Join us for the conclusion of our gpsREBOOT VirtuWELL series where we will celebrate volunteerism and community! Research shows that fostering a connection to your community has both mental and physical health benefits, providing a deep sense of happiness both immediately and long term. Volunteering has been shown to improve your mood, make you feel healthier, increase your sense of purpose, and reduce your stress levels.

Dr. Rockers is past President of the Sacramento Valley Psychological Assn, and the California Psychological Assn. In 2018 Dr. Rockers started a 501(c)3 nonprofit to introduce mental health concepts to underserved youth through cultural wisdom, idiom and metaphor. He serves on three medical society advisory committees dealing with physician burnout, he counsels physicians with burnout and facilitates a physician burnout group. In his full-time private practice, his focus is on the creative process with the motto “Barrier Mitigation through Idea Generation.”

Agustin Arreola serves as the Senior Implementation Manager of Lift to Rise. Lift To Rise is a cross-sector collective impact organization mobilizing 50+ local, regional, and national partners to build a more inclusive and equitable future for all Coachella Valley residents. In his role, Agustin leads and supports critical community interventions, including the Mission Asset’s innovative Lending Circles and most recently, the United Lift Rental Assistance program. Prior to working at Lift to Rise, Agustin was a fellow at the University of California, Riverside Center for Social Innovation. He holds a Bachelor of Political Science and Chicana/o Studies from University of California, Los Angeles. Agustin is passionate about expanding access and opportunity in the areas of housing and economic mobility.

Tizoc and Briana De Aztlan were both born and raised in the valley and after some time away they decided to return to Greater Palm Springs Not only have they returned but they have made a positive impact in the community by making a difference. They were awarded Palm Springs Life’s 40 Under Forty in 2018, this is presented to Coachella Valley's most inventive leaders and achievers under age 40.  Aside from running their own businesses, they founded Run With Los Muertos. Run with Los Muertos has succeeded in connecting the many diverse communities of the Coachella Valley and beyond by attracting athletes and enthusiasts from throughout the United States.

Patrick Sheehan is an art teacher, painter, muralist who started Coachellart in 2019 as an art-outreach organization to provide instruction, materials and hands-on experiences for local students in elementary, middle, and high schools in the Coachella Valley. Coachellart specializes in school mural painting programs, arts-based special projects, and provides various art resources to local educators.

In addition to being the Director of Brand Communications here at the Greater Palm Springs CVB, Julie Sinclair wears many hats! Our “in house yogini” has also been an editor/writer/communications professional for more than 20 years. When not at the CVB, Julie finds time to teach and practice both yoga and meditation. Julie is also a board-certified polarity therapy practitioner (which is a form of energetic bodywork), and has a certificate in herbology. We are excited for Julie to take us through a guided meditation to learn some new relaxation techniques.  

This conversation with a virtual panel of health and wellness experts will help you manage your stress levels and promote better quality sleep with tools like aromatherapy, meditation, sound baths, and more. 

Gail Diolola is a nationally certified fitness coach at Fit in 42 La Quinta, a personal training studio gym built on the foundations of group exercise, community and support. For over four years, Gail has coached at the studio while continuing her physical therapy education. She is passionate about motivating and educating clients to become healthier and more knowledgeable individuals. Gail will discuss the importance of diet and exercise in our lives as it relates to stress management and sleep.

Animal Samaritans offers Animal Companion Therapy (ACT) to improve the social, emotional, or cognitive function of their patients using animals as a form of treatment. Patrice Mock will discuss how animals and pets can help up reduce anxiety and stress, stimulate social interaction and conversation, and give us an opportunity for play in a fast-paced world. 

Dr. Mark Smith is the Chief Science Officer at ThePaleoDiet.com. He has maintained his own health and conditioning practice at The Sports Club at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage since 2006, and his training programs are implemented at many conditioning centers around the world. His most recent research interest is on sleep and its impact on health and performance. 

