Meet the team

Coach Brooks is a Trauma Informed trainer and has over a decade of experience in strength & conditioning coaching, personal training, corrective exercise, and nutrition. Coach Brooks is a CrossFit® Level 2 Trainer Certificate Holder and has a USA Weightlifting Level 2 certification. In addition to coaching, Brooks has worked in PT clinics and adaptive athletics programs around the San Francisco Bay Area.​ Coach Brooks graduated Magna Cum Laude from San Francisco State University with a B.S. in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Therapeutic Exercise and Neuromuscular Science.

Emily is a Bay Area native who has lived in and around Oakland for the last decade. She spent her youth as a competitive swimmer but spent most of her 20s living a sedentary life. In 2014, she joined a local gym and met Coach Brooks. The variety, the camaraderie, and the friendly competition in group functional fitness classes kept her motivated in a way no other "dry land" workout experience ever had before. Emily is a CrossFit® Level 1 Trainer (Online) Certificate Holder and she holds a BA in Physical Anthropology from UC Santa Cruz and an MBA from Mills College.

Jake began attending functional fitness group classes 2008 as cross-training for his collegiate volleyball career. Jake became a coach in 2015 and he's always eager to chat about how the things we do in the gym can be applied to life outside the gym. Whether it's kicking into a handstand, hitting that weightlifting goal, or just picking yourself up off the ground, Jake loves helping people achieve things they never thought they were capable of doing and wants to help you build a healthy, long lasting relationship with movement and fitness. Jake is a CrossFit® Level 2 Trainer Certificate Holder.

Lilly has been a long time athlete, with basketball taking a special place in her heart. Off-season cross-training for her basketball team initially brought her to functional fitness 6 years ago and she has since competed in local competitions. Before Brightside, Lilly worked as an EMT. Lilly funnels her passion for health and helping people into her practice as a coach.​​​ Lilly is a CrossFit® Level 1 Trainer Certificate Holder and will earn a B.S. in Kinesiology (exercise science) from San Francisco State University in 2025. Lilly hopes to pursue further education to become a Registered Nurse.

Isa has been coaching since 2017 and she is passionate about helping people of all ages and abilities reach their fitness goals. As a teen, Isa discovered sports and fitness as a tool to help overcome negative body image and improve health and became a nationally ranked junior tennis player and qualifier for USA Weightlifting’s National Under 25 Championships. Now, Isa is working towards becoming a touring professional tennis player. Isa is a CrossFit® Level 1 Trainer (Online) Certificate Holder, and she holds a B.S. in Nutritional Sciences: Physiology and Metabolism, and a Master of Information and Data Science, both from UC Berkeley.

Lexi started group functional fitness classes in 2017 and immediately fell in love with the variety, the community, the friendly competition, and of course, getting strong! Lexi switched to exclusively training in Olympic weightlifting in 2019, did a few competitions, built out a home gym during the pandemic, and in 2023 got pregnant and had a baby. Postpartum she realized she missed the camaraderie and, yes, even the cardio in functional fitness classes. Lexi is still a huge weightlifting fan and you can often catch her watching competition live streams while working from home.  Lexi is a CrossFit® Level 1 Trainer Certificate Holder.

Movement has always been a central part of Katie’s life, from competitive dance and lifeguarding to synchronized swimming, circus arts, and through-hiking the Camino de Santiago. However, it wasn’t until 2017, when she discovered functional fitness, that she truly began to identify as an athlete. Katie now feels stronger and more aligned with her body and self than ever before and is excited to empower others to feel strong and confident through functional fitness. Katie holds a Master’s degree in Recreational Therapy, is a CrossFit® Level 1 Trainer, and Certified Personal Trainer (NASM-CPT).

Adelle is a dedicated Pilates instructor and licensed massage therapist with 6+ years of teaching experience and 16+ years of massage therapy practice with a passion for lifting heavy things.

 
Adelle completed the 500 hour  Balanced Body Comprehensive Pilates Teacher training in Berkeley, CA with an emphasis on trauma informed teaching. 

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As a former endurance athlete, Pilates has been crucial in healing her body from chronic pain due to over training. 

Kristen’s love for fitness & health didn’t really begin until her early twenties when she decided to quit smoking and run her first marathon After her first marathon, she continued to experiment with a variety workout trends but often felt stuck or got bored with the expectations many women are pushed towards in the gym; weight loss. When she discovered functional fitness, she saw a community of people that encouraged and elevated strong women.  She stopped stepping on a scale and had a completely new (and never ending) set of fitness goals that have transcended into her personal and professional life. Kristen is a CrossFit® Level 1 Trainer Certificate Holder.

Steph (she/her) began her health and fitness journey after college in 2012 and has been doing functional fitness training since 2014. She has a deep love for movement and adventure; whether it's runs or hikes with her dog, horseback riding in Latin America, eating yummy new meals, or exploring local gyms while traveling abroad, Steph is always up for trying something new. A former teacher and principal, and now education entrepreneur, she’s excited to bring her experiences to her role at Brightside, where she’s committed to creating welcoming, supportive spaces for people to move their bodies and try new things. Steph is a CrossFit® Level 1 Trainer (Online) Certificate Holder.