OUR FORTIS FAMILY

MEET THE TEAM THAT MAKES IT HAPPEN!

Morgan Young – General Manager

Morgan Young is our General Manager who originally worked for Fortis & YOGALUX when it first opened in 2013 as a customer experience manager. After working with Fortis for nearly 3 years she dipped her foot into the corporate world where she gained experience in both the construction and staffing industry. Through personal growth, something kept pulling her back to Fortis where she always felt fulfilled. She is passionate about working with people and loves the consistent, positive energy that Fortis radiates. When Morgan isn’t working, she enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends, golfing, and soaking up the sun.

Griffin Van Zanten – Fitness and Operations Manager

Learn More About Griffin

Griffin is our Fitness and Operations Manager. He first started his career at Fortis as a Personal Trainer part time back in April of 2018. Griffin was always drawn to the outdoors and grew up surfing, snowboarding and bike riding. After 8 years of being heavily involved playing Lacrosse and Football, he decided to stop in order to shift towards another direction. Griffin found his passion for fitness in 2015 when he took the knowledge of strength and weight training and applied it to himself and friends with his own twist on things. Holding a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certification, Griffin specializes in functional resistance and strength training. He is excited to continue his passion for helping people improve their overall health and strength.

Michael S. – INSTRUCTOR & TRAINER

Learn More About Michael

Michael is a personal trainer, massage therapist, yoga instructor, and holistic lifestyle coach with over 10 years working in the fitness industry. He’s worked with Olympians, Professional Fighters, Surfers, and thousands of clients over his career. He is a Biomechanics expert, utilizes Applied Neurology and a myriad of other methods to eliminate road blocks and create solutions for his clients. Michael is a published author at testosteronenation.com, the world’s biggest hardcore training website. In Michael’s free time, he enjoys spending lots of time in nature, surfing, working out, and playing guitar.

Brittan M. – INSTRUCTOR

Learn More About Brittan

Brittan grew up in Solana Beach and her passion for fitness began with dance and swimming. She wanted to share her joy of health and help others by becoming a Certified Water Safety & Swimming Instructor. Her zest for fitness continued to grow with avid running and the practice of yoga. She fell in love with yoga – the mind, body, spirit connection.
Brittan is a Certified Yoga Instructor E-RYT 200 and is also Certified to teach Yoga Sculpt, Yoga Barre, Agility Barre, and HIIT.

Emily F. – INSTRUCTOR

Learn More About Emily

Emily Finnegan was born in Northern California and moved down to San Diego 13 years ago for school, the sunshine, and the beach. Fitness became a huge part of her life when she signed up for her first marathon. Yoga became equally as important to running to balance out her activities. She continues to stay healthy by taking as many Barre, Yoga-Sculpt, Spin, and Yoga classes she can fit into her schedule. She also completes a few half marathons every year, and meal preps every weekend. Emily obtained her RYT-200 Yoga Certification, as well as a certificate to teach Yoga-Sculpt and HIIT classes. Emily’s Yoga classes are challenging, yet accessible to all levels with clear instruction and options for each pose. Her flows are a purposeful sequence of dynamic movement, including Sun Salutations, stamina building standing postures, and balance practice. Come prepared to work up a sweat, but leave feeling well balanced and refreshed.

Tiffany N. – INSTRUCTOR

Learn More About Tiffany

Tiffany Newlin is certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine as a Certified Personal Trainer with a specialty in Corrective Exercise Training, Nutrition, Pre/PostNatal, and emphasizes using her certificate on Behavior Change Specialist for weight loss management. Tiffany’s specialized fitness program designs focus on proper biomechanics with mobility training, strength training, athletic performance (agility enhancements), and weight loss goals. Along with personal training, Tiffany is also certified to teach cycle/spin, strength training (Tone & Sculpt), Cardio Dance, Boot Camps, and many more. Always bringing high energy, progressive results and helping you feel strong from the inside out, she wants every client to look and feel confident and proud of their fitness performance. As a mom of 3 kids, she knows the value of making time for your mental health and fitness goals.

Tiffany’s fitness philosophy is to: “Positively reinventing the lives of people by improving fitness potential.

Russell W. – INSTRUCTOR & TRAINER

Russell Wooten is a former Division 1 collegiate athlete for Villanova Men’s Basketball. After earning his master’s degree, he became an American Council of Exercise (ACE) certified personal trainer in 2012. Russell competed in 3 physique bodybuilding shows during 2013-2014.

In 2017, he earned his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certification through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). Russell worked as an athletic performance coach for Villanova University and La Salle University. He has had the pleasure to coach multiple athletes and sports such as men’s and women’s basketball, football, track & field, men’s and women’s tennis, and cheerleading.

