Lead Instructor Trainers

Carol is a Merrithew^® Lead Instructor Trainer specializing in all branded programming, including: STOTT PILATES^®, Total Barre^®, ZEN•GA^®, Halo^® Training, CORE^™ and Fascial Movement. She is also part of the ZEN•GA and CORE programming teams. She has been an Instructor Trainer since 2003, and is based out of New England’s Northeast Pilates Education Center. Carol received her BFA in Dance from SUNY Purchase, and ran her own dance company for over a decade, performing and teaching throughout New England. Carol is currently on the faculty of the Dance Department at Endicott College, where she teaches a “Mind, Body and Awareness” course. She is certified and has trained in several other fitness brands, including a 200 HR (RYT) Yoga Certification, Personal Training, TRX and TRX Rip-Trainer, Zumba, SPINNING and Indo-Row. Carol lives in Gloucester, MA with her daughter, mother and dog, and her hobbies include cycling around the North Shore of Massachusetts, gardening and cooking with local produce.

Caroline is a Merrithew^® Lead Instructor Trainer, who comes from an athletic background and has competed at a national level. She has worked in the fitness industry as a personal trainer and fitness class instructor. She is trained and qualified in sports massage therapy and incorporates this expertise into her Pilates teaching.

Caroline’s client base ranges from ages 16-92. With over 30 years of experience in fitness and sports massage therapy, she is able to offer her client base creative and innovative classes and 1-2-1 sessions which have had life-changing results for those seeking rehabilitation after accident or injury.

Caroline prides herself on her dedication and commitment to the STOTT PILATES^® method and is never-ending in her own self-development. She is passionate in her quest to provide first-class training in her continuing education of others. Caroline began her STOTT PILATES training in 2004 and has been a Merrithew Instructor since 2007.

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 20 years, with a focus in post-rehabilitation and athletic conditioning. She currently owns two Pilates studios in the Greater Hartford, Connecticut area. Cate received a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Movement Education from Boston University in 1999 and Master of Arts degree in Consciousness and Transpersonal Psychology from The Graduate Institute in 2022. In addition to her Pilates education, Cate has been trained in Craniosacral Therapy, Kinesiotaping, Body-Mind Centering and Continuum Movement.

CC’s experience and practice in the fitness industry has spanned over 20 years. She began as an aerobics instructor and personal trainer in 1992, teaching at various gyms and at UMass Amherst while attending school there. After graduating with a BFA, CC continued to gravitate towards fitness as a career. After becoming a STOTT PILATES^® Certified Instructor, CC became a Lead Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^® specializing in STOTT PILATES in 2001 and Total Barre^® in 2013. She is a valuable member of the esteemed Merrithew programming and presenting team. CC opened her first fitness and Pilates studio in Boston in 1999 and in 2005 opened a STOTT PILATES Licensed Training Center in Connecticut. She is now the proud owner/operator of 4 studios in the greater Boston, MA and Hartford CT areas. CC is NSCA certified and always strives to create results-driven workouts that are safe, effective, and fun.

Chau earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. The primary focus of her studies was ‘human factors’, the practical application of optimizing performance and movement, concepts that she incorporates into her instruction today.

Chau became a Merrithew^® Instructor Trainer in 2006, and was then awarded the additional designation of Lead Instructor Trainer in 2014. Chau has instructed STOTT PILATES^® certification courses in North America, South America and Europe. She is the owner and education/program director of Pilates South Texas, the exclusive Merrithew Licensed Training Center in Texas.

In addition to her many credentials listed above, she is also a GYROTONIC^® & GYROKINESIS^® Instructor and is qualified in YOGA for LIFE^® and Muscle Activation Techniques^™ Jumpstart Upper Extremities, Lower Extremities and Spine and Trunk.

