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Lead Instructor Trainers

The designation of Lead Instructor Trainer is awarded to an individual who inspires others through leadership and the Merrithew® Community of Excellence philosophy. These Pilates Lead Instructor trainers have a strong sense of team and demonstrated commitment to ensuring consistency and continual growth across Merrithew branded programs. A Lead IT has recognized experience teaching both teachers-in-training as well as private and group clients, and has been empowered with educating our worldwide network of instructors in valuable repertoire and curriculum additions.

Jacqueline (Jackie) Gallant
Floating
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Chair, Cadillac & Barrels, ISP; Rehabilitation; CORE™, ZEN•GA® Mat

Additional credentials and designations
B.Sc. P.T.

Bio

Jackie has always been involved in sports, fitness and physical health, which led her to a Physical Therapy degree from Université de Montréal in 1993 and she continues to add post-graduate courses to help improve her practice. In 2005, she tried a STOTT PILATES® Mat course and saw the potential of incorporating it for her patients to help restore function and ability. She started using her anatomy background along with her new skills in Pilates and saw great results with everyone - from rehabilitation patients to group and private clients. An active teacher in Pilates for over nine years, she earned her Full STOTT PILATES Instructor Certification in 2012, and became a Lead Instructor Trainer for Merrithew® specializing in STOTT PILATES. Jackie specializes in acute and chronic general orthopedic conditions, sports medicine, post-surgery rehabilitation, breast cancer and postural dysfunction in kids and teenagers. Jackie is fluent in both French and English.

Jaqueline Rangel
Floating
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair & Barrels & ISP; ZEN•GA®

Bio

Jaqueline is a Merrithew® Lead Instructor Trainer specializing in STOTT PILATES® and ZEN•GA®. She is the owner and director of Studio Flow in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Jaqueline is a professional dancer specializing in contemporary and brazilian ballroom dance. She also studied Biology at George Brown College in Toronto, Canada and Physiotherapy in Brazil. She is Cirque Du Soleil’s movement coach for the shows Corteo and Amaluna and is currently in an Europe tour teaching Pilates at dance congresses.

Jeff Ong
Floating
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair & Barrels, ISP, Rehab Matwork & Reformer; ZEN•GA®

Additional credentials and designations
BSc, M-OMSc

Bio

Jeff is a member of the Ontario Osteopathic Association (OOA) and a graduate of the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy (CAO). As a classically trained osteopathic manual practitioner, Jeff's training has given him a deep understanding of osteopathic principles. He applies his extensive knowledge of the human body by successfully diagnosing and treating a diverse range of musculoskeletal and physiological problems. He enjoys continually learning about the human body and improving his osteopathic treatments in order to help others.

In 2000, Jeff graduated with a degree in Nutritional Science from the National University of Malaysia. In 2006, after working for several years in the healthcare industry, he moved to Toronto and enrolled in the STOTT PILATES® Certification program. Jeff was invited to become an Instructor Trainer for the Merrithew® Education Department in Toronto in 2008. Since then, he has taught STOTT PILATES education programs and workshops internationally throughout Asia and Europe as well as in Canada.

Jeff's interest in human movement and health is complemented by his gentle and effective teaching manner, drawing both clients and fellow Instructors alike to work with him on a regular basis. As a well-known and respected Pilates Instructor in the industry Jeff is continually inspired by the opportunity to teach others and regularly participates in Pilates and movement workshops in order to deepen his knowledge of anatomy, biomechanics and teaching.

Jeff's passion for results-oriented, progressive, rehabilitative programming is rooted in his teaching approach. This unique style has established him as a lead Pilates Instructor who is able to provide high quality, diverse Pilates workouts for every client at any level, while being mindful of specific needs, focuses and goals.

Jenna Hansen
Floating
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair & Barrels; ZEN•GA®; CORE™;Total Barre®

Additional credentials and designations
BFA, MEd, NASM, AFAA

Bio

Jenna has a passion for life, the outdoors, education and people. She is the owner of Awaken Studios and Retreats. She is a Lead Instructor Trainer with Merrithew®, a yoga teacher with 500 hours of training, an AntiGravity Fitness Certified Instructor, AFAA Certified, a Les Mills Group Exercise Instructor, a Certified Personal Trainer from the National Association of Sports Medicine and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and a Masters in Education from the University of Utah and a secondary teaching license.

Along with teaching fitness, Jenna has also taught snowboarding, skiing, recreational therapy and dance. She has taught dance, drama, and Pilates in New Zealand and was a rafting and hiking guide in Alaska. Jenna has competed and placed in IRONMAN triathlons, snowboarding and dance competitions. She loves seeing how her students’ lives improve as they work towards fitness goals, injury rehabilitation or an improved quality of life. Her clients include professional athletes, grandparents, firefighters, endurance athletes, professional strongmen, stay-at-home moms, children and everyone in between. Jenna’s life’s work however is her three children, who help remind her how to live life in the present with a sense of awe for the amazing world we live in.

