Heather Arnett
Heather Arnett is a native of St. Louis, Missouri who enjoys gravity, momentum and coffee. She holds a Masters degree in kinesiology and knows that one day she will invent an exercise suit that can assist perfect Roll Ups. Sometime in the 90’s, Heather danced with Illinois State Dance Theater, University Dance Theater at Western Illinois University and became a founding member of Suite 132 Dance Company in Chicago, Illinois. Concurrently, Heather became a Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America and realized that dancers actually can make money with their bodies. As a Certified Laban Movement Analyst and BASI Pilates Instructor, Heather often uses scientific tools in class such as marbles, balloons and bendy straws. Heather and will soon graduate with an MFA in Modern Dance from the University of Utah and briefly consider a break from collecting college degrees.

**There is no record of someone being kicked out of Heather’s classes for refusing to play with Slinkies.

Lisa Bower
Lisa Bower began to study Pilates in 1997  while also pursuing her interest in yoga and meditation. From 1999 to present, she has been a devoted student of Iyengar yoga, and incorporates yoga poses, stretches and breathing in her work with clients. In 2002, she began the teacher training program at the “Ellie Herman Studio” in San Francisco. She subsequently rehabilitated a repetitive stress injury, and completed her certification in 2005. Her training with master teacher Ellie Herman was complemented by work with Lizz Roman, a gifted rehabiliation specialist.

Lisa lived for two years in a Buddhist monastery, and has a BA degree in social theory from Vassar College, and two master’s degrees and a Ph.D. in political science. She is interested in the relationships among and between mind, body and spirit, particularly as they affect the body at rest and in motion. She believes that Pilates is a unique method for accessing those connections for clients of all ages, no matter what their physical condition.

Erin Malley
Erin Malley recently relocated to San Francisco from New York City. She received her initial training in Pilates through STOTT in 2003 from Equilibrium in Michigan, and then at Pilates on Fifth in New York. Following a desire for greater rehabilitative and anatomically focused work, she took on a second certification from the Kane School of Core Integration (NYC). Upon graduation, she was immediately offered a position teaching there, and shortly after went on to become a certifying instructor. She continues to teach for Kinected and The Kane School when she visits NYC.

Erin loves teaching all different kinds of people, and helping people use pilates to reach their movement and fitness goals. Her specialty lies with the biomechanical details of movement: getting you to move with greatest beauty and efficiency so that you can take on the world physically! Erin’s teaching is specific & detail-oriented, because the details make the difference!

Erin is the Artistic and Executive Director of NYC and SF based Malleable Dance Theater, specializing in multimedia dance theater collaborations.
malleabledancetheater.org

Erin’s pilates blog: erinmalleable.tumblr.com

Katie McMahon
Katie has always been into dance and exercise and had spent years searching for what worked best for her body. Katie knew she had found her calling when she started Pilates with Shona Curley. Their work together inspired Katie to complete her own teacher training. Katie completed classical training under the direction of certified teacher and studio owner Jill Harris. Katie has been teaching Pilates for the almost two years and practicing for four years. Katie is driven to work hard and strives for strengthening and toning her clients. Sessions with Katie are intense, energetic and fun!

Jonathan Roberts
Jonathan Roberts has been a fitness professional for the last 20 years. He came to teaching fitness, Pilates, Gyrotonic and Dance after a 12 year pursuit of a performing career in theatre and dance that took him from his hometown of San Diego, CA to New York City. His Pilates certification was granted in 1998 by PhysicalMind Institute through Jean Sullivan and Madeline Black. Jonathan has supervised/managed Pilates training programs successfully for major health clubs in the SF Bay Area. He is excited to work with Jill and her wonderful trainers at Informed Body, SF.

Susan Tobiason
Susan has spent over 20 years of study in dance and has danced professionally - primarily ballet and contemporary, as well as Brazilian and hip hop. She discovered pilates during physical therapy when she sustained an injury during a performance season and has been hooked ever since! Susan has completed Pilates training under the direction of certified teacher and studio owner Jill Harris as well as certified trainer Shona Curley.

Susan loves teaching and spreading the word about pilates because it can tone the body in a way that no other exercise can. She is dedicated to developing class curricula to sculpt, tone, and lengthen, and likes to work her clients hard. Susan's classes are inspiring and fun.

In addition to teaching at Informed Body, Susan also teaches dance classes at ODC Dance Commons in San Francisco.

Amber Zuckswert
Amber is certified through the rigorous and renowned Ron Fletcher Program of study. She was first introduced to the method while pursuing her dance degree at San Francisco State University. Pilates cured her of chronic back pain and other overuse injuries related to dance. Amber instantly fell in love with the technique and realized it not only aided her longevity in her dance career, but was a way for her to inspire others through movement and the mind-body connection. She's worked with a wide range of clients from professional dancers, to pre and post natal, to rehab. She has spent the last several years dancing professionally throughout the bay area including work with Robert Moses Kin, Janice Garrett and Dancers, Paco Gomez and Alex Ketley. Most recently, she spent seven months teaching Pilates throughout Australia. Her teaching credits in San Francisco include San Francisco State University and UCSF Mission Bay along with a few private boutique studios.

With over 20 years of ballet and modern dance training under her belt, Amber brings a creative, fluid yet strict and disciplined approach to her classes. She is a lover of all movement and is constantly inspired through continued education in the Pilates method, yoga and all forms of dance. She is ecstatic to be back in San Francisco teaching and furthering her education.

Amber also owns and writes content for her own health and wellness website, Epicself.com . She is passionate about the mind, body and spirit connection and it's importance in our every day lives.

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Karen was a professional dancer and transitioned to personal training after receiving her BFA from NYU. In her practice, Karen integrates strength training with other disciplines such as physical therapy, Yoga and Pilates. After the birth of her son Max last year, Karen incorporated both pre and post natal exercise to her skills. Her training technique begins with slow repetitive movements to increase a clients range from zero to established target while emphasizing proper posture, balance and inner core strength.

Her previous practice encompassed a diverse population of clients of all ages with different physical fitness levels. Karen has partnered with PT’s and MD’s to create exercise programs to maximize personal training and medical supervision.

Sara Ris
Sara's philosophy as a trainer has been shaped by her experience as a former ballet dancer, as well as the injuries her body endured from such a demanding occupation.  She is dedicated to helping all of her clients achieve and maintain healthy weight, mobility, strength and flexibility in a way that encourages injury prevention and long-term quality of life.

Sara is also obtaining her MA in Teaching Critical Thinking and applies these skills to personal training as well, making sure all of her clients understand not only how to perform exercises correctly, but why it is important to do so.

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Yoga:

Adriana Albano
Adriana has been practicing a variety of yoga styles for over six years. She completed her 200 hour, Yoga Alliance Certified teacher training at the Nosara Yoga Institute in Costa Rica in December 2007 and has been teaching Interdisciplinary yoga classes and private sessions in Virginia since then. She moved to San Francisco in July 2008 to begin her doctorate in Psychology at CIIS and to teach yoga. She enjoys providing her clients with a range of benefits through yoga, including strength, flexibility, balance, relaxation, mindfulness, breath-awareness, and self-inquiry. She is inspired by the possibility of health and wellness for everyone.