Club Pilates

Bios

• 

  Katie Smith

  Owner/ Instructor

  Katie has played competitive sports most of her life. Many of them were very hard on her body. and when she hit her 40’s she kept getting injuries from continuing the same type of workouts, as well as new ones she tried. Also, sitting at a desk for 23 years and traveling with a highly stressful job, made her injuries much worse. She suffered herniated discs in her neck, two knee surgeries, vertigo and shoulder issues. Learning that surgeries can be hit or miss, she realized she had to do something that she had better odds at sustaining health through her lifetime. She joined Club Pilates at the midtown location. The instructors helped her to modify around her injuries and become stronger, which helped her in all aspects of life. With so much passion about this new fitness path, she decided she wanted to go bigger! She wanted to make Pilates not a piece but her whole life. She looked into franchise opportunities and truly believed in the model. Next steps were to quit her job and became all in! Sure, it was a huge risk but nothing was more important to her than health. She immersed herself to learn all aspects of this new career, especially teaching! She started the Club Pilates 500 hour teacher program and finished the program within a year. Through this journey, she learned so much about the human body. This has enabled her to help others with their injuries, coming from a place where she overcame many of them herself. Her goals are safe, effective exercises that are accessible to all while giving a full body workout.

• 

  Vicki Britt

  Instructor

  Vicki was born and raised in Massachusetts. She moved to California in 2004 and began teaching shortly thereafter. Vicki received her Pilates certifications through Pilates Coach and Balanced Body University. She is also a certified Les Mills BodyFlow instructor and Barre Above instructor. Fitness has always been a part of Vicki’s life. Her parents owned a local gym back East while she was growing up. After years of dance training and performing on stage, Vicki connected instantly with Pilates and was hooked after taking her first Pilates class. Her passion for movement, posture, and her own rehabilitation after an injury lead to her decision to become an instructor. She has also been a court reporter working in state and federal court since 1995. In her spare time, she loves spending time with family and friends, wine tasting, and reality TV. Vicki says teaching Pilates is highly rewarding and believes through Pilates one can increase strength, flexibility, coordination, and body awareness to gain an overall healthier lifestyle.

  Education:

  Certifications:

• 

  Amber Alden

  Instructor

  Amber is a San Diego native who grew up dancing ballet, tap, and jazz but took a break when she went to college. In 2013 she took her first Pilates class at Club Pilates and instantly fell in love. Amber has a curve in her spine and Pilates has helped her create overall balance and improved her posture. Pilates also compliments her active lifestyle of hiking, biking, and outdoor conservation efforts. She completed Club Pilates’s PMA approved 500-hour instructor training program in January 2018 and is continuing her education and professional development. Amber loves teaching Pilates and helping others create balance within their body and improve their posture.

• 

  Lea Gaultney

  Instructor

  Lea has always had a love of movement. This began as a child in dance and continued as an adult with yoga and then Pilates. After observing her mother improving so much through consistent Pilates practice after years of pain, she began her own personal Pilates journey. She felt the difference from anything else she had done before - the stability it gave her joints, the strength it gave her core and the improvement in her body awareness. Because of all this, she became a comprehensively trained Pilates instructor in 2008. Since then she has had experience in teaching Pilates for both rehabilitation and fitness. This has given her the opportunity to see the benefits of Pilates for absolutely everybody. She is PMA certified and enjoys continuing to learn about human movement and health. Lea loves to infuse fun and laughter into her teaching. She believes you should enjoy your workouts to be successful. Her passion for helping people feel better in their bodies and lighter in spirit can be felt in her teaching.

• 

  Amanda Marsh

  Pilates Instructor

  Amanda's Bio is coming soon...

