Azulfit Team
Our team is warm, experienced, compassionate and caring. Most importantly, they genuinely love what they do and care about your experience.
Whether new to yoga or Pilates, or an advanced practitioner, our teachers’ talent, warmth and passion will ensure that you are challenged and guided along your journey, on the right path, at a pace that’s right for you – from the very first step.
Founders
Jamie Isaac
Master Pilates Teacher
As a surfer, yoga lover and Classical Pilates aficionado, Jamie founded Azulfit & Fluid Life Pilates Studio to share his passion with those who are ready to take their next conscious step toward vibrant health.
Jamie is a Peak Pilates Master Instructor & Teacher Trainer, 2nd Generation Master Pilates teacher and is one of the world’s first specialist Pilates retreat teachers, having designed and taught Pilates retreats for 15+years.
Jamie loves nothing more than supporting and celebrating the transformations of his students… except maybe playing with his awesome kids. Find Jamie online at Azulfit 365 or join him on Pilates Anytime.
Karissa Isaac
AZULFIT CO-FOUNDer
A geneticist by training, Karissa is a strong believer in a holistic approach to wellbeing and the benefits of Pilates and yoga. She put her passion for holistic health into setting up Azulfit along with Jamie, and works to make sure that all guests get the most out of their Azulfit retreat. Karissa is a reiki practitioner and is follows her love of healing and holistic wellbeing.
Together with Jamie, as founders they have run retreats, events and workshops worldwide. Although she is missing the Fuerteventura lifestyle and especially her Azulfit family, Karissa loves the water and is a former America East record holder in the 200 Butterfly. You can still find her in the water, and coaching swimming in Carlsbad, CA! She studied Ayurveda with the Dogwood Botanical school of medicine.
You’ll find Karissa behind the scenes working on our website, booking systems, marketing and working on our amazing location retreats to make sure you have the best Azulfit experience. Most importantly, she takes care of the Azulfit team so they can take good care of you!
Surya Retreat Team
Lindsey Todd
Yoga & Meditation Teacher
Lindsey’s love of yoga began 20 plus years ago. When she found herself in New Zealand surrounded by a group of high vibing Yogis, her whole world changed.
Discovering how yoga could positively change her own life, over 20 years ago, Lindsey’s journey of self development lead her from being a caring registered nurse to become a yoga teacher.
With her nursing background, Lindsey has a unique and insightful way of observing each student’s body, along with their physical and emotional needs.
Understanding that every body is different with different challenges, her heartfelt, loving and kind approach helps all students feel nurtured, seen and safe.
Lindsey leaves guests feeling confident to progress and supported, as each student is empowered to create space in their body and mind, ready to deepen their personal practice.
With an open and warm character, Lindsey enjoys connecting with all students, open for a chat or to talk through any questions about their practice or personal yoga goals.
Lindsey shares both flow yoga classes and deep, blissful yin yoga classes. So be ready to feel safe, supported and nurtured whilst feeling inspired to take your yoga practice deeper.
Charlotte Mulvany
Yoga & Meditation Teacher
Charlotte started her journey with us as a young yogini and volunteer in 2012, a six month experience which quite literally changed her life.
Charlotte feels that everyone has the power to be strong, healthy and happy, whatever their age.
As a passionate, experienced yoga practitioner, studying as a therapeutic counsellor, she believes that sharing yoga within the focus and calm of the retreat environment can help each guest feel nurtured and inspired to connect with the seed of their potential, and flourish.
Using the tools of kindness, positivity and laughter she blends traditional yoga asana (postures) with modern concepts to develop skills, strength, and mobility and to leave guests feeling confident with a meaningful practice both on and off the mat.
As a long time student of yoga and anatomy, Charlotte loves to share both physical movement and meditation practices, supporting students to grow their practices and inspiring them to live mindfully with intentionality.
Her yoga classes are designed to empower and energise and leave students feeling great in their body as well as with renewed calm and clarity.
Charlotte loves the powerful energy of this incredible island and will guide and support guests through their retreat experience and beyond on their journey.
Jo Dombernowsky
Pilates Teacher & Nutrition Advisor
Jo Believes in the power of food and movement to improve health, boost energy and wellbeing. Jo has designed the menus at Azulfit. Jo loves sharing her passion and knowledge for nutrition with our guests and helping them experience the incredible energy that plant based food can bring.
Jo is also an experienced and passionate Pilates instructor. Students will leave her classes feeling inspired and more confident, as she supports each guest towards a deeper understanding of their practice, developing the skills to progress safely and quickly in their practice.
As an advanced practitioner and yoga teacher, Jo draws from a wealth of wellbeing and movement studies to be sure every class meets the needs and goals of every guest.
