our team
Andre Schmid
Co-Founder & Managing Director
A California native (Sacramento). Andre shares over 25 years of playing and coaching experience to athletes. On the sporting side, he was an Adidas High School All-American out of Christian Brothers College Preparatory. Playing through the ranks with the US Youth National teams, he was a member of the first USYMNT (U-18) to win a international tournament in the federation’s history, claiming the International Tournament of Lisbon (Lisbon, Portugal).
A graduate of St. John's University on a full athletic scholarship, he earned his B.S. in Sports Management from the distinguished Collins College of Professional Studies (New York City). A member of 2 NCAA Final Four teams. He was drafted by MLS side Houston Dynamo, he also spent time with New York Red Bulls, Sporting KC, and finally Seattle Sounders FC winning a championship there in 2007.
Based in San Diego for the past 15 years he has had privileges to travel and observe with clubs in England, Italy, Spain, Argentina and he works with clients here domestically in the United States. After the success and growth of athletes and organizations he has worked with, there was a natural transition towards concentrating his attention exclusively to the requirements of emerging elite and professional athletes in a variety sports. This ultimately led to the conceptual birth of S Group in 2019 with San Diego being officially established as its principal office site thereafter.
Outside of work, he loves spending time with his wife and three children, particularly with them all together on the golf course.
Laura Sudano
Co-Founder & Clinical Director
Dr. Laura Sudano is from East Setauket, NY. Her interest in working with athletes began after finishing her collegiate volleyball career. She was fascinated at her own journey competing as a DI athlete and how she could help guide performance and experiences for others. After transferring volleyball programs and finishing her undergrad in 2008, she graduated from St. Mary’s University (Texas) with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. In 2010, she earned her Masters at The University of San Diego. She continued on and completed her Doctorate in Human Development at Virginia Tech.
After her fellowship in Colorado she moved on to North Carolina and joined an incredible staff at Wake forest University’s Family Medicine residency as Director of Behavioral Science. There she developed and launched integrated care with collegiate athletes focusing on sport performance and mental health initiatives.
She is now based here in San Diego as faculty within UCSD Family Medicine and is on staff with the San Diego Padres. She specializes in supporting athletes at every level. During her spare time, she enjoys running with her husband and chasing their 3 children.
bobby Buoncristiano
Athlete Performance Director
Bobby, a native of Philadelphia, has gained extensive experience in working and leading athletes across various levels and locations since his graduation from LaSalle University in 2004. His teaching journey has taken him to cities like New York City, San Diego, and St. Louis, where he has worked with athletes ranging from youth to professional.
Having excelled as a multisport athlete at Chestnut Hill Academy and played three Division-1 sports in college, Bobby's athletic prowess earned him an athletic scholarship for soccer. His versatility extended to kicking for the football team and competing in the 400m on the track team. Notable achievements during his soccer career at LaSalle include leading his team to a championship, receiving multiple all-league selections and being the top scorer throughout his career.
Academically, Bobby holds a degree in Communication from LaSalle University, a degree in Kinesiology from Mira Costa College, and is currently pursuing his Master’s in Performance Coaching at Setanta College. He also boasts various certifications, with the prestigious Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) from the National Strength & Conditioning Association being one of them.
With over two decades of experience working with athletes across different sports such as soccer, lacrosse, football, and more, Bobby has honed an intricate approach that continues to evolve. His role as Performance Director at national platform athletic clubs and accolades like being named "Best Fitness Instructor" by Philadelphia Magazine attest to his expertise. By training through the lens of movement, Bobby identifies key performance indicators that are specific to both the sport(s) and the individual, making his interventions specific and effective.
At S Group, Bobby's focuses on specifics to individualized training and teaching of our partnered athletes. This catered approach allows him to delve deep into each athlete's needs with meticulous attention. He strongly believes in unlocking an individual's limitless potential with the right support system behind them—a philosophy that aligns with S Group's foundational principles. Collaborating with colleagues at S Group to optimize each athlete’s performance is a passion that brings him immense fulfillment.
Outside his professional endeavors, Bobby shares an active lifestyle with his wife Dr. Natiya Guin (Naturopathic Medical Doctor) and their three children—Kailee, Grace & Trajan—and advocates for health and wellness both within their family and among the athletes he works with.
