We have hand-picked each and every one of our Barre Above Program Specialists from the industry's most knowledgeable and innovative leaders. Our Barre Above Program Specialists are stationed across the U.S. (listed below) and Canada (listed at Fitness Marketing Group ) and lead regional certification workshops to help build the Barre Above® instructor team.
Interested in getting certified, or hosting a Barre Above® certification workshop? Reach out to the Program Specialist closest to your region below, and we'll get started!
Leslee@bendertraining.com
Reno, NV / Winter Garden, FL
Leslee Bender has over 30 years of experience in the fitness industry, and presented fitness education internationally in over 20 countries. She is the creator of the Bender Method of training, which received “Infomercial of the Year” in 2007 for short form, and more than 2,000,000 orders. Leslee has produced over 30 DVD’s and has created one of the safest methods of core training, the Pilates Coach Method. Leslee is a graduate of the Gray Institute of Applied Functional Science, and is now enrolled in the GIFT program there, believing that you can never stop learning the true functions of human movement. She is also a 2010 finalist for IDEA Instructor of the year. Presently, Leslee works in Orlando as a functional training specialist with pro-water skiers.
needmorefitness@gmail.com
Atlanta, GA
Former professional dancer, Reebok Expert Contributor and Sponsored Athlete, Jenn Hall teaches in the kinesiology department at Georgia State University, is an international dance and fitness presenter and has been featured on the front cover of Fitness Business Magazine. Jenn has performed with many superstars including Beyoncè and Jay-Z and is also a sought-after choreographer with credits including the Miss America pageant, the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA, the first two seasons of Fox television’s So You Think You Can Dance. She has also won countless choreography awards for dance and fitness. Jenn has always measured her success based on the success of her students, rather they be young dancers, up and coming group fitness instructors or personal trainers, athletes or Master Trainers, nothing makes her happier than seeing them succeed. She is grateful to have a job she loves and for her amazing family.
stenis@fas.harvard.edu
Boston, MA
The Area Fitness Program Manager for Harvard University and Harvard Law School since 2003, Dawn Stenis holds a BA in Kinesiology and has over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry. She is a certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor and a former health club owner as well as a Master Trainer and Presenter for Schwinn™ Cycling, BOSU® Fitness, Tabata Bootcamp™, Barre Above™ and SCW Mania® conventions. Dawn’s fitness career was inspired by the untimely death of grandfather during her sophomore year in college. Since his death from inactivity, she has vowed to make the world move and is fueled by her passion for leading and mentoring others, from fitness class participants to other instructors and trainers. Dawn’s philosophy lies in helping everyone find the joy in movement, leading to longer, healthy, active lives.
prbostick@aol.com
Allentown, PA
With over 15 years in the fitness industry, Pattie Bostick-Winn has taught multiple fitness formats around the world and has taught dance locally at her own studio and Muhlenberg College. Her passion lies in helping others realize their full potential and finding grace and beauty in all areas of physical fitness. She enjoys engaging people in workouts that they’ve never experienced before and is inspired by helping others achieve what they never thought possible. She is a dance studio owner, group fitness instructor, personal trainer, dance instructor and her overall goal is to help people to live healthier lives.
thrivewithcassie@gmail.com
West Lafayette, IN
With over 20 years of fitness instruction experience, Cassie Hilleboe has a strong passion for exercise and nutrition. She is dedicated to helping her clients achieve the best results through individualized strategies based on long-term results. Cassie loves the science behind efficient and safe exercise programs and is excited about spreading this knowledge to help others.
june@junekahn.com
Boulder, CO
June Kahn is an internationally recognized fitness leader and educator. She is the 2009 World IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year, founder of June Kahn’s Bodyworks, LLC™ , Pilates Rehab Specialist & owner of Center Your Body Pilates, an award winning boutique Pilates & movement studio in Louisville (Boulder) CO. With over 30+ years of Pilates experience, June is best known for bridging the gap between classical Pilates and the fitness industry. June is Special Consultant to Body Bar™ and is an Elite Master Trainer & the 2017 Master Trainer of the Year for Savvier Fitness for both Barre Above™ & Tabata Boot Camp™.. A published author & IDEA media spokesperson for Pilates, she’s an expert subject writer for the ACE exam, an Affiliate to the PhysicalMind Institute Pilates, and serves on the program selection committee for ACSM. Her expertise lies in corrective exercise, Pilates, and functional movement and her philosophy is to incorporate movements that mimic daily life allowing participants to move more fluidly, with grace, balance and most important, freedom from injury.
rzahnn@sbcglobal.net
Sacramento, CA
As CEO and founder of Healthy Habits Fitness and Yoga Studio, Rose Zahnn has been a studio owner for over 20 years. As a UCLA graduate and full-time fitness professional with 30 years experience, Rose is certified as a Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor, Massage Therapist and Registered Yoga Alliance Yoga Teacher. She is a Barre above™ Master Trainer, Tabata Bootcamp™ Master Trainer, Balletone Master Trainer, and YogaFit Master Trainer. Rose is also the creator of YogaFit's newest teacher training program PilatesFit. Her healthy eating program, Learn to Be Lean, will soon be published as a workbook. Rose frequently appears as a fitness expert for local magazines, newspapers and television. She hosts charity events several times each year, including her favorite spring fundraiser, the Run for the Buns, supporting rabbit rescue, adoption, and education. Rose truly combines the science of the body with the science of the spirit to achieve the mind/body/spirit connection, while her sense of humor keeps students entertained. Rose teaches: Tabata Bootcamp™, Barre above™, 1, 2, 3, Seniors, Prenatal, YogaFit Kids, YogaButt, YogaStrength and PilatesFit.
