All the Peloton instructors who left the workout giant and why: Kendall Toole, Kristin McGee, more
Peloton has cycled through a long list of instructors over the years.
The company’s dedicated fitness community was shocked when the workout giant parted ways with several beloved trainers for various reasons in 2024.
While many trainers have been with the brand since day one, others have left and never looked back.
Here is a list of all the teachers who have left the biking brand and why.
Kendall Toole
Kendall Toole announced her surprising departure from Peloton after working with the platform for nearly five years.
“It’s with great consideration and many, many, many hours of reflection, but I’m choosing to close my chapter at Peloton,” the popular spinning instructor told her followers on June 13, 2024.
“Thank you, Peloton, for this incredible, life-changing opportunity. I will forever be grateful for this life experience and transformation and personal growth that this has been for me,” she added in her emotional good-bye.
Toole, who joined Peloton in 2019, did not specify the reason behind her exit, but Peloton confirmed that she left during the “most recent round of contract negotiations.”
Ross Rayburn
Ross Rayburn stepped away from his role as a Peloton instructor just months before Toole announced her own exit.
“Hi everyone, I have some important news to share with you all,” he said in an Instagram video on April 25, 2024. “As many of you know, I released my first book, ‘Turning Inward,’ to help people who, like me, struggle with meditation.”
He continued, “But the book has actually opened up the door to some really new and exciting ways for me to be of service. Therefore, I’ve decided that it’s time to take a break from teaching at Peloton.”
Rayburn, who worked at Peloton for five years, said that he would be teaching his last class that June and that he was “profoundly and forever grateful” to everyone in the community.
He apparently left on good terms and thanked the Peloton team for “graciously and generously” supporting his decision to move on to the next chapter in his medication and yoga career.
Peloton confirmed that he had also left during the contract negotiations period.
Kristin McGee
Kristin McGee announced that she was leaving Peloton so she could spend time with her family.
“Hello Fam! I have some news I wanted to share with you all,” she wrote in an Instagram caption on June 17, 2024.
“I have made the decision to spend time to focus on my family and move on from Peloton,” she explained.
McGee said that she was “beyond grateful” for getting to work at Peloton for six years.
“I’ll miss you all SO much. Please keep in touch here and here’s to the next chapter,” she said.
Peloton confirmed in a statement that she had also made the decision to leave amid contract negotiations.
Marion Berrian Roaman
Marion Berrian Roaman started out with Peloton when the platform first launched in 2012.
She co-founded and served as Chief Content Officer of Peloton Interactive and left in just two years later in 2014, according to her LinkedIn.
The cycling coach became a life coach and started working at Swerve Fitness in 2020.
Roaman is quite private and does not share her social media accounts with the public.
Ella Kay
Ella Kay started and ended her Peloton career in 2014.
Not much is known about the reason for her departure but she now teaches yoga, pilates, cycling, ballet, barre, and low-impact rehabilitation in Nebraska, according to her bio.
She also helped facilitate the openings of several nationwide studios and spends her free time with her husband and their three kids.
Antonia DeSantis
Antonia DeSantis’ career with Peloton was short and sweet.
She was only at Peloton for a year from 2014 to 2015, but she had quite an impact being the first-ever live-streamed cycling instructor.
DeSantis moved on to become a coach at iFit, Rumble Boxing, and NordicTrack, according to her Instagram bio.
Colleen Saidman Yee
Colleen Saidman Yee, dubbed the “First Lady of Yoga,” started teaching at Peloton in 2015.
It’s unclear when she left, but she has continued teaching yoga with her husband, Rodney Yee, at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, according to LinkedIn.
She also founded the Sag Harbor yoga studio, Yoga Shanti, and authored a book called “Yoga for Life,” according to her Instagram bio.
Kim Fischer
Kim Fischer briefly worked at Peloton from 2014 to 2015.
After pursuing fitness for a short time, Fischer switched courses and now works as an actor.
Fischer has appeared in various shows including “The Blacklist,” “Ms. Fletcher” and “Royal Pains, according to his IMDb profile.
However, he still has a passion for cycling and often posts photos of his workouts on social media.
Steph Nieman
After teaching classes as Barry’s Bootcamp, Soul Cycle and FlyWheel, Steph Nieman joined Peloton from April 2014 to August 2015.
From there, she moved on to launch several cycling endeavors in the United States and abroad.
