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Faculty Biographies – Inner IDEA® Conference
We've sought out 46 leading presenters from around the globe to provide you with a multisensory adventure that immerses you in mindful exploration. These presenters were selected for their passion, vision and prominence in the fields of mind-body-spirit wellness.
Lawrence Biscontini, MA, is the recipient of the 2004 IDEA Instructor of the Year award. He works for Golden Door Spas, is the creator of Yo-Chi® and is a master trainer for Resist-A-Ball®, Gliding™ and Smart Bells®. He possesses multiple personal training and group certifications, and is a registered Yoga Alliance teacher.
Jeffrey Briar is the director of the Laughter Yoga Institute in Laguna Beach, California. An enthusiastic, articulate and engagingly positive teacher, he is the founder of the first laughter club in the world (outside of India) to meet 7 days a week. Jeffrey certifies others as leaders in the hasya yoga/therapeutic laughter modality. In addition to his work in hasya yoga, he has over 35 years of experience as a teacher of traditional yoga.
Larry Cammarata, PhD, is a licensed psychologist, wellness educator and instructor of tai chi chuan with over 25 years of experience in the field of mind-body health and wellness. In his spare time, he is a professional musician who has performed locally, nationally and internationally.
Paul Chek is an expert in the fields of holistic health and personal development. For over 26 years, his unique, integrated approach to treatment and education has changed the lives of countless individuals worldwide by addressing all aspects of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being. He is the founder of the C.H.E.K Institute and the P~P~S Success Mastery Center in San Diego.
Kathy Corey is the owner and director of West Coast Pilates and the developer of the CORE Band™. She travels worldwide teaching workshops, training and certifying teachers and giving seminars to professionals and consumers alike. An active leader in the Pilates community for almost 30 years, Kathy is a valued member of the advisory boards for Inner IDEA® and Pilates Style magazine.
Katherine and Kimberly Corp own and operate Pilates on Fifth in New York City. Together, they founded the Pilates Academy International, a Pilates certification program that has certified more than 400 teachers to date. They were first certified through STOTT PILATES® and were instructor trainers for the company for nearly 5 years. Katherine and Kimberly hold several certifications, including ACE and NASM. They are GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® instructors and certified cancer exercise specialists.
Kay L. Cross, MEd, has owned Cross Coaching & Wellness in Texas for 20 years. Kay offers in-home personal training, business and life coaching and motivational speaking. She is certified as a strength and conditioning specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Lorna Francis, PhD, brings 30 years of experience as a university professor, author, international speaker and certified life coach to her interactive presentations. As a fitness and wellness professional, Lorna has published extensively and has received numerous honors for her contributions to the fitness field, including two lifetime achievement awards.
Eric Franklin is a dancer, educator, university lecturer and successful author. He is the founder of the Franklin Method® and teaches throughout the world, including New York University, the Royal Ballet School, the University of Vienna and the American Dance Festival. Eric has coached both world and European champion athletes in the Franklin Method and is the author of best-selling books in the mind-body field such as Dance Imagery for Technique and Performance, Dynamic Alignment Through Imagery and Pelvic Power.
Michael Fritzke and Ton Voogt are internationally-recognized Pilates presenters, educators, consultants and innovators with over 25 years experience in the fitness industry. They co-own ZENIRGY, LLC, and they created the revolutionary TRIADBALL™, two DVD lines and several Pilates certification programs.
John Garey, MS, has studied Pilates for more than 10 years. The owner of two Pilates studios in California, he is a STOTT PILATES®-certified instructor and holds a master’s degree in adult fitness. American Fitness magazine chose John as one of the top six instructors in the United States.
Ray Gin, DC, is the director of Body Wisdom Center for Healing, a holistic, integrative health center in Laguna Hills, California. He specializes in functional kinesiology and mind-body approaches that address the emotions and soul. Ray is also the president of PEP Talk, International, a nonprofit health education organization consisting of doctors from around the globe who teach cost-saving and self-care techniques.
Colleen Glenn is a master trainer and senior development director for Peak Pilates®. She is a well-known lecturer and educator and has been a pioneer in Pilates teaching and instructor training for more than 20 years.
Michele Hébert is a master yoga and meditation teacher, a natural nutritionist, an author and a pioneer in women’s wellness and spirituality. She is the owner of Spa Spirit Wellness, a company that provides spiritually-based wellness programs for groups and individuals.
Betsy Ingalls is a guild-certified Feldenkrais® practitioner and has been teaching Awareness Through Movement® classes at her studio in Santa Barbara, California, since 2002. She has been studying the Feldenkrais method and other mind-body-spirit modalities for the last 30 years, and continues to study with several advanced trainers in the Feldenkrais field. Betsy is also a white belt Nia® dancer, a student of Pilates and an Enneagram teacher.
