About Cristi
I didn't build The Mindful Mixer because it sounded like a cute idea.
I built it because I know what it's like to do everything "right" and still not be well.
I grew up in a home impacted by addiction. I didn't realize it at the time, but I learned early on how to disconnect. How to push things down. How to keep moving no matter what was going on underneath.
Fitness became my outlet. It gave me structure, control, something I could hold onto. I became a certified personal trainer, a nutrition coach, someone who looked healthy on paper.
But in 2020, I had a near-death experience from a blood clot near my heart.
The years I spent taking care of my body likely saved my life. But that experience made me realize something I couldn't unsee:
Being well isn't just about what you do. It's about how you feel.
I had been moving through life disconnected. Pushing through. Performing wellness without ever slowing down enough to feel it.
That's why I do this work now.
The Mindful Mixer isn't just about mocktails or mindfulness.
It's about creating spaces where people can reconnect. With themselves. With each other. With the present moment.
Because most people don't realize how disconnected they are until they finally slow down.
And slowing down? That's not a luxury. It's a skill. And most people have never been taught how to do it.
WHAT I BRING TO THIS WORK
I'm a certified personal trainer, nutrition coach, and wellness coach (all through NASM), plus I'm certified through Elite Trainer Academy in advanced personal training and behavior-based coaching. I also have a background in hospitality and event design.
But honestly? The thing I bring that matters most is this: I know what it's like to live disconnected. And I know what it takes to come back.
I've led corporate wellness workshops, keynote talks, and community experiences across Central New York. I've been featured in local and regional media for this work. But what drives me isn't the credentials or the press.
It's the moment when someone in a workshop realizes they haven't taken a full breath in months. Or when a team that's been burnt out actually laughs together again. Or when someone tells me afterward, "I didn't know I needed that."
That's why I keep doing this.
WHAT I BELIEVE
Wellness isn't about adding more to your plate. It's about reconnecting with what's already there.
You can do everything "right" and still not be well. Most people are. They're working out, eating clean, staying busy, looking put together... and still running on empty.
Slowing down is a skill, not a luxury. And it's one most people have never been taught.
The best experiences don't just feel good in the moment. They shift how you feel long after they end.