Rising Stars: Meet Angie Soriano of Irvine

Today we’d like to introduce you to Angie Soriano.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born in Bogotá, Colombia and came to the United States with my mom and sister when I was 10 years old. At the time, I didn’t speak English, so I learned it organically through school, immersion, and everyday life. Looking back, that experience taught me resilience, adaptability, and the importance of stepping into unfamiliar spaces, something that continues to shape who I am today.

Growing up, I was always active and creative. I did gymnastics, tennis, dance, and spent a lot of time in the gym throughout my 20s and 30s. I always knew I wanted a career rooted in creativity and fitness. I received my BA degree in from California State University, Long Beach as a graphic design major, but during college I unexpectedly took an education course as a prerequisite and completely fell in love with teaching. Becoming an art and design teacher was never part of my original plan, but it ended up becoming one of the most meaningful parts of my life.

Over the last 21 years, I’ve taught high school art, graphic design and ELD. Teaching gave me the opportunity to mentor students, build curriculum, and create spaces where creativity and confidence could grow together. I got my Master’s degree from Concordia University, Portland in Technology and eLearning in 2014 and continued to learn more about curriculum and branding. In 2023, I was honored to be recognized as Teacher of the Year, which was an incredibly meaningful milestone in my career.

For a few years I also became a freelance makeup artist and photographer as a way to explore my creative ideas.
Fitness was always a major part of my life, but later it became a part of my personal healing journey. During some difficult seasons of life, movement was my therapy, my grounding space, and ultimately a way to reconnect with myself. Fitness helped me rebuild confidence, strength, and identity in ways I never expected.

Because creativity has always been the common thread in my life, I eventually realized I wanted to merge my background in design, branding, community-building, and wellness into something of my own. I decided to seriously pursue my fitness certifications and build my personal brand, AngieFit22, with a focus on Mat Pilates, strength, wellness events, and community experiences. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to teach at studios in Orange County including CorePower Yoga, Evolv Fitness, Emosa Pilates, OM Sculpt Studios, and Sculpt Studios OC. I will also be teaching at Casa Caia late this summer.

A huge part of my mission is creating spaces where women, feel like they belong. I know some spaces don’t always feel accessible, welcoming, or designed for everyone. Whether it’s because of ageism, cultural differences, racism, body image pressures, or socioeconomic barriers, so many women grow up feeling like wellness, fitness, travel, or self-care are “for other people.” I want to help change that narrative.

I want women to feel empowered to take care of themselves unapologetically, prioritize their health, celebrate movement, embrace girlhood and femininity at every stage of life, and know they deserve to exist confidently in any room they walk into. Through my classes, events, and community-building, I hope to be a bridge that helps women see new possibilities for themselves.

Now that my 18-year-old daughter is heading off to college, I’m entering a new chapter where I can pour even more energy into growing my events, continuing my education, and expanding my wellness brand. I love creating experiences that combine movement, music, creativity, culture, and connection. My long-term vision is to grow AngieFit22 into a travel and wellness brand that brings people together through fitness and shared experiences around the world.

Travel has also become a huge source of inspiration and personal growth for me. Years after learning English through immersion, I challenged myself again by independently learning Italian. I traveled to Italy multiple times, including a five-week solo trip to strengthen my language skills and immerse myself in the culture. On my fourth trip, I worked with an online tutor to prepare for my trip abroad. That experience reminded me that growth and reinvention never really stop.

I’ve also recently become a brand partner with Fabletics, which has been an exciting milestone as I continue growing my platform and wellness community. It truly feels like doors keep opening as I continue believing in myself and stepping into spaces I once thought were out of reach. Now, I’m hosting events and building opportunities in places I never imagined possible, and it’s shown me how powerful it can be to trust your vision, even when the path looks unconventional.

At this stage of my life, I feel like all the different parts of my journey: education, creativity, fitness, travel, culture, and community — are finally coming together in a way that feels authentic and aligned.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not. A lot of this journey has been built through uncertainty, reinvention, and learning to believe in myself again.

Another challenge has been balancing so many identities at once — being a mother, educator, creative, and now entrepreneur. I spent nearly two decades pouring into my students and building a career in education, while also navigating difficult personal seasons. Movement helped me rebuild my confidence, strength, and identity.

Building my brand has required me to become comfortable being visible, taking risks, and trusting my vision even when I didn’t have everything figured out. But once I truly started believing in myself, doors slowly began opening. Now I’m teaching at studios I once admired from afar, hosting wellness events I once only dreamed about, and partnering with brands like Fabletics. It hasn’t been a smooth road, but every challenge has shaped the purpose behind what I do today.

Managing my time has probably been the biggest hurdle lately, but when you love what you do, there’s always time.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I think what sets me apart is the combination of creativity, education, culture, and real-life experience that I bring into everything I do. My journey into wellness wasn’t built around perfection or aesthetics — it came from healing, reinvention, and learning how to rebuild confidence through movement during difficult seasons of my life.

Because I’ve spent nearly two decades as an educator, I naturally approach fitness through connection, encouragement, and community-building. I’m not just focused on teaching a workout; I care deeply about creating experiences where people feel seen, empowered, and inspired. My background in graphic design and branding also allows me to bring a strong creative vision into my classes, events, and overall brand experience.

I also understand what it feels like to navigate spaces where you may not immediately feel like you belong. That perspective has shaped my mission to create inclusive, welcoming environments where women, especially Latinas, feel confident taking up space, prioritizing themselves, and embracing wellness unapologetically.

I love curating events that feel like unique experiences. Some example theme events like Galentines: You’re the Cherry on Top, California Dreamin’: Summer Kick Off, and Brolates: Mission Possible; an event curated to encourage men to join Pilates.

I also think people connect with the fact that I’m building this chapter of my life authentically and later in life. I’m balancing motherhood, education, entrepreneurship, fitness, and creativity all at once, and I hope that shows other women that reinvention is possible at any stage.

What does success mean to you?
I define success as building a life that feels aligned, purposeful, and authentic to who you are, not just professionally, but personally as well. For a long time, success meant achievement, stability, or reaching certain milestones, but as I’ve grown, I’ve realized that true success is being able to create a life where I feel fulfilled, connected, healthy, creative, and at peace with myself.

Success for me is also about impact. As both an educator and wellness instructor, one of the most meaningful things is knowing that something I created; whether it’s a classroom environment, a Pilates class, or a wellness event, helped someone feel more confident, inspired, seen, or empowered.

Sometimes success is simply having the courage to reinvent yourself, take risks, and believe in your vision even before everything falls into place.

At this stage of my life, success feels less about proving something to others and more about creating meaningful experiences, building community, continuing to grow, and living a life that genuinely excites and inspires me. In the end, I realized I was never meant to stand by; I was meant to stand out.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @Angiefit22

Image Credits
Outpost Creative Co.