Meet The Team Coaches Connection Progress

Our private gym is co-founded by one of the most experienced personal trainers and fitness business owners in NYC.

With 15 years in the fitness industry, Westley’s passion stemmed from his background in Mixed Martial Arts and weightlifting since his teens. The discipline and competitive mindset gained over years of training and fighting has culminated into UpFit Training Academy, NYC’s premier Small Group and Personal Training studio.

While completing his bachelor’s in Nutrition & Exercise Science at Queens College, Wes started his career as a personal trainer at New York Sports Club then moved to The Sports Club/LA on the Upper East Side where he rapidly became the company’s youngest Advantage Trainer (Tier 4). He planned to pursue his doctorate in Physical Therapy till the combined experiences of going to therapy for L4-L5 and L5-S1 disc herniations and his internship in cardiac rehabilitation pushed him in a different direction towards fitness and away from rehab. A passion for helping others eventually led to greater roles in corporate fitness management at Crunch Fitness and New York Health & Racquet Clubs. More success in sales and staffing pushed Westley into Baruch College’s MBA program while co-founding and operating Fit Formula, a fitness concierge service from 2012-2017, before founding UpFit.

Westley keeps things simple and focuses on four things daily: health, wealth, family, and personal development. Outside of work and training, he spends most of his time with Alex, Odin, and Brooklyn, his girlfriend, husky-mix, and schnoodle, he hosts epic UFC parties, and is a savage in karaoke.

Head coach and co-founder of UpFit, Paul is responsible for maintaining the high standards of UpFit’s Small Group Training and Personal Training programs.

Paul has been serving the fitness industry since 2008, and brings a wide variety of experiences including working with NCAA Division I athletes, corporate executives, retired baby boomers, and homemakers. His passion for sports and athletics as a youth sparked an interest in a career as a physical therapist, but he soon realized that sports performance, strength and conditioning, and fitness training were his true callings.

Paul started as a student intern at Cutting Edge Sports Training at his alma mater at the University at Buffalo. He worked with the local student athletes to further his interests in the field and led to internships at Fordham, Rutgers, and Baylor Universities.
With the completion of his master’s degree in Strength and Conditioning at Springfield College, he earned positions of assistant strength and conditioning coach at Trinity College, and head football strength and conditioning coach at Western New England University.

Paul pooled his experiences of collegiate athletics into working with the general population. He let his passion for the field fuel his dedication to positively impacting the healths of all his clients and those close to him. He currently practices boxing, is an avid combat sports enthusiast, and is looking for his first competitive match as an amateur. His hobbies include reading and traveling, and he prioritizes spending time with his family and close friends.

Josh, a New Jersey native, grew up in a challenging family environment where both his parents and siblings were constantly either dealing with obesity or chronic disease. As a teen, he found himself becoming a result of his surroundings: overweight, pre-diabetic, and hypertensive. As sports became increasingly difficult, Josh one day made the decision to change his lifestyle so that he could continue playing the sports he loved and be an example to his family that life can be different.

At 13 years old, a frustrated but determined Josh decided to making a change. He moved an old treadmill from the basement next to his bed, overhauled his nutrition, and lost 65 pounds as a result. The transformation inspired him to pursue a career in fitness as a Personal Trainer so he could share his experience and passion with others in hopes of helping them make positive changes as well.

Josh has spent the last 12+ years in the fitness industry in roles from a top tier trainer to fitness and studio manager where he lead personal trainers, group fitness instructors and sales teams at New York Sports Clubs, Equinox, TWA Hotel, and Orangetheory. He’s excited to bring his experience and enthusiasm to both the UpFit team and members alike.

In his free time, Josh enjoys traveling, playing basketball, biking, watching movies, networking, educating himself, and playing with his golden retriever. Fun Fact: Josh has been skydiving three times and is a huge thrill seeker.

Coupling his passions for competition and building relationships that stem from playing sports through the collegiate level, Brian has been working as a personal trainer for the past year. After graduating Sacred Heart University with a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science in 2019, he wanted to put that knowledge to work.

Shortly after starting his coaching career, Brian realized how much he loved training and committed to sharing that passion with those who let him. After going through his own personal transformation, Brian understands the trials and tribulations that come with embracing a journey towards better health. He hopes to share his success story and impact every person he is fortunate enough to work with.

Brian believes the way to get results is through intentional movement, optimizing recovery, and consistency. Taking a lighthearted yet serious approach he coined his training philosophy “To enjoy the process as much as the outcome.”

He strives to educate himself daily to improve his craft, and be the best coach possible. His favorite ways to use free time is to spend it with family and friends. Outside of training, his hobbies include reading, playing handball, and watching anime.

Patricia spent most of her youth and teenage years playing basketball and picked up ballet the last couple years of her teens. Fitness and sports became a growing interest the moment she moved to New York from Spain 10 years ago and was introduced to the world of kickboxing. Her enthusiasm and eagerness to learn and perfect every strike led her to becoming a fitness kickboxing instructor for iLoveKickboxing, where she coached groups of 20+ and led 1-1 private sessions.

Over the years, Patricia’s own training progress improved dramatically when combining her kickboxing and Muay Thai training with strength & conditioning. She eventually began incorporating those same methods with clients and noticed dramatically better strength and fat loss results.

Patricia’s growing passion for helping others led to her becoming a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and afterwards enrolled in her 2nd bachelor’s program in Exercise Science at Brooklyn College to prepare her for a new career. In 2021, Patricia came in as a last year intern and is now a fully fledged coach at UpFit!