murphfit@gmail.com
Rochester, NY
IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year, Group Fitness Advisory Board Member, Group Exercise Steering Committee Member, ACE Master Practical Trainer, Education Partner, ACSM Summit Committee Member, and Program Coordinator for Greater Rochester YMCAs, Carol Murphy is internationally recognized fitness expert and motivational speaker. Known for her infectious energy, and passion to make fitness fun, Carol’s innovative, results-oriented workouts have been featured in numerous Fitness DVDs, magazines and at conventions worldwide. She has written more than 50 instructor training courses, lectures and articles. Carol has worked as a consultant, master trainer, course instructor, author expert and spokesperson for leading companies including Reebok International, Drums Alive®, Flexi-Sports®, Qignition, Tabata Bootcamp™, Barre Above ™ and TRX®, and as the Education Director for Resist-A-Ball. She also owns Fitlife Group Fitness and Personal Training.
irenemccormick3@gmail.com
Des Moines, Iowa
Irene McCormick MS, CSCS is an international educator, adjunct faculty, and award-winning fitness lecturer. The 2018 IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year, she is Author of The HIIT Advantage for Women (Human Kinetics), a TRX Master Trainer, Subject Matter Expert for ACE, NASM, Orangetheory Fitness and Human Kinetics, a keynote speaker and owner of gogetherpod offering virtual training and mentorship for women into fitness.
jefffitnesspro@comcast.net
San Francisco, CA
Jeff McMullen is the Group Fitness Manager at Equinox Pine in San Francisco, CA and is a highly recognized an international fitness presenter. With over 25 years in the fitness industry, he has been featured or starred in over 20 fitness DVDs and has won multiple awards including the 2012 Equinox Noxie Instructor Excellence Award. Jeff is a Master Trainer for TABATA Bootcamp™, Barre Above™, ActivMotion® Bar, Jumpsport® Fitness Trampoline, and TRX®. Jeff is also a Lululemon ® Ambassador alumnus and a FIRELINE Nutrition Athlete. He loves to share his passion for fitness with the world and his mantra is DECIDE.COMMIT.INSPIRE. SUCCEED.
michelleljernigan@gmail.com
Atlanta, GA
Michelle lives in Atlanta, GA bringing 28 years experience to the fitness industry. Her certifications include: PMA, 500 hour Pilates Instructor, NASM Personal Trainer and ACE Group Exercise Instructor. She is a Master Trainer for Barre Above, Barre Above with Pilates Focus, Extreme HITT Chaos and Tabata Bootcamp. Her past experience includes being a Master Trainer for FITour in Pilates, yoga, group exercise, personal training, cycling and kickboxing. She has served as program director for various fitness facilities, Faculty for the YMCA of the USA and business owner. As a Barre, Pilates, HITT and strength Instructor, her passion is to empower, educate and motivate others to become an instructor, achieve goals, and live a healthy lifestyle.
dayers@conwaycorp.net
Conway, AR
Owner of award winning BURN STUDIO and fitness guru of over 17 years, Robin Dayer, knows all about hard work and passion for your trade. Robin graduated from the University of Central Arkansas in '99 and holds a Bachelor of Business Degree in Marketing. After a career in sales, she decided to pursue her true passion in life and entered the fitness industry teaching and training. Before opening BURN STUDIO, Robin held the title of Personal Trainer of the Year for three consecutive years, 2009, 2010, and 2011 at her previous facility, where she also taught classes such as Indoor Cycling, Pilates, Strength Training, HIIT, and Boot Camps. Her BURN STUDIO was also recently voted Best of the Best in Conway AR for 2016. Robin is highly experienced in working with all types of fitness levels and her mission is to make sure that every time a client walks into her studio or trains with her, they take a journey to change their life mind, body and soul. Robin is a master trainer for Barre Above™, Tabata Bootcamp™, Schwinn Indoor Cycling, and BOSU. She also holds certifications from the Cooper Institute in Master Fitness Specialist an Advanced Personal Training (CIMFS-APT) and is Functional Movement Screen certified (FMS). Robin is also a BarreAmped and Barre WRX certified instructor.
Elizabeth@elizabethlenart.com
Chicopee, MA
Equipped with a Master's Degree in Educational Psychology and a certificate in Wellness Coaching, Elizabeth’s mission is to help all clients become their “best selves.” She emphasizes self-expression and how it FEELS to exercise, and not letting what we cannot do interfere with what we can do. She believes in building a strong self from the inside out and that exercising with “intention” makes all the difference. Elizabeth is the founder and President of InnerAthlete in East Longmeadow, MA. Best known for explosive intervals, electric coaching, and creative programming Elizabeth is all about creating a group exercise experience. With experience directing at facilities including World’s, Gold’s, Bally’s, non-profits and even the collegiate arena, she stays on top of industry trends and education. She enjoys mentoring and consulting for and with new fitness professionals, the fitness guidance counselor for clients, colleagues and staff. As a continuing education provider, Elizabeth demonstrates her commitment to continuing education, possessing numerous national and specialty certifications from dance, cycling, mind/body and more. Elizabeth has presented nationally and internationally. Elizabeth is also a Senior National Master Trainer for BOSU, Tabata Bootcamp™, Kamagon, Surge, Barre Above™, and Gliding. She is also an ambassador for Carbon38 and can be seen on Mass Appeal on WWLP, and NBC Affiliate as a fitness expert and has reported for MyGroupFit.
