Our Staff

Mr. Ozkar is currently a student studying Psychology at SDSU. He is really interested in this area of study because he loves learning from others and gaining insights into their experiences. He has years of experience working with children as a youth soccer coach and as a special education instructional assistant within the Chula Vista Elementary School District. In his free time, he likes to exercise, listen to music, attend live concerts, and play video games. 

His favorite Disney character is Stitch, and he loves tacos and sushi! When asked what he loves most about coaching, Mr. Ozkar said “I love coaching because it’s a two-way learning experience. I get to teach, but also constantly learn from my students. The most rewarding part is helping them build confidence in themselves and watching them grow both personally and skill-wise.”

Miss Roxanne is currently a student at San Diego Mesa College working towards obtaining her associates degree in Child Development Studies. Her favorite Disney Character is Eeyore from Winnie The Pooh. As a child, Miss Roxanne grew up watching the show. She would always get stuffed animals of Eeyore and take him everywhere she went. Miss Roxanne’s favorite food is anything with chicken in it, “ I love chicken because it’s so versatile and you can make a variety of meals out of it”.

When asked what she loves about coaching, she said: “I love seeing and interacting with the kids. They bring so much joy and light into the gym. No matter what is going on, they always seem to put a smile on my face. They are so full of wonder and curiosity and it amazes me every day how great the kids are”.

Miss Sierra was born and raised in San Diego, where she enjoys spending her free time hiking, skateboarding, and working out. She is currently pursuing a degree in Communications at Grossmont Community College with the goal of becoming a speech therapist. For the past three years, Miss Sierra has worked with children of various ages at the La Mesa Spring Valley School District. She has always been passionate about working with future generations and helping others build confidence. As a child, Miss Sierra also participated in tumbling classes, which sparked her interest in coaching.

Miss Sierra’s favorite Disney character is Dumbo, and her favorite food is any kind of pasta. When asked what she loves about coaching, she said: “What I love most about coaching is watching the progression of my students, and seeing how we help them build their self-confidence! With every class not only do my students learn but so do I, with constantly experiencing new things and building new skills.”

Miss Taylor graduated from San Diego State University with a B.A. in Psychology. Miss Taylor has experience working with children of all ages and was a cheerleader for many years. She is currently a member of Cheer San Diego Extreme – an adult cheerleading team serving as a non-profit organization to raise funds locally, nationally, and globally.

Her favorite character is Sleeping Beauty. Her favorite food is homemade pasta.

When asked what she loves about coaching, she said: “ I love the fun, high energy and the supportive and loving environment we create for the kids and the staff. I love getting to know each one of Gemstone’s amazing students. It is so rewarding to be able to coach kids and watch them accomplish their goals.

Gemstone has been an unimaginable gift and opportunity that I am so glad to be a part of!” .

Mr. Thiago graduated from the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA with a degree in Psychology and Guitar Performance. He has been working with music – performing, teaching, writing and recording since 2006; and has been teaching everything from vocal music to drumset and stringed instruments in middle schools, elementary schools, preschools, and daycare centers, since 2014. With preschool-age students, Mr.Thiago has been teaching multilingual music and movement, specializing in using music to help learn language and achieve developmental milestones.

Mister Thiago’s favorite Disney character is the Genie from Aladdin, and his favorite food is Malai Kofta. When asked what he loves about coaching, he said: “Getting to be a consistent positive influence in a child’s development.”