• 

  Mari Minamide

  Pilates Instructor

  I have been teaching Pilates for about 8 years, practicing Pilates for 15 years. I began my Pilates practice after my hysterectomy. Pilates helped me reconnect to my abdominal muscles and regain my flexibility. A few years ago I discovered that I have stenosis and spondylolisthesis. The pain management doctor was surprised that I was not in more pain. He said to keep doing what I was doing to manage the pain. I told him that I am a Pilates instructor! I believe that Pilates is the secret to longevity, it is the fountain of youth. I teach Pilates because I enjoy participating in the client’s journey to fitness through Pilates. Helping clients achieve their fitness goals, reduce the pain or tension in their bodies, to move properly and become more aware of their bodies and what it is capable of doing. It feels great when a client has an aha moment where they feel the connection in the body or when they can do an exercise that has been a challenge for them or when they just feel better at the end of class. Pilates is about the art of movement. Movement is essential to staying young, healthy and strong. I received my comprehensive certification from Balance Body August 2015. (It took me a while to get up the courage to test out). Prior to Pilates, I was immersed in the world of architecture. There are elements of architecture that apply to Pilates, such as balance and symmetry in design, balance, and counterbalance in construction. There are similarities between joints in the body and joints in construction. When I’m not teaching or working in architecture, I enjoy binge-watching the shows I missed during the week, art and architecture, wire wrap jewelry and ornament making, Ukrainian egg decorating, sketching, running, swimming, Pilates, and all things Shiba Inu.

• 

  Tia Kilpatrick

  Pilates Instructor

  Tia Kilpatrick brings 20 years of fitness experience to her Club Pilates Level 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, Control, TRX, Cardio and Restore classes. Tia started her career as an indoor cycling instructor at Gold River Racquet Club at the tender age of 19 and since then has earned 5 indoor cycling certifications from Reebok, Schwinn and Heart Zones; a group exercise certification from AFAA; and a Level 1 STOTT Pilates certification in mat, reformer, cadillac, chair, barrel, and barre. She has taught in big box gyms, non-profits, university wellness programs, and boutique studios on both coasts and opened Versa Indoor Cycling and Pilates in San Francisco after cultivating successful indoor cycling, barre, mat, barre and foam rolling programs at The Well at Sacramento State. In addition to teaching Pilates, Tia has an M.A. in Medieval History, is an assistant conditioning coach for the men's and women's Rugby Team at CSUS, and plays french horn with the brass quintet Cap City Brass. Her greatest joy, however, is being a proud Auntie to nephew Kieran and niece Olivia.

• 

  Karina Vazquez

  Pilates Instructor

  My upbringing stems from Guadalajara Mexico where my mother, in health and fitness influenced me at a young age. Watching her teach fitness and nutrition with all sorts of tropical fruits, homeopathic remedies which runs deep in the Latin Culture. Dance, music, family, food and festivities were all around my upbringing. Having watched my mother teach after having five children and staying fit was what I have chosen to pass onto my twin babies. I carried my twins to full term and they were a combined weight 14.8Lbs through C-Section. This came with a high price on my spinal cord and nervous system compounded by always demanding a high level of performance from my body. Not until I started taking Pilates Reformer was I able to get back into peak physical performance better than prior to my pregnancy. I have studied and trained to become a Pilates Reformer instructor and bring all I have learned from my entire life to the teaching platform. I now live in Sacramento California, and have been teaching since 2007. I currently teach Zumba, Pilates Reformer, Spin, Yoga, Strength Training and having taken many classes such as Cardio Kickboxing, Circuit Training and Pilates. What I bring to the clubs I teach at is a unique perspective, one of student, teacher and motivator and a loyal following. Taking my Pilates Reformer class regardless of level of experience with Pilates Reformer you will feel welcome, accomplished, and more in tune with body and mind through precise movements.

• 

  Angela Cash

  Bio Coming Soon!

• 

  Nicholas Denty

  First introduced to the Pilates method in 2008 because of a car accident, Nick was recommended Pilates by a Physical Therapist for a full recovery. Pilates helped heal the injuries from the accident and other major injuries sustained from a work-related accident a few years prior. Nick first learned the Classical method; the Romana Lineage of Joseph Pilates and has since then trained in both classical and contemporary Pilates methods. He was comprehensively trained in 2008 by Jill Cassady in Santa Monica, Ca. From one on one training to large group classes, Nick has taught to a large segment of population over the years. His beginner classes emphasis safety as well as proper technique. Intermediate training accommodates progressions that stops the plateauing effect. Lastly, his mindset and knowledge of the working human body helps advanced training clients grow to an unparalleled strength. Nick's guidance has helped rehab clients with a wide array of ailments such as hip/ knee replacements, Scoliosis, and Tennis/Golfers elbow just to name a few. Nick often says,"Every new injury is a new learning experience because every body is different".

