Meet Our Team!

Meet the Instructors

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  Deanna Sherman

  Owner of Heart & Soul
  

  • CPR Certified
  • USAG Certified
  • Background Checked

  Deanna Sherman

  Owner of Heart & Soul

  Deanna Sherman is a born and raised Tucsonan who fell in love with gymnastics at a very young age. She was introduced to gymnastics by her mother at the age of 4 and never looked back. Deanna attended Tanque Verde Elementary and Desert Christian Middle School. In 2008, she graduated from Desert Christian High School and became the first Division I scholarship recipient in the school’s history.

  Although recruited by many universities, Deanna has been a Wildcat with all her “Heart and Soul” since the age of seven. She accepted a full ride gymnastics scholarship to the University of Arizona competing for the Gymcats from 2008-2012.   She had a wonderful experience fulfilling her dreams at the University of Arizona and graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and a minor in Sports Marketing.

  Deanna was named Pac 10 gymnast of the week 3 times throughout her career and was the recipient of Arizona’s Jim Gault award in 2010.  In 2011 she qualified in the All-Around for the NCAA Championships and was named 1^st Team Pac 10 All-Conference in the ALL Around in 2010 and 2011. Deanna has 20 years of gymnastics experience both as a coach and a gymnast.

  Deanna is a USGA certified recreational coach and CPR certified.

  If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact Deanna Sherman personally.

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  Shari Chamblee

  Business Manager
  

  • Background Checked
  • CPR Certified

  Shari Chamblee

  Business Manager

  After more than 25 years of working in various types of business administration, I am so thankful to have the opportunity to be a part of the Heart and Soul family as your Business Manager.  Even though my main focus is to make sure that your experience from a financial perspective is trouble-free and enjoyable, my most favorite part of the day is the friendships I am able to cultivate with all of you and your amazing kiddos! We truly are more than an activity center…we are a family!

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  Kristin Robertson

  Gymnastics Manager
  

  Kristin Robertson

  Gymnastics Manager

  Welcome to the Heart & Soul family! I have had the honor to watch my daughters grow up in the gym and now I get to experience that dedication as a coach. As a former teacher, I love being able to help our gymnasts grow with life long skills through physical education. Heart & Soul is a welcoming and friendly organization and I can’t wait to meet all of our new friends!

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  Catherine Farias

  Assistant Gymnastics Manager Front Desk
  

  Catherine Farias

  Assistant Gymnastics Manager Front Desk

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  Elizabeth Holst

  Dance Manager
  

  • CPR Certified
  • USAG Certified
  • Background Checked

  Elizabeth Holst

  Dance Manager

  Hi! I am so pleased to be joining the Heart and Soul family!  I have been actively involved in the Southern Arizona dance community since I moved here 21 years ago. I was fortunate to grow up with the support of a loving family who encouraged me to pursue my passion for dance.  I began my training at age five in the suburbs of Chicago.  Later I studied at the Stone-Camryn School of Ballet and at the Lou Conte Dance Studio in Chicago.  I attended Indiana University where I earned a Bachelor’s Degree from the School of Music with majors in Ballet (with a teaching emphasis) and French.  I lived in New York City, where I studied at the David Howard Dance Center and at Broadway Dance Center. I performed with Melissa Lowe, Jory Hancock, Helen Starr, Patricia McBride, and Merrill Ashley, among others.  I began teaching dance in 1981, and I have taught ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, modern, lyrical, children’s combination classes, creative movement, and tumbling.   I bring more than 30 years of teaching experience to every dance class, striving to make it fun while instilling the work ethic and proper technique to help my students succeed.  I am proud to say that some of my former students have gone on to dance in college programs, dance with professional companies, and become dance instructors.  I truly enjoy working with students of all ages, and I look forward to being a part of your experience at Heart and Soul.

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  Jennifer Torres

  Events Manager
  

  Jennifer Torres

  Events Manager

  A native to Southern Arizona, I grew up in Willcox and moved to Tucson to go to the University of Arizona in 1997 (Bear down!). I came to Heart & Soul first as a gymnastics parent, and loved the family environment so much that I knew I wanted to be a part of their family as an employee. As the manager of events, I love getting to use my years of experience working with families to expand and grow the events and camps department!

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  Allie Quiroz

  Gymnastics Coach Event Specialist
  

  Allie Quiroz

  Gymnastics Coach Event Specialist

  I have been participating in some sport since I was six years old: whether it be softball, karate, or volleyball I have gained an appreciation for teamwork and sportsmanship and I want to help kids have that same valuable experience.I enjoy working with kids and teaching them not only gymnastics, but important qualities they can take with them throughout their lives.

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  Alex Chamblee

  Gymnastics Coach Front Desk Staff
  

  Alex Chamblee

  Gymnastics Coach Front Desk Staff

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  Alyssa Lopez

  Dance Teacher
  

  Alyssa Lopez

  Dance Teacher

  Hello! My name is Alyssa Lopez and I’ve been dancing for 9 years. I love doing gymnastics and dance because it’s a way to express myself. I’ll be going to Northern Arizona University majoring in Nursing. A fun fact about me is that I played tennis for 4 years and hope to play in college!

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  Alyssa Molinari

  Dance Instructor
  

  Alyssa Molinari

  Dance Instructor

  Alyssa has been dancing since middle school and had loved every minute of it! From jazz to acro, she is passionate about the sport and plans to pursue it throughout college. Teaching at Heart & Soul has been an awesome experience for Alyssa and she loves training with and building strong relationships with her students!

