Instructor Trainer bios

Melissa started teaching group exercise in 1985, and was certified through the American Council on Exercise (ACE). She eventually became a CEU provider for ACE, and certified in Personal Training and Spinning. Melissa continued her interest in health and fitness by becoming a Physical Therapy Assistant. In 1998, Melissa found STOTT PILATES^® and became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES in 2003. Melissa owns a studio in East Greenwich, Rhode Island and is also certified in Zumba^®, Yamuna^® Body Rolling, TRX^® and holds belts in Krav Maga, Budokon and MMA. Melissa graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a bachelor degree in Human Sciences, and from Bryant University with an MBA in Marketing. She holds professional certifications from the American Society for Training & Development, Seton Hall School of Law & Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Healthcare Compliance program, the Healthcare Compliance Association, Dale Carnegie Training, and an EMT license from the State of Rhode Island's Department of Health.

Melissa has always had a passion for movement and physical health, obtaining her Physical Therapy degree from Marquette University in 1989. She became certified as a STOTT PILATES^® Instructor in 2001 after working in a variety of clinical settings with a specialized focus on Geriatric Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. Melissa became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® in in 2002 and is a Lead IT for STOTT PILATES. She continues to add variety to her repertoire by taking new workshops and integrating that material into her programming.

Melissa’s interest in Pilates began while she was at university in Singapore. Someone recommended Pilates as the best way to improve her posture and tone her muscles, and from there, her journey began. In 2006, Melissa moved to Canada, where she completed the instructor training program at the STOTT PILATES^® headquarters in Toronto and earned her full certification.

Since then, Melissa has completed numerous other certifications including prenatal Pilates, Yoga Teacher training, Stretch Therapy, TRX, Surfset Fitness and Neurokinetic Therapy. Melissa has trained clients and managed studios in Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia.

Melissa has gained a wealth of knowledge from many years of teaching, but her greatest joy remains sharing a passion for Pilates and functional movement with her clients and students.

Melissa Harrington is an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^®, specializing as a Lead IT in STOTT PILATES^®, who has been working in the fitness industry since 1995. In addition to teaching Pilates, she is a certified Yoga instructor and faculty member of YOGAspirit, a certified Holistic Health Counselor, NSCA certified Personal Trainer and an ACE Group Exercise Instructor. Melissa lives on the north shore of Boston with her husband and two stepchildren. She is known to bring a healthy dose of humor and warmth to her teaching.

Melissa's passion for movement in its many forms began at an early age with gymnastics, swimming, diving, and dance lessons. She trained in classical ballet and modern dance and has performed professionally in Minneapolis, MN and the Bay area. Melissa began studying Pilates in 2000 and found it to be a powerful supplement to her dance training. She began her STOTT PILATES^® training in 2007 and completed her full certification in 2012. In 2013, she became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES. Melissa is trained in Injuries and Special Populations and loves working with people of diverse movement backgrounds and fitness levels. She believes that movement has the potential to heal the body and mind; her goal as a movement facilitator and teacher is to guide people toward greater freedom and joy in movement and to healthier lives.