I have been teaching in the community college system since 1989.   I started at MiraCosta College in Oceanside, CA.   I have been at Cuesta since 1999.   I love teaching at the community college! 

My background is in exercise physiology (UC Davis.)  While at Davis, I competed in NCAA Cross Country and Track & Field, earning All-American honors in both sports.  Inter-collegiate athletics launched my interest in health.  After college, I continued to compete as a Pro Duathlete (Run - Bike - Run events) around the world for 10 years.  I was two-time Pro National Duathlete champion and 4th in the world, pro division.  As part of racing, I did a research project on the motivational techniques athletes use to race and train.  I was interested in bridging the gap between exercise knowledge and exercise behavior.  I did this while teaching and coaching at MiraCosta College.  I have 2 teenage daughters and a spouse, Scott, who is a department chair and faculty at Cal Poly. 

Since starting at Cuesta, I have coached XC and TF (at Cuesta; Laguna Jr. High; SLOHS; San Luis Distance Club, and community runners,) taught a variety of health classes, taught a variety of fitness classes, and taught Personal Training Certification Preparation class. 

My main personal motto is to recognize the value of oneself while realizing there is always a benefit to improving:  "Hey, I am excellent, but I have room to grow and improve."  My second motto is for both myself and those I care about (which includes students):  "Anything is better than zero!"  That means that going for a 10 min. walk is better than not exercising at all that day.  That also means that for someone that eats fast food 5 xs/week, adding one salad instead of fries is a valid strategy.  (BTW, I do not eat fast food even once a week... just need to clear that one up!)  My third motto is, "everything is connected".   We are connected to each other, our environment, our community, society, country, world.  Every aspect of our health is connected to each other and to everything else.  What a web we are a part of!  I am continually grateful that I am able to integrate my life.  My interests and passions thread through my personal and professional life.  I GET to teach classes that have a profound effect on the physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, vocational aspects of being human.  My last motto is "we can do better" and is a derivative for my first motto.  This speaks to social and environmental activism and making our community and world a better place. 

-Nancy Steinmaus, 

UC Davis M.A. Exercise Physiology, ACSM certified ETT, NASM and ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, Cuesta College Federation of Teachers Union Representative on the Executive Board