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  Angela Nations

  Gymnastics Coach
  

  Angela Nations

  Gymnastics Coach

  Angela is a born and raised Tucsonan! She attended Marana High School and was a member of the Marana Tigers dance team. When she’s not teaching, you can find Angela hiking, skateboarding, snowboarding, and spending time with her friends and family. Angela enjoys teaching young minds and loves to watch children shine and build confidence through the expression of dance.

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  Clarke Johnson

  Gymnastics Coach
  

  Clarke Johnson

  Gymnastics Coach

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  Daniela Gerhart-Boscarino

  Gymnastics Coach Dance Teacher
  

  Daniela Gerhart-Boscarino

  Gymnastics Coach Dance Teacher

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  Elizabeth Belleau

  Gymnastics Coach
  

  Elizabeth Belleau

  Gymnastics Coach

  I love gymnastics because it is an exciting sport that allows you to continually challenge yourself. It also teaches many lessons that you could use in your everyday life including persistence, coordination, mental and physical strength, and patience. When I grow up, my goal is to get my degree in criminology and criminal justice in order to become a FBI profiler. A fun fact about me is that I have zip- lined across two buildings, 51 stories high! 

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  Eliza Defrancesco

  Gymnastics Coach Event Specialist
  

  Eliza Defrancesco

  Gymnastics Coach Event Specialist

  I have a passion and all-around love for gymnastics – I have been taking classes since I was 2 years old and began competitive gymnastics at 6 years old. At 16 I made the tough decision to stop competing in order to focus on my grades because I have big ambitions for my college career. I missed gymnastics and was so excited when the opportunity came up for me to become apart of the team at Heart & Soul! I want these kids to have the same great experiences and love for this sport that I have. More than anything, I hope to teach your kids some of the most important lessons from gymnastics that I have learned; perseverance, teamwork, sportsmanship, and patience.

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  Hailey Jensen

  Dance Instructor
  

  Hailey Jensen

  Dance Instructor

  I recently graduated from Mountain View high school where I was on the varsity pom team, cheer team and in the dance program. I have 14 years of dance training in ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, and ballroom. Currently I am proud to be a member of the Sugar Skulls dance team with my fellow teacher, Sammi! I love being apart of Heart & Soul because I get to share my love for dance with adults and children who have the same passion for it as I do!

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  Jaida Olsen

  Gymnastics Coach
  

  Jaida Olsen

  Gymnastics Coach

  Welcome to Heart and Soul! I had spent ten years of my life dedicated to gymnastics as a kid, and now I get to coach the sport I love most. As a coach, I want my students to be able to learn new skills and most of all, have fun while doing it! Heart and Soul is a positive environment filled with encouraging people, and we are so excited to meet you!

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  Kameron Imoehl

  Dance Teacher Gymnastics Coach
  

  Kameron Imoehl

  Dance Teacher Gymnastics Coach

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  Lauren Iwaniuk

  

  Lauren Iwaniuk

  A native to Tucson, born and raised. This is my home. The place I discovered my love for all things performing. I started dance class when I was just a little girl. Well into my high school years I found true passion in teaching and choreography. Now with almost 15 years of teaching experience that passion still burns. There is nothing greater than seeing others fall in love with an art that had been my greatest companion for so many years. My objective in class is to always encourage, inspire and educate. I truly live for dance and take deep pride in being part of your little ones dance journey. Let’s DANCE!

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  Lillian Kelley

  Gymnastics Coach
  

  Lillian Kelley

  Gymnastics Coach

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  Natalie Farias

  Gymnastics Coach Event Specialist
  

  Natalie Farias

  Gymnastics Coach Event Specialist

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  Sammi Ball

  Dance Instructor Gymnastics Coach Front Desk
  

  Sammi Ball

  Dance Instructor Gymnastics Coach Front Desk

  For the last 18 years, dance has been a huge part of my life and a major passion. I also am passionate about working with kids and am currently going to school to become a special education preschool teacher. I can’t wait to have my own classroom one day! As part of the Heart & Soul community, I love helping my students learn & grow in gymnastics and dance. I am sure they will come to have a passion for health as much as I do!

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  Sejal Khangura

  Gymnastics Coach
  

  Sejal Khangura

  Gymnastics Coach

  I love teaching students new skills and seeing their faces light up once they accomplish their goals. I also love getting to know all the kids once they become less shy; because they all have very unique personalities that make the class fun and memorable! As a former cheerleader as well as a national champion, I love teaching many different skills in tumbling. This year, I am going to be a senior at Ironwood Ridge High School and plan on attending university in state! 

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  Serena Scofield

  Events Instructor
  

  Serena Scofield

  Events Instructor

  When we moved to Tucson from Missouri, we found Heart & Soul within three days of arriving. After all these years, my heart is so full when I realized that my kids’ closest friendships have been built through Heart & Soul. We began our Heart and Soul journey with Tumble with Me Gymnastics classes and were so enamored with the staff that when I was asked to come on board as an events teacher, I jumped at the opportunity. I was a public school teacher in Missouri before staying home with my kiddos now. Teaching at Heart & Soul allows me to continue seeing young people open their eyes to new experiences while I get to play some small part in their learning.

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