Jenny Carr
Intermountain Pilates Training Center
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair & Barrels, ISP; ZEN•GA®; Total Barre®; CORE™; Merrithew® Fascial Movement

Additional credentials and designations
Bachelor of Science degree

Bio

Jenny Carr has taken her years of business experience and is now the owner of Intermountain Pilates Training Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, which she opened in 2008. The center is now a Licensed Training Center offering STOTT PILATES® courses and workshops. Jenny is a fully certified STOTT PILATES Instructor and a Lead Instructor Trainer for Merrithew® specializing in STOTT PILATES, Mat, Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, Barrels and Injuries and Special Populations, ZEN•GA®, CORE Total Barre®, and Merrithew Fascial Movement. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Utah, which included studies in human and exercise physiology, anatomy, kinesiology, biology, and physics. She has taught dance for over 15 years and loves every aspect of teaching. Her true passion is educating people in all aspects of their body, movement, anatomy, and biomechanics. In her free time she enjoys running, snowboarding, hiking, and mountain biking.

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Jessica Howard
Floating
New Smyrna Beach, Florida, United States

IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair & Barrels, ISP; Total Barre®

Additional credentials and designations
ACE CPT

Bio

Jessica began her training in the STOTT PILATES® method in 2001, and became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew® in 2004. She is now a Lead IT specializing in STOTT PILATES and Total Barre®. Jessica currently lives in Florida and is trained to teach courses and workshops in Matwork, Reformer, CCB and Injuries & Special Populations. An ACE certified Personal Trainer, she has a passion for her profession which is reflected in everything she does.

Jill Winegar
Floating
St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair & Barrels, ISP;CORE™;Total Barre®

Additional credentials and designations
ACE certified Personal Trainer, ACE certified Group Fitness Instructor, USA Rowing Coach Level 2, and holds other certifications in Spinning, Yoga, Kettlebells and FMS

Bio

With over 30 years experience training fitness professionals, Jill describes herself as a ‘teacher’s teacher’. She has been an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew® specializing in STOTT PILATES® since 2000, and has presented workshops and conducted courses in Europe and the US. Jill's IT status, dedication and experience has enabled her to now teach courses and workshops as a Lead Instructor Trainer for Merrithew®. Her experience in the fitness industry includes program development for the training of group fitness instructors, personal trainers, Pilates instructors, and Kettlebell instructors and she created and was the lead educator for one of the first ACE accredited training programs for group fitness and personal trainers in the US

Jill is also an ACE certified Personal Trainer, ACE certified Group Fitness Instructor, USA Rowing Coach Level 2, and holds other certifications in Spinning, Yoga, Kettlebells and FMS.

Jo-Anne Bunbury
Calgary Pilates
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, & Barrels, ISP; ZEN•GA® ; Total Barre®; Merrithew® Fascial Movement

Additional credentials and designations
BA Dance, MA Dance, DOMP candidate, MELT Method Instructor

Bio

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.

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Juhyun (Julie) Lee
Breathe Pilates & Fitness
Seoul, South Korea

IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Mat & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair & Barrels; Total Barre®

Bio

Julie was introduced to the STOTT PILATES® method in 2007 during rehab for an ACL injury. She became a Certified Instructor in 2008 and in 2013, became an Instructor Trainer for Merrithew® specializing in STOTT PILATES. Julie is passionate for dance and education and is dedicated to help people by spreading the STOTT PILATES method throughout Korea. Since suffering from an injury while training as a dancer, she has become aware that many dance students are not exposed to proper rehab or training for movement. It is her intent therefore, to bring the STOTT PILATES method to local students and clients. In 2021, she became a Merrithew Lead IT.

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Kanako Funabashi
Sky Pilates Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan

IT qualifications
STOTT PILATES® Matwork & Reformer, Cadillac, Chair & Barrels, ISP; ZEN•GA®; Total Barre®; Merrithew® Fascial Movement

Additional credentials and designations
Gyrotonic

Bio

Kanako has been involved in physical training for most of her life and was trained in ballet, jazz dance, and modern dance since early childhood. She turned to Pilates after a lower back injury as a means of conditioning and improving her strength. She immediately fell in love with it and since then, her passion hasn't changed. She trained in the STOTT PILATES® method in Canada, Tokyo and Hong Kong and in 2006 she received her Certification as an Instructor. She went on to become a Lead Instructor Trainer for Merrithew® specializing in STOTT PILATES. In 2013, Kanako assisted with the World Tour stop in Japan and has taught Instructors in Singapore and Malaysia. A Certified Gyrotonic® Trainer, she enjoys working with Instructors and clients helping them achieve their goals.

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