Who Are We     What Makes Us Unique Rates What Is Pilates Group Classes Meet Our Staff Photo Gallery What Our Clients Say Workshops   Contact Us   Home	Meet Our Staff Susan Barnes, Studio Owner, is a certified instructor in the Pilates Method of fitness and rehabilitative movement. Susan combines her knowledge of Pilates, Active-Isolated Stretching, stability and balance training, and functional movement patterns to offer a workout that is challenging, yet suitable, for anyone - from seasoned athletes to sedentary office workers. Susan strives to improve ease of movement and to reduce stress and chronic muscle tension in her clients, incorporating Orthopedic Massage into sessions when indicated. Susan creates individualized home programs to compliment one-on-one sessions, using mat work, physioballs, foam rollers, therabands and body rolling. She emphasizes a teaching style that is relaxed, friendly and energetic. Susan received her Master Level Pilates Certification from Madeline Black’s Integrated Teacher Training program in Sonoma, CA. susan@findingcenter.com Kate Weglarz, Studio Owner, completed her certification in Pilates & Rehabilitation at the Ellie Herman Studios in San Francisco. California. With a B.F.A. in Dance and an M.A. in Dance & Movement Analysis, she brings her extensive studies of movement and the body to her teaching. Kate has worked with athletes, dancers and fitness enthusiasts as well as individuals with spinal injuries and neuromuscular disorders. Kate seeks to renew balance to the body, reduce and eliminate pain and enhance awareness and agility through focused Pilates training and her wide knowledge of exercises, imagery and release work. Her keen eye and generous spirit foster a renewed sense of health and well being. While living in Chicago from 2007-2009, Kate worked alongside Cindy Reid at flow studio and studied Asian Body Therapy and Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. In addition to dancing, singing and enjoying the benefits of Pilates, she is currently fulfilling a life-long dream of learning to figure skate. Linda Hillel discovered Pilates after a back injury, and was hooked immediately. Not only did Pilates rehabilitate her injury, but it also improved her core strength, alignment, and flexibility. The unintentional result was a career shift, from teaching cooking to teaching Pilates and fitness. Linda was certified in Pilates mat by PhysicalMind Institute, and she obtained her Pilates mat and apparatus certification from Turning Point Studios in Walnut Creek, CA. She continues to deepen her knowledge and skills with master trainers in both Pilates and fitness, including the Movement Medicine injury prevention and rehabilitation course at Turning Point Studios. With her energetic teaching style, Linda shares the joy of movement from a strong and safe center. Jessica Fudim Individualized private sessions, engaging group classes and an attentive eye are at the heart of Jessica Fudim’s approach to teaching Pilates. Jessica received her Pilates certification from the Ellie Herman Studio in 2001. Since then, she has studied Pilates-based physical rehabilitation with Lizz Roman and continues to fortify her teaching skills and repertoire with continuing education courses. In addition to working at Finding Center, Jessica is also a Senior Trainer and Teacher Training Instructor at EHS Pilates in San Francisco. She previously taught Pilates in New York and as a faculty member of the Experimental Performance Institute (EPI). Jessica discovered Pilates while completing her Dance B.F.A. studies at UC Irvine and CU Boulder. Determined to trump a doctor’s advice that she “stop dancing” as a result of back and foot pain, Jessica turned to Pilates for rehabilitation and a deeper understanding of how the body works. In turn, she is invested in empowering each of her clients to integrate the Pilates method toward reaching their mind-body goals—whether the aim is to rehabilitate from injuries, improve posture, increase the efficiency of physical performance, or simply get in better touch with the body. You can see her in action in the “Ball” Chapter of Ellie Herman’s Pilates for Dummies and on the stage performing with her company Jessica Fudim’s Dance Animals. Lise Prewitt has been a lover of movement her entire life. She began taking dance classes at an early age and never stopped dancing. She studied biology and chemistry as an undergraduate and began integrating movement and the biological understanding of the body with the study of Ideokinesis and Laban/Bartenieff. Pilates is a continual evolution of her training. Lise started her pilates training with The Physicalmind and completed it with Ellie Herman and since has gone on to learn various rehabilitation techniques. She incorporates all of her training in her work and enjoys working with a wide range of ages and levels of fitness. She also works with injuries including back, neck, knee and shoulder issues. She was part of Ellie Herman's teacher training faculty and is currently a faculty member of Balanced Body University, teaching students to