Meet Our Founder

Aria Betts is an accomplished educator, performance coach, and athletic development expert with a Master’s in Education from the University of California, Berkeley. A former UCLA track athlete and USATF Level 2 Certified Coach in Sprints, Hurdles, and Jumps, Aria brings over a decade of experience in K-12 Teaching (Social Studies, US. History, Govt/Econ, Special Education), coaching youth, collegiate, and professional athletes. Her work is grounded in both academic rigor and elite athletic achievement. With her Masters Thesis focused on classroom culture, adolescent identity formation, and autonomy in academics, Betts pioneers a holistic, student-centered education model.

Currently serving as a Running Expert with the Nike Sports Research Lab, Aria is at the forefront of innovation in speed development and human performance. Her coaching philosophy—heavily influenced by her mentor, renowned coach Curtis Taylor (University of Oregon)—emphasizes true speed and individualized technical development over conventional high-volume training methods. She specializes in training power sport athletes with precision, efficiency, and long-term performance in mind.

Aria’s coaching journey spans diverse environments, including Berkeley High School, Laney Junior College, NFL off-season programs, and her own entrepreneurial venture, Athletic EDU, where she blends education with elite athletic training. As the founder of Athletic Edu Learning Labs, she aims to redefine education through a precise combination of pedagogical teaching philosophies, movement science, evidence-based instruction, and holistic athlete development.