Rona Palmer-Sampayo

I started my lifelong passion for movement and fitness at age 5 when I began ballet lessons which I continued to pursue through high school. I was introduced to yoga in college in upstate New York. I studied in yoga studios in California, Washington and New Mexico as I moved to different states for my career in online marketing. As my work required extensive travel, yoga was something I could pursue anywhere at any time. 

My husband and I moved to Arizona in 2022 upon retirement. I began taking daily yoga classes at the Tucson JCC. During a vacation in Mexico (we are members of the Unlimited Vacation Club and enjoy vacationing at Secrets resorts), I was introduced to Fitness Pro Travel by a guest yoga instructor. That inspired me to pursue my 200 hour certification which I completed in August of 2023. 

While taking the classes online, I also attended daily in person classes at Yoga Oasis studio in Tucson. Their classes are intensive and cater to yoga instructors providing detailed alignment cues. 

After completing my certification, I was hired by the Oro Valley Community Recreation center and began teaching several classes each week. Although they have several yoga instructors, they were looking to expand their yoga offerings to include a broader range of yoga classes, particularly for those looking for more vigorous styles of yoga (Vinyasa and Flow). 

I also was bought on to the JCC staff as a substitute yoga instructor, teaching classes ranging from gentler practices (Restorative and Chair Yoga) to Vinyasa and Flow. 

My mission as a yoga instructor is to provide a safe and enjoyable experience to students of any age and experience level. 

In addition to teaching and taking yoga classes daily, I enjoy vegan cooking and hiking with our dogs. Although we both have part-time jobs, our schedules are flexible. We hope to travel on Fitness Travel vacations 2 - 3 times per year.