Instructor Trainers

Jessica is originally from Rochester, NY, where she was introduced to Pilates as a young ballet dancer struggling with strength as well as flexibility. It helped her maintain a healthy body throughout her professional career, which spanned almost twenty years. Jessica began teaching Pilates in 2019 while still dancing, but she wasn’t introduced to STOTT PILATES^® until moving to Memphis, TN upon retiring from performing. She completed her instructor certification in 2024, then became a certified Mat and Reformer Instructor Trainer in the spring of 2026.

Jessica loves teaching Pilates where she can share her passion for movement, and watch her clients gain more freedom living in their ever-changing bodies. Upon becoming an IT, she has been able to share an even deeper understanding of the repertoire with her clients, and now Jessica is able to bring the joy of teaching STOTT PILATES^® to aspiring instructors.

Jia Lee majored in physical therapy and has worked in the fields of movement and rehabilitation. While searching for pain management exercise methods for her neck and back, she encountered Pilates and became instantly engrossed as she experienced its positive effects, eventually overcoming the traumas she had developed from her pain. While working at Pilates The Fit in Seoul, Jia was introduced to the STOTT PILATES^® education system, a method that interested her because of its structure, detail and precision. She decided to become a STOTT PILATES Certified Instructor. She later became an Instructor Trainer to help as many people as possible achieve healthier, pain-free lives through this mindful exercise method. By applying the physiological knowledge she’s gained as a physical therapist, she hopes to promote the benefits of Pilates to many students and bring positive changes to their lives.

Before entering the fitness industry, Jibo worked as a flight attendant. While working in this high-stress profession, he realized the importance of maintaining one’s health and decided to pursue a career in the health and wellness industry.

With a keen interest in sports since childhood, Jibo pursued his ACE certification, and was then introduced to STOTT PILATES^® in 2017 in the hopes of solving his shoulder, neck pain and spinal imbalance. Since then, Jibo’s physical problems have significantly improved, and he has promoted the benefits of Pilates to many people in need as an instructor. By continuously learning and gaining more experience, Jibo became a STOTT PILATES Certified Instructor in 2019. Having benefited from learning and practicing STOTT PILATES, Jibo hopes to introduce this holistic exercise system to more professionals to help a wider range of people. In February 2023, Jibo became a Merrithew^® Instructor Trainer specializing in STOTT PILATES Matwork and Reformer. Jibo loves to explore the science of human movement and is adept at breaking down complex ideas to make them more accessible, helping his clients live healthier lives by better understanding themselves.

Jill brings more than 40 years of expertise to the fitness industry, having served as an educator, trainer, and fitness director for various clubs throughout the Midwest. Her career reflects a deep commitment to advancing fitness education and training programs.

She was among the first twenty-five Instructor Trainers for STOTT PILATES^® and has held the position of Lead Instructor Trainer since 2000. Jill has also played a key role in international education, presenting workshops and conducting courses across the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Jill’s extensive experience includes designing and developing training programs for group fitness instructors, personal trainers, and Pilates instructors. Her passion for coaching extends beyond traditional fitness—she has coached Nordic skiing and collegiate rowing and remains actively involved in competitive rowing today.

Since she first encountered Pilates in 2010, she has transitioned from the legal field to the sports and health industry and has been deeply engaged in it ever since. With her meticulous logical thinking and acute body perception, she is adept at understanding the complex and multi-dimensional human structure from a macro perspective and integrating diverse cultural aesthetics while respecting individual differences. Over more than ten years of teaching practice, she has consistently tailored targeted courses for different students, helping more people achieve physical and mental balance and health improvement through precise and efficient Pilates exercises.

Jinju Han is a seasoned fitness professional with over five years of experience in various physical disciplines, including dance, aerobics, yoga, and physical therapy. Her journey as a Pilates instructor began while managing a Pilates center. She holds a degree in Japanese language and literature, combining linguistic prowess with Pilates expertise. In 2015, she completed the STOTT PILATES^® course, becoming a Level 1 instructor in 2016. For nine years, she has guided and inspired clients, receiving consistent positive feedback. Currently a Pilates instructor at TRNT Trinity Pilates Center since December 2019, Jinju's dedication led her to become a Merrithew^® Instructor Trainer in 2023, with aspirations to further her expertise and inspire future Pilates instructors.

Jitka has been a fitness and Pilates Instructor for over 20 years. She has lived and worked in cities all around the world, including Toronto, Sydney, Phoenix and Tel Aviv. She began her training with STOTT PILATES^® in 2005, and became a Certified Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® in 2011. That same year she returned to the Czech Republic, where she currently works teaching for Merrithew in her studio Pilates Point in Brno. Her main interests are lumbo-pelvic stability, core research and helping clients live pain-free, healthy lives.

JOana Meneses is a 20+ year STOTT PILATES^® International Instructor Trainer who credits her Comprehensive STOTT PILATES Training as the evolving foundation not only to her own movement practice, but her BodyRoots^™ company’s philosophy she shares worldwide. Between her New York City base of clients and classes and her native Azorean island LiquidRoots^™ retreats in Portugal, JO prides herself on flowing body & mind modalities on and off the water. To JO, movement is poetry and every body should be gifted the skills to write their own.

Jo-Anne discovered Pilates while completing her MA at New York University. She went on to become a Merrithew^® Lead Instructor Trainer and has extended her passion for movement into completing a Diploma for Osteopathic Manual Therapy. Jo-Anne incorporates her osteopathy knowledge into her work with clients, boosting their awareness and perception of movement. She is also the mother of busy twin girls whom she says often remind her to live mindfully and fully.

Jolanda has a passion for movement and for the last 12 years, specifically in the Pilates method. After years of study, she became a physical education teacher at a high school, specializing in a number of different sports and especially in dance. During that time, she developed remedial after-school teaching programs as well as studying massage therapy. She has a great interest in anatomy and is fascinated by fascia and how it can be integrated in a Pilates program. As an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES^® and Total Barre^®, Jolanda has a passion for sharing her knowledge with students and teachers. She is the owner of K'dans, currently the only Licensed Training Center in The Netherlands where she teaches a variety of fitness modalities, with STOTT PILATES as the base for all movement.