become teachers. Lise finds satisfaction in watching individuals' awareness of their own bodies grow and flourish through this work. Bethany Clemen has ben enamoured with the human body and it’s movement since her introduction to ballet at 4 years old. She intensively pursued ballet to a pre-professional level when, at age 19, she sustained injuries that gave rise to a pathway studying anatomy, Body-Mind Centering, Franklin Imagery, Pilates, Feldenkrais, Bartenieff Fundamentals, and other healing arts. Since earning her Pilates Teacher Certification from Ellie Herman Studios in 2002, Bethany has been teaching pilates, injury rehabilitation, anatomy workshops and pilates teacher training. She is currently in her second year studying Hendrickson Method. She opened Divine Proportion Pilates in 2009 and continues to dance professionally as well as perform as a concert harpist and composer. www.divineproportionpilates.com Joan Smalley is a certified Energy Kinesiologist. Joan received her certificate in Kinesiology from ACCM, Australian College of Complementary Medicine. Born and raised in Berkeley, California, Joan was always drawn to helping others. Over the years she found many different ways of doing this, from working with children, to massage, to assisting in the corporate world. When she found Energy Kinesiology she knew she had found something special, a tool she could use to really help make a difference in peoples lives. Energy Kinesiology is a tool that connects with the body, mind and spirit, which allows people to improve their health, relieve stress and therefore bring more joy to their life. Once Joan found Energy Kinesiology she pursued it with passion, moving to Melbourne, Australia in order to study in an environment that supports holistic medicine. Joan is delighted to bring her skills back to the Bay Area where we too recognize the importance of holistic medicine. With her Kinesiology skills Joan can help reduce stress, fear, fatigue and pain. She can help improve memory, learning abilities, energy and more. If there is something you want to change, she wants to help you. Joan is committed to helping you find the answers that allow you to live a happier and healthier life. Bridget McCarthy's passion is working with people in meaningful ways to promote living conscious, healthy and joy-filled lives. As a Certified Pilates instructor recognized for her warm, intelligent, effective and humorous approach, Bridget inspires people to be their best selves by providing a centering, energizing and holistic workout for the mind, body and spirit. Having studied dance from the age of 5 in the Los Angeles area and ballet at the New York City Ballet's School of American Ballet at age 16, Bridget has extensive experience and understanding of how to properly and effectively work the body. Bridget believes the ideal exercise experience is both challenging and fun at the same time. She brings a sense of humor and a commitment to teaching proper body mechanics to create a stimulating and useful whole person workout. Bridget believes, as did Joseph Pilates, that we each have unrealized abilities to transform our lives through the simple and dedicated practice of caring for our mental, physical and spiritual health. Connecting with our bodies to develop and celebrate our abilities in living vibrant and healthy lives is a practice Bridget loves to share with others. Please visit her website, www.breathemovebewell.com to learn more! Vanessa Naja's love affair with movement started in early childhood and involves a variety of modalities including various dance styles, Yoga, Tai Qi/Qi Gong, Alexander technique, Franklin Method and Classical stretch/The Esmonde technique. Vanessa's interest in anatomy, kinesiology and the therapeutic application of movement led her to Pilates in which she is comprehensively certified through Balanced Body University. She has done extensive studies both privately and academically in anatomy and body mechanics and she uses this knowledge to help her clients achieve balanced and effortless movements in their activities of daily living as well as any sports or dance activities in which they participate. Vanessa continues to immerse herself in education related to her chosen field focusing particularly on rehabilitation work. She truly enjoys sharing the knowledge she has gained through her extensive work with various movement disciplines and applying this knowledge to help her clients achieve their goals. To find ouy more about Vanessa, please visit her website www.holisticmoving.com Marisa Pugliano has been teaching Pilates in Oakland, CA since 2000. She has enjoyed teaching privately and to large groups, to persons ages 10 - 90, and to all kinds of bodies - injured, coping, and thriving. Her specialties include post-operative and postpartum strength recovery, the treating of chronic pain, and giving a good workout. Marisa also serves her community as a Nutritional Counselor and a Yoga teacher. She is a native of Pittsburgh, PA and has lived in the Bay Area for over 15 years. She is proud to call Oakland, CA her home.