carolynannerickson@gmail.com
Escondido, CA
Carolyn is the President and CEO for CE Fitness Consulting LLC and is a 37 year veteran of the fitness industry. From teaching classes and training clients to multi-unit health club management, Carolyn is a former District Manager for sixteen 24 Hour Fitness locations in the San Diego area. She also served as the Director of Sales and Business Development for Jillian Michaels BODYSHRED. She is a master trainer for Jillian Michaels BODYSHRED™, GOFLO® Trainer, Barre Above™, Tabata GX, and Stroops®. Carolyn is also a consultant for the industry; supporting and improving both fitness and group fitness programming within the facilities she helps as well as creating a better member experience, promoting staff longevity, and team building. Carolyn is the co-creator of Extreme HIIT Chaos along with Mindy Mylrea.
ayochum@frontier.com
McMinnville, OR
Angie Yochum, MEd, is the founder of GFIT Education, LLC, a company that delivers live educational workshops on college campuses and at fitness facilities. She is known for her cuing clinics and is a continuing education provider for ACE and AFAA/NASM. Angela holds a bachelor’s degree in communications, a master’s degree in education and is certified as a physical education teacher for the State of Oregon. A group exercise instructor and group fitness director, Angela is also a Barre Above® master trainer for Savvier Fitness®.
fitchickkeegan@yahoo.com
Ravenna, Ohio
Leslee Keegan is the owner and operator of Leslee Keegan’s I'MPOWER Fitness Center, Total Body Workout, LLC, Founder and President of Fit Chicks Inc., Founder of the Fit Kids Running Club and a Tabata Bootcamp™ Master Trainer. She has over 38 years of experience in the fitness industry including her 14-year tenure as the Program Coordinator for City of Ravenna’s Fitness Facility “The RAC”. In addition to being a fitness professional dedicated to teaching the FUN in movement, Leslee is passionate about her non-profit work. Fit Chicks, Inc. is celebrating 12 years as a group who encourages fitness and wellness and supports agencies that benefit women and children. Fit Chicks, Inc. has given thousands of dollars to schools, agencies, clubs and families in need in their communities. Equally important to Leslee is her work with Fit Kids Running Club, which provides nutritional information, running shoes, socks, t-shirts and race entry fee for children 6-16 years of age to participate and train for a local 1-mile race in the community. Leslee is pleased to be a part of some many pieces of an on-going journey, sharing fun movement wherever she goes.
trainingwithterri@gmail.com
Honolulu, HI
Terri has worked in the Health and Fitness Industry for more than 25 years coaching, educating, inspiring and motivating individuals and companies around the world while, also, competing in sporting and fitness events herself. She has held numerous positions: National Spinning Presenter, Reebok Master Trainer, Exercise Physiologist, Group Exercise Director, Spinning Coordinator, and Fitness Director. Most recently she was the Wellness Director for Family Health Hawaii a locally owned and operated health insurance company in Hawaii. Currently she owns and operates Paradise Training with Terri/321 GO where she focuses on wellness education for companies. As a competitive athlete of 18 years she has earned many titles. These include: 4x Women’s Individual National Aerobic Gymnastic Champion, 3x World Aerobic Gymnastic Champion Medalist, Female Individual International Champion-Argentina, Female Individual Champion- Hungary, and Female Individual Silver Medalist-Austria. Terri and her trio team took the silver medal at the World Championships in the summer of 2003. Terri has taken her competitive experience and now helps other athletes fine tune their skills and training regime. It is how we practice during our journey through life, and the level of commitment we choose to apply to bettering ourselves, that becomes essential to our well-being. – Terri Dietz
Longmont, CO
Becky Stafford Hamm trained as a dancer through college and went on to dance for several professional sports teams in the NBA and the NFL, including the Los Angeles Laker Girls, Denver Bronco Cheerleaders, the Denver Nugget Dancers and the Orlando Magic Dancers. She has been in the fitness industry for more than 15 years and is a master trainer for Barre Above® with Savvier Fitness®. Becky teaches multiple fitness formats such as barre, boot camp, athletic conditioning, cycle fusion and Zumba®. She is passionate about health and wellness and strives to inspire others to find a love for fitness.
lisa.reynolds92@gmail.com
Dallas, TX
Lisa’s journey in the fitness industry sparked from an early passion for movement, dance, and a desire to help others. She first began teaching group fitness at Texas A&M University where she taught a variety of formats, primarily mind-body and dance-fitness based classes. When Lisa first experienced barre, she knew it was just the right fit for her as it combined her love for high-energy, musically-driven classes with the classic training she had learned from years of ballet, yoga, and pilates. Upon graduation, Lisa moved to Dallas where she started teaching barre, yoga, yoga sculpt, and dance fitness at many different health clubs and studios throughout the metroplex. She later became a Master Trainer for PulsePointe barre, which has since become a part of Barre Above® program. In addition to being a Master Trainer for PulsePointe barre, Lisa is a certified AFAA Group Exercise instructor, as well as a 200hr Registered Yoga Teacher through the Yoga Alliance. Lisa is passionate about providing high-quality continuing education for all fitness professionals in order to be the change agent for people to live healthier, happier lives.