• 

  Luci Galvan

  Luci is an educator, learner, and a life-long fitness enthusiast. She has been a grade school teacher for many years and also has teaching experience at the college level. Luci grew up climbing the hills and trees in Placerville. She has continued to be active throughout her adolescence and adulthood enjoying aerobics, weight lifting, spin, and yoga classes. She has always had an interest in becoming a trainer so becoming a Pilates instructor just seemed like the natural next step after falling in love with Pilates at Club Pilates Natomas. She has completed over 450 hours of the comprehensive 500 hour Club Pilates Instructor Training Program and has joined the team as an apprentice instructor. Luci looks forward to continuing to expand her knowledge of the practice while helping others on their fitness journey. When she is not teaching her favorite activity is traveling with her husband. In recent years they have visited Guatemala, Peru, Mexico, Spain, France, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.

• 

  Christina Bame

  A long-time resident of the Bay Area, Christina moved to Sacramento in 2004. Her passion for fitness began nearly 25 years ago as a group Exercise Instructor. In addition to teaching fitness classes, she worked 6 years as a Department Manager for Gold’s Gym where she coordinated the group fitness program. She also spent nearly 3 years as an Area Manager for Cornerstone Fitness providing health and wellness programs for working professionals within the corporate environment. Christina completed her degree in Human Development and Business Management In addition to Personal Training, She had earned a wide variety of fitness certifications such as: Group Fitness, Indoor Cycling, Pilates Mat I and II, Foam Rolling, Les Mills Body Pump and more. With 5 years of experience teaching a Pilates/Yoga fusion she is currently working toward her Pilates Teacher Training certification. Christina is thrilled to be part of the Club Pilates family! Christina is married to her husband, Jeff who shares her enthusiasm for fitness and together they have two children.

• 

  Morgen Monfared

  Morgen was born and raised in nearby Placerville. She spent her childhood dancing, doing gymnastics, and running track. After years of damaged joints and muscles, she found Pilates and has been in love ever since. When she’s not teaching, she likes to bake, belly dance, and travel with her husband. She’s currently an apprentice instructor and will receive her PMA certification soon. She’s so excited to share her knowledge of Pilates with her clients so that they may receive the amazing benefits it has to offer as well!

• 

  Tana March Jones

  Hailing from her namesake state of Montana, Tana March Jones is a classically trained dancer who has shuffled her way from coast to coast with dance companies and musical theatre productions. After landing in Los Angeles, Tana's career took many turns from television actress, furniture designer, advice columnist, author, and web strategist. Though she had dabbled in Pilates for several years, her real commitment to the practice came after undergoing an ACL restoration and a cervical spinal fusion in one year. The low impact nature of Pilates allowed her to rehabilitate in a way that she understood from her ballet training precision in movement creating muscle memory and truly allowed her to gain the strength, flexibility, and control she thought was gone for good. Since moving to Sacramento, Tana has dedicated herself to helping people of all ages continue living active lifestyles through the power of Pilates.

• 

  Heather Garcia

  Heather’s jam is living big dreams and evolving toward your best self! It plays out in her Pilates instruction and in her life. She’s in her zone when guiding others on their journey toward living their best lives! Heather loves movement. This love was encouraged by her active parents and began with childhood dance and sports. The love grew into her early adult life as a student of yoga, Pilates and bodywork. Heather pursued movement theory, kinesiology, exercise physiology and body awareness in college, working as a physical therapy aide and Shiatsu therapist. Later as a Public Health Educator and High School Physical Education teacher & athletic coach, she integrated classical pilates and yoga into her instruction. Pilates saved Heather’s health in 2018! Her high-stress career and insane work hours had shifted her priorities in the wrong direction and left her on the verge of illness & exhaustion. She found Club Pilates and all of that changed, from goal-driven daily client to instructor, Heather found her calling again and she’s right where she’s supposed to be! Heather is light-hearted, joyful, passionate and intensely purposeful in her teaching and in her daily life. She believes you should be intentional with your health, give it all in your workouts, celebrate your journey alongside a tribe and enjoy every experience of moving your body. Yes, even when it’s hard! Her passion for helping others can be felt when you’re holding space with her! Dream BIG, start before you’re ready & get moving!