Meet Me

I was born in Portland, Oregon and spent much of my early life in a swimming pool. My success as a swimmer took me to competitions around the country, including the Olympic and World Championship Trials, eventually earning me a scholarship to Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas where I competed as a nationally-ranked backstroker. Upon graduation from SMU, I went to work in human resources for a large health care company where I met my husband. Work drew us to Santa Barbara, California and we spent several years enjoying the idyllic coastal town and the nearby rolling hills of wine country. We ultimately moved to Massachusetts to be closer to family and purchased a small horse farm where I kept my horses and pursued my equestrian dreams in the sport of Eventing.

In May of 2017 I had a riding accident at my farm which left me with a badly broken leg. As is so often the case with equestrians, my accident didn’t happen while I jumping over scary fences or galloping full speed. Instead it was just an ordinary day schooling a horse like I did every day. Unfortunately my horse saw a dragon (or simply had a naughty moment), reared straight up, came down, went straight up again and back down at which point, sensing he had me unbalanced, he tucked his head between his front feet and flung his hind up which unseated me and up I went, landing badly on my right leg and shattering my tibial plateau.

I’d been introduced to Pilates several years earlier so once I’d sufficiently healed I began taking private lessons at a local studio as part of my rehab program. Several months of privates really sparked a flame in me as I experienced how much Pilates changed my body and my mindset at a time when I was feeling very weak and vulnerable. It was this experience which inspired me to become an instructor and I’ve never looked back.

I completed my mat certification in 2018 followed by a 600-hour comprehensive teacher training program in 2019 through Power Pilates and in early 2021 I successfully passed my national certification to qualify as a NCPT. My training is classically-based, rooted in the origins of the Pilates Method as Joseph Pilates intended. My approach to each class or client session seeks to honor this method and its proven success while bringing my own unique style to my teaching.

As I continue to expand my knowledge through educational opportunities with instructors from around the world, I find myself more passionate than ever about sharing the magic of the Pilates method with others and especially riders. A lifelong athlete, I know of no other form of exercise that provides the benefits that Pilates does. With focus on the mind-body connection, Pilates strengthens the deeper muscle layers while striking just the right balance between stability and mobility. And Pilates is for any body! It doesn’t matter your level of fitness or previous exercise experience, your body type or age, everyone can do Pilates. Furthermore, because it doesn’t require anything more than a mat and some space on the floor, it can be done anywhere making it easy to incorporate into your daily routine. For riders, there’s no better way to improve your core strength, balance and coordination than adopting a regular Pilates practice as part of your fitness routine.

Learn more about the benefits of Pilates for riders in the Equestrians link on my home page.