LaurenEGeorge@gmail.com
Starkville, MS
Master of musicality, Lauren has helped to co-create the new enhanced Barre Above® program. Lauren has had a passion for movement and fitness since a young age. She began teaching group fitness classes in college where her first love was step aerobics. Since her beginning in step, she has pursued certifications through Power Pilates, Balanced Body Pilates (Reformer level 1-3, & Apparatus level 1-3), Schwinn, YogaFit, Kettlebell AMPD, QiDANCE, Balletone®, and TRX. After finishing her undergraduate work in Sports Management at Texas A&M University, Lauren completed a master's degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies at The University of North Texas. During her 11 years in the fitness industry, she has had the pleasure of managing the group fitness programs at The Baylor Tom Landry Fitness Center, Florida State University, and ToddPilates Fitness in Austin. In 2015, she combined her love of dance, Pilates, and group fitness to create PulsePointe barre, which has since become part of the Barre Above® program. Lauren George is the co-creator of the enhanced Barre Above® program, a Balletone® Master Trainer, serves as adjunct faculty for the Leisure Skills department at Clemson University, and is the owner of Clemson Fitness Company, in Clemson, SC.
wsavage@mybodypilates.com
Maui, HI
Wendy Savage completed her teacher training through Club Pilates in December 2011 and is a certified PMA Instructor. She is a Master Trainer for Club Pilates and ActivMotion Bar, and in 2017 earned Club Pilates Instructor of the Year. She completed the Gray Institute Certification of Applied Functional Science in August 2018. As a child she participated in soccer, gymnastics and competitive cheerleading, and prior to discovering Pilates, she was running half marathons. Her favorite part of teaching is creating “A-Ha!” moments for her clients, so they can make a deeper mind/body connection and improve their practice.
ken@thekenscott.com
San Francisco, CA
Ken Scott has been a fitness instructor and personal trainer in the Bay Area since 2001. He teaches all formats of dance, aerobic conditioning, strength training, Boot camps, Indoor Cycling, Pilates mat, and had created his own successful foam rolling and stretch GX program. Ken is also a master trainer for Balletone®, as well as a master trainer for BOSU®, Body Bar® and Gliding®. In addition, Ken holds indoor cycling certifications with Schwinn® and ICG®, as well as a Rhythm and Motion Dance Instructor certification. Ken is a passionate professional who dedicates himself to delivering trainings and classes in a way that lifts people up and inspires them to not only do more, but to see just how limitless they are in their own bodies.
info@wellthyboss.com
Phoenix, AZ
Mariah Secrest-Comer loves the intersection of fitness, wellness, and business. Her accumulated industry experience includes helping launch and host Deepak Chopra’s Whole Health Retreats, program management at CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa, managing independent and franchise studios, and presenting at fitness conferences and retreats. She has completed certifications in yoga, personal fitness, and comprehensive Pilates, and is also the co-founder of Fit Biz Club. She currently hails from the Phoenix, AZ area.
Austin, TX
Shannen unlocked her passion for fitness as a freshman at Texas A&M University. Determined to pursue a healthy lifestyle while in college, she became heavily involved in the group fitness program offered at the Student Recreation Center. The following spring, Shannen began her fitness journey. After joining the Texas A&M Group Fitness Team, Shannen began teaching step, dance fitness, kickbox, and HIIT classes. One year of teaching high impact classes several times per week took a toll on her body, and she quickly realized that she needed to add low impact formats into her repertoire. Shannen's first adventure into Mind/Body fitness was yoga followed quickly by barre. She appreciated the elegance and intensity a barre workout could provide while still remaining low impact. After obtaining a barre certification she began to teach, but felt like there was still something missing from her classes. She had been teaching barre for three years when she first experienced a barre class. Shannen fell in love with the energy and freestyle choreography of barre, and realized it was exactly what she had been looking for. During her time in the fitness industry, Shannen has received certifications through YogaFit (Level 3), Schwinn Cycling, Club Pilates 500 hour Comprehensive Pilates Training, and AFAA (GX). Upon obtaining her M.Ed. in Education Shannen moved to San Antonio, TX where she oversaw the University of Texas at San Antonio group fitness & personal training program for 3 years. Shannen recently moved to Austin and works full time teaching at Club Pilates. When she isn’t pursuing a new fitness endeavor, she enjoys spending time with friends and family and traveling the world
tamireilly@rocketmail.com
Hamden, CT
Tami Reilly currently serves as Director of Fitness & Well Being, at Quinnipiac University (2003-present) and has been working in fitness and wellness for the past 27 years. At QU, she works alongside community partners to encourage a life well lived by all! This includes campus wide well-being initiatives, workshops, and programs. She also works with the college student fitness instructors mentoring, guiding, and coaching them along in their own journey to evolve as fitness coaches. She has presented at numerous fitness conferences over the past 17 years including: World Spinning® and Sports Conditioning Conference, World IDEA, DCAC, ECA, World Barre and Fitness Summit, PROS Blackpool and Can Fit Pro. Tami holds a variety certifications and memberships within the fitness world and considers herself an education junkie! 2005 began the journey of becoming a teacher trainer within the industry and she is currently a Program Specialist for Savvier Fitness programs: Barre Above®, Extreme HIIT Chaos™ and CardioYoga®. Additionally, she is a Master Trainer for the following: Spinning®(PSMI), CrossCore®, Ugifit® and In-Trinity® by Johnny G. She is a YACEP for Yoga Alliance. Giver her a follow: @tamifit or listen: Living Well While Living Online Podcast (on the platform or app or your choice) https://open.spotify.com/show/7FtdsIE31ZEDdgZlLdUMFP?si=5de2d5605d21431d Certifications Include: ACE Personal Trainer AFAA Group Exercise Instructor AFAA Personal Trainer ERYT-500 hour, Yoga Alliance (member since 2005) Certified Health Coach, Health Coach Institute Education: 1990: BA in Sociology, Southern Connecticut State University 2000: Certificate program, Fitness Specialist, Gateway Community College 2009: MA in Organizational Leadership, Quinnipiac University
