Instructor Trainers

Melissa Siple is a lifelong learner and completed her PhD in Human Health & Cognitive Performance at Concordia University Chicago. This complements her BS in Human Sciences from the University of RI and her MBA from Bryant University. She holds professional certifications from the American Society for Training & Development, Seton Hall School of Law’s Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Healthcare Compliance program, the Healthcare Compliance Association, DiSC, Situational Leadership, Dale Carnegie Training, an EMT license and a Physical Therapy Assistant license from the State of RI’s Department of Health.

Melissa combines her love of anatomy, physiology and rehabilitation by working as a STOTT PILATES^® Instructor Trainer (IMP, IR, ICCB, ISP, Anatomy / Physiology), studio owner, personal trainer (ACSM, ACE) and has been a corporate training executive in the pharmaceutical industry for over 18 years. Melissa has owned BENEFITNESS Pilates Studio & Training Center in East Geenwich, RI since 1998 and specializes in post rehabilitation training and athletic conditioning. Her interest in fitness evolved from her years as a gymnast and cheer athlete and she has been a Group Ex instructor since 1987. Her other interests include martial arts (Krav Maga, Budokon), reading and spending time with her husband and pets!

Melissa has always had a passion for movement and physical health, obtaining her Physical Therapy degree from Marquette University in 1989. She became certified as a STOTT PILATES^® Instructor in 2001 after working in a variety of clinical settings with a specialized focus on Geriatric Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. Melissa became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® in in 2002 and is a Lead IT for STOTT PILATES. She continues to add variety to her repertoire by taking new workshops and integrating that material into her programming.

Introduced to STOTT PILATES^® while a pre-professional dancer at Boston Conservatory, Melissa continued her Pilates practice while completing graduate studies in dance and performing in the Tightwire Act with the Flying High Circus.

Her experience in dance education and arts management has included working at Boston Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Miami City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, The Joyce Theater, Freed of London, & Penn State. She has taught Pilates in gyms, boutique studios, universities, and rehabilitative environments often utilizing trauma-sensitive practices with an emphasis on joint replacement-safe protocols. She specializes in working with dancers prior to starting pointework and helps studios integrate anatomical integrity into dance training. She hosts a dance education and career planning podcast, The Ballerinatist.

 

Melissa’s interest in Pilates began while she was at university in Singapore. Someone recommended Pilates as the best way to improve her posture and tone her muscles, and from there, her journey began. In 2006, Melissa moved to Canada, where she completed the instructor training program at the STOTT PILATES^® headquarters in Toronto and earned her full certification.

Since then, Melissa has completed numerous other certifications including prenatal Pilates, Yoga Teacher training, Stretch Therapy, TRX, Surfset Fitness and Neurokinetic Therapy. Melissa has trained clients and managed studios in Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia.

Melissa has gained a wealth of knowledge from many years of teaching, but her greatest joy remains sharing a passion for Pilates and functional movement with her clients and students.

Melissa Harrington is an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^®, specializing as a Lead IT in STOTT PILATES^®, who has been working in the fitness industry since 1995. In addition to teaching Pilates, she is a certified Yoga instructor and faculty member of YOGAspirit, a certified Holistic Health Counselor, NSCA certified Personal Trainer and an ACE Group Exercise Instructor. Melissa lives on the north shore of Boston with her husband and two stepchildren. She is known to bring a healthy dose of humor and warmth to her teaching.

Melissa's passion for movement in its many forms began at an early age with gymnastics, swimming, diving, and dance lessons. She trained in classical ballet and modern dance and has performed professionally in Minneapolis, MN and the Bay area. Melissa began studying Pilates in 2000 and found it to be a powerful supplement to her dance training. She began her STOTT PILATES^® training in 2007 and completed her full certification in 2012. In 2013, she became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES. Melissa is trained in Injuries and Special Populations and loves working with people of diverse movement backgrounds and fitness levels. She believes that movement has the potential to heal the body and mind; her goal as a movement facilitator and teacher is to guide people toward greater freedom and joy in movement and to healthier lives.

