Instructor Trainer bios

In 2014, Holly combined her career as a professional dancer with teaching Pilates when she became a Merrithew^® Instructor Trainer in STOTT PILATES^®. She teaches private and group classes at Pacific NW Pilates in Portland, Oregon, and is the founder of Elevated Movement^™, where she provides specialized Pilates training for athletes, dancers, older adults, and clients of all ability levels. Holly also enjoys guiding older adults and clients with special needs to use effective, efficient movement in their everyday lives.

Holly brings over 15 years of professional dance experience and currently performs with, and serves as Managing Director of, the contemporary dance company push/FOLD in Portland, Oregon. In addition to her work in dance and arts administration, she is a trained birth doula, supporting families through the physical and emotional journey of childbirth. Holly graduated in 2010 from the University of Utah with a BFA in Ballet, with an emphasis in performance and teaching.

Karyn discovered STOTT PILATES^® after a serious knee injury left her searching for relief from pain. Amazed by the therapeutic benefits of the method, she pursued training and became a STOTT PILATES Certified Instructor. Today, she is proud to serve as a Merrithew^® Instructor Trainer, sharing her expertise with instructors across regions.

Her earlier career in a multinational corporation strengthens her work today: the leadership, communication, and coaching skills she developed there now enhance the way she mentors instructors with clarity, compassion, and precision—qualities that guide her supportive and assured teaching style.

Specializing in post-rehabilitation, Karyn earned her STOTT PILATES Post-Rehabilitation Conditioning designation and furthered her skills in Release Technique and CranioSacral Therapy. Her own recovery journey now fuels her mission to help others build resilience, restore balance, and rediscover the freedom of movement.

Yiyi is a graduate of Beijing Sport University and has been working in yoga, Pilates, fitness, and sports rehabilitation since 2006. She began teaching in 2009 and has extensive experience in both frontline instruction and professional training.

Formerly a Hatha Yoga training instructor and an instructor at Noah Sports Rehabilitation College, Yiyi is well regarded for her clear, effective teaching and strong professional foundation.

She emphasizes scientific, results-driven movement and believes that proper exercise can improve posture, support body shaping, and aid rehabilitation. Helping clients solve physical challenges is what fuels her long-term passion and growth in this field.

As a modern dance major, Hanna has studied the movements of the body since childhood.

After years of examining and scrutinizing her own body, she realized how unsound movements and poor posture could negatively affect one’s life. She started Pilates to rediscover her body's balance, eventually progressing to become a STOTT PILATES^® Certified Instructor.

She has endeavored to inform and educate others about the needs and benefits of Pilates, which culminated in her becoming a Merrithew^® Instructor Trainer.

Currently, as an instructor at PILATES THE FIT in Seoul, South Korea, Hanna not only guides clients to lead healthier lives through Pilates, but she also serves as an Instructor Trainer, teaching many students about the STOTT PILATES method. She looks forward to continuing to share her passion and enthusiasm for Pilates with many more clients and students to come.

Ineke Rush began her training in Pilates at the age of twelve in New York City with Carola Trier, a colleague and student of Joseph Pilates, whom she trained with extensively. She simultaneously trained at the School of the Dance Theatre of Harlem where the syllabus was influenced by Kathy Grant.

After a career as a professional ballet and modern dancer, Ineke pursued her Pilates Certification with STOTT PILATES^®. She has been an Instructor Trainer since 2004 and was designated Lead Instructor Trainer by Merrithew, Inc. in 2016. She has taught the STOTT PILATES certification courses and workshops all over the Bay Area, Northern California, and in Reno, Nevada.

Ineke spent ten years on faculty at Ohlone College in Fremont and Newark, California, in both the Athletics and Theatre and Dance Departments. Her greatest joy comes from being the mother of three beautiful souls who inspire her every day to do good in the world.