Boston, MA
Linda McDonald is a Fitness Presenter and Program Specialist for Barre Above®, Balletone® and Extreme HIIT Chaos. She is the creator of Rock Bottoms! Banded Booty Strength, a core and lower body workshop using bands to achieve optimal functional fitness. A leader in Group Fitness, providing continuing education workshops in various fitness formats, she has specialized in training, evaluating, and certifying instructors in the Barre Above® method. Linda has also worked as a consultant to local health clubs, evaluating group fitness instructors and providing upskilling workshops. She recently developed a cycle program for a local health club, based on MY Zone® heart rate technology. Linda holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics, with a minor in Business. She holds various, current fitness certifications from both ACE and AFAA. She lives in the south shore of Boston, with her husband Mike, two daughters, Samantha and Taylor and their cherished yellow lab, Brady. National Certifications: ACE Group Fitness Instructor ACE Personal Trainer AFAA Personal Trainer
jeanmi@bellnet.ca
OTTAWA
J-M has been in the industry for over 20 years, Certified Star 2 with Maddog Athletic, YMCA Canada Master Instructor Group Fitness and Indoor Cycling, Tabata Instructor and TRX Instructor. With 4 years studying dance, his career as a dancer was cut short due to a back injuries. His background in Ballet and Contemporary dance with Les Grand Ballet and Ecole de Jazz are an asset with Barre Above. He is always in search of new Technics for all of is classes to maintain an advantage in teaching and the benefit and pleasure of his participants.
thebodybarreok@gmail.com
Edmond OK
Meet Heather Ehlers! She is teaches a variety of classes through the week and is the owner of The Body Barre!! Having a passion for helping and encouraging people is why I love teaching. Healthy is so much more than exercise. It is confidence, belonging , belief in self commitment and dedication. The Body Barre has given me an avenue where is can help women grow and thrive as individuals!! I have taught barre and yoga for the past four years and have several specialty certifications such as piloxing barre, piyo, Strong by Zumba and I am RYT 200 yoga certified. The best part of instructing is getting to know my clients and seeing them succeed and gain confidence! I absolutely love what I do and and adding Barre Above Master Trainer to my list is icing on the cake!!
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Dylan is a former Canadian Artistic Roller Skating Champion and world team member. With 26 years of professional experience, Dylan is a Health & Fitness program consultant in Ottawa, Canada. In his spare time, he is an international fitness presenter, renowned athletic trainer and performance coach to national and world level figure and roller skaters.
heidibod@heidibodenheimer.com
Hagerstown, MD
Heidi has 23 years in the fitness industry. Her contagious energy and passion to make a difference in peoples' lives creates an experience like no other. She is a Certified Health & Wellness Coach and Behavioral Change Specialist as well. She owns her own health coaching business and inspires the world to health and wellness one person at a time.
michelle.kerr2305@gmail.com
Missisauga Ontario Canada
Michelle has worked in both fitness and recreation programming for 25+ years. She has extensive experience in recreation programming, fitness and education leadership with the City of Mississauga, City of London, Acadia University and Nova Scotia Community College. She has been teaching fitness for 30 years and continues to teach for a national fitness chain in Canada. She has presented at the national fitness conference, CanFitPro and for the provincial Recreation Ontario Educational Forum.
fitbytracey@gmail.com
Tracey Staehle Fitness, Simsbury, CT
An experienced fitness instructor, Tracey has been teaching group fitness classes for the past 30 years in Hartford, New Haven (Yale University) and Fairfield, CT as well as Salt Lake City, UT and Overland Park, KS. She is a former gymnast, certified AFAA group fitness instructor, and NASM certified personal trainer. Her creativity and boundless energy inspire a sense of fun in each of her self- choreographed routines. To date, Tracey has produced 30 fitness DVDs, with workouts that have been featured in Fitness and Oxygen magazines. Tracey has written workouts for Good Housekeeping and Prevention and co-authored numerous fitness articles. She is a featured FitPro on the App Coach by Cigna and is the owner of Tracey Staehle Fitness LLC in Simsbury, CT. The mother of two young children, Tracey is active in the school community volunteering with fundraisers and events.
Washington, DC
Whitley Miller is movement expert, healing spirit, fitness instructor and personal trainer who specializes in barre fitness, yoga and meditation. She has been in the fitness industry for over 15 years and is a classically trained ballet dancer with experience teaching at professional dance companies. While attaining her Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Maryland, Whitley became Barre Above certified. Since then, she has also received her Yoga Alliance certification (RYT 200) . Fitness and wellness have always been a part of her life. Her ability to fuse together her favorite movements including yoga, pilates, ballet and strength training have allowed her to be an asset to this amazing low impact and high intensity workout. Whitley continues to inspire others to live a healthier lifestyle as she creates a safe and brave space for others to embark on this journey.