Cheryl is a physical therapist and fitness enthusiast with over 20 years of teaching experience. She graduated from the University of Vermont in 1996 and was first introduced to Pilates while working as a PT. Quickly realizing the benefits to the rehab population, she pursued her STOTT PILATES^® certification in 2000 and is now a Lead Instructor Trainer for Merrithew^®, teaching STOTT PILATES and STOTT PILATES Rehab. She is the owner of Symmetry Pilates Center in New Hampshire where she teaches classes as well as works one on one with clients. Cheryl is an avid runner and triathlete and is a two-time IRONMAN finisher completing Ironman Lake Placid (2011) and Ironman Coeur D’Alene (2013). A lifelong athlete, Cheryl enjoys educating and motivating others to reach their personal fitness goals – knowledge is power.

Transforming lives through movement and education, Thicha bridges the worlds of finance and wellness. With a Master of Science from MIT and nearly two decades in investment banking, she brings analytical rigor, leadership, and strategic insight into the movement and rehabilitation space.

Thicha’s movement journey began at age three as a classical ballet dancer. Her recovery from ballet-related injuries led to her passion for movement education and rehabilitation. This inspired her to establish Breathe Pilates Education, where she oversees Merrithew’s Licensed Training Center in Singapore—across five locations—and the Host Training Center in Bangkok. As a Lead IT for Merrithew, Pre-Trainer in GYROTONIC^®, and educator across multiple modalities, she helps shape the next generation of movement professionals.

She has trained and certified more than 1,000 students in STOTT PILATES^®, contributing greatly to developing skilled instructors in the region. Her interest in rehabilitation and movement informs her evidence-based, holistic teaching approach.

Dedicated to elevating global standards in movement education, Thicha’s mission is to empower individuals through intelligent movement, transformative education, and holistic health.

Chrissy discovered Pilates whilst attending a Fitness weekend with a group of friends and was hooked! Formerly a member of the British Olympic Windsurfing team and 3 times World Champion, Pilates fits her mindset with the precise and mindful control of the body’s movements.

Chrissy co-owns The Host Centre Principle Pilates and works as a movement consultant to Southampton Football Club, Hampshire CC and England Womens Cricket. Her client base ranges in age from 16 – 82 with a mix of athletes, weekend warriors, aspiring older sports people and post- operative individuals. She teaches group classes and tailored private sessions in addition to the Stott Pilates courses, exams and workshops.

Initially a Personal Trainer and sports massage therapist she added Pilates to her skill set becoming a STOTT PILATES^® Certified Instructor in 2004, Instructor Trainer in 2007 and ZEN•GA^® Instructor Trainer in 2013.

With over 25 years in the mind-body sector she is constantly furthering her knowledge of teaching and exploring change through movement.Chrissy enjoys teaching both the STOTT PILATES and ZEN•GA modalities and prides herself on delivering first class education in a fun and supportive way.

Christine Heckel (she/her) is a Merrithew^® Lead Instructor Trainer specializing in STOTT PILATES^®, ZEN•GA^®, and Fascial Movement. With more than 20 years of experience in movement education and a foundation in classical ballet, Christine is recognized for her precise, anatomy-based teaching and her ability to translate complex movement concepts into clear, accessible instruction. She presents Merrithew courses and workshops throughout the U.S. and internationally, training instructors in biomechanics, class design, cueing, and effective programming.

Christine is the owner of Breathe Pilates Place in Maryland and serves as Interim Director for Local Motion Project, a non-profit dance organization. She also provides Merrithew education at Wheelhouse Pilates in Clifton, VA, a Host Training Center. Her multidisciplinary background—including Pilates, dance, aerial arts, and functional strength—shapes her comprehensive approach to movement and instructor development.

Claudia first got involved in aerobics and fitness in Paris, France where she was studying for a bachelor’s degree in Business and Tourism. She was drawn to Pilates for rehabilitation after several athletic injuries and soon discovered the STOTT PILATES^® method. She became an Instructor Trainer and taught at the Corporate Training Center in Toronto until she opened her studio and Licensed Training Center, Pilates Italia, in Milan, Italy and a satellite location in Brussels, Belgium. Claudia is proud to be a Merrithew^® Lead Instructor Trainer. She is also an Osteopath. Claudia is fluent in four languages and is a cancer, multiple sclerosis, neurologic and isometric rehab Specialist, as well as a Pink Program^® Instructor Trainer. She strives to continue her athletic life, and loves teaching students and clients alike.