Jamie began working at NAC in 2006 as part of the childcare staff. In 2015 she became a certified Spin Instructor and enjoys teaching at the Club. Aside from teaching spin Jamie works full-time as a Registered Dental Hygienist.
Jamie received her Bachelors in Biology from University of Massachusetts in Amherst and then went on to receive a degree in Dental Hygiene from the University of New Haven in Connecticut.
While Jamie is not working at NAC, she enjoys living a very active lifestyle including running and biking around the Valley.
B.S. Biology, University of Massachusetts ’12
A.S. Dental Hygiene, University of New Haven ’15
In 1990, while a student at UMass, Andrea began teaching aerobics. Four years later, in 1994, after completing Rosalie Peri’s Fitness Instructor Training program, she became an AFAA certified group fitness instructor and began teaching classes at Northampton Athletic Club.
Heather is an ACE certified group fitness instructor and personal trainer with over 20 years experience in the exercise industry. She graduated from UMASS Amherst in 1996 with a BFA in Dance, moved to NYC and attended the Alvin Ailey Summer Dance intensive. Heather then became more involved in teaching fitness classes and personal training in order to make a living. After a brief move out to Boston, teaching and training out there, she found her roots back here in the Pioneer Valley. She has been at NAC since 2000.
Heather’s passion is fitness and moving the body. She enjoys working with people, making them feel good about themselves and helping them to realize that exercise can be fun! Her goal for each of her classes is to put a smile on every participants face, and to have them leave wanting more.
Heather enjoys being outside. She loves cycling–especially hills! Highlights from this past year include: the Berkshire/Highlands Pentathalon, the Great Hyannis Half Marathon, and the Mount Washington Auto Road Hillclimb– where she won her age group! Heather believes in setting goals for herself to keep her motivated and to give her something to work toward.
When Heather is not teaching or training, she keeps busy with her 4 children, Luke, Ava, Cody and Joey. She bakes every Sunday night, enjoys her dark chocolate just about every day, and can often be found at the Woodstar or Bueno y Sano.
Rosalie is an RN, Certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor with 20 + years of experience. She is a Registered 200 hour Yoga teacher, Certified in Personal Training by NSCA, Certified in Pilates Matwork, P90X and PiYo. Rosalie has worked at NAC for 22 years and has helped develop our extensive group fitness programming.
Rosalie is also adjunct faculty at Smith College and teaches both credit and non-credit courses for Exercise and Sport Studies and Athletic Departments at Smith College.
Alena completed her RYT 500 training in 2017 and is currently enrolled in the 1000 hour teacher training program at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. She sees yoga as a practice with incredible depth and diversity. As a teacher, Alena’s aim is to empower her students with the techniques and practices of yoga that allow them to cultivate their own unique approaches to health and wellness.
Alena comes from a long line of athletes and teachers. Her great-grandmother coached gymnastics at the Olympic level and both her grandmother and father were competitive skiers in Czechoslovakia and Italy, respectively.
In 2013, after nearly 15 years in international education and travel, Alena settled on yoga as her professional path, completing her 200 hour teacher training at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in West Stockbridge. Alena has led public & private classes, workshops and retreats in Jordan, Mexico, Egypt and the United States.
Prior to the pandemic, Alena was a practice teach mentor and regular faculty assistant for 200 hour yoga teacher trainings at Kripalu.
Alena is happy to be back in western Mass, where she was raised, and to offer both public and private yoga instruction to NAC members.
For a full list of Alena’s experience, visit: https://www.
Areas of Expertise
Hatha, Vinyasa, Power, Yin and Restorative Yoga,
Posture Clinics,
Sequencing Postures for Flexibility & Strength
Trauma-informed instruction
Breathwork Clinics & Guided Practice
Meditation Clinics & Guided Practice
Yoga Nidra,
Relaxation Techniques,
Yoga Lifestyle Mentoring
Education/Certifications
Pending, 1000 hour Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training
300 hour Sacred Activation Yoga Teacher Training
200 hour Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training
MA, Uppsala University, Sweden
BA, Yale University, CT, USA
For a full list of Alena’s training and education, please visit: https://www.
Testimonials
Thanks Alena for yesterday’s great session! The breathwork was so relaxing, and I felt chilled for the rest of the evening. I’ll definitely use the breathing techniques you taught us. Thanks.
Paul Fean, Workshop Participant, 2018
I was fortunate enough to attend a drop in yoga class with Alena last month … and I won’t forget it. The class was well paced, helped me stretch tight muscles from surfing and work on some different areas of strength too … I left feeling fantastic. I’d go again in a heartbeat.