West Palm Beach, FL
Kelsey moved to Florida from NYC in 2013 and hasn’t looked back since! After moving down, she completed a Masters Degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion with a specialty in wellness programming. She has since been in the fitness field for nearly 10 years! In her early years, she was certified through PTA Global as a Personal Trainer and learned barre through the creators of Exhale Spa learning the ways of Lotte Berk. She later went on to complete training through Barre Above. In addition to loving Barre, Kelsey is a Comprehensively Certified Pilates Instructor through Balanced Body and PMA as well as a Master Trainer through Club Pilates! She brings a lot of energy and personality to her classes and loves to connect with each and every client! Her passion is to help other instructors grow their brand and increase their base of knowledge.
Seattle, WA
Elite fitness instructor and trainer, Tricia Murphy Madden, began teaching in 1991 and never looked back. She has taught dance and fitness workshops worldwide and is one of the industry’s top presenters. She is an American Council on Exercise faculty member and Fitness Director for four health clubs in Seattle, WA. She has developed many highly acclaimed programs, including: "Urban Striptease Aerobics", with over 1,750 instructors worldwide; and "My Best Friends Workout" a fitness program designed for pet owner to get in shape while walking their pet (sold in pet stores and online nationwide). Between the two programs, she has sold over 50,000 DVD’s since 2003.
Easton, PA
Heidi began her journey in group fitness instruction as a student at Temple University. Naturally a teacher at heart, she loves to see others succeed and will be your biggest cheerleader. Her love for teaching fitness has carried her across three states and countless gyms and studios over the past 10 years. Finding a community and contributing to building it up wherever she is planted has become her forte. Uniquely equipped with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education, Heidi is passionate about creating music driven classes that create motivating and unforgettable experiences. She maintains speciality certifications through Les Mills, Balanced Body, and Savvier Fitness (Barre Above and Balletone) as well as AFAA Group Fitness Instructor and ACE Personal Training certifications.
Charlotte, NC
"Dedicating her career to Campus Recreation, Tori began her fitness journey during her undergraduate work at Penn State University. She spent 32 weeks studying and training in order to learn all the aspects of the fitness industry and the qualities that make a motivational fitness instructor. Some skills obtained in this training include proper form and fitness technique, musicality, and designing safe and effective workouts for all. As a previous athlete and dancer, Tori transitioned easily into the fitness industry with great passion and excitement. After graduating from Penn State with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Tori attended Texas A&M University to pursue a Master’s degree in Sport Management. During her two years in graduate school, she taught fitness classes and early morning boot camps for the University, as well as a local gym in her neighborhood. Upon completing her degree, Tori returned to her Alma Mater at Penn State as a Fitness Coordinator to train new students in the same program that developed her love of fitness. Tori currently operates the recreational fitness programming at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She oversees 75 student employees and handles the operations of two weight rooms, 55 group fitness classes a week, personal training programming, and specialty fitness events on campus. Tori is also planning to increase her fitness programs at UNC Charlotte as her department prepares to move into a 5-story, 144,000sq. foot recreation center. Over the last 8 years, Tori has acquired several certifications and licenses such as AFAA Group Fitness Instructor, AFAA Personal Fitness Trainer, YogaFit Level 1, YogaFit Level 2, YogaFit Props, Pulsepointe Barre, Schwinn Cycling, Stairmaster Boxmaster, Zumba license, and Les Mills BodyPump. She is also an American Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor and a QPR Gatekeeper Instructor, as well as a Safe Zone Ally"
Orem, UT
Fiona is a certified Barre Above instructor, a Strong by Zumba instructor, and an AFAA group fitness instructor and personal fitness trainer. Her training in dance started at just 6 years old and has over 14 years of professional training in ballet, jazz, contemporary, and ballroom dance. She danced as a member of the Junior Company at her ballet studio until high school when she left the studio to dance with drill and ballroom teams at school. Fiona has a minor in ballroom dance from Brigham Young University. After college, she took a break from performing to focus on family life. She and her husband Nathan have 5 children and reside in Orem, Utah where Nathan works as the VP of Fulfillment for an internet marketing company. Fiona continued to dance as a regular in her local gym's Zumba classes. Dance and fitness have been a huge part of her life and she is passionate about teaching dance fitness to women (and men!) in her community.
Chicago, IL
Kia Williams, M.B.A, M.S., 200hr RYTis a certified fitness instructor, global business presenter, author, fitness program specialist and content creator, guest host of the IDEA Fitpro Show podcast, and host of IDEA Health & Fitness Association web series “Paths to Success” and Fit and Fierce on the Mic--a podcast dedicated to providing expert advice, tangible tips and help to improve fitness, refine teaching and coaching technique, and to grow fitness businesses and services. She is the Wellness Chairwoman for the NAACP Fort Worth-Tarrant County Chapter and an executive board member of Fit4Mom and for Jeremiah 33:6, a not-for-profit holistic health education and preventative medicine corporation. Most notably, Kia Williams is the youngest and first black person to be awarded with the IDEA World Instructor of the Year award. She is also a featured fitness coach on the Floyd Mayweather “MayweatherHomeFitness app”. She is a contributor to the IDEA World Diversity and Inclusion Committee and for Savvier Fitness fitness formats such as Barre Above. Kia has contributed as an author, editor, and fitness model for books published by Human Kinetics. She has been a featured guest speaker on many platforms and shows such as WFAA News Daybreak, The Pedestal Project, IDEA Virtual, SCW, Fitness Town Hall: Systematic Racism in Fitness with Lawrence Biscontini, Struct Club, WIFA Podcast, The Masters Fitness Podcast with Chan Galloway, All About Fitness Podcast with Pete McCall, and more. Kia has managed several fitness and wellness programs and facilities and uses her transferable professional skills and experience in fitness to mentor young professionals, support multicultural engagement, and to make fitness accessible, inclusive, and feasible for the masses. Kia's career mission is to support people who are affected by marginalization in jobs, education, healthcare, and lack of representation in the fitness industry. Overall, Kia is committed to helping others live a healthy lifestyle by maintaining a strong, fit, and balanced mind and body.
