Julia Trovato - Senior Teacher
Julia’s lifelong passion for physical fitness lead her to find the benefit of Pilates for her own movement and fitness. Julia has always had an appreciation for the balance of strength and flexibility. Julia pursued her interest in Pilates by becoming Peak Comprehensive Certified Instructor. Most recently she has completed her certification to become an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach.
Working with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Julia graduated a year-long academic program specializing in a holistic approach to wellness. Always a believer in the mind-body connection, Julia uses her certification to connect with clients and develop a plan for reaching their wellness goals.
Julia is a fitness fanatic. As a mother of four, she has spent countless hours in the gym, on the field, cheering from the sidelines and helping to coach and organize her children’s various sporting activities. After raising three Division-I athletes, Julia continues to be involved with various sports teams in the Pittsburgh area and has a passion for giving back to the athletic community.
Judy Elias - Senior Teacher
Judy is a Peak Pilates® Comprehensive Certified Instructor and Mad Dogg Spinning® Instructor. Judy has successfully completed the Peak Pilates® Comprehensive Exam which is a nationally recognized certification test given by Peak. Judy began Pilates with a certification through Power Pilates in New York in 2003 and then went on to complete her certification through Peak Pilates®. Judy is also certified through AFAA in Group Exercise, Cycle, Zumba, Senior Fitness and Kettlebell, and has been teaching group classes and training private clients for 24 years. Look for Judy on the local Moon Access Channel; she hosts a Pilates TV show!
Mara McClain - Teacher
Mara began her commitment to fitness as a teenager doing Jazzercise and considered becoming an instructor. She hung up her leg warmers and leotard in college. She started Pilates to combat the back pain that comes with age which strength training didn’t address. Strengthening her core took away the back pain and she was a Pilates believer! Mara is a Peak Level 2 Pilates instructor.
She is the mother of two adult children, two dogs and the wife of a Foodie thus the continued commitment to fitness. She walks, plays tennis, skis and spins.
Caitlin Randall - Senior Teacher
Caitlin started practicing Pilates years ago after a running injury left her with severe back pain. She fell in love with the Pilates Method and the way it made her feel strong and balanced. Caitlin is comprehensively certified through Power Pilates, PMA and is a Peak Pilates Level 2 instructor. She loves the feeling a Pilates lesson gives her and hopes to share it with her clients as they start and expand their fitness journey. She and her husband have two girls, three dogs and lots of giggles!
Abby Popovic - Teacher
Abby is a Level 2 Peak Pilates Instructor. She developed her passion for Pilates through trial and error of finding a fitness routine that worked for her. Abby loves how Pilates is so strengthening yet rehabilitative as well. She hopes to share Pilates with her peers in order to promote a strong, healthy lifestyle!
Abby is a Sewickley native and has a great fondness for her hometown. She has many ties to the small business in the area and is excited to continue working within the Sewickley community.
Jennifer Kardos - Teacher
Jennifer has always had a passion for fitness from a young age through dance, sports, and group fitness. She achieved an Exercise Science degree from Slippery Rock University. After graduation, she spent 4 years teaching exercise classes and coordinating Wellness Events at Passavant Retirement Community, which was followed by health coaching for Cigna Health Insurance for 10 years. There she worked with individuals to improve their mental and physical health.
Jennifer started learning Pilates with Mat, and then she decided to complete the Comprehensive Certification Program for Pilates. She is certified through Club Pilates and Pilates Method Alliance. She also holds a certification in barre fitness and is working to complete the Women’s Health and Exercise certification. During her free time she is busy with her son, husband, and rest of her family. She enjoys running, hiking, and traveling with them.
Elizabeth Miller - Teacher
Elizabeth is in training to become a Peak Pilates Level 1 certified instructor. She is a certified yoga instructor, and former ballet dancer. From the dance industry to getting her degree and joining the corporate world, she has consistently been drawn to the mind-body-spirit connection. Through trial and error in her own practices, she has found ease, freedom and joy in holistic wellness and is excited to continue to share through the Pilates practice.
Though Elizabeth’s roots are in Philadelphia, she is married to a Sewickley-native and has equally fallen in love with the city of Pittsburgh. When not in the studio, you can find her exploring the farmers market, planning her next travel or sailing on Lake Erie.
Leigh Ducoeur - Apprentice
Leigh is a graduate from Duquesne University with a Masters in Occupational Therapy. She has 25 years of experience in variety of settings including pediatrics, early intervention, geriatrics, outpatient, home care, and mental health.
She also holds certifications as a personal trainer (ACE & NASM), senior fitness specialist (NASM), PWR! (PARKINSON WELLNESS RECOVERY) Certification, Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, certified dementia practitioner and MMOA (modern management of the older adult).
Leigh taught Pilates for 3 yrs while living in Columbus OH. She is currently studying to obtain her level 1 certifications through Peak Pilates. She is looking forward to combining her experience of an OT and love for Pilates to promote active aging and help others achieve their optimal level of health and wellbeing.
