Pier To Point Wellness Team
Anna Fernandez
Owner/Director
Yoga and wellness have been an integral part of Anna’s life for the past 20+ years. Her deep connection with yoga philosophy has inspired all areas of her life and continue to ignite her passion for Living Yoga. Anna, a mother of 2, has founded, owned and operated local small San Diego businesses for the past 24 years and brings her conscious business expertise to Pier To Point Yoga & Wellness Center. In addition to directing the Center, Anna finds great joy in sharing the healing gifts of yoga and wellness.
In addition to her group classes, Anna offers private classes personalized for each individual client, with an emphasis on breath, alignment and healing from the inside-out. She also offers Reiki and/or sound healing in her private sessions, giving each client a personalized wellness experience that leaves you feeling renewed, relaxed, refreshed & ready to thrive!
It is Anna’s commitment that everyone is welcomed into The Center with kindness, equity, compassion and integrity. Anna believes that wellness starts from within and when we’re supported by community, compassion & connection, we can create real, lasting, healing change, within ourselves, our communities, and our world.
Jennifer Opaka
Program Director
Jennifer Opaka has worked in the fitness industry for 20 years. She began teaching aerobics in the heyday of spandex, legwarmers and Jack LaLanne health clubs (She has admitted to wearing leg warmers and headbands). Members would often ask her for additional private training and she soon began her personal training career, almost by accident. “I had always planned on going to law school, but fell in love with helping people achieve their [fitness] goals.” Working with people one on one had its benefits, but she still loved group fitness and began working with corporations to plan athletic events for their employees. She did this for seven years while
working with the fitness department at the Marriott Corporation in downtown San Diego.
She then met Jeff Kohli at Peninsula Athletic Club who inspired her to learn more about strength training, especially for an aging/rehabilitating population. She completed Jeff’s Personal Training Certification in addition to the ACE (American Council on Exercise) and ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) for Personal Training. She is a Pilates Instructor (400 hour training) and has taught at San Diego State University for the Personal Training Certificate Program.
Jennifer then started Progressive Fitness because “I wanted a professional training company that focused solely on client needs and not just the philosophy of the trainer. By really listening to my clients and educating them on what it really takes to achieve their goals, I learned how to design realistic programs that work”. She welcomes all clients ranging in ages from 16 to 95, with fitness goals from weight loss/strength training to balance training or pain management (specifically joint pain and arthritis).
Candice Neri
Assistant Director / Social Media
Since 2012, Candice has been practicing yoga & natural healing and she received her yoga teacher certification in 2020 after taking Elka Yoga Teacher Training. Becoming a mom made her realize how important it is to take care of mind, body & spirit in order to be an example for her babies. Candice’s hope is to continue life-long learning and to share this knowledge with others . She loves being part of the Pier To Point Yoga & Wellness Family and finds so much joy meeting, greeting and assisting clients. As the first face they see, Candice is honored to get to know each client & help ensure they are getting the wellness experience they desire She plans to continue growing, giving, & teaching as long as she can!
Elka Haeckel
Elka is a worldwide yoga instructor who has developed a juicy yoga practice like none other. She’s a certified Yoga Alliance E-RYT 500 Hatha Yoga instructor with additional certifications in Ayurveda, Reiki, Prana Flow, Restorative Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Vinyasa Flow, SUP Yoga, Yoga Therapy and Thai Medical Massage.
Elka’s exuberance and passion for teaching, extensive knowledge of yoga philosophy, and holistic health, combined with her experience of owning a successful San Diego yoga studio, international trainings, workshops, retreats and teacher trainings makes her a positive force to be reckoned with. Elka’s friendly approach to students, friends and business partners inspires an inner transformation within everyone she meets. As she likes to remind everyone, “We are just getting started on this journey, so open your heart and and your mind to see your true possibilities!”
Anna Fernandez
Owner/Director
Yoga and wellness have been an integral part of Anna’s life for the last 20 years. Her deep relationship with yoga philosophy has guided her to incorporate these teachings into all areas of her life and continue to ignite her passion for Living Yoga. Anna, a mother of 2, has founded, owned and operated local small businesses for the past 24 years and brings her conscious business expertise to Pier To Point Yoga & Wellness Center. In addition to directing the Center, Anna finds great joy in sharing the healing gifts of yoga and wellness. It is her commitment that everyone who enters The Center is welcomed with kindness, acceptance & sincerity. Anna believes that wellness starts from within and when we are supported by community, compassion & connection, we can create real, lasting change.
Cheyenne Messig
Cheyenne Messig has been dedicated to serving children and their families for decades as a caregiver and educator of children with special needs, while deepening her yoga practice along the way. It was only natural to combine these two passions into a unique new community for little yogis.
She’s spent over a decade working at local high schools and middle schools in a special education setting, and currently teaches and directs a children’s aerial yoga program in Ocean Beach. Cheyenne has combined all of her trainings and passions into a one of a kind experience. She combines her specific knowledge of children in an educational environment, the healing impact yoga has had in her own life, and the methods of her trainings to bring the supported experience of yoga to all her students.