Omaha, NE
Kirstin is a fitness professional helping people reach their personal best through group fitness in a fun, energetic and inclusive environment! Her primary focus and passion is Barre, a fusion class including elements of Pilates, yoga, strength training and ballet. Kirstin believes in teaching classes that allow all participants to be successful. She provides exercise options for those who are avid gym-goers, those who are just now making the exercise a part of their lifestyle, and even those coming off injuries. Kirstin is a Barre Above® Master Trainer, and a professionally certified Group Fitness Instructor with the American Council on Exercise (ACE). She also holds two cycling certifications. Education and remaining current on the most recent scientific data for exercise and wellness are of the utmost importance to Kirstin. She has studied exercise for low back health, prenatal and postnatal exercise, exercise and mental health and psychology of group fitness among other topics. Kirstin began her journey into fitness in the summer of 6th grade when she discovered Denise Austin’s early morning 30-minute exercise show on television. She got up every weekday that summer at 6:30am to exercise with soup cans for dumbbells! After high school, Kirstin worked at a local gym during college and eventually made her way to Operations Manager. Kirstin moved into healthcare administration as a career, and holds a Masters in Healthcare Administration. After 12 years in healthcare where she spent her last three years working in the senior care industry, Kirstin became a stay-at-home to her two daughters, and journeyed back into fitness. Kirstin is passionate about teaching people functional exercises that enhance their activities of daily living (ADLs) and empower them physically, so when they hit that senior age (or even if they already are), they can live independently and safely in their own homes as long as possible!
Alexandria, KY
After graduating from the University of Kentucky and working in the Interior Design field for several years, Tabatha took some time off to become a stay-at-home mom. During this time, Tabatha decided to get her health in check and joined her local YMCA where she discovered a love for group fitness. This love turned into a career she never could have imagined when she decided to become a certified instructor. With over 5 years experience in the fitness industry, Tabatha has taught many formats including Pilates, HIIT, Core, Bootcamp, Dance Fitness, but her true passion is teaching Barre. She not only teaches group fitness at the same gym she joined all those years ago, but also teaches Barre at a local yoga studio in her hometown. Tabatha prides herself on encouraging others to challenge themselves to do their best while having fun! When Tabatha is not teaching, she enjoys running, hiking, traveling, and being with her husband and two boys.
Richmond, VA
Riley Shaia has over 30 years of experience in teaching group exercise and a unique background in Physical Therapy which has equipped her to share her knowledge base with other instructors and trainers. She earned her B.S. in education with a concentration in Sports Medicine from the University of Virginia and her Masters in Physical Therapy from the Medical College of Virginia and enjoys sharing her love of fitness with her class participants and other fitness professionals. Riley’s high-energy approach applies not just to her passion for fitness and nutrition but also to living life to the fullest.
MeganLeskoFitness@gmail.com
Camp Hill, PA
Seattle, WA
I started in dance as a young girl and continue with my movement education through college, graduating with Kinesiology and Dance degrees. This all lead to a very fun and rewarding career in fitness. I thrive on helping fitness instructors stay competitive, and inspired through continuing education. I am honored to be a Program Specialist for Balletone, Barre Above & Pumped Up Strength. To book trainings in Washington and Oregon for your studio or gym, you can contact me at vicki@vickimoenfitness.com. I look forward to working with you!
ashleighherndon@gmail.com
New York, NY
Ashleigh's fitness journey began as a dancer. She danced professionally for several years and slowly began to learn how other forms of fitness could compliment her dance career and make her a stronger individual. After teaching dance for several years, Ashleigh began her fitness career as a personal trainer. She quickly realized her true passion was for group fitness. While Barre Above is her favorite modality, Ashleigh also teaches Pilates Mat, Yoga, Bolly X and BollyX Low Impact, stretch, strength, and boot camp style classes. She is a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor and also has a pre- and postnatal women's specialization. She is passionate about the mind/body/voice connection and educates instructors on vocal health. She is the founder of Take the Stage Fitness, a company that utilizes the skills Ashleigh gained through her performance career to assist group fitness instructors grow confidence and stage presence, master group fitness auditions, and learn about vocal health. Certifications: Barre Above Program Specialist 500 Hour Registered Yoga Teacher Pilates Mat Bolly X and Bolly Low Impact Instructor Vocal Health First Aider Education: ACE Certified Personal Trainer AFAA Group Fitness NASM Women's Fitness Specialist FMS Level 1 and 2 Applied Health & Human Performance Specialist Lvl 2
ashlynn@bewellbarre.com
Grand Rapids, MI
Ashlynn became Barre Above instructor certified in 2017 and has been teaching barre for over five years. She loves connecting with others through instructing and enjoys incorporating movement into her daily work as a school counselor. Ashlynn taught at several boutique yoga and barre studios before opening her own virtual studio in 2021. The intersection of her experience as a school counselor and group fitness instructor created the vision behind Be Well Barre: a virtual barre studio for women that brings mental wellness, physical strength, and genuine joy to movement. Be Well Barre is home to The Recovery Barre, a free community class for women in sobriety that fuses a recovery meeting with a barre class. In addition to being Barre Above certified, Ashlynn holds her TRX and ACE Group Fitness Instructor Certifications. Ashlynn loves creating an encouraging and exciting atmosphere when teaching to help others experience joy in movement!
