Instructor Trainer bios

Vita's journey in Pilates began through her own need for rehabilitation. After diligently studying the STOTT PILATES^® professional courses, she developed a deeper appreciation and understanding of its scientific nature and how it could impact the reshaping of her mental outlook. In 2020, Vita became a STOTT PILATES Certified Instructor, and she became a Certified Instructor Trainer in Matwork & Reformer in 2022.

Her enthusiasm for teaching and guidance is contagious, enabling hundreds of students - ranging from athletes to dancers to those recovering from illness - to better understand their bodies. She now operates a dedicated Pilates studio in Shenyang, China to spread internationally-recognized high-quality Pilates practices.

Vivian C. Zapanta stands as one of the Philippines’ most distinguished figures in movement education — a woman whose mastery, presence, and leadership have elevated the nation’s fitness and Pilates landscape for more than four decades. As a Merrithew^® Lead Instructor Trainer in Mat, Reformer, Cadillac, Chair & Barrels, and Injuries & Special Populations, she belongs to an elite global circle and is the first Filipino — and among the first worldwide — to complete all nine Merrithew Specialty Tracks.

Founder of the Vivian Zapanta Pilates Studio and the Merrithew Licensed Training Center Philippines, she has mentored hundreds of instructors who now lead thriving studios across Asia (Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand), the Middle East (Kuwait), Hawaii, the USA, and beyond.

Her distinguished path includes serving as personal trainer to former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, earning the title 1988 Ms. Philippines Bodybuilding Champion, and making history as the only woman to ever lead the Philippine Bodybuilding Federation.

Vivian’s academic foundation is equally exceptional: she graduated CUM LAUDE from the University of Santo Tomas, later becoming a professor there. She is also an ACE Gold-Certified Personal Trainer (1990), ACE Group Fitness Trainer, and Franklin Method^® Level 3 Educator, and strengthened by decades of multidisciplinary expertise.

Majestic in presence yet grounded in service, Vivian leads with sovereignty, excellence, and heart — devoted to elevating movement professionals not only in the Philippines, but across the world, to their highest potential.

Wataru Kamiizumi is a Merrithew^® Lead Instructor Trainer and licensed physical therapist whose career spans more than twenty years of continuous international teaching across an expanding list of countries. His background includes a decade of university-level instruction, collaborative clinical work with six university hospitals, and participation in a multidisciplinary project supporting cancer survivors.

A longstanding contributor to Merrithew’s education team, he supports the Instructor Trainer Development Program. He serves on the Rehabilitation Content Advisory Board, helping shape the standards and direction of global instructor education.

Recognized for an authentic, experience-driven teaching style, he offers far more than exercise instruction—emphasizing practical application, clear teaching strategies, and the professional mindset required for long-term growth. His practice ranges from complex rehabilitation cases to high-profile clients in entertainment and professional sport.

Through ZONE Academy of Fitness in Osaka, he continues to empower the next generation of instructors with a globally informed perspective and a commitment to thoughtful, lasting professional development.

Wayne Seeto is the Director of Education Programming and a Merrithew^® Master Instructor Trainer with over 20 years of experience in Pilates, movement, and rehabilitation education. A registered physiotherapist and leading expert in STOTT PILATES^®, STOTT PILATES Rehab, and Halo^® Training, Wayne applies his clinical and instructional expertise to advance evidence-based, functional movement education. As part of Merrithew’s leadership team, he shapes the evolution of education products and resources to uphold the company’s hallmark of quality, innovation, and excellence in movement education.

Wei Vern has always harboured an intense passion for movement and sports which led her to ultimately pursuing a degree in Physiotherapy with MAHSA University, under the programme of Anglia Ruskin, United Kingdom.

She has constantly engaged herself throughout her tertiary studies with various clinical placements to gain a diverse experience in her clinical practice. This further enhanced her interest in movements being integrated as a functional system.

Wei Vern then kick-started her STOTT PILATES^® training upon joining Pilatique Pilates & Physiotherapy studio in Malaysia in 2018. An ardent believer in active rehabilitation and holistic wellness, she has been helping clients achieve their goals to be pain free through incorporating STOTT&njbsp;PILATES into her treatment approach.

This fueled her further to complete her full certification in 2021 and eventually becoming a Merrithew^® Instructor Tra­iner specializing in Matwork & Reformer in 2022.