She moved to Paris to kickstart a Let’s Ride outpost and then became a club manager at Barry’s Bootcamp abroad before moving to Italy to work as a master talent trainer at Technogym, according to her LinkedIn.
Nieman is currently the creative director for Rhythm Collective in New York.
Nicole Meline
Nicole Meline started working at Peloton in January 2014.
She announced her departure in October 2016, writing on Instagram, “You have heard me tell you to wipe your slate clean with sweat. I am starting a new canvas. I want you to be in my picture.”
Meline then launched her own fitness company, Nicole Meline Creative LLC, as well as her podcast and accompanying wellness brand, ALTER, in 2019, according to her LinkedIn.
Lisa Niren
Lisa Niren worked as an instructor at Peloton for more than three and a half years until leaving for a new role in August 2017.
The workout expert became the Chief Content Officer and head instructor at Studio, another fitness platform.
She is now the Vice President of Content and Head Instructor at FITURE, an interactive fitness mirror program that helps with form and reps.
Steven T. Little
Steven T. Little, nicknamed “Coach Little,” was a founding master instructor and Content Officer of Peloton from April 2015 to June 2018.
He launched his own fitness consulting company called STL Fitness Inc., working with celebrity clients like Jon Bon Jovi, Sofía Vergara, Jimmy Fallon, and Jessica Alba, according to his LinkedIn.
In May 2023, he launched his own training app called Range Performance.
Jennifer “JJ” Jacobs
Jennifer Jacobs quickly became a fan favorite thanks to her ’80s-themed rides when she started teaching classes at Peloton in March 2016.
Her sudden June 2019 departure from the company shocked members.
“For the last three years, this community has been my heart and soul,” she announced at the time. “You have continually amazed me with your strength and commitment and the power of our community. It’s with much thought and so much gratitude that I’ve decided it’s time for me to leave Peloton to pursue other opportunities, but I’m not going out without one last ride.”
Jacobs has continued to run her own personal training company, The J Method, which she founded in 2005, according to her LinkedIn.
She joined the BeachBody family in 2021, teaching short strength and cardio workouts via video. In May 2024, she started as an advisor at OMORPHO.
Irène Kaymer
Irène Kaymer (née Scholz) made her mark at Peloton when she started as an instructor in 2019.
The German trainer announced she was leaving in 2021, writing on Instagram, “I have some bittersweet news to share, I’m going to be leaving the Peloton community to strike out on new adventures.
“It’s been an honor being a part of your days and I want to thank our incredible community of members for supporting me along the way. Until next time!”
Fortunately, Peloton announced in November 2023 that Kaymer would be making her return to the company, Pelobuddy reported. She now teaches cycling and strength classes.
Oliver Lee
Oliver Lee started teaching Peloton courses in 2018.
However, in April 2020 all of his content was scrubbed from the platform with no explanation.
“Oliver is no longer a Peloton employee,” they announced at the time, according to Distractify. “Out of respect for his privacy, we cannot share the details of his departure.”
Lee, who revealed on Instagram in May 2024 that he’d been battling cancer for two years, now works as a fitness trainer, according to his Instagram bio.
Chase Tucker
Chase Tucker taught at Peloton for four years before leaving in March 2022.
“I’ve spoken many times about doing the hard work of clarifying your goals and focusing your energy, and that work has led me to focus on adventures and opportunities outside of Peloton,” he wrote on Instagram while announcing his exit.
Tucker founded Elite Physique Mastery, which “helps ambitious women ditch fitness plateaus and get strong/lean with lasting energy + confidence,” according to his Instagram bio.
Daniel McKenna
Peloton confirmed that Daniel McKenna was no longer with the company in October 2022.
“Daniel McKenna is no longer a Peloton instructor,” Peloton wrote in a Facebook statement at the time.
“His classes will remain in our library for Members to enjoy. We wish Daniel all the best in his next chapter.”
The Irish instructor wasn’t given an opportunity to say goodbye to his fans on the platform, leading many to speculate that he had parted ways on bad terms.
Days later, it surfaced that McKenna sued Peloton and COO Jennifer Cotter for $1.8 million for alleged wrongful termination, discrimination based on his accent and heritage, and breach of contract. Peloton denied all the allegations and McKenna later dismissed the lawsuit.
He now works as a personal trainer, according to his LinkedIn.