Kate M. – INSTRUCTOR

Yoga began for Kate 20 years ago as a supplemental workout; she actually left her first class feeling frustrated and somewhat embarrassed given her lack of flexibility and her inability to do most of the postures. Having heard so many friends talk about the power of Yoga, she stuck with it – and it soon turned into something her body craved daily. Yoga has become her life’s passion, showing Kate a whole new path of discovery that has enriched and transformed her body, mind & spirit – and she knows it can do powerful things for you too. Kate has taught several forms of group fitness including Barre, HIIT, bootcamp, Yoga and is a FlowLIFT Master Trainer. Her classes are dynamic, fun, and highly motivating (with killer playlists!) Kate loves watching her students tap into their fullest potential and walk out of class shining – no matter where they are on their yoga or fitness journey. Yoga has taught Kate that there is no finish line, just a continual, beautiful journey of growth. Kate is married and a mother of 3 kids (+ a fluffy dog.) She loves food, hiking, travel and anything that involves the ocean.

Mary B. – INSTRUCTOR

Learn More About Mary

Mary Baker is an ERYT 500-hour Hatha Yoga teacher with over 5,000 teaching hours sharing her love of yoga with the world. Her teaching style is an organic blend of traditional Hatha yoga combined with vinyasa flow with a strong emphasis on breath, mindful movement, and intention. Mary’s classes artfully interweave yogic philosophy and mindfulness practices as a focal point for the mind and spirit. Her goal is for all students regardless of ability, flexibility, or experience to have fun and find peace and stillness on their yoga mat and in life!

Mary has been practicing yoga for over 15 years and credits the practice for helping her overcome the many challenges life has brought her way, including the loss of both parents to cancer when she was in her early 40’s. From this loss, Mary turned her grief into her life’s purposes and started the nonprofit, Be Well Therapy, Inc. which specializes in Yoga for Cancer Recovery offering weekly classes and private sessions to those who are living with cancer and their caregivers. She believes strongly that Yoga and Mindfulness practices can help heal our bodies, quiet our minds, and transform our lives.

In addition to teaching yoga, Mary is a Certified Life Reinvention Coach and mindfulness teacher. In her free time Mary enjoys hiking, traveling, scuba diving, baking, and spending time with her partner and two rescue chihuahuas.

Stephanie R. – INSTRUCTOR

Learn More About Stephanie

Stephanie has been in the fitness industry since 2001 and has worked with hundreds of people throughout her career. She started at an all women’s gym teaching cycle classes and decided her passion was to help people get into shape and change not just their workout habits, but their lifestyle. Stephanie believes in being active, eating a healthy diet of real foods and doesn’t just talk the talk, she lives by this daily. She is raising two girls and teaching them healthy habits as well.

Stephanie prides herself in making working out more fun and social. She encourages you to do your best without judgment or guilt. Her energy is always high and she makes sure you are safe.

AFAA Certified in PT/Group Exercise She has taught cycle and muscle classes at ForWomenOnly, Total Woman, Crunch Fitness (previously Pure Fitness), Cadence Cardio, MyFitGirls (ages 6-12), The Four Seasons Residence Club teaching a yoga sculpt and Alila Marea Resort.

Stephanie’s motto…Work Hard, Play Hard

Mariel R. – INSTRUCTOR

Learn More About Mariel

Mariel Rivas León is a Mexican dancer, aerialist and certified yoga instructor from Tecate Baja California.
Teacher and interpreter graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Contemporary Dance from the Faculty of Arts from the Autonomous University of Baja California UABC (2010-2014) Graduated with academy merit and honorable mention

Geanette F. – INSTRUCTOR

Learn More About Geanette

Geanette found a deep connection with yoga in 2008. In 2009 she began the journey toward her 500 hour yoga teaching certification. Her teaching focus is designed to share the therapeutic aspects of stress relief, emotional health, self-awareness and meditation. Geanette is a certified Reiki Master/Teacher and became a certified Be Well Therapy Instructor, teaching yoga for cancer recovery in 2019.

Geanette’s passion for teaching comes from her own experiences of personal growth. She has the ability to hold space for others to connect with their innate sense of wisdom, self healing and joy. Her teaching focus provides a balance of mind body awareness. Off the mat Geanette enjoys a good boot camp or strength training session, spending time at the beach with friends, outdoor adventures with her husband, snuggling her pups and building community.

TAKE A TOUR

Take a virtual tour of our facility or stop by for the full fitness experience! We are confident our staff, trainers, classes and equipment will help you get some of the best workouts around.