OPEX Abbotsford Fitness & Wellness

We’re passionate about fitness & wellness!

Firass El Fateh

Owner / Coach

After graduating from high school in Abbotsford, Firass attended Saint Mary’s University in Halifax on a football scholarship.
Upon completion of his Bachelor of Commerce Degree, Firass moved back to his home town in Abbotsford. He worked in a corporate setting for 5 years. However, his passion for fitness was too strong and he decided to pursue a career in that field.
Firass completed his OPEX CCP and has been a Fitness Coach for almost a decade now. In that time he’s helped many people achieve their health and wellness goals through a holistic approach.
When he’s not coaching, Firass enjoys working out (of course!), and spending time with his two young children and wife.

Dr. Yafa Elseri

Owner / Chiropractor

Dr. Elseri commenced her path to becoming a chiropractor by graduating from the University of Alberta in 2006 with a Bachelors of Science degree. Following graduation she moved to San Jose, California where she obtained her Doctor of Chiropractic degree (Cum Laude) from Palmer College of Chiropractic West in 2009. She is a member of the Phi Delta Chiropractic Honor Society for outstanding academic achievement.
Dr. Elseri has practiced in Alberta for 5 years and has been practicing in British Columbia for the past 3 years. She is keenly focused on each individual patient and strives to provide personalized care based off each patient's needs and goals. She is certified in Active Release Techniques and is a Graston Technique provider. In addition to traditional chiropractic adjustments, Dr. Elseri treats soft tissue as an integral part of proper spinal biomechanics. She provides safe, gentle and effective care for a wide range of patients from the small child with postural concerns, to the elite athlete, to her oldest patient who is 91 years old. She recognizes that we are all unique and what works for one person may not work for the next.
Outside of practicing Dr. Elseri has always had a passion for athletics. She played competitive ringette for 14 years and was selected to play for the US National Ringette Team at the World Championships. Currently Dr. Elseri still makes fitness a priority while enjoying motherhood with her daughter and son.

Fitness Team

Jerome Carretas

Head Coach

Born and raised in Abbotsford, Jerome began his fitness career at a very young age. Having close to a decade of fitness knowledge and athletic background, he became one of the youngest fitness leaders to operate a multilevel fitness club.
From managing and developing the future trainers, he continued to help and show people how easy fitness can be without having to feel overwhelmed in the process.
Jerome has completed his CPT through CFES, DNS (Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization) Certification, Trigger Point, Fascial Mobility Certified, Hypervolt, Chinese Level 1 Olympic lifting, Agatsu Kettlebell Certification and Certified Bulgarian Bag Instructor.
When he’s not coaching or training, Jerome is a semi-professional dancer! That travels around the world with his dance partner to share his other passion in life.

Rachel Martens

Coach / Kinesiolgist

A passion for health and wellness brought Rachel to complete her Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology in 2020. Over the years she’s gained experience in the field as a personal trainer, group fitness instructor, health coach, and now Kinesiologist. She enjoys working alongside people to get them moving well and feeling their best. Outside of work Rachel loves the outdoors and being active

Taylor Lui

Coach / Kinesiologist

Taylor graduated with a Bachelor of Kinesiology from the University of the Fraser Valley. Having experienced many muscle and joint related injuries personally, Taylor became very familiar with and interested in the rehabilitation process. Additionally, Taylor learned first-hand the value of healthy lifestyle changes in preventing further injury. Through serving as a Kinesiologist Taylor shares his passion of healing the human body with his client’s through an active and dynamic recovery process.
He also shares his enthusiasm for seeking out new ways to explore one’s-self, learn, and overcome challenges and personal goals. From fundamental motor patterns to full body kinetic-chain movements performed at the competitive level, all goals are aimed for with vigor.
Taylor is a practicing member of the British Columbia Association of Kinesiologists (BCAK) and focuses on teaching safe and effective movement patterns, mobilization techniques, and individualized lifestyle choices to resolve acute and chronic pain, prevent injury, and accomplish goals.
Outside of his profession, Taylor can often be found cooking up new recipes in the kitchen or entertaining guests. On his days off he enjoys keeping active by dancing, playing with his cat, and documenting nature in his hometown of Abbotsford.

Travis Muller

Coach

Bio coming soon

Valerie Joseph

Coach/Kinesioligist

Valerie attended the University of the Fraser Valley, graduating with her Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology, with a specialization in exercise physiology and a minor in Media and Communication studies. Through active rehabilitation and coaching, Valerie aims to promote healthy living and positive habits.
Participating in numerous sports throughout her youth, and undergoing various injuries doing so, sparked an interest in the world of health and fitness. Her passion for movement, empathy for pain, and dedication to continuous learning enables Valerie to create well rounded programs for her clients. She aims to provide a safe and effective service that will overcome client obstacles and propel them into a hearty and healthy future.
When not at work, Valerie can be found adventuring out in the great outdoors. She specifically enjoys paddle boarding, hiking, and weightlifting.

