Tim Carl LLC
Jacqi and Donavan Almond at their Calistoga Fit gym in Calistoga.
CALISTOGA FIT Donavan and Jacqi Almond build muscle, community TIM CARL
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f you thought your life was complicated, meet the Almonds — Donavan and Jacqi — who own and operate two Napa Valley-based businesses, have four children (one with special needs) and still find time to be active participants in the local community. Since moving to the area from Atlanta, Georgia, in 2007, Donavan has become one of the valley’s most sought-after and popular fitness and wellness gurus, while Jacqi — a popular fitness instructor in her own right — is also a volunteer firefighter who spent much of the last two summers helping extinguish the 18 | DISTINCTIVE PROPERTIES
region’s numerous infernos. “We are busy but happy. We’ve found our home,” Donavan said. “The community is welcoming and supportive, and we believe that the future is bright for the valley — growing into more than a wine and food destination but increasingly becoming a fitness and wellness destination, too.” WHAT’S YOUR SUPERPOWER? The couple met while attending James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Jacqui studied sports marketing and Donavan focused on kinesiology — the study of human
movement and how it impacts health and well-being. Both intended to work within the world of sports, although their exact paths were not yet clear. Growing up, each had played sports and grown to appreciate the discipline, skill and dedication that were needed to reach the highest levels. They each had also developed a better understanding of their own strengths. “Everyone has their own superpower,” Donavan said. “Mine is awareness and Jacqi’s is tenacity. The combination has come in handy as we’ve built our family and our businesses together.” Donavan was born in Atlanta,
where his mother worked in the life-insurance business and his father worked as an engineer for BellSouth, the local telecommunication company. By the time he was 4 years old he was showing signs of his superpower, providing driving directions to his mother on the way home during family outings and having a keen awareness of the movement of people around him. “It was something that just came naturally to me,” he said, “but it has allowed me to help my clients over the years by focusing on and helping define, refine and strengthen their natural movements.” Jacqi gre w up outside APRIL 2021
