Tucson Strength Staff
Meet the Team that Keeps Tucson Strength Running
Danny
Sawaya
Owner / Founder
Danny founded Tucson Strength in 2010 as a small kettlebell training group at a community park. He has spent over 25 years in the fitness industry with a B.S in Nutritional Sciences. He has had an active athletic career in powerlifting, triathlon training, and Brazillian JiuJitsu. He is currently the Arizona State Chair, Meet Director and on the Executive Committee for USPA Powerlifting. Danny is also on the board for Caring Ministries, a local faith based non profit that feeds 10s of thousands of people in Southern Arizona. In 2020 he retired from taking on new personal training clients to focus on running Tucson Strength.
Selma
Sawaya
Co-Owner
Selma is the one of the driving forces behind the scenes at Tucson Strength. She keeps the back end of the business running smoothly. She runs all the accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, and employee benefits of the gym. You will see her run the front desk a couple mornings a week as well as make sure the powerlifting meet days run smoothly at the front. Most importantly she keeps Danny in check which is a full time job in and of itself.
Becky
Myrick
Operations Manager
Becky joined Tucson Strength as a member in 2015, first in one-on-one barbell training, then discovering kettlebells. In 2018 she joined the staff as an instructor and administrative help, gradually assuming the role of Operations Manager, making sure we have solid systems set up for our members. She also puts together our amazing newsletter every month.
Becky leads an active life training kettlebells in the gym, biking to work, playing in her backyard with her chickens, and occasionally boondocking all around Arizona.
Steve
Callahan
Personal Trainer
Steve started as a trainer over 10 years ago. Steve holds the Original Strength Level 1 Certification, NSCA-CPT, and is a Concept 2 Certified instructor. He has a strong passion for learning and teaching everything health and fitness, from teaching the fundamentals to advanced concepts of of kettlebell training as well as teach the fundamentals of powerlifting. You will also see that he loves dancing as a day doesn’t go by without having him dancing in the gym.
Mike
Moran
Personal Trainer
Mike is a student of strength and this drove him to help others find their path. He specializes in movement and strength training using various modalities like crawling, rolling patterns, kettlebells, bodyweight training, barbells, etc. His goal is to help people unlock their bodies so they can move with freedom, strength, and have a life that is enjoyable. Mike holds the ISSA CPT Certification and was appointed to Southwest Instructor for Original Strength under Tim Anderson. When Mike isn’t in the gym he trains at Sonoran Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and spends time with his wife and kids.
Jessica
Vanasselberg
Personal Trainer / Stretch Therapist
Jessica has an extensive and impressive background in the sport of powerlifting. She has been involved in the sport since the early 90s and won the 1996 National Championship and best women’s lifter. Jessica just recently won the 2025 Powerlifing National Championship currently holds the Arizona State,National, and World Records for the USPA womens Masters divisions. Jessica trains clients of all backgrounds, from the beginner to advanced powerlifter. She also offers Fascial Stretch Therapy and is an amazing therapist.
Greta
Eastburn
Personal Trainer
Greta is a seasoned trainer that specializes in working with clients of all backgrounds. She works with beginners to advanced trainees. She also has a strong focus in Nutritional Coaching. She earned her bachelor’s in Nutrition and Communication from Arizona State University. Right after graduation she applied herself to earning her personal training certification with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Greta is also a Precision Nutrition Level 1 Nutrition Coach. In her personal life Greta is a competitive powerlifter.
Anthony
Shufelt
Personal Trainer
Anthony kicked off his career in health and fitness when he traveled to Thailand in 2016 to earn his yoga certification. Over the next five years he practiced and taught yoga at numerous studios and gyms in Massachusetts. He traveled the world attending workshops and festivals with the highlight being the opportunity to teach at a retreat in Bali, Indonesia. Anthony specializes in bodyweight and calisthenics training. If you haven’t visited his instagram page you should see all the amazing things he has trained his body to do. Anthony holds a personal training certification, a specialty certification in Functional Range Conditioning
Aracely
Favela
Group Coach
Rufe
Bynum
Olympic Weightlifting Coach
Rufe has been involoved in weightlifting since 2011. He has been a multiple time Arizona State Champion; a competitor at the USAW National Championships and American Open Finals since 2015. Rufe started coaching weightlifting in 2015 because he fell in love with the sport and enjoys being apart of a great community. He has coached hundreds of athletes at the local and national level and was formerly the vice president of the Arizona Weightlifting Federation.
Ben
Busarow
Personal Trainer
Ben has a passion for fitness and strength training. Personally he is a competitive olympic weightlifter and competes at local and regional events. Ben likes working with clients with all backgrounds and can assist them in learning the fundamentals of strength training as well as help athletes improve their technique in the sport of Olympic Weightlifting. Ben holds certifications in Original Strength and Pain Free Performance Training.
Taylor
Kron
Personal Trainer
Taylor has been involved in strength training since he was 14. He is from Iowa and has his bachelor’s degree in Sport Physiology. He has worked in both the personal training and physical therapy domain for the past 6 years. He specializes in hypertrophy and strength training and has a passion for teaching people how to make the best use of their time inside and outside of the gym to attain their fitness goals. Taylor understands the importance of developing a solid offseason strength training plan for athletes.
Kael
Giardini
Personal Trainer / Front Desk
Kael has been around Tucson Strength Since he was 10 years old. Kael now helps us run our front desk. You will see him around all the time making sure the desk and gym are running smoothly. Kael does just about anything the gym needs to keep in running smoothly including many of our maintenance and equipment issues.
Zavier
Fine
Personal Trainer
An Arizona native, Zavier started his fitness journey at age 14. He graduated high school a year early then immediately earned his personal trainer certification. In the gym his consistency and openness to mentoring gained him a place as front desk staff. His duties have expanded to instructor and personal trainer as he continues to gather knowledge, recently achieving Pain Free Performance Certification. He’s passionate about self-improvement and helping others succeed through incremental progress. Away from the gym Zavier is strong in his Christian faith and enjoys travel, recovery, and chillin’ with his fam.
Cody
Grimm
Personal Trainer / Stretch Therapist
Cody recently moved to Arizona from Nebraska to pursue his passions: personal training and writing. His goal is to help others on their personal development journey through fitness and helpful guidance. Cody is a competitive strongman, winning multiple competions and holding a state record. On Saturdays he coaches a Strongman-based functional strength class at 10am. Cody is an NCSF-certified personal trainer and has helped others compete and win in local strength competitions. Outside of work, he enjoys playing guitar, reading, and hiking.
Samantha
Monahan
Personal Trainer
Samantha is originally from Tucson, where she made her mark as a standout soccer player, eventually playing professionally in Europe. Her fitness journey began in Denmark, where she discovered her passion for personal training. Certified in Original Strength and Pain-Free Performance, Sam has experience training a diverse range of clients. She focuses on helping individuals achieve their goals through effective movement and strength. Dedicated to empowering people, she helps them feel confident and translate their fitness success into everyday life.
Ava
Sooter
Front Desk
Ava is a sophomore at the University of Arizona where she majors in Psychology. She is concurrently working to earn her personal training certifcation.
In her free time she enjoys hiking, the gym, and hanging out with friends and family.