Melissa is the owner of mind.art.core PILATES PERFORMANCE, rated the Chicago Reader’s “Best Of” Pilates Studio 2014, 2016 and 2017. Having received her training at the Merrithew^® Corporate Training Center in Toronto, she began teaching as an Instructor Trainer in Toronto, and is now a Lead Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® at her host site in Chicago. Melissa has taught throughout the US, in New Zealand and in South Korea. Melissa is proud to be an IT not only for STOTT PILATES^® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chairs & Barrels and ISP, but in Merrithew's other branded programs, Total Barre^® and ZEN•GA^® Mat. She has trained extensively in injuries and special populations, Pre and Post-natal, is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and the creator of m.a.c. Pilates for Kids! She has been highlighted in Wellness Magazine for her Pilates for kids program, on CTV’s Breakfast Television and is currently publishing a book. Melissa earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre at York University in Toronto, and in 2010, received her Masters Degree in Contemporary Performance from the Buddhist-inspired Naropa University, specializing in Body Mind Centering Techniques and experiential anatomy. Her creativity is witnessed through her classes, which are innovative and challenge the boundaries of Pilates and functional fitness. From the novice to advanced, post-rehab to the elite athlete, Melissa is able to weave her knowledge of biomechanics with her creativity and energy, creating fun, efficient and transforming sessions. Melissa is active as a Movement Director for various theatre companies in Chicago and has written and produced a comedic web series about a Pilates studio, called, "The Studio." You can find Seasons 1 and 2 here: www.thestudiowebseries.com

Melissa Noble is a movement specialist focused on both the performing and the healing arts. In addition to her work as an Instructor, dancer and choreographer, Melissa is a Certified Instructor and Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES^®. She is also a Licensed Massage Therapist, who has been assisting clients with injuries using therapeutic massage and Pilates since 1996. Currently on Faculty at the University of Houston School of Theatre and Dance, she opened Bodycenter Studios in Washington in 1999, which became the first Merrithew Licensed Training Center in Seattle. After moving to Bloomington in 2007, Melissa opened Bodycenter Bloomington and started one of the first STOTT PILATES Certification courses in a University setting at Indiana University in the Dance Department.

Melissa first encountered STOTT PILATES^® rehabilitating an injury she incurred as a young professional dancer. Once retired from dance, she pursued a career in massage therapy specializing in brain/spinal cord trauma and athletics. She has worked with many national sports teams and both Olympic and professional athletes.

When her massage therapy career was coming to an end, she began training as a Pilates Instructor at Calgary Pilates in 2006. In 2007, she proceeded to open re:focus PILATES in Canmore, Alberta, Canada. Her post-rehabilitation and athletic skills attracted the attention of the national biathlon and Nordic ski teams, and she proceeded to work as a strength and functional movement coach.

A move to Calgary enabled Melissa to finally pursue her goal of becoming an Instructor Trainer in 2016, and she's now Certified in Matwork & Reformer, CCB and Total Barre^®.

Melissa Wong is the co-founder of Pilatique Pilates Studio in Singapore and Malaysia. After completing Bachelor of Business Studies in Charles Sturt University, she started her Pilates journey in 2000, founded Pilatique in 2005, and become Merrithew^® STOTT PILATES^® Lead Instructor Trainer since 2008. Apart from being a multi-lingual educator and instructor, Melissa manages the studio businesses in both countries, focusing on Training & Development. Holding the motto of “Planting Good Seeds” close to her heart, Melissa trains and grooms instructors to constantly explore, to discover, and to elevate their expertise in teaching and to educate the coming generations. Melissa is one of the pioneer and one of the most sought after Pilates Educator in Malaysia and Singapore, and Pilatique is the source of many elite instructors and studio entrepreneurs to date.