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After a ten year career working with animals, Jessica found an incredible sense of authenticity in her yoga practice when she moved from Florida to NYC in 2015.  As a long time practitioner of martial arts, she has followed the wisdom from the principles of Budo and understands that the true mastery to any discipline comes from cultivating one’s inner strength. What started as a means of physical healing, her yoga practice quickly revealed an intricate connection between the moral codes of Budo and the eight-limbed path of Yoga. 

Focusing on centered and mindful movement, Jessica emphasizes fluid transitions between asana and exploring ways of releasing the emotional and physical tension in both the mind and body. Jessica is particularly sensitive to shoulder and hip injuries as she has suffered from both hip dysplasia and shoulder muscle tears.

Jessica’s background in Science has taught her that progress happens when there is space for growth, so she encourages you to release any expectation or self-judgment. If we approach Yoga with curiosity and playfulness then the spark of our own potential can thrive. If we do the work with intention in moments of stillness, then deep in the chaos we have clarity. 

Jessica is Yoga Alliance certified RYT-200 hrs through Sonic Yoga in NYC, has a third degree black belt in Shotokan Karate, a white belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and rides a motorcycle.

Steve first discovered CrossFit when he was 17, preparing for College athletics. Soon after he feel in love with competing in the sport of fitness. He has been able to compete at the highest levels over the years: twice on a team at Regionals in 2016-2017 and as an individual in the West Coast Region in 2018. He competed at multiple elite competitions worldwide, including Wodapalooza, Canada West Games and more.

He first became a Coach in 2012 at Derby City CrossFit in Louisville, KY where he worked full time until 2017. During this time he earned his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology and Strength and Conditioning from the University of Louisville, spending multiple years on different programs interning and coaching. He is passionate about coaching all ages, skill levels and goals. He loves to give back to local community assisting with many different sports strength and conditioning programs.


Outside of the gym, Steve is an Active Duty Captain in the US Army, and a Medical Officer. Steve has served overseas in places such as Afghanistan, Kosovo, Thailand and more over the past decade. Steve also has been a member of the US Army Warrior Fitness Team, using his passion for CrossFit to further recruiting efforts for the US Army.​

Bio coming soon!

Chris has lived in the Pacific Northwest all his life and currently lives in University Place with his wife, Melody. Chris has always enjoyed competitive sports and grew up playing soccer, basketball, and baseball. When his father built the first indoor tennis club in the area, his focus turned to tennis and Chris went on to become a top-ranked junior, collegiate, and adult player. After he finished competing, Chris used his experience and began coaching for the next 15 years which included 7 years as the head tennis coach for Fife High School.

As an adult, it was still important for Chris to maintain an active lifestyle. He was introduced to CrossFit when he attended the 2015 West Regional event at the Tacoma Dome. He knew right then that CrossFit was something that he wanted to pursue. Chris eventually made his way to University Place CrossFit and knew that he was at the right place. The UPCF community is like no other community and offered everything that Chris was looking for.

Chris loves coaching and he is excited to be a part of University Place CrossFit and helping people grow and reach their full potential. Chris is a Level 1 CrossFit Trainer and has his CrossFit Masters Trainer Certificate.

Megan is a University Place native, graduating from Curtis High School. She grew up competitively swimming and playing water polo. After college, she coached club water polo for Puget Sound Polo and high school water polo at Silas (formerly Wilson) for several years. In November 2018, she walked into University Place CrossFit on a free friends and family day… and never looked back! After resigning from water polo coaching, she decided to get her L1 and then began coaching at UPCF. She loves that CrossFit is infinitely scalable for any athlete. It is so fun seeing a community complete the same workout, but in their own way based their ability and strength. Megan currently lives in University Place with her three cats – Leonardo DiCatpurrrio, Kat Winslet and Loaf Goodson. She works as a dental hygienist for a root canal specialist (who she got to join UPCF also!) In the gym, she dislikes running and accumulating calories on an erg, but loves any gymnastic movement like handstand push ups or pull ups. When she’s not at the gym, she loves brunching with friends (and the nap that follows), cheering on the Seahawks, exploring the PNW, traveling to new places and still stays true to her roots by playing water polo with her masters team.

