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.
Caroline Phillips
Floating
London, UK
IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork and Reformer; Total Barre®
Additional credentials and designations
The Stella Mann College of Performing Arts graduate in dance.
Bio
Pilates was a natural progression of Caroline’s professional dance career. After training at The Stella Mann College of Performing Arts, she performed all around the world. Caroline went on to complete her full STOTT PILATES® Certification, and is a Merrithew® Instructor Trainer specializing in STOTT PILATES and Total Barre®. The remarkable benefits of Pilates for rehabilitation from injury became clear to Caroline in 2015 after her pelvis, back, collar bone and ankle were each fractured in an accident. Caroline credits Pilates with giving her the ability and strength to recover faster than any of her doctors has predicted.
Caroline Susanna Bulst
Floating
Vicchio, Italy
IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Mat & Reformer
Additional credentials and designations
BA in Performing Arts, Zenga Mat & Equipment, Fascial Movement, Total Barre, Active Aging Certification and Gyrotonic level 1
Bio
Caroline’s international career as a professional ballet dancer made Pilates an essential part of her training and daily life. However, an unexpected health condition abruptly ended her dance career. Turning to the STOTT PILATES® method, for rehabilitation, she not only regained strength but also deepened her appreciation for its transformative effects on both body and mind.
Determined to share these these benefits with others, Caroline moved to Toronto in 2017 to train at the Toronto Corporate Training Center (CTC). After earning her full certification, she joined the instructor team at Merrithew® headquarters, where she refined her teaching skills and broadened her expertise.
In 2020, she founded MindBodyPlace, a boutique studio dedicated to high-quality Pilates training for both professional and recreational athletes. Her passion for movement education continued to grow, and in 2024, she became a Merrithew Instructor Trainer specializing in STOTT PILATES.
Caroline holds a Bachelor of Arts in Performing Arts from the Ernst Busch University of Theatre Arts in Berlin and is a graduate of the State Ballet School Berlin. She is also a certified Level 1 GYROTONIC® trainer, adding another dimension to her movement expertise.
Dividing her time between Italy, Mexico and Canada, Caroline works with clients, teaches STOTT PILATES instructor courses and hosts Pilates and wellness retreats, sharing her love for movement with a global community.
Carolyn Geerling-Goryl
Floating
Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer
Bio
Carolyn Geerling-Goryl first experienced Pilates, while living in California, and fell in love. A graduate of Western Michigan University with a degree in Exercise Science, she has worked in the fitness industry in many capacities including as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. Carolyn is a fully certified instructor and is an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew®; specializing in STOTT PILATES®. She is also the Michigan Professional Affiliate Coordinator for AFAA (Aerobics and Fitness Association of America) and believes that Pilates is so appropriate and valuable to every body from the athlete to the injured, from the fitness enthusiast to the overweight client, from 18 to 80! She has enjoyed bring her personal training background and group fitness experience to individual clients as well as into her Cardiolates, Group Reformer and Matwork classes!
Carolyn Stuart
C2 Pilates Training Center
Avon, Connecticut, USA
IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, & Barrels
Additional credentials and designations
Total Barre® Qualified Instructor; ZEN•GA® Qualified Instructor
Bio
Carolyn first trained with STOTT PILATES® in 1999 and followed the path to become a fully certified Instructor in 2007. A few months after, she became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew®. She currently teaches at C2 Pilates Training Center, a Merrithew Licensed Training Center.
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Cate Vallone
C2 Pilates Training Center
Avon, Connecticut, USA
IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, & Barrels, ISP, SPX; Total Barre®; ZEN•GA® Mat and Equipment; Halo® Training
Additional credentials and designations
MA in Consciousness and Transpersonal Psychology, BS in Human Movement Education, NSCA Certified Personal Trainer
Bio
Cate Vallone is a Lead Instructor Trainer for Merrithew® specializing in Total Barre®, ZEN•GA®, Halo® Training and STOTT PILATES®. She has been teaching Pilates and somatic education in clinical and studio settings for 20 years, with a focus in post-rehabilitation and athletic conditioning. She currently owns two Pilates studios in the Greater Hartford, Connecticut area. Cate received a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Movement Education from Boston University in 1999 and Master of Arts degree in Consciousness and Transpersonal Psychology from The Graduate Institute in 2022. In addition to her Pilates education, Cate has been trained in Craniosacral Therapy, Kinesiotaping, Body-Mind Centering and Continuum Movement.
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