About Us

Joanna Sapir

Joanna is owner and head coach of CrossFit Santa Rosa. Joanna has always enjoyed playing sports, but working out at a mainstream gym never appealed to her. Then she found CrossFit, and was hooked – it was community-oriented, fun, and functional. Now, she loves introducing others to CrossFit-style training and helping them tap into their inner badassery. She believes whole-heartedly in Glassman’s “World Class Fitness in 100 Words” as well as the importance of playfulness and fun in athletic training.

Joanna is a USA Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach, a Level 1 CrossFit Trainer with CrossFit speciality certification in Gymnastics, a CrossFit Kids trainer, a World Kettlebell Club Fitness Trainer, and a student in OPT’s Coaching Certification Program. In her past life, she was a high school teacher, professional development provider in education, and school reform activist in Berkeley and Oakland. She lives in Sebastopol with her two young sons.

Ryan Parker

Ryan grew up just outside of Philadelphia and played team sports throughout his youth and Lacrosse into college.  After competing in his first mountain bike race, he was hooked on cycling. That passion for cycling eventually led him to Boulder, Colorado where he was able to test himself against some of the best cyclists in the country. It was during his time in Colorado that he also began racing triathlons, and went on to compete in every distance including ironman.

Ryan walked into a CrossFit gym almost three years ago and never looked back. He loves the ability to maintain such a high level of fitness while improving strength – a foreign concept for a die-hard endurance athlete! At the same time, he discovered the Paleo lifestyle and has since become a huge advocate, encouraging dozens of his friends and family members to try it. Although he doesn’t rule out the option of racing endurance events again, he will never return to his long slow distance training, and high-carb/grain-based nutrition.

Ryan has a degree in Psychology from Penn State University and works part-time with “at risk” youth. He has worked in the fitness industry for the past 10 years. After managing some of the larger chain-gyms and feeling disconnected from what it was he loved about fitness, he started his own training business. Whether coaching aspiring triathletes and cyclists, or working with someone who is trying to lose a lot of weight and exercising for the first time, Ryan has always valued the opportunity to work as an advocate for people’s health. These days, he is passionate about CrossFit and sees it as revolutionary, not just because it’s the best conditioning program out there, but because of the community it creates. He loves introducing new people to this training methodology, and believes that CrossFit has the power to drastically improve a person’s life.

Majid Zeinal

Majid is dedicated to helping others achieve balance in their lives through exercise, nutrition and bodywork.  Knowing the benefits of functional training from his chiropractic education and understanding of anatomy and physiology, Majid was in search of a more effective way to train for himself and his clients.  After years of trying other programs Majid found CrossFit and has never looked back.  He has a Level 1 CrossFit certification, and has seen profound improvements in his own health and the health of his clients – even people with chronic injuries – as a result of CrossFit training.  Majid also loves the team and community building aspects of CrossFit and believes that there is no better way to get motivated to get fit.

Majid is a Sebastopol resident with his wife Emily and owner of Vibrant Life Chiropractic and Family Wellness Center.  He graduated from Life Chiropractic College West where he received his Doctorate in Chiropractic and also holds a Bachelors Degree from U.C. Davis in Food Science and Nutrition.  Majid is very involved in his community as the Vice President of the Sebastopol Area Chamber of Commerce board and a member of the Sebastopol Sunrise Rotary club.  In his spare time Majid loves to go backpacking and just get lost.

Leah Simmons-Davis

Leah holds a Level I CrossFit certification, fell in love with the engineering of the human body after getting Massage Therapy certification eight years ago, and has found for herself that quality of life is directly tied to physical function. Especially aware of how the mind, emotions, and body interact, Leah is excited to assist and encourage others in the life-long quest of becoming strong, healthy members of our communities.

Leah is a career firefighter for Cal Fire, currently working in Napa County and living in Santa Rosa.

Emily Zeinal

Emily is a Doctor of Chiropractic, a Level 1 CrossFit trainer, and also a Certified Doula. Her extensive knowledge and experience working with the body and her attention to detail greatly benefit her coaching skills. She has a passion for educating her patients on proper nutrition, exercise and stretching so they can get the most out of life. This led her to start CrossFit training, and she was instantly hooked.

Emily lives in Sebastopol with her husband, Majid. She is the owner of Vitality Family Chiropractic Center which specializes in pediatric and pregnancy care. When she’s not CrossFitting, Emily enjoys backpacking and hiking. She loves living in Sonoma County and enjoying the wonderful bounty of fresh local food it provides.

Brandon Richardson

Brandon grew up in Santa Rosa and in high school played football and baseball. He is a firefighter and driver/operator with the Calistoga Fire Department, where he has worked for the last seven years, and will complete paramedic training in 2012.

Brandon used to be a member at several “globo-gyms,” but always felt that he was missing intensity and a competitive edge during his workouts. After learning about CrossFit, he began doing CrossFit-inspired workouts at his gym until everyone gathered to stare, and eventually asked what exactly he was doing.  Soon he discovered Crossfit Santa Rosa and the importance of proper nutrition.

Brandon is a Crossfit Level 1 certified trainer and has an Associates of Science in both Fire Technology and Emergency Medicine.  He is a Santa Rosa resident and enjoys snowboarding, mountain biking and hiking.