Ignacio Álvarez
General Manager, Mentalité USA (Florida)
José Manuel Laurido Huepe
Founder, Mentalite.USA (Florida)
Shahaf Bachar
Sports psychologist in Mentalite.USA
Sports psychologist in Mentalite.USA
Shahaf Bachar, MS is a mental health and performance therapist with a focus on helping athletes strengthen their mindset, enhance performance, and maintain overall well-being. A former collegiate swimmer, Shahaf has been immersed in the sport for over 15 years, competing at high levels before earning her Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, combining her academic knowledge with her lived experience as a competitive athlete. Originally from Israel, Shahaf competed in swimming both internationally and in the United States, where she balanced the demands of training, competition, and academics. This firsthand understanding of the mental and emotional challenges athletes face drives her passion for supporting others in reaching their goals—whether in sport, school, or life. Shahaf works with athletes, with a special interest in swimmers, using evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), and Adlerian Therapy. Her sessions help clients build confidence, manage competition anxiety, recover from setbacks, and develop resilience for long-term success. Dedicated to creating a supportive, nonjudgmental space, Shahaf empowers athletes to harness their strengths, stay motivated, and perform at their best while maintaining balance and self-compassion.
Performance Brand PR
Augustus Olivieri is a dedicated coach at Saint Andrew’s Aquatics, where he has been part of the coaching staff for over two years. Born in Honduras, Augustus brings a lifelong passion for swimming and sports to the pool deck, drawing on his experience as a collegiate swimmer and his strong academic background.
Augustus competed for Lynn University, where he was a key contributor to the Fighting Knights swim team, achieving personal bests in multiple events at the Sunshine State Conference Championships. Throughout his college career, he showed strong commitment both in the pool and in the classroom, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management. He later completed his MBA in Sport Management at Lynn University and is currently pursuing a Master’s in International Business.
At Saint Andrew’s Aquatics, Augustus works with a wide range of athletes, helping them develop both the technical and mental aspects of their swimming.
In addition, Augustus serves as the Performance Brand PR at Mentalite.USA, where he leads strategic partnerships with sports organizations that expand the company’s network and client base. His deep knowledge of the aquatic world, multicultural perspective, and ability to build meaningful relationships make him a key asset in Mentalite.USA’s growth across the U.S. sports performance landscape.
General Manager – Mentalité USA (Florida)
Originally from Chile, Ignacio combines a deep background in competitive swimming with a strong foundation in business and performance strategy. As a former member of the Chilean National Swim Team, he represented his country at the Junior World Championships in Indianapolis, earned South American Championship medals, and held national age group records during his early athletic career.
Ignacio later moved to the United States to pursue both academics and sport, competing in NCAA Division II swimming at Lynn University, where he reached conference finals and gained firsthand experience with the mental and physical demands of high-level competition.
Passionate about the mental side of performance, Ignacio has always been drawn to how mindset, focus, and emotional resilience shape success — both in and out of the pool. His connection to this world deepened when he was invited to join the Mentalité team by José Laurido, an experienced sport psychologist and founder of the brand, with the vision of expanding its mission into the U.S.
Ignacio holds a Bachelor’s degree in Investment Management and an MBA in Financial Valuation, which allow him to oversee Mentalité’s growth and operations with both strategic insight and business acumen.
As General Manager of Mentalité USA in Florida, Ignacio leads the company’s expansion, ensuring that athletes and sports organizations receive world-class support rooted in experience, excellence, and purpose.
Founder & Director – Mentalite.USA (Florida)
Born in Chile, José Manuel is a sport psychologist with over 14 years of experience working with swimmers across all levels — from youth development to national teams. His approach blends hands-on experience with a deep understanding of the mental demands of high-performance swimming.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, a Master’s in Sport Psychology, and a Master’s in Sports Medicine and Science, allowing him to integrate clinical insight with practical tools for athletic development. He is also a certified sport coach, bringing an interdisciplinary and applied perspective to his work.
In 2016, he founded Mentalité, a brand focused on delivering mental performance coaching rooted in well-being, emotional regulation, confidence, and purpose. Over the years, Mentalité has become a trusted provider of sport psychology services throughout South and Central America, working closely with clubs, coaches, federations, and performance-driven organizations across the region.
In 2025, he launched Mentalite.USA, based in Florida, with the goal of expanding this proven methodology into the U.S. — offering high-quality mental training to swimmers, coaches, and sports institutions aligned with the demands of international competition.
Today, José Manuel leads Mentalite.USA with a strong commitment to providing certified professionals who guide American swimmers through structured mental coaching, always staying true to the brand’s core mission: to enhance performance through a foundation of personal well-being and emotional balance.