Our coaches will help you FEEL Amazing
Meet the team that’s dedicated to making your goals a reality.
our story
Paul Austad began CrossFit in 2010 at a 24 Hour Fitness before joining the Nela CrossFit Atwater Village community in January 2011. He started coaching in order to get people fired up about making healthy life choices and decided that the Nela community, which has a unique background, was the perfect way to do that. When Paul is not coaching or doing muscle-ups at Nela Athletics, he spends more time at Nela Athletics while occasionally hanging out with family and friends. Paul has his L1, L2 and CrossFit Kids certifications.
meet your support team
Lily Rigual
COACH
Level 2 CPT
Jahi Olatunji
COACH
CrossFit Level 1 Certification
Wes Mendelson
COACH
CrossFit Level 1 Certification.
Wes Mendelson began his CrossFit journey in November 2013 after being encouraged to join by his wife for over a year. Wes was heftier in his twenties and turned to running and CrossFit as a way to keep the pounds off. He now lives a healthy lifestyle and enjoys spreading the happiness that comes along with self confidence amongst his NELA peers. In 2018 he decided to try his best to give back to the community by leading classes as a coach. Outside of the box, Wes enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, Charley and pet pitbull, Bleu. Wes has his CrossFit Level 1 Certification.
Sarah Spring
COACH
I was convinced into trying CrossFit by two of my friends who coached back in Michigan in 2012. It became a passion of mine instantly and I got my L1 and nutrition certification and started coaching shortly after.I grew up playing sports; track, soccer, and lacrosse through high school and played basketball in college. I was always more interested in the conditioning and movement aspect than the actual sports. I moved from Michigan, to Portland OR, to Phoenix AZ, to LA and am fortunate to have coached in each place I’ve lived. In my free time I love being outdoors, hiking, long boarding, playing frisbee, mountain biking, and going to the beach. I plan to go back to school to study addiction science while I continue to coach and enjoy my passion for fitness. Helping others establish, work towards, and reach their health and wellness goals through CrossFit is extremely rewarding to me and am happy and excited to be part of the Nela community.
Cristina Sandoval
COACH
CrossFit L2 and Olympic Lifting
Beret Malmgren
COACH
CrossFit L2 Certification
Gabe Castro
COACH
CrossFit L1 certification
Justin Sevakis
COACH
L1 Certification
Lauren Hill
COACH
CrossFit L1 Certification
Kyle Lampi
COACH
OPEX CCP Associate Coach, CrossFit L2, Gymnastics, and Weightlifting L2 Certifications
Precision Nutrition Certified Coach