• I have some education under my belt. Everything from dissecting human cadavers and observing the true anatomy of the human body to a Master’s Degree in Kinesiology.
• I’m certified. I have my CSCS (CERTIFIED STRENGTH AND CONDITION SPECIALIST) and USAW cert. (USA WEIGHTLIFTING).
• I am an extremely understanding and down to earth guy. I will always give people a chance to be heard and I don’t mind talking about oddball questions.
• I like to help people achieve their goals… I guess you could call me a “professional goal achievement consultant.”
• I like to question things. I will never settle for just one answer, I want more.
• I will help EVERYONE achieve their goals by utilizing fitness, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle coaching. Ranging from the remedial cases in which people need help rehabbing injuries…to the average person looking to lose a few pounds, adolescent young athlete, fitness models.  Nothing makes me feel better; I will help you achieve your goals.
• I like to workout, a lot. Lifting big heavy weights gives me a sense of victory and fulfillment. Other than spending time with my son, nothing makes me feel more alive.
• My favorite treats are ice cream, donuts, and pizza! (I love food)
• When I work out, I listen to punk rock,  heavy metal, the most calming trance and piano tracks, 90's hip hop and R and B, and classic rock n’ roll.
• I enjoy playing pickleball, refining my backyard garden, and taking cooking classes.

How my passion was found:

I was brought up in the small beautiful town of Napa, California. I don’t know if you’ve ever been here before, but Napa is gorgeous.

In my youth, I was an 11-year-old scrawny kid sitting all alone at home with nothing to do. I probably weighed around 50 lbs. soaking wet. I was also a punk as a kid. I got in what some people would call “trouble” and I found myself in some interesting scenarios.  By tossing heavy weights around, enduring insane exercise routines my coaches put me through, and other off-the-wall exercise routines that came from my own imagination, I forged my body and mind to be able to withstand the struggles of life.  If anything, those inanimate barbells and dumbbells in the weight room were always there for me when there wasn’t anyone else there for me. Working out has given me a true sense of security.

When I was in high school, I played football, baseball and I boxed a little bit too. I became infatuated with the combination of lifting weights and how it could increase my performance in these sports. Believe me, it did.   Even though I may not have been lifting weights correctly, I was an exceptionally strong teenage boy. I increased my performance in football and could hit the crap out of a baseball.  All in the meantime, I found myself with a body equipped with lean muscle mass and injury-free.

After my high school career, I became involved in martial arts and dabbled in the Jiu Jitsu and MMA scene. After participating in that and overcoming a life-changing injury while being a single dad of a 1-year-old baby boy, I decided it might be a good idea to get a college degree. So, I enrolled in Sonoma State’s Kinesiology program and acquired my bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology.

All in the meantime I was a bartender… joy. Here I was with a degree in Kinesiology, working late nights with a bunch of inebriated people and doing personal training on the side. It was somewhat of a contradiction to my life goals. I decided that this scene was not for me. I had to do something different and follow the passion that once drove me to the gym. So I decided to become a strength and conditioning coach and health and wellness consultant.

After realizing that being the only sober person at my workplace was not the right fit for me, I took on a job as a personal trainer at a local gym and began to acquire clients privately as well. I learned through time how to guide people to lose weight and gain lean muscle mass. I began to acquire clients who were athletes, weekend warriors, and average individuals seeking to lose weight and improve their appearance. It didn’t matter who they were or what goals they wanted to achieve, I knew that my knowledge and passion could help them reach any level of fitness. Most importantly, by surrounding myself with what I truly loved, I knew I had a gift that could change people’s lives.

Fast forward to the present! Why am I here?

I acquired my master's degree in Kinesiology twelve years ago. I have learned over time that certain individuals are naturally inclined to be workers. I think I am one of those people who just need to keep working until I get the job done. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I know that all these years of hard work in school will pay off in the long run.

So, why am I here?

After working various jobs that were essentially space and time fillers in exchange for a paycheck, I had a lot of time to think. I thought about how many of my peers, friends, family, and co-workers came to me for help on how to improve their lives through fitness, what supplements to take and not to take, how to eat properly, and what they could do to get rid of their aches and pains throughout their body. I thought about the times when people would actually tell me, “You help people succeed,”… “A lot of people tell me that you have helped them achieve their goals and pull through tough times in life,”… “You really love what you do.” So, I thought to myself, “This is my mission.” This is what I am good at. The skills and knowledge I possess are shared by only a few other individuals in the world… I need to put them to good use!