Bryan Sanson

Coach

Bryan has been passionate about fitness from a very young age. After graduation from UBC he decided to settle down in Abbotsford. In the last few years Bryan decided to take his passion for bodybuilding to the next level. He has had a lot of success early on in his bodybuilding Career placing first in the National Natural Bodybuilding Show!
Outside of Coaching and training, Bryan has a big passion for traveling. He’s been able to visit dozens of different countries around the world.

Wellness Team

Jessica Bugra

Acupuncturist

Jessica Bugra is a licensed acupuncturist from the Fraser Valley. She is passionate about raising awareness of advancing, well-researched and tested alternative therapies. Her goal is to help enhance your well-being and inspire you to live a more mindful life. Jessica pursued Traditional Chinese Medicine at the PCU College of Holistic Medicine. She uses the foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine to safely and effectively support healing.
TCM is a system of healing that is over 2000 years old. It uses a sophisticated method of diagnosis that factors in age, sex, genetics, diet, lifestyle, emotions environment, and even the current season to determine the cause of symptoms. We observe the body in a dynamic state, including observations of pulse, tongue, the physical body (skin, hair, nails, strength of limbs, body’s alignment etc.) and vitality. The diagnosis and treatment is unique to the individual. The purpose of TCM is to treat not only the symptom but the root of the disease, reinforce the correct energy flow or qi, eliminate anything in the body that does not serve it, and regulate homeostasis.

Dr. Gagandeep Gill

Chiropractor

Gagandeep Gill was born and raised in Abbotsford, British Columbia and has chosen to remain in Abbotsford to practice as a Doctor of Chiropractic. His interest in this career began after a car accident during his high school years where chiropractic care helped in his recovery. Gagandeep has always had a passion for the healthcare field and choosing this route allowed him to contribute both his knowledge and passion to help others in the community.
Gagandeep completed his Bachelor of Science in Biology with a Cellular, Molecular and Genetics concentration in 2018. In his last years of high school, Gagandeep was involved in a serious car accident that left him with a moderate amount of low back pain. He was then referred to a chiropractor to help alleviate the back pain as well as learning how to manage the back pain by himself. This incident sparked Gagandeep’s interest into making chiropractic care his profession.
Gagandeep completed his Doctor of Chiropractic degree at the University of Western States with the graduating class of 2022 (Summa Cum Laude). He also completed a Master of Science in Sports Medicine as well as a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology. Gagandeep has worked with and treated many patients including athletes on high school sports teams. He has worked with patients of all ages and is skilled in personalizing treatment based on differences among every patient.
Outside of practising, Gagandeep enjoys incorporating exercise such as weightlifting and playing basketball. Gagandeep has a huge passion for cars. In his spare time, Gagandeep enjoys building, repairing and customizing cars and trucks.

Dr. Ravneet Gill

Chiropractor

Dr. Ravneet Gill, born and raised in Abbotsford, BC, is a compassionate healthcare professional with a passion for whole health wellness. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Cells, Molecules, and Physiology from SFU, a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from the University of Western States, as well as a Master of Science in Sports Medicine and a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Sciences from the same institution.
She enjoys working with athletes, pregnancy, children, and the general population. When she’s not doing research or at the gym, she enjoys indulging in her love for shopping. With her diverse knowledge and genuine care. Dr. Gill is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of her patients.

Anastasia Pettipas

Registered Massage Therapist

Anastasia is a fully registered Massage therapist.
She enjoys working with patients of all ages and has experience treating a wide variety of conditions. Anastasia uses both deep tissue and relaxation techniques to find the best approach for each individual.
In her spare time, Anastasia enjoys dancing/teaching Urban Kiz and Kizomba, as well as reading and travelling.

Janelle Rozema

Non-Registered Massage Therapist

As a graduate from the Wholistic Health Training and Research Center in Edmonton, Alberta, Janelle starting growing her experience in the Massage Therapy Industry at one of Edmonton and areas top chiropractic clinics: Brentwood Chiropractic.
Janelle quickly grew her client list and worked steadily at the clinic for 5 years. Another role she excelled in was her assistant coach role at the University of Alberta with the Pandas Volleyball team. She quickly grabbed the attention of the University not only for her skills in coaching volleyball, but also through her body working skills that the volleyball team utilized to keep them healthy and ready to perform.
Soon thereafter, she was recruited by one of the top sports medicine clinics in Western Canada: Glen Sather Sports Medicine Clinic. Janelle increased her expertise and experience working at the sport clinic for an additional 3 years.
What drew Janelle away from these two clinics, the province of Alberta, and into British Columbia was a rare and exciting job opportunity at the University of the Fraser moving up in her coaching career and becoming the Head Coach of the Cascades Womens Volleyball team. Deep into her coaching career, she finds herself missing the craft of massage that she worked at and enjoyed.
Janelle has decided to join our team with a wealth of experience in both the sporting and therapy world. Hoping that, once again, she can combine her two passions and continue to help people.
Janelle specializes in sport and therapeutic massage. Utilizing her knowledge and experience from both her therapy and sporting roles. In addition, she is professionally trained in the modalities of lymphatic drainage, pre and post-natal massage, cupping therapy and hot stone relaxation massage. We are very excited to welcome Janelle into our growing team. We know and trust her past experience in this field and her commitment to doing the very best she can in providing quality therapy and care for her growing list of clientele.