Luc Bibeau, Yoga Student, 2018
Highly Recommend Yoga with Alena …
Paraiso Yoga classes are the real deal … and {one of] their instructor[s], Alena- is exceptional. My daughter and I took her Vinyasa class and her Yoga Nidra class. We liked her style so much- her soothing voice- her specific instruction- her authentic understanding that each person’s abilities are different and she differentiates her instruction to suit each individual. We enjoyed her style so much we then did several private classes with her … I can still hear her say: Right now- there is nowhere you need to be… I will take that with me into this New Year.
Catherine Head, Yoga Student, 2017
For more testimonials, please visit: https://www.
Other Interests
Alena lives in Northampton with her son, Gabriel.
She enjoys travel, cooking (and eating!), music, dance, anything outdoors and in or on water and fun times with friends and family.
She is a student of womb yoga and kundalini tantra.
Alena is also a shamanic practitioner and has a private practice where she assists clients to dive deep into themselves for answers and change.
Contact Alena:
T: 413-588-4168
IG: alenabartoli
Contact Info.: 413-588-7294 ~ [email protected]
Education: Salve Regina University, B.A. in Psychology; Double Minor in Spanish and Dance
Certifications: ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Interests/Hobbies: Positive Psychology, Mindset Training, Vernacular Jazz Dance and Cardio Dance, doing anything outdoors, taking my dog on adventures, kayaking the Deerfield River, finding and pushing past my physical limits.
Specializations: High Intensity Interval Training, Calisthenics, Hypertrophy/Body Sculpting, Senior Fitness (60+), Functional Fitness, Plyometrics, Core/Stability Training
Fitness Philosophy: Connecting the Mind and Body during training is vial for success. My goal as your trainer, is to help you achieve personal competency in your ability to improve your physical health. I don’t just want to motivate you, I want to callous your mind, build your discipline and mental toughness, so that y9ou can create and foster long-term success for yourself.
Beth is a native of Northampton. She graduated from Northampton High school in 1976 and UMASS Amherst in 1981. She works for her family business in Hatfield.
“I have been working at NAC since dinosaurs walked the earth. I have also been employed as a Mom since 2001. I have two daughters who assure me I’m due for a raise soon! I love to walk and hike and mow my lawn, but being a group fitness instructor at NAC is one of the most fun, gratifying jobs I know!”
Ivy first started her yoga journey in New York in 1993 while at SUNY Geneseo for her BA in theater and English. She discovered it was a great way to reduce anxiety and connect with others in a new way and sought out more classes, teachers, and books on yoga. After receiving her MA in Adolescent Education, she made a move to San Francisco in 2008. There she became certified in Hatha Yoga through Integral Yoga Institute and began teaching classes at the beautiful Victorian mansion in the Mission District. Soon after, she expanded her knowledge by becoming certified in Baron Baptiste’s Power Yoga. In 2013, she spent a year living and working at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health as part of their volunteer program. There she had the opportunity to work with some of the most knowledgeable and influential teachers in the fields of yoga, meditation and self-empowerment. Inspired by their example, she started Write Your Yoga, workshops for writers of all levels that incorporate yoga and meditation to improve creative flow and quiet the inner critic. She led workshops and retreats in the California Bay Area while also teaching regular Vinyasa and Hatha Flow classes at various studios. In 2018, she became certified in Kundalini Yoga as well. Ivy moved to Western Massachusetts in February with her partner and their two cats and teaches high school English and creative writing in Chicopee. She is thrilled to be part of the NAC community and to be able to share her joyful approach to this ancient, powerful practice with others.
Jennifer Polins is a bodyworker, movement educator, artistic director, choreographer and performance artist Her work is in the service of cultivating qualities of appreciative joy, compassion and well being. Jen is certified in Pilates, Gyrotonic, Gyrokinesis, Yoga, and Massage and studied Body Mind Centering for over 10 years. She danced professionally in America and Europe, starting with the Joffrey Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet and then the Zurich Operahouse Ballet companies before migrating to a professional career in contemporary performance art. Jen founded and directed Movement Resource, a Pilates, Gyrotonic and Body work studio in downtown Northampton for 7 years and then founded The School for Contemporary Dance and Thought ( SCDT) in 2013 after completing her MFA through Hollins/ADF.
Caroline Moore is a mind-body class instructor from Connecticut who recently graduated from UMass and is currently working on her 600 hour Classical Pilates Certification. She is passionate about creating meaningful movement experiences and helping people align their mind, body & spirit.