Houston, TX
Shannon Engle is an energized motivator, loving spirit, fitness instructor, personal trainer who specializes in putting smiles on people’s faces through various fitness formats. Shannon’s journey in the fitness industry sparked from an early passion for movement, dance, and helping people learn to love what their bodies capable of. She first began teaching group fitness at her dance studio in high school to help the parents fall in love with movement again. As a freshmen at Texas A&M she was trained through the Recreation Center program, taught a variety of formats such as dance, strength, kickboxing, etc., served as the Student Assistant of Fitness, trained new instructors, and created new formats. When Shannon first experienced barre, she knew it was just the right fit for her as it combined her love for high-energy, musically-driven classes with the muscular endurance and strength that she loves. Shannon then joined the Lauren George Fitness team as Lauren’s assistant, as well as launched a virtual group training business called The Gym Shannonigans. Upon graduation, Shannon moved to Houston where she began her career as the Health Fitness Coordinator at Houston Methodist Hospital educating the staff on fitness and wellness as well as teaching barre, Pumped Up Strength, dance fitness, kickboxing, and bootcamp style classes in the Houston area. In addition to being a Program Specialist for Barre Above, Shannon is a certified ACE Group Exercise instructor, ACE Personal Trainer, Pumped Up Strength Ambassador, Schwinn Cycle Instructor, and Zumba Instructor. Shannon is passionate about providing high-quality and fun continuing education for all fitness professionals in order help them spark a love for wellness in all people.
Lakewood, WA
My name is Brittany Love I know first hand the daily struggle of not loving yourself, low self-esteem, and seeking happiness in the wrong places. Movement has been a primary source to believe in myself and reclaim my personal power. I have a tremendous passion for empowering women in a shame-free zone to be confident and successful through fitness, self-love, and “swagger.” I believe a workout should be a positive empowering vibe not a chore. I am a full-time fitness professional; a Strength and Conditioning Coach, a Barre Above Ambassador and Program Specialist, and certified as a Personal Trainer in SFG I and SFL, and Schwinn Cycling. Additionally, I hold a Holistic Health Coach certification from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN).
Gulf Shores, AL
Mary-Allison’s lifelong interest in fitness began while training in gymnastics in her youth. As a teacher, she has a trademark enthusiasm for showing how fitness can help people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. A resident of Gulf Shores, Alabama, Mary-Allison has been teaching group fitness on and off the island since 2016. She is Barre Above certified and has taught barre at various health clubs and boutique studios. She also is a certified ACE group fitness instructor, RYT-200 yoga instructor, teaches breath-based power classes, as well as yin and chair yoga. She leads workshops for the public and is a special guest instructor for yoga teacher trainings. In addition, Mary-Allison is a corporate wellness coach for OM Training located in Fairhope, Alabama. As a young gymnast, her training paid off when she earned a 1st place individual and all-around state gymnastic title. She continued to engage in other sports, and played intramural sports throughout college. After college she worked as a newspaper and magazine editor before starting a family. She and her husband, Andy, have two daughters, Sophia and Camille, and enjoy spending free time at the beach, riding bikes, working in the yard and traveling.
Boca Raton, FL
Abbie Appel is a recreational therapist and the owner of AbbieFit Consulting. As fitness education specialist she collaborates with organizations including YMCA, Crunch, and Equinox. She is an author and program developer who created the SCW Pilates and SCW Stretching Certification and contributed to the ACSM Group Exercise Manual and Schwinn Indoor Cycling Certification Manual. Abbie is an acclaimed presenter for ACSM, IDEA, IHRSA and SCW, among others. She delivers fitness education for world-class brands including Nautilus, Schwinn and TRX.
kellyjh121675@hotmail.com
Westminster, CO
Kelly Hafer Married, total soccer mom of 2 boys, and 1 fur baby, full time fitness professional. I've been in the industry over 6 years. I teach 17 group fitness classes a week, pretty much every format there is, and I'm also a personal trainer. I work for the city in multiple facilities. Barre is my favorite format by far, with so many different styles to teach, it really is for EVERY BODY! My favorite motto, (if you will), is: You're Never too old and It's not too late!
mariapertilemt@gmail.com
Boulder, CO
Ever since she can remember, Maria’s passion has always been movement. Through her life she journeyed from group fitness, to pilates & yoga, to complimentary therapies and sound healing. Little did Maria know that this passion for movement would take her on a whole new journey of opening to the flow. At the present time, Maria wears many “work hats”. Her motto is, “Do what you love and call it work!” She currently is a Lead Instructor and a Master Trainer for Club Pilates, a Teacher Trainer for the Atma Buti® Sound & Vibrational School, Boulder AND also does freelance work on the side. Maria’s work life is full of blessings! For the last 23 years, Maria has dedicated her life to offering movement and vibrational therapy instruction. However; her path continues to lead her back to Pilates. As a lead instructor and a master trainer in the Club Pilates corporation, Maria has had the opportunity to serve many through teaching classes and instructing new teachers. It brings her great joy to watch others explore and expand their own knowledge and awareness. As a new trainer for Barre-Above, Maria is passionate about the exploration of Pilates as a functional practice that can apply to the masses through what is known as “vertical Pilates”. She is so excited to add this to her toolbox and teach others!
San Jose, CA
Sterling, VA