Jo also offers Pilates reformer classes which allow guests to enjoy variety in their movement practice whilst improving their core and lengthening and strengthening muscle.
An avid surfer, Jo has lived on Fuerteventura for many years and loves to share this beautiful island with her family and likeminded souls. She loves seeing the amazing progress of each guest within the retreat environment.
Gary Solomon
Customer Service & Business Manager
Gary is a real team player and helps with many aspects of the Azulfit experience, always bringing a healthy sense of humour along with care and support to his role.
Gary left his corporate job in the UK to join the Azulfit team, adding his much-welcomed experience working for a large UK tour operator to the Azulfit mix.
Gary will support you through your booking experience, and will make sure you have all your questions answered and information at hand to help you feel at ease and excited about your upcoming stay with us.
Not just a quick mind, Gary loves cycling, triathlons and SUP. He can often be found out on his bike or catching some waves on his paddleboard, making the most of the beautiful island that he now calls home.
Erika Godzsak
Guest Experience Manager
Erika has a passion for all things fitness and wellbeing and brings her wealth of experience in hospitality to head up our Guest Experience at Azulfit!
Erika lived in London for many years managing a bustling restaurant before relocating to Fuerteventura after falling in love with the island. She adores outdoor activities, exploring the island and being active. Erika is the perfect host for our guests – always happy, always caring and ensuring your stay is exactly what it needs to be – exactly what you need with that personal touch.
We are lucky to have this star on our team and she hopes you will enjoy your stay with us at Surya retreat!
Rakel Garcia
HR Manager + Guest Care
Rakel studied tourism in Bilbao and has a love for sharing the island and wellbeing with our guests. She is passionate about animals and loves horses, also having studied equine tourism. She ensures our team are looked after with professionalism, compassion and care and this allows our team to care for our guests!
She is mom to two and has a brand new baby, and family is very important to her. She is fluent in Spanish and English and also speaks French, Italian, German and Basque!
She is a very important part of our operations team, heading up our staff development and HR, to ensure we are always providing the best experience for not only our guests but our staff as well.
She hopes you will enjoy your stay with us at Surya retreat!
Estef Cerdan
Guest Care
Estef has worked in hospitality around the world, from Asia to Australia. She is a trained yoga teacher and also supports our kitchen team.
Estef has worked across professional disciplines including event management, risk assessment and is a certified admin and finance professional. Her love for yoga and travel have led her to pursue a career in teaching and wellbeing and we are lucky to welcome her to our team. Her kind demeanor, her holistic knowledge and all of her professional skills mean you will always be met with a smile.
Estef hopes you will enjoy your stay with us at Surya retreat!
Paul ‘Gecko’ Birchmore
Project & Site Development
From the very start of Azulfit Gecko has been part of the retreat family, helping with projects on the original location and sharing time as an integral part of the community.
He has a real love for nature and brings this passion to the Azulfit gardens, creating the amazing grounds and spaces for every guest to experience and enjoy.
He keeps the site running beautifully and is always creatively planning on ways to bring new experiences or beautiful spaces for guests to share.
His love for nature and animals extends even to diving with sharks, as well as his primary love of football!
Jordi Juan Sanz
Plant based Chef
The experience of consuming food is more than a necessity; I believe that the enjoyment of food gives us purpose. As a Master Chef with decades of experience, I am proud totake people take a global journey through the wonderful flavors and ingredients of various regions of the world, all with a basis in nutrition and health.
Marco Onori
Plant based COOK
Marco has been working as a cook and in gastronomy for more than 10 years. He is kind, organized, efficient and always has a smile or encouraging word for everyone.
He has the magic touch with flavours and cares deeply about his work, his family and our guests. We are very excited to have the opportunity to work with Marco!
Raffaella Magliola
Plant Based COOK
Raffaella is passionate about vegan and vegetarian food and has worked in retreats for many years, as she believes in the meaningful work we do to support our guests to live a more healthy and vibrant life.
She is an incredible cook and brings her passion for mediterranean flavours to like in the Azulfit kitchen!
Outside of work, she believes deeply in wellbeing and practices yoga in her free time.
Azhara Sakalli
Plant Based Cook
Azhara grew up learning from the best, alongside her ‘nonna’ in her agriturismo kitchen in Tuscany.
She has worked in retreats, as the lead chef in cafes, and in surf camps, bringing her vibrant plant based foods to life! She loves to create recipes and spend time sharing her knowledge, recipes and skills as a content creator. She makes amazing sourdough, focaccia and cakes and has a wide range of experience including interior design and photography.
She has worked all over the world and settled in Fuerte to share her passion for food! We are very excited to welcome her to our team.