If you have read this far, I thank you and appreciate it greatly.

I am here to help you succeed.

I am here to assist you as you break through and overcome the barriers that hold you back.

I am here to offer and share my expertise in helping you build a strong physical, psychological, and physiological foundation.

I want you to grow!

I want you to succeed!

I want to give you strength.

This is my mission.

This is my passion, and I want to use it to help you.

Outside of the treatments at Tenacious, Amber enjoys spending time with friends and family (especially those with cats). In her free time, she can often be found visiting cat cafés, traveling and exploring some of the world’s most beautiful regions with her husband, maintaining her own fitness routine, or continuing her education in massage and physical therapy techniques to ensure her clients achieve positive outcomes from their treatments. She also enjoys strength and conditioning sessions with the Napa Tenacious Fitness coaching team, refining her yoga practice, and attending Pilates classes.

Amber chose a career in therapeutic bodywork because she genuinely loves helping people. Whether working with clients during a massage session or taking time to listen and connect, Amber brings a caring, thoughtful presence to every interaction. Her goal is to help people feel better, move well, and enjoy life.

A lifelong student of her craft, Amber holds numerous massage therapy certifications, including Neuromuscular Therapy, Lomi Lomi deep tissue techniques, and the Hendrickson Method. She trained at the East West School of Massage in Portland, OR, and Education Corp. Career College in Long Beach, CA. She completed advanced study to earn her Hendrickson Massage Therapy Level 2 certification in Santa Rosa and Berkeley, CA. She has also studied at the Paul Mitchell School of Esthetics.

Amber is a tremendous asset to Napa Tenacious Fitness’s culture of lifetime fitness.  She brings balance, tranquility, and care that seamlessly complement the strength training, movement education, and injury-prevention strategies our clients practice at Tenacious.

When I’m not in the gym, you can find me playing with an Australian Shepherd named Copper. My family and I have always considered physical activity a significant part our lives. Depending on the season a typical day involves me and my friends playing volleyball in the sun or rainy-day football. Being the best version of me has always been my goal. I consider it a privilege to help others achieve similar goals.

I was played sports year-round ever since I can recall.  Basketball, baseball, and soccer were my favorites. I still have close relations with the kids I met doing the same sports. When it came time to start taking sports seriously, I decided track was the sport for me. I ran mid distance,400 and 800-meter sprints. My biggest success was running a 1:59 800 meter at sections. Track was compelling to be involved in.  I noticed by putting in the work, it gave me a strong sense of leadership and devotion. These experiences help me to push myself to this day.

I consider myself an enthusiast of traveling., I visit my family in Hawaii every year and visit Mexico every other year. The warm water on the beach along with the relaxing attitudes of the natives makes for a stress-free vacation.

I always planned on being a personal trainer as soon as I was out of high school.   My goal was to help people not only build their body, but also help with their mindset and confidence. I’ve been certified 9 years.  I am expanding my knowledge by working on becoming a certified nutrition coach through NASM as well. I love training and always will.   I will continue to help others find a passion in fitness.

My passion for fitness began when I was wrestling back in high school. I needed to get stronger and add a little bit of muscle, so I decided to start lifting weights at the gym. Ever since then, fitness has been a big part of my lifestyle. Fitness has helped give me clarity, and it has been a safe space to let out any negative emotions I did not want to carry.

After seeing and feeling the changes that fitness has given me, I aspired to help others do the same. I have always been naturally inclined to coach, so helping others through fitness was second nature. I love helping people see positive progress and transformation towards their health and fitness.

A fun fact about me is that I am a drummer. I have been playing drums since I was 11 years old; my older brothers taught me how to play. I also really love my cats—Eddy, Jinky, Bugz, Logan, Tim, and Aria. I like to go on hikes and outdoor activities.

Lastly, I live by four pillars in my life: Faith, Family, Fitness, and Finances.

One day, I decided to take matters into my own hands and take control of my body's care. Eventually, I fell in love with the process of putting in the work that people don’t typically see behind closed doors. Fitness has become a safe space for me to not only improve my physical and mental health, but also to give me the opportunity to network with other like-minded people from various walks of life.

Originally, I was pursuing a doctorate in Physical Therapy, but personal training was always something I wanted to try and learn more about since fitness was my first passion. I enjoy sharing my fitness journey with others, along with the knowledge that I have accumulated. I also enjoy learning from others’ experiences and perspectives on fitness and health. My ultimate goal is to continually accumulate knowledge and refine my skills as a personal trainer, providing the best service to my current and future clients.