Reegan has quite literally grown up in a competitive athletic environment. She has been with UPCF since it’s inception and personifies the community values on a daily basis through grit, determination and a dedication to performance. Reegan was instrumental in the development of RevUp Athletics; serving as both a sounding board and prototype for our young athlete specific program. She has been coaching and leading our kid’s program for over three years.

Reegan has her L2 CrossFit certificate and coaches both adults, kids and Olympic Weightlifting at UPCF. Reegan graduated from Boise State University last winter and is working at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in the research lab.

Reegan has an incredible ability to connect with and inspire athletes looking to build a solid foundation. She is committed to ensuring your young athlete has the tools needed to succeed both in and out of the arena.

Ace is originally from Fort Benning Georgia and was stationed at Fort Lewis in 2011 at the ripe age of 18. He served with the 75th Ranger Regiment here in Washington with multiple combat deployments. As a kid, he was always active, participating in sports like football, track, cross country, and martial arts. He was introduced to power lifting and weightlifting when he joined the Army. After serving his contract in the military, Ace transitioned into academics, receiving his Associates in Kinesiology at Pierce College and Bachelors at Pacific Lutheran University. 

He became a personal trainer and a strength and conditioning coach at Pierce College. It was there he discovered CrossFit and more structure with Olympic Weightlifting. He has competed in power lifting and Olympic Weightlifting and has established good relationships with multiple locally owned gyms. Ace is a weightlifting enthusiast coaching at multiple local gyms and has a passion in helping people improve their technique, strength, and attitude. Ace has a Level 1 USA Weightlifting Certificate. 

Outside of the gym, Ace enjoys travelling internationally, hiking, shooting competitively, practicing martial arts, and archery.

Lisa first tried CrossFit over 13 years ago and it was still so new and people wondered “Why” she wanted to workout that way!  Why so intense, why so heavy, why so much? Well those are all of the reasons why she fell in love with CrossFit.  Lisa loves the community it creates, the passion it brings out in its athletes, the friends she has  made, the strength she has gained and the  commitment.  CrossFit has become Lisa’s happy place. 

Lisa has  5 years of CrossFit and HITT coaching experience and loves helping people break through their barriers and achieve something they didn’t think they could.  Lisa loves being an advocate and cheerleader for people and a constant positive.  You can find her dancing and cheering for you with each rep. She is excited to coach at University Place CrossFit and help the members achieve their goals and beyond. 

Lacey grew up in Arizona and has been an outdoor enthusiast and active her entire life. She participated in competitive cheerleading and from an early age enjoyed challenging herself and accomplishing athletic goals. Lacey moved to several states with the military until she landed in Washington state. She has a full time career as a nurse and has a passion for caring for others and inspiring others to be healthy and fit.

Lacey is a talented athlete, and has a fire to compete in CrossFit competitions. Her free time is spent finding challenging hikes throughout the country. Lacey has over 5 years of strength and conditioning coaching. She has been coaching for UPCF for over 2 years and has helped our members learn their full potential physically and mentally. 

Shirley is a University Place native! She is also a CrossFit and Olympic Lifting enthusiast. When she is not coaching, you can usually find her either participating in class, training for Olympic Lifting competitions and or furthering her professional training. She has been to several weight lifting and squat clinic seminars and loves to expand her knowledge. She has been doing CrossFit since the beginning of 2013 and became a CrossFit Trainer in 2015. She left her job in corporate land to pursue her passion for making her community healthier and to spend more time with her husband, daughter and German Shepherd.

In her early years, Shirley participated in gymnastics, dance, cheerleading and lifting. Fast forward to adulthood she trained to be a Pilates Instructor and that is where her real love for healthy living began. Since then that love has evolved into her lifestyle and she lives everyday to spread that knowledge to anyone and everyone.

Shirley is a Level 2 CrossFit Trainer, has her CrossFit Gymnastics Certificate and her CrossFit Kid’s Trainer Certificate.