Gillian is a Massachusetts native who developed her love for the ocean through prone paddleboarding, ocean swimming, standup paddling and surfing while working as a lifeguard on Cape Cod. The serene New England environment was also the perfect setting to take her yoga practice into nature, and bring balance to the body after competitions and time in the water. After college, Gillian took a lifeguard position in New Zealand – a place full of adventure and untouched coastline – and her love for water sports and outdoor fitness inspired her to create Paddle Into Fitness. The company offers SUP Yoga & SUP Fitness Certifications with paddle technique and water safety training for aspiring instructors, as well as outdoor fitness events and adventures.

After Gillian moved to San Diego, she began competing in ocean events around the world as a Roxy athlete. She placed first in the Go Pro Mountain Games & the Quiksilver Waikiki Festival in the SUP Survivor Race and the Water woman Race, and also traveled to Peru as a member of Team USA for the ISA World Championships. She’s been a regular on the podium in the Battle of the Paddle California and Hawaii, and was a top finisher in numerous national lifeguard championships. She also showed her philanthropic side by paddling across the Cape Cod Bay to raise money for the Boston Children’s Hospital.

Gillian loves exploring new places on her paddleboard and some of her expeditions have been featured on Epic TV, The Travel Channel, and NBC Worldwide of Adventure. Her goal is through her adventures and teachings to inspire others to live a healthy lifestyle, follow their dreams, and give back to their local communities.

Gillian has a B.S. in Sport Management and is 200-hour E-RYT with Yoga Alliance. She has a decade of ocean lifeguarding experience, is a certified Emergency Medical Technician, and is sponsored by Roxy, Kialoa Paddles, and 404 SUP. Gillian was featured on the cover of Yoga Journal, SUP Australia, San Diego Magazine, and has been featured in Self, Shape, Outside Online, ESPN Women, and Yahoo Sports.