Instructor Trainers

Michelle, from Sydney, Australia, has both a Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Arts (Dance) degrees. She became a fully certified STOTT PILATES^® Instructor in 2003, and later that year went on to become an Instructor Trainer. She is now a Lead IT for Merrithew^® specializing in the STOTT PILATES full repertoire. Over the past 14 years, she has taught hundreds of STOTT PILATES courses and workshops in the US, Canada, Brazil, Hong Kong, New Zealand, the Philippines, and the UAE. Michelle is an intrepid traveler who loves an adventure.

Min Jin’s passion for Pilates began in 2006. She became a STOTT PILATES^® Certified Instructor in 2015 and a Merrithew^® Instructor Trainer in 2022, specializing in Matwork and Reformer. She holds a Bachelors of Design and Management from The Parsons School of Design. MJ has worked as a STOTT PILATES Certified Instructor and interpreter for Merrithew for several years. She hopes to spread her passion and knowledge of Pilates widely.

After exploring a number of dance styles over a 15-year career, Mirela entered the world of fitness in 1995. In 2000, she started her Pilates education, then in 2002 she expanded her education with the internationally-renowned STOTT PILATES^® program at the Merrithew^® Corporate Training Center in Toronto, becoming a fully-certified Instructor. She went on to become a Merrithew Instructor Trainer specializing in STOTT PILATES. Mirela is an external associate at the University of Kinesiology in Zagreb, and she regularly presents at the International Congress of Sport Training as well as at the Aerobic and Body-Mind Congresses in Croatia and Europe. Starting in 2012, she has worked with a number of athletes, creating sport-, season- and position-specific programs.

Moira Merrithew, together with President and CEO of Merrithew^®, Lindsay G. Merrithew, has spent over two decades promoting the benefits of responsible exercise through their branded programming. Together with her team, they ensure all programming is aligned with current scientific and biomechanical research. In addition to overseeing the Education Department, Moira is a content creator and featured performer in the extensive DVD series. A published author and media personality, she presents at numerous fitness industry events all over the globe. After an accomplished career as principal dancer with the City Ballet of Toronto and the Atlantic Ballet Company, Moira Merrithew went on to retrain and certify as a Pilates instructor under the tutelage of Romana Kryzanowska at the original studio founded by the late Joseph H. Pilates.

Monique is the founder of Pilates Winnipeg, a Merrithew^® Licenced Training Centre in Manitoba, which opened in 1997. She is one of very few bilingual Merrithew Lead Instructor Trainers and upon request to teach any certification course or examination in both English and French. A graduate of The National Ballet School, Monique has over 30 years of teaching experience. Monique is also a certified Gyrotonic instructor.

In 2007 and again in 2009, she received a mentorship award as a result of recommendations from her peers, along with a lifetime achievement award from Merrithew. She recently hosted Moira Merrithew at her studio in celebration of the studio's 20th anniversary.

Mor has been involved in sports her whole life, and played professional European handball for 15 years. Her love and passion for understanding the human body led her to study exercise science. In 2002 she received her Bachelor of Sciences degree in Nutrition and Exercise Sciences, and in 2005 she graduated with her Masters Degree in Exercise Sciences from Queens College of the City University of New York. Mor and a colleague conducted research into the Changes in Landing Mechanics After Cold-Water Immersion, the results of which were published in the June 2010 edition Journal of Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport (http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-227945281.html). Mor was certified as an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES^® in 2009 and is also a Total Barre^® Qualified Instructor. Mor's ability to understand, give and listen to each client, matches her genuine wish for each of her student's success. The feedback from her students has always been positive, praising her as a wonderful, inspirational teacher.

Nadja began her training with STOTT PILATES^® in 2002 became a certified Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® in 2004.

Nanthini Palan is a qualified Physiotherapist and STOTT PILATES^® Instructor Trainer with a passion for teaching Rehab Pilates courses worldwide, specifically in Singapore and Korea. She began her Physiotherapy journey in 2009, earning her BSc (HONS) in Physiotherapy Sciences from Northumbria University, UK. As a Pilates Instructor Trainer, she helps healthcare professionals and instructors integrate Pilates for safer and more effective movement. Nanthini emphasizes active rehabilitation for optimal physical and mental well-being and believes in sharing knowledge to inspire growth in the Rehab and Pilates industry.

Natasha has always had a passion for sports, health, and fitness. She enjoys dancing and various types of workouts including Pilates, fitness, aerobics, running, step, badminton, and others. To transfer her passion of a healthy lifestyle to others, Natasha began her STOTT PILATES^® training in 2010 and started teaching when she was 18 years old, before earning her Full Certification in 2012. Her young age enabled her to create a youthful and exciting ambience that motivates others as well. She completed her portfolio by studying ZEN•GA^® and CORE^™, and became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES in 2013.

Nate Teng received his STOTT PILATES^® certification in 2003, and became the first Chinese-speaking certified Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® in 2010. He went on to become a Lead Instructor Trainer for Merrithew specializing in STOTT PILATES. He has been devoted to the fitness industry for more than 16 years. He is an American College of Sport Medicine (ACSM) Health and Fitness Specialist as well as an Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) CE Provider in Taiwan. From 2007 to 2009, he was a consultant for fitness development with 3 fitness centers of various sizes in Taiwan. Nate is the owner of Alignment Fitness Studio in Taipei City, Taiwan, the Merrithew Taipei Licensed Training Center. He supervises 12 instructors and enjoys inspiring aspiring trainers to reach their goals. Previously he was with Alexander Health Club, one of the biggest fitness organizations in Asia, as a trainer and a manager of the fitness department in one of its Taipei branches. Nate has trained over 200 instructors in Taiwan since 2010. His goal is to promote STOTT PILATES in Taiwan and in other Chinese speaking countries.