Instructor Trainers

Caroline Heiss, a trained ballet dancer, danced professionally in Munich and Stockholm during which time, she discovered Pilates as an additional form of training. She has completed her STOTT PILATES^® education in Mat, Reformer, Cadillac, Chair and Barrel and ISP in Stockholm and Munich. In the spring of 2009, she became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew™, specializing in STOTT PILATES Mat and Reformer.

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.

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 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.

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 more than 15 years, with a focus in post-rehabilitation and athletic conditioning. She currently owns two Pilates studios in the Greater Hartford, Connecticut Area. Cate graduated from Boston University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Movement Education. In addition to her Pilates education, Cate has been trained in Craniosacral Therapy, Kinesiotaping, and Continuum Movement.