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with friends, cooking, traveling to new places, and most of all, training in Muay Thai, with the hopes of competing in her first amateur fight in the near future.

David is a dedicated advocate for physical fitness and overall well-being, driven by a genuine passion to inspire others to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. From a young age, his love for sports and an active lifestyle laid the foundation for his lifelong journeys in the realm of fitness.

Initially pursuing a career in computer science, David discovered his true calling through introspection and a relentless pursuit of his passion. Recognizing that fitness had been a constant source of solace and personal growth during challenging times, he made the courageous decision to change his path and embrace his true passion. David redirected his academic focus, earning a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition & Exercise Science from Queens College.

As a lifelong learner and a student of life, David is committed to expanding his knowledge and refining his expertise. His commitment to excellence is rooted in his competitive nature, honed through years as an athlete and fierce competitor. David’s refusal to settle for mediocrity sets him apart, as he continually challenges himself to reach new heights and surpass ordinary standards.

At the core of David’s philosophy lies the belief that prioritizing physical and mental well-being is the key to achieving greatness. Firmly standing by the motto, “Health and wellness is the first step to greatness,” he recognizes that a strong foundation of physical fitness and mental clarity is essential for individuals to unlock their full potential. Outside of work and training, David finds joy in practicing mixed martial arts, playing tennis, running, and exploring various culinary delights.

Since an early age, David has always been interested in sports and as he got older, he eventually narrowed his focus onto baseball. While working on skill development for the game, he grew an even greater passion for strength & conditioning and the different methods available to enhance one’s physical capabilities.

Inspired by the impact of past coaches who played a pivotal role in his development as a player, David decided to pursue a career in fitness and graduated with his B.S. in Exercise Science from Rutgers University in 2019. As a result of his learning David was able to make improvements not only to his own training, but that of his close friends and family. After reflecting on these experiences and further working with various individuals, he recognized his desire to help those new to exercise reach their goals and better their health.

Through personal experience from starting his own fitness journey back in high school as an undersized kid, David acknowledges that the hardest part lies in having the courage to get started and trying one’s best to put forth a consistent effort. David believes the best exercise plan is the one you can stick to on a regular basis, and wishes to motivate Upfit members to put in a steadfast effort so that they get the most out of their training.

David strives to stay on the latest fitness trends and is always seeking to challenge his current ways of thinking in order to better his expertise and coaching ability. Aside from training and work, he enjoys spending time with his friends searching for good eats, watching sporting events, and playing volleyball.

Aly is a strength and conditioning coach whose passion for movement began at a young age as a competitive volleyball player. After being diagnosed with scoliosis and dealing with chronic pain throughout her athletic career, she discovered the power of using exercise to manage her symptoms and regain control of her body. That experience sparked a deep passion for helping others do the same. She went on to earn a degree in Kinesiology at the University of Minnesota and has spent the past seven years helping clients move better, feel stronger, and train with confidence.

With specializations in corrective exercise and assisted stretching, Aly takes a personalized, movement-based approach that prioritizes both performance and long-term health. She believes that everyone deserves to feel good in their body—regardless of age, experience, or injury history. Her coaching style is grounded in empathy, patience, and a genuine commitment to helping clients build strength from the inside out. Aly is dedicated to meeting each person where they’re at and guiding them toward long-term, sustainable results.

Eric spent his youth and teenage years playing all types of sports from basketball, football and soccer. But he always had a greater passion for competitive soccer which led him to train and move up the ranks until receiving a pro shot in Portugal. Throughout his journey he developed a passion for outside the field training. This enthusiasm led to improvements in his strength and those results translated positively over to soccer. With a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Queens College, Eric aims to bring his knowledge to help each member reach their goals. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends. Some of his hobbies are playing guitar, traveling, competitive soccer and serving at his church.

Erika is a former Division I college soccer player and NCAA coach, with additional experience at the high school and club levels. Known for leading with empathy and kindness, she creates supportive, empowering environments that help athletes tap into their full potential—on and off the field. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences with a Pre-Medicine focus from Lindenwood University in St. Louis, Missouri. With a strong foundation in human biology, Erika brings a science-informed, personalized approach to fitness and wellness, helping individuals move better, feel stronger, and live healthier lives.
After college, her passion for exercise and health grew into a mission: to help people of all backgrounds achieve their fitness goals. Erika is driven by the belief that everyone has an inner athlete—regardless of age, background, or experience. She is committed to guiding others toward stronger, healthier, more confident lives—combining knowledge, compassion, and motivation every step of the way.

Born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Alina discovered her passion for strength training & fitness at a young age. What began as a personal commitment to building strength & confidence quickly evolved into a lifelong dedication to helping others transform their lives through movement, discipline & education.

With a background as a competitive powerlifter and certified personal trainer, Alina has spent years working with clients from diverse fitness backgrounds, guiding them through strength development, body composition changes, and sustainable lifestyle habits. Her coaching philosophy emphasizes technical excellence, progressive overload, and building long-term confidence both inside and outside the gym.

At UpFit Training Academy, Alina serves as the Assistant Studio Manager, where she focuses on member success, operational excellence, and supporting both coaches & members in achieving their goals. She prioritizes building strong relationships with members, ensuring they receive the guidance, accountability & the structure needed to maximize their training experience.

Outside of the studio, Alina is passionate about building fitness communities and developing programs that empower people to become stronger, healthier, and more confident in their everyday lives.

•    NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT)

•    UFC Gym Certified Trainer

•    Business Administration — LaGuardia Community College

•    Competitive Powerlifter

•    Strength & Hypertrophy Programming