Our Staff

Matsimela Ajani

Lead Fitness Trainer

Matsimela Ajani CPT, RYT, developed a passion for fitness at an early age. I grew up in a household watching my father pump iron in our basement gym, and my mother in her leotard and leg warmers “sweating to the oldies”. I was always an active child participating in many sports throughout school and also practicing various styles of martial arts. It was through all these culminating factors that I decided that a career in fitness would be the best path for me to follow. Certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and a Registered Yoga Instructor through Yoga alliance I’ve been helping to improve lives in the DMV areas for 7 years and counting. Still thirsty to learn more I am currently studying for the PES certification which will enable me to train with athletes at all levels.  I have plans on continuing my education to ensure that I am equipped with the best knowledge out there so that I can help people to live a healthy lifestyle.

Samantha Payne

Studio Office Manager

From Stafford Virginia, Samantha’s passion for fitness started at a young age. Samantha grew up in Stafford Virginia. Her first job as a lifeguard at the local YMCA opened her eyes to the world of fitness. At the age of 16, she began teaching swimming lessons and water aerobic classes. She was then promoted to manager and decided to pursue becoming certified as a group fitness instructor. While in school, she lead her high school track and field team to states three years in a row.

Samantha attended Radford University where she continued her path in track and field. While at Radford she fell in love with yoga and after completing her certifications she was offered a position as the first yoga instructor for all Radford athletics and student body and also founded Radford’s student heath awareness club. After graduation with her B.S in exercise science and health education, she was offered the opportunity to complete three separate internships: one with Verizon Business, John Hopkins and Northup Grumman. These internships immersed her in a new area of fitness called worksite wellness. A new genre of study had been discovered, that of worksite wellness.  These internships opened her eyes to just how much employees in the work place needed exercise and how she was able to honestly reach out to people and help them.

 Samantha loves to try new workouts and to challenge herself everyday, which is why being offered a fitness specialist position at Fitness Together was an easy choice. Health education is another passion of hers. Samantha wants to learn and share as much health information with clients by creating programs, brochures, lectures and really getting out in the community. She strives to assist the community that surrounds and supports her mission of helping individuals become healthier. Every person is unique with respect to their goals, state of health, motivation and genetic potential. Therefore, Samantha takes all of these factors into consideration to design specific fitness programs that will give her clients exactly what they are looking for.

David Lange

Fitness Trainer

David moved to the Washington, DC area in January of 2011 and has just recently begun working with Fitness Together Capitol Hill.  A California native, David grew up playing basketball and volleyball.  In his time as a school athlete he was introduced to resistance and plyo-metric training.  As he progressed as an athlete he found that often it was this extra training, outside of normal practice hours, that gave him an edge on the competition.  No longer a competitive athlete, David now focuses on training that will keep him fit, active and healthy for years to come.

David attended California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo (a place which Oprah recently deemed the 'happiest city in America') where he graduated with a degree in English.  Soon after graduation he was married to the love of his life, Lindsay, and together they began adventuring through life together.  Their adventures have taken them from coast to coast in the USA and to the continents of Africa, Asia, and Europe.  Right now they are enjoying exploring all the nooks and crannies of this beautiful capital city and taking long walks through the cherry blossoms with their newly rescued dog, Sundance.

David is excited to be a part of the Fitness Together team, and his energetic, encouraging and joyful style of training should fit in perfectly!

Alita Brown

Personal Trainer

Alita moved to the Washington, DC area in 2001 and began to challenge her body by working with some of the top personal trainers in the DC area. Alita realized this wasn’t just a way to transform her body; focusing on her health and fitness allowed her to transform her mind. Pushing herself to her own physical limits showed Alita she could apply her athletic drive to her entrepreneurial spirit.  Alita soon found herself wanting to share with others her desire to reach her personal best, both physically and mentally.  

Having worked with DC’s top personal trainers for 6 years, Alita knew where her calling was leading her.  In 2006, Alita earned her Certification in Personal training from the International Sports Science Association. Putting her personal philosophy to work, in 2008, Alita opened her Personal Training Studio, Fitness Together – Capitol Hill.  Through Fitness Together, Alita provides one-on-one personal training and life coaching for her clients.  In the training room Alita helps others build strength physically and empowers them to make positive changes in their life. 

“My life is dedicated to helping and motivating others to use their own journey towards healthy living as a spring board in to the life they have always wanted,” shared Alita.  This mantra lead to the launch of her new company: Alita Brown’s Fit and Fabulous Living, an online fitness tool with resources to support women from the age of 30 and up to live a healthy lifestyle, using virtual coaching, exercise programming and nutritional planning.

Alita is a member of IDEA Fitness Health and Fitness Association and is studying for Certification as a Specialist in Fitness Nutrition (Spring 2011). Alita is equally passionate about being active in the community. In addition to volunteering with her church, local schools, and local non-profits, she is also a Board Member for CHAMPS – Capitol Hill’s Chamber of Commerce, and for H Street Main Street.