Cristian Rodriguez
pLant Based Cook, Passionate Vegan
Cristian has a desire to learn and grow as a vegan and vegetarian cook and we are so happy to welcome him to our team!
Cristian has worked for hospitality and more recently has take a keen interest in all aspects of nutrition, from vegan and vegetarian to fermentation to adapting foods cater for allergies and intolerances.
He is a skilled professional with a wonderful attitude and always greets you with a smile. We are very excited to have him on our team and watch him grow in his plant based cuisine journey!
Roberto Taylor Valenzuela
Kitchen Assistant
Robert is a kind caring and gentle soul, always there to greet you with a smile.
He does so much for our team, big and small, from filling the kitchen with song and smiles to ensuring all of our supplies are in stock to cook the most delicious meals.
He is a genuinely wonderful human and when he is not in the kitchen he is either surfing (he is an incredible surfer!), working on projects at home and raising his amazing daughter who he is very proud of!
Carola deGenst
Guest Care
Loves working within the calm and tranquil retreat setting making sure every guest has all they need, creating a clean, caring and calming environment.
Carola has live on Fuerteventura her whole life, and although she’s spent time away from the island, she has always returned. She now lives here with her family spending time with her daughters and sharing the island lifestyle.
She loves the island’s beaches and being in the ocean, and has a passion for free diving in the crystal waters.
Carola brings a smile to her work and loves to bring happiness to every guest by making their experience a comfortable, and relaxing one.
Rosana Pardo
Guest Care
Rosana always goes above and beyond to deliver excellent guest care, and works hard to support her team. She is kind and thoughtful and always puts her best into the experience so guest comfort is at the heart of each experience.
Azulfit Guest Instructors
Rachel Blunt
Guest Yoga Teacher
Rachel loves to encourage playfulness and wonder within her yoga practice, her classes and life. She is a highly experienced teacher, hosting her own retreats, teaching and exploring the world.
Rachel’s commitment to empowering those around her is inspirational and her ability to form lasting and genuine connections with people and raise them up is a true gift.
You can expect to practice anything from Hatha to Vinyasa to Yin to Partner Yoga and all with a few giggles along the way.
Andrea Everingham
Guest Yoga Teacher
Andrea is the founder of OneYoga Studio in Manchester and one of the UK’s finest and most fun teachers.
With her natural and empathetic teaching style and infectious enthusiasm, Andrea is a perfect fit to join the Azulfit team. She delivers a fun and accessible practice for all levels, yet always with a depth and authenticity that allows all levels of practitioner to feel challenged, yet safe and supported.
Naturally approachable and caring, her passion is to bring the joy and release of yoga to her students. Her captivating, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed approach continues to attract a strong following of committed yogis both in her studio and through retreats across the globe.
Sarah Warman
Guest Yoga Teacher
Sarah is a true child of the world. With a passion in life to travel, meet new people and experience as much as possible, making her classes feel rich, authentic, nourishing and empowering. As well as traveling and teaching yoga, you can also find her beautiful Mandala artwork on My Mandala Yoga.
With a depth of experiences that have given her a broad love for the planet, its wonderful people and a better understanding of our interconnectedness Sarah loves helping people feel supported and encouraged to reach for their best potential.
Sarah believes that vitality is paramount and loves to share with others how to explore more healthy, sustainable ways of living. She loves how the power of yoga connects the mind, body, breath and spirit. Sharing both traditional flow and deep nourishing yin practices, classes with Sarah are fun, explorative leaving guests feeling nurtured, calm and confident to discover their own vitality.
Helen Clough
Yoga & Meditation Teacher
As a young traveling dancer, Helen has lived a vibrant and exciting life and brings. these experiences with her warmth and understanding to every class and practice.
Helen. believes yoga is a place to reconnect with our body in a freeing, liberating, creative, fun and playful way. With a love for vinyasa flow, and Jivamukti, she also loves to share the healing power of yin and restorative yoga, to leave every guest feeling confident and empowered to develop their practice. Classes with Helen will connect you with yourself as well as leave you feeling supported and belonging to the greater yoga community.
Jigyasa Shiv
Yoga & Meditation Teacher, Teacher Trainer
Jigyasa is a really fun and authentic teacher of yoga. She has turned her love of learning into a lifelong pursuit, and loves sharing this with her students.
Jigyasa is a Traditional Yoga Teacher and Energy Therapist with a Modern twist.
Originally born and trained in India, Jigyasa has been living on the beautiful island of Fuerteventura teaching Yoga and practicing Energy Therapies. Classes with her will help you heal your Body, Mind and Soul and connect better with your inner-self. Her classes provide a good mix of Chanting, Pranayama, Asana and Meditation.
Jigyasa strongly believes that Each body is different and dedication can bring in great results.