist. She grew up in Chelmsford, MA and played sports from elementary school through high school and has always had a passion for health and wellness. In college she took a special interest in running, completing multiple races.