Instructor Trainer bios
The members of our esteemed team of Pilates Instructor Trainers are accomplished and internationally sought-after educators known for their comprehensive knowledge, dedication and professionalism. Each hold full certification in the STOTT PILATES® method and have achieved additional designations to complement their training.
A diverse group, they come from varied backgrounds including physical therapy, exercise science, athletic therapy, dance, and group and personal fitness training to name a few. Every member of the team strives to uphold the highest standards of training that have been developed worldwide.
Sara Escudero
Floating
Toledo, Spain
IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork and Reformer
Additional credentials and designations
Osteopathy, Federation of Mountaineers of Valladolid, Club Zceos, School of Technical Parasanitarias
Bio
Sara has a varied professional portfolio that includes osteopathy and massage as well as personal coaching for specialized sports. She is the Center Director and teaches Pilates and Personal Training at the Pilates Center Valladolid, in Valladolid, Spain. A sports devotee since 1995, she initiated incorporating the Pilates method with her clients after taking her first STOTT PILATES® course in 2006. She began STOTT PILATES Rehab training in 2012 and became a Merrithew® Instructor Trainer specializing in STOTT PILATES Matwork and Reformer in 2014.
Sarah Donkers
Floating
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Rehab
Additional credentials and designations
BSc, MSc (Physical Therapy), PhD (cand) Neuroscience
Bio
Sarah has a passion for movement. Having been a competitive athlete, Pilates helped her overcome several injuries and fueled her desire to further understand movement. Sarah's enthusiastic and energetic nature can be seen in the clinic and classroom, helping others move better, studying how the nervous system controls movement and sharing this knowledge. Sarah is currently a teacher and researcher at the University of Saskatchewan, and carries a clinical load focusing on motor control in pediatrics, neurology and sport. She is a Merrithew® Instructor Trainer specializing in STOTT PILATES®. Interested in complex movement disorders, as well as injury prevention, Sarah loves Pilates for the mind body awareness it creates and the ability to use this to restore balance in the body.
Sarah Helmy
Floating
Cairo, Egypt
IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork and Reformer; Cadillac, Chair and Barrels
Additional credentials and designations
BA Psychology, PMA, AFAA and ISSA
Bio
Sarah is the founder of The Studio, a fully-equipped Pilates, dance and fitness studio in Cairo, Egypt. Her interest in movement blossomed at a very young age while learning ballet and gymnastics. She took up dance professionally and joined the Cairo Modern Dance Theater at the Cairo Opera House. Sarah's desire to understand the mechanics of movement sparked an expansive journey of learning. She pursued multiple certifications, including different Pilates methods, personal training, group fitness and spinning. Sarah delved into the world of STOTT PILATES® in 2010 with a passion and vigor that allowed her to rapidly complete her courses in succession and become Fully Certified. In 2016, she successfully completed her Merrithew® Instructor Trainer Course specializing in STOTT PILATES. She also became a CORE™ and Total Barre® Qualified Instructor.
Sarah Jarvis
STOTT PILATES® Academy Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer,Cadillac, Chair & Barrels, ISP; ZEN•GA®; Total Barre®; Halo® Training
Additional credentials and designations
BA
Bio
Sarah Jarvis joined the Merrithew® team in 2004 after completing her Full Certification in STOTT PILATES®. She is now a Merrithew Lead Instructor Trainer and specializes in ZEN•GA®, Halo® Training and Total Barre®. With a background in aerobics and fitness, Sarah brings a dynamic approach to her Pilates teaching. She holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Windsor and is Can-Fit-Pro certified.
Sarah has extensive experience working with various demographics, including individuals with injuries and those with lifelong conditions where movement is crucial for maintaining quality of life. She is particularly passionate about empowering active aging clients. Since becoming certified, she has continually expanded her knowledge through specialized courses and workshops on the fascial system and anatomy, as well as seminars on specific injuries and programming with leading experts in physiotherapy and kinesiology.
“Pilates, for me, has always been about getting people into their bodies. Many people go through their workouts with poor or no activation and little understanding of how their muscles work. It’s my job to help them activate, provide well-balanced workouts, assist in injury prevention and improve posture and overall strength."
In addition to teaching clients, Sarah mentors internationally trained instructors and has represented Merrithew for over a decade, presenting across North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Outside of Pilates, Sarah enjoys spinning, HIIT training, traveling, savoring great food and wine, and meeting wonderful people.
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Saulo Ouverney
Sole Pilates UK
Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, & Barrels; Total Barre®; Halo® Training
Additional credentials and designations
Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education, GYROTONIC®, Buff Bone Instructor
Bio
A lifelong passion for movement began for Saulo as a competitive gymnast and sports aerobics athlete, where he first understood the profound connection between disciplined physical training and mental focus. This foundation led him to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education and work in fitness instruction and strength coaching.
His journey transformed in 2006 upon discovering the Pilates Method. By 2007, he was directing his own studio, seeking a system aligned with biomechanical precision and holistic wellness. This search culminated in 2009 with STOTT PILATES®, leading him to relocate to São Paulo to immerse himself fully. He became a STOTT PILATES Instructor Trainer in 2013 and a Merrithew® Lead Instructor Trainer in 2017.
Saulo gained further experience at the Merrithew Corporate Training Center in Toronto, contributing to global education until 2020, and later teaching across the Middle East, delivering STOTT PILATES and Total Barre®. He is also a certified GYROTONIC® instructor.
Now based in Oxfordshire, UK, Saulo directs his own official Merrithew Host Training Centre, continuing to train instructors and integrate biomechanics and mindful movement into his teaching and practice.