Meet your UW Fitness Day Coaches: UW Recreation, UW Faculty/Staff & The Whole U
The Whole U announces the 2024 UW Fitness Day coaches from UW Recreation, UW Faculty/Staff and The Whole U!
Register today and mark your calendars for Wednesday, May 8, 11:30 to 12:30 at Husky Stadium for a day of fun, fitness, and camaraderie! Read about our UW Athletics coaches participating in fitness day.
Meet Your Coaches
Jeff Palmer
Fitness and Mindfulness Manager
University of Washington Recreation
Jeff is a 14-year veteran of the fitness industry and the fitness manager for UW Recreation. At the age of 13, Jeff lost 127 pounds with the help of a personal trainer. This weight loss inspired Jeff to become a personal trainer and he has been working in the fitness industry since he could get certified at 18 years old.
Favorite workout or exercise routine? I love heavy lifting and taking a run along the beautiful Centennial trail in Snohomish!
Lauren Updyke
Executive Director for Employee Experience and UWHR Chief Wellness Officer
Lauren is the Executive Director for Employee Experience and UWHR Chief Wellness Officer. My role is to lead our Employee Experience team encompassing The Whole U, UW Combined Fund Drive and WorkLife programs. This is her tenth year at UW and loves being a Husky.
Lauren came to the U.S. from Canada on a track and filed scholarship to the University of Louisiana, earning her Bachelors’ and Masters in Exercise Physiology. She is a Certified Personal Trainer through American College of Sports Medicine and had coached over 10,000 individuals online.
Advice for someone starting their fitness journey? Stay consistent and set realistic goals.
Sellyna A Ehlers
Director of Human Resources, Equity and Engagement – School of Law
Zumba Instructor
Sellyna is a devoted dancer with a lifelong passion for the art. She finds that dancing provides a unique opportunity for people to immerse themselves for an hour, enjoying the liberating experience while reaping the benefits of physical activity.
Advice for someone starting their fitness journey? Getting started can be tough, but once you begin, your body quickly adapts, and you will feel the difference.
Dan Druliner
Web developer, University Marketing & Communications
Yoga instructor, Pranify Yoga Seattle
Dan finished his 200-hour teaching certification in 2019 at We Yoga Co , and loves sharing and teaching yoga with others. When he is not in the studio he enjoys running, hiking, biking or paddling around the beautiful PNW mountains and lakes.
Favorite Motivational Quote: Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you love. It will not lead you astray. — Rumi
Karen Cornelio
Fitness instructor for UW Recreation
Zumba instructor for The Whole U
Karen Cornelio is a licensed Zumba Instructor since 2013 and with UW Recreation at IMA since 2016.When it comes to my favorite workout routine, it has to be Zumba. There’s something uniquely liberating about moving to the music, letting your body groove, and feeling the positive vibes radiating from every step.
Wisdom I could offer to those starting their fitness journey: be kind to yourself. Embrace each small victory, stay consistent, and trust the process. Remember, it’s not about perfection – it’s about progress and the joy of movement.
Benefitting National Marrow Donor Program (formally Be The Match)
This year, Fitness Day will benefit NMDP, the
nation’s largest marrow-donor 
registry. Our fundraising goal is $5,000 and 100 new registry members.
Learn about National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) and, if you are able, make a $5 suggested donation through the UW Combined Fund Drive when you register for UW Fitness Day. And even if you cannot attend UW Fitness Day, you are invited to help us reach our fundraising goal.
Join us on May 2, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., for Get in The Game, an annual event to share the mission of NMDP and encourage people to join the registry.
