A finance and real estate professional plans to open Orange County’s first Pvolve, a Jennifer Aniston-endorsed fitness studio that specializes in functional movement with resistance equipment.
Lee Raagas, who spent five years as the president and CEO of Skid Row Housing Trust in Los Angeles and 14 years overseeing lending operations and corporate strategy at H&R Block in Irvine, will own and operate the new Pvolve fitness studio in Newport Beach.
Pvolve is still negotiating its lease for the Newport Beach location but has committed to Orange County as part of its national expansion.
Raagas opted to bring Pvolve to Newport Beach after discovering the fitness studio brand through her own health journey. She was diagnosed with a neurological disorder in 2022 and sought a new fitness routine to treat her health condition. Two people recommended Pvolve, and she joined the studio as a member in 2023.
Joining Pvolve changed Raagas’ life for the better.
“I was inspired to open a Pvolve studio in Newport Beach because the community reflects everything the brand stands for—health, longevity, and intentional living. After being introduced to Pvolve through trusted professionals during my own wellness journey, I experienced firsthand how functional fitness can support real, sustainable change,” Raagas told the Business Journal in an email.
“Newport’s commitment to healthy lifestyles makes it the perfect place to grow with a concept that’s so much more than a workout—it’s a way to live better, every day,” Raagas continued.
Pvolve also plans to open studios in Lincoln Park, Illinois, Barrington, Rhode Island, and Pleasantville, Kentucky. The platform already has studios in several metro areas, including Atlanta, Austin, Denver, Los Angeles Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Diego and Salt Lake City.
“(The) new studio owners are aligned with our mission to deliver a smarter, more sustainable approach to fitness in communities across the country,” Pvolve President Julie Cartwright said in a statement.
Pvolve’s national expansion, including the Newport Beach location, is part of the company’s Sculpt Anywhere campaign. The campaign was developed as part of Pvolve’s partnership with “Friends” celebrity Aniston and features an eight-class program that can be accessed anytime and anywhere, for people with busy schedules.