June Kahn is the founder of June Kahn’s Bodyworks, LLC, and the director of education for BeamFit, LLC. As an international program developer and fitness educator, she is also the Life studio coordinator for Life Time Fitness® in Westminster, Colorado. June is the co-author of Morning Cardio Workouts, has developed several Pilates certification and training programs and has appeared in numerous fitness videos and DVDs. She is certified by ACE, ACSM and AFAA.
Michael King has been working with the Pilates technique for over 27 years and taught at the Voight Center as well as many other Pilates studios in Los Angeles. Michael is the founding director of the Pilates Institute in London and his Pilates programs are taught in over 26 countries worldwide.
Kim Kraushar holds a degree in kinesiology from Dalhousie University and has trained hundreds of health and fitness professionals throughout Canada over the past 7 years.
Michelle May, MD, is the award-winning author of Am I Hungry? What to Do When Diets Don’t Work. She founded the Am I Hungry?® Mindful Eating and Weight Management Program, receiving the Excellence in Patient Education Innovation award for her work. Dr. May has shared her compelling message and constructive approach with audiences nationwide. She conducts corporate weight management workshops and advises organizations about promoting healthy lifestyles.
Stacy McCarthy holds a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and is a well-respected conference teacher at some of the industry’s most renowned conventions. She is an ACE-certified instructor, a former regional program director for Club One and a former world-champion athlete.
Tom McCook is the founder and director of Center of Balance, and a nationally-recognized fitness and movement specialist. A personal trainer since 1984, Tom designs programs for health and life performance for working professionals, people rehabilitating from injuries and world-class athletes.
Kelly McGonigal, PhD, teaches yoga and psychology at Stanford University. She is a leading expert on the mind-body relationship and yoga for healing. Kelly is the editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Yoga Therapy and a frequent contributor to publications such as IDEA Fitness Journal and Yoga Journal. Her teaching brings together Western science, traditional yoga practices and Buddhist psychology.
David Mesirow is the creator of Beaming™, an activity-based lifestyle program that is the culmination of David’s 29 years of experience in the fitness industry, coupled with his social work background. He is a former Reebok® master trainer and Avia® select athlete. David has won numerous fitness accolades and he is certified by, and is an education provider for ACE and AFAA.
Jill Miller has 23 years of experience in the moving arts of modern dance, Pilates and shiatsu. She is a Yoga Alliance ERYT-200 instructor. Her teaching playfully integrates the nuts and bolts of human movement coupled with profound yogic philosophy. Jill teaches her unique style, Yoga Tune Up®, internationally, and her signature class is featured at Equinox® clubs around the U.S. Her work has been featured in Fit Yoga, Yoga Journal and Better Health & Living.
Kia Miller is a devoted yogini and teacher who shares her wonderful spirit and joy for life through her teaching. Her style is both intuitive and steeped in the traditional aspects of yoga. Kia is a member of the YogaWorks teacher training faculty and is passionate about the practice of yoga and the powerful tools it offers for personal transformation and self-discovery.
Karen Mullen, MS, is a GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® master trainer and the owner of the GYROTONIC Movement Center. Karen has published and presented both nationally and internationally in movement-related fields.
Cathleen Murakami is the director of Synergy Systems® Fitness Studio in Encinitas, California, specializing in Pilates and GYROTONIC® exercise. She is a veteran presenter at numerous IDEA conventions, an author and a producer of educational DVDs.
Mehrad Nazari, PhD, is a senior teacher of raja yoga and has been teaching for 15 years. He is a continuing education specialist in yoga for the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and an international presenter.
PJ O’Clair is the owner of Northeast Pilates, New England’s largest STOTT PILATES®-licensed training center with locations in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. She is a continuing education provider with 20 years of experience offering workshops in Pilates training, applied anatomy, stability ball and yoga. She is certified by ACE and ACSM.
Pamela Peeke, MD, MPH, FACP, is the chief medical correspondent for the Discovery Health Channel where she hosts the National Body Challenge TV series. She is also the author of the New York Times bestseller Body for Life for Women and Fit to Live.
Phyllis Pilgrim is the education director of Body-Mind-Spirit and Specialty Week Programs at Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort. She teaches yoga, meditation, labyrinth and meditation walks.
Kay Rice, MEd, is the founder and president of Spontaneous Health, LLC. She holds a master’s degree in exercise physiology, is a student of Deepak Chopra and is a certified Chopra Center instructor and Vedic master. Kay is an engaging speaker and workshop facilitator, as well as being a licensed corporate wellness coach and certified nutrition coach.
Debbie Rosas is the co-creator of the Nia® Technique, an international mind-body-spirit fitness and lifestyle program that is taught in 40 countries by over 1750 licensed teachers. Since 1983, Nia’s focus has been on mind-body-spirit education and program development.
