Instructor Trainers

Jenna is a passionate educator, mover, and lover of the outdoors. She is the co-founder of Awaken Studios, Awaken Retreats, and Awaken Transformation, which she runs with her husband, Joe. As a STOTT PILATES^® Lead Instructor, she brings a comprehensive approach to mindful movement education.

Her additional credentials include 500-hour Yoga Teacher Training, co-founding Awaken Aerial Education, life-coach certification, TRX, personal training, as well as a BFA in Dance and a Master’s in Education from the University of Utah. Beyond Pilates, Jenna has taught snowboarding, skiing, recreational therapy, and dance.

She is inspired by seeing clients transform their lives through mindset work, movement, injury rehabilitation, and personal growth. Above all, Jenna’s greatest joy is her four children, who continually remind her to live with presence, gratitude, and awe.

Jenn's career in the fitness industry began as a group exercise instructor and personal trainer. She holds a Master of Science Degree in Exercise Physiology, and is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist with the NSCA. In 2007, Jenn became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES^®. She is also an Adjunct Professor in the Exercise Science Department at Southern Connecticut State University and teaches Pilates at The Edge Fitness Clubs in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Jennifer was first introduced to Pilates to support and strengthen her body for dance. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Dance from Simon Fraser University and continues to teach jazz, tap, ballet and stage.

Jennifer began her STOTT PILATES^® journey with a Matwork certification and has since continued to advance her training. She finds it deeply rewarding to work with clients of all ages and to witness their growth in strength, stamina and confidence through movement.

One of her greatest joys is hearing how clients apply what they’ve learned in Pilates to other areas of their lives—whether golfing, skiing or simply keeping up with their grandchildren on the playground.

Jennifer Dahl is a certified STOTT PILATES^® Instructor and Merrithew Master Instructor Trainer with over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry. She brings her innovative methods to Merrithew as an Instructor Trainer for STOTT PILATES, Halo^®, Total Barre^®, ZEN∙GA^® and Merrithew Fascial Movement.

She is a graduate of the University of Toronto Psychology Department specializing in Physiology as well as the renowned School, Toronto Dance Theatre. She continues to hone her approach by providing well-articulated movements which are curated to aid the mind-body connection through physical activity.

Jennifer is motivated by the challenges and rewards that this type of training can offer to clients from various physical backgrounds. Her curiosity has led her an exploration into new concepts, and ideas as well as revisit more established protocols with colleagues worldwide.

Jenn has an extensive background in Ballet and performed with Mid-States Regional Ballet Company, Ballet Americana for many years. Currently she instructs Ballet and Pilates classes for Ballet Americana and helps run company rehearsals. She discovered Pilates through her dance training and loved the conditioning, strength, and balance it provided. A Fully Certified STOTT PILATES^® instructor, Jenn became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES in 2014. Jenn also holds certifications from ACE, Xtend Barre and TRX^®. Jenn has been working at Equilibrium since 2007, and enjoys giving a very detail-oriented workout to clients of all ages and fitness levels.

Jennifer is from the UK and has lived in Dubai since 2008. Pilates had been her hobby for many years and by 2013 as her passion for the method grew, she started her education to become a certified STOTT PILATES^® Instructor. In 2016 she was accepted into the Merrithew^® Instructor Trainer program, specialising in STOTT PILATES. Her focus is to educate and inspire her students through her teaching.

Jennifer Vaughn became a STOTT PILATES^® Instructor in 2002 and an Instructor Trainer in 2005, specializing in STOTT PILATES Mat and Reformer. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Commerce and Business Administration from The University of Alabama and is an ACE^® Certified Group Fitness Instructor. Jenn has been teaching STOTT PILATES for 12 years and combines her passion and enthusiasm for the method and its many benefits with a detailed approach to instruction on all levels from training post rehab and therapeutic clients to professional athletes and dancers as well as students. She possesses an in-depth understanding of safe practice and works to develop a Pilates program uniquely tailored to each of her client’s life and fitness goals. In addition, she is devoted to her PILATES LOVE initiative where she provides free Pilates sessions to fellow Military Spouses and New Mommies in an effort to promote health, fitness and well-being within her community. She is an avid reader, skier and runner and enjoys the beach with her family when she is not in the studio.

Carrying over 10 years as a certified Yoga Instructor and a life-long love for dance, Jennifer had always been interested in Pilates. In fact, she studied other methods before finding STOTT PILATES^® and finding herself impressed by the thoroughness of the education—the instruction on anatomy and programming unlike anything she experienced before.

After she completed her STOTT PILATES Level 2 Certified Instructor training in 2016, she continued to hone her knowledge as she worked in dynamic environments, where she had the opportunity to work with all ages and conditions of body, pre and post-surgery. It wasn’t much longer afterwards that she decided to complete her Instructor Trainer certification in 2018. Now, trusting she has been well prepared by excellent mentors among the Merrithew^® International team, she feels excited to share her knowledge and inspire a new group of up-and-coming instructors.

Jerome earned his full STOTT PILATES^® Instructor certification in 2007, and became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES in 2009. He is a graduate of Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Business Administration. After graduation, Jerome moved to San Diego to begin a career in fitness facilities management. Four years later he was inspired to open his own personal training business and continues learning new ways to facilitate Mindful Movement.

After graduating from Tulane University and receiving her Masters of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1999, Jessica began practicing physical therapy in Atlanta. Jessica's interest in Pilates was ignited after attending a mat course for healthcare professionals in 2002. After incorporating Pilates exercises into her practice and seeing tremendous results with her clients, she pursued certification, and became a STOTT PILATES^® Certified Instructor in 2008. In early 2009, she became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES Rehab. Currently, Jessica instructs clients with a wide range of abilities, connecting with them by using her technical knowledge and training to appropriately challenge them in the pursuit of their goals. She specializes in acute and chronic spine conditions, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, sports medicine, orthopedic manual therapy and post operative rehabilitation.  Jessica is also a credentialed McKenzie Institute® Therapist.