Instructor Trainer bios

Rachel originally trained as a classical ballet dancer and worked in the profession from the age of nine. She started Pilates at the age of 14 as part of her rehabilitation for a prolapsed disc. After undergoing two back operations in 1996 and 2010, Pilates has enabled her to regain strength and control. It was only natural that she would end up becoming a Pilates instructor after understanding how beneficial this way of working is. Following her second back operation she became a personal trainer, a STOTT PILATES^® Certified Instructor and then a Merrithew^® Instructor Trainer. She has worked with many clients from all backgrounds and abilities, helping them achieve strength, control and flexibility. She thrives training clients and instructors to reach levels that they never thought possible. Her enthusiasm and dedication has helped many people improve their fitness and take control of their own health.

Bec has over 30 years of experience in the dancing industry, specializing in theatrical dance and acrobatics. After a career change and five children later, Bec completed the STOTT PILATES^® Full Certification. She has been teaching the STOTT PILATES method for five years now, along with Total Barre^®, ZEN•GA^®, and CORE^™.

Bec has always been passionate about teaching others, so becoming a Merrithew^® Instructor Trainer was a natural next step. She is impressed by the STOTT PILATES method as it develops strength, flexibility, and mobility, all while allowing people to have fun. She is fascinated by fascial movement and will continue to broaden her knowledge in this field.

Rebecca has been working in the health and fitness industry since 2000 and has her BA in Adult Fitness from Marshall University in West Virginia. She has been an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES^® since 2010 followed by CORE^™ and Total Barre^® since 2013. She is also a certified ACE Personal Trainer and an AFAA certified Group Fitness Instructor. Rebecca is the proud owner of Be Buff Pilates, a boutique Pilates studio that incorporates Pilates and Functional Training.

Prior to her life as a Pilates Instructor, Rebecca had careers in radio broadcasting as a disc jockey & traffic reporter and in cable television advertising, amongst others. She was first exposed to the Pilates method as a young dancer. Many years later, and looking for a "complete 180" career change, she was exposed to STOTT PILATES^®. She began her training in 2001 and became fully certified in the full STOTT PILATES^® repertoire. She became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES in 2012 and has been teaching & training ever since. Rebecca relishes in the good Pilates has done her and absolutely loves sharing knowledge with her students.

Rebecca holds a BFA in Dance from California State University Long Beach and is a certified STOTT PILATES^® Instructor. She was introduced to Pilates in 1994, which further sparked her fascination for body awareness, alignment and core-strength. In 2013, Rebecca became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES. Rebecca enjoys creating a workout experience that suits each person's specific needs, fitness goals and skill level whether they are athletes, those suffering with chronic pain, rehabilitation from surgery, or those who are simply seeking to learn more about their bodies. She loves watching the positive changes brought about by practicing STOTT PILATES and empowering her clients with a mind-body awareness that can be carried into their everyday lives. When Rebecca is not teaching Pilates or dancing, she can be found climbing in the North Cascades or backcountry skiing.