The 40-year-old NYC mom of two is a lifestyle influencer and will make her debut in the iconic May issue

Harnessing the power of social media and a genuine drive to help people live their best lives, Melissia Wood-Tepperberg is building a health and wellness empire and sharing it with the world.

It’s no surprise the popular meditation teacher, certified yoga and pilates instructor, and certified health coach is gracing the SI Swimsuit issue as a 2023 Rookie which hits newsstands in May.

The entrepreneur launched her MWH subscription-based fitness brand before the pandemic and quickly amassed a huge following. As the host of the Move With Heart Podcast, the wellness buff tells her listeners to expect to laugh, learn, and be inspired by topics ranging from mindfulness and spirituality, to nutrition and fitness.

Wood-Tepperberg grew up in Syracuse, N.Y., and worked as a model and actress for nearly a decade during her 20s.

“Since I was a teenager, I remember flipping through the pages of SI and feeling such strength, beauty and empowerment,” Wood-Tepperberg said on Instagram. “Never in my life did I ever think that at the age of 40 and being a mother of two that I would now be in SI.”

Speaking about her recent SI achievement, she said, “what this really means to me is about never giving up on yourself.”

After shifting her focus to all-things wellness and working hard to build her brand, Wood-Tepperberg is stepping into the limelight and sharing her knowledge and talents with her adoring fans across the globe.

News quickly spread on social media about the health guru’s SI shoot. Wood-Tepperberg joined photographer Yu Tsai on the Caribbean Island of Dominica and donned a custom-made Ola Vida bikini for the spread.

“Melissa blows me away both personally and professionally,” SI Swimsuit editor-in-chief MJ Day said in a statement. “We couldn’t be more excited.”

Wood-Tepperberg is the second SI Swimsuit Rookie for 2023 to be announced. Also making her debut in the issue is model and designer Nicole Williams English.

Embracing the increasing popularity of living an alcohol-free lifestyle, Wood-Tepperberg says she loved the way she started feeling when she stopped consuming alcohol.

“I felt so grounded in myself in a way that I had never experienced before, and I just kept going with it,” she says.

Wood-Tepperberg credits her meditation practice for her sobriety, explaining that she made the choice to live alcohol free in 2019 and now works to reduce judgment from others for being sober.

Often encouraging her followers to find their strength—Wood-Tepperberg certainly has found hers as she strives to educate and inspire her followers.