Our third virtual event featuring several Greater Palm Springs restaurateurs and nutritious food enthusiasts

Andie Hubka is the award-winning executive chef and owner of Cork & Fork in La Quinta; Heirloom Craft Kitchen in Indio; and Cooking with Class, the Coachella Valley’s first and only recreational gourmet culinary school. She specializes in creating spectacular wine and food pairings and multicourse wine dinners. She and her husband, Mike, recently opened Tu Madre’s Cantina & Grill, a modern Mexican concept in Indio.

Danae Sheehan is the Associate Director of Destination Services at the Greater Palm Springs CVB. In addition to her love of creating events, Danae also expresses her creativity through culinary art. When her family switched to a plant-based diet a few years ago, she developed a passion for cooking whole, plant-based meals. Danae loves introducing people to a new way of eating that is both healthy and delicious.

Tony Marchese is the owner of TRIO Restaurant, co-owner of AC3 Restaurant + Bar and CV Harvest Box and co-producer of Palm Desert Food + Wine. Originally from Chicago, Tony gave up cold winters to move to Palm Springs, where he decided to pursue what he was most passionate about – the restaurant business. Along with co-owner Mark Tadros, Tony created CV Harvest Box as a way to bring the wonderful local Coachella Valley produce directly to consumers. 

Click here for a PDF of Chef Andie Hubka’s Summer BBQ Chicken Sliders.
Click here for a PDF of Bootlegger Tiki's Pod Thai cocktail
Click here for a PDF of Danae's Favorite Blogs & Cookbooks
Click here for a PDF of Danae's Sweet Potato Power Bowl Recipe
Click here for a PDF of Danae's Lentil Curry Recipe
Click here for a PDF of Dane's Vegan Poblano Stuffed Peppers

Join us for a virtual conversation with local fitness experts from F45 La Quinta and Power Yoga Palm Springs.

Kim Funkey is a Palm Springs native and the owner of Power Yoga Palm Springs. After a decade of learning, growing and working in her family's restaurant business she decided to turn to the next chapter and focus on sharing her passion and love of yoga with her community. You can find Kim dividing her time between teaching and practicing at her studio downtown Palm Springs, advocating for the mission and work as President of Young Variety Children's Charity of the Desert, member of Junior League Palm Springs, sitting on the board of Main Street Palm Springs and providing adaptive yoga to the United Cerebral Palsy of the Inland Empire. Yoga has brought healing, connection, physical and mental health and so much fun into her life. Her hope is to introduce the many benefits that a yoga practice offers to the diverse and beautiful desert community she loves.

After raising their two kids in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jill Caskey and Bruce Yoxsimer decided it was time for some warmer weather and a change of scenery. They moved to the greater Palm Springs area two and a half-years ago and have fallen in love with the area. When the opportunity to open an F45 fitness studio presented itself, they jumped at the chance. Both with athletic backgrounds, they immediately recognized the unique, community-oriented approach to health and wellness promoted by F45. The non-competitive, everybody welcome philosophy as well as being the best work-out on the plane really sets it apart. Jill and Bruce love owning a small business in the Palm Springs area, and the fact that it is a business that changes peoples live in such a positive way is just icing on the cake.

The CVB kicked off its new VirtuWELL Series with Cathy Serif, Founder of Crush !T Fitness. An author, nutritionist, and fitness coach, Cathy began inspiring others to lead a healthy and fit lifestyle more than 38 years ago. A local resident and nationally recognized expert in fitness and nutrition, Cathy is well known for her highly effective diet and exercise strategies.

Cathy will kick off our series with a conversation including nutrition tips and a short exercise to get you moving and energized. She will also be presenting you with a Wellness Challenge that you can take part in and give you tips on how to crush your goals!

To view a recording of the 30-minute work-out by Cathy Serif, click here.
Click here for a PDF of the Crush It Summer Slim Down Challenge.