Kathryn Ross-Nash has over 24 years of Pilates experience and is a former principle dancer for Ballet Hispanico. She has been featured in all of the Romana’s Pilates™ DVDs and is dedicated to the preservation of the original work of Romana Kryzanowska.
Laura Sachs is the creator of the E-MOTION® mind-body fitness video, relaxation and yoga walk programs. A mind-body expert with over 20 years experience, Laura has created fitness content for the Soma Management website and has been featured in Shape, Fit Yoga, Natural Health, IDEA Fitness Journal and American Fitness. Laura holds several certifications, including ACE, AFAA and RYT.
Shannon Paige Schneider is an author, sacred activist and dedicated teacher of Shiva Rea’s Prana Flow. Shannon is an expressive student of the symbolic nature of tantra and mystic poetry. She interweaves her students’ unique purpose-driven inspiration into the divine play of body and breath to unlock the secret wisdom held within the heart.
Barbara Schwarz is a GYROTONIC® master teacher and the owner of GYROTONIC Los Angeles. She has been studying GYROTONIC methodology since 1995 and is certified in all levels of GYROTONIC and GYROKINESIS® curricula.
Megan Scott, PhD, has 20 years of training and practice in mind-body self-regulation techniques. She teaches at California Pacific Medical Center, the Institute for Health and Healing and the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry. Megan is the founder, director and contributing researcher at the Chronic Pain Institute and the co-author of Yoga With Weights for Dummies.
Norma Shechtman, MEd, MA, was named the 2003 ACE Group Fitness Instructor of the Year. She has been in the fitness field for over 30 years, has written numerous books and articles, and has scripted and directed several videos. Norma is known for her down-to-earth, caring and unassuming presentations.
Nora St. John has been teaching Pilates in studio, group and postrehabilitation settings for over 18 years. She is the education program director for Balanced Body® University and holds a Pilates Method Alliance certification.
Rick Stollmeyer is the founder and CEO of MINDBODY® and has worked closely with the wellness industry for 10 years helping fitness professionals run their businesses more successfully.
Deborah Szekely is the founder of the world-class spas Rancho La Puerta and Golden Door. A spa industry pioneer, Deborah has dedicated more than 65 years to defining and enhancing the spa experience.
Zoey Trap, MSc, is a Peak Pilates® master trainer and the co-owner of the InnerSpace in Connecticut. With a focus on alternative therapy and the spine, Zoey helps instructors learn how to work with each body’s unique posture to enhance potential. Her work has been published in seven languages, featured in four DVDs and was recently featured in Pilates Style magazine. She holds certifications in and is an education provider for ACE and AFAA.
Mari Winsor is responsible for bringing Pilates to new levels of public recognition through her workouts with celebrities and professional athletes. A long-time professional dancer and teacher, Mari now owns and operates two Pilates studios in the Los Angeles area.
Lawrence Biscontini, MA, is the recipient of the 2004 IDEA Instructor of the Year award. He works for Golden Door Spas, is the creator of Yo-Chi® and is a master trainer for Resist-A-Ball®, Gliding™ and Smart Bells®. He possesses multiple personal training and group certifications, and is a registered Yoga Alliance teacher.
Jeffrey Briar is the director of the Laughter Yoga Institute in Laguna Beach, California. An enthusiastic, articulate and engagingly positive teacher, he is the founder of the first laughter club in the world (outside of India) to meet 7 days a week. Jeffrey certifies others as leaders in the hasya yoga/therapeutic laughter modality. In addition to his work in hasya yoga, he has over 35 years of experience as a teacher of traditional yoga.
Larry Cammarata, PhD, is a licensed psychologist, wellness educator and instructor of tai chi chuan with over 25 years of experience in the field of mind-body health and wellness. In his spare time, he is a professional musician who has performed locally, nationally and internationally.
Paul Chek is an expert in the fields of holistic health and personal development. For over 26 years, his unique, integrated approach to treatment and education has changed the lives of countless individuals worldwide by addressing all aspects of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being. He is the founder of the C.H.E.K Institute and the P~P~S Success Mastery Center in San Diego.
Kathy Corey is the owner and director of West Coast Pilates and the developer of the CORE Band™. She travels worldwide teaching workshops, training and certifying teachers and giving seminars to professionals and consumers alike. An active leader in the Pilates community for almost 30 years, Kathy is a valued member of the advisory boards for Inner IDEA® and Pilates Style magazine.
Katherine and Kimberly Corp own and operate Pilates on Fifth in New York City. Together, they founded the Pilates Academy International, a Pilates certification program that has certified more than 400 teachers to date. They were first certified through STOTT PILATES® and were instructor trainers for the company for nearly 5 years. Katherine and Kimberly hold several certifications, including ACE and NASM. They are GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® instructors and certified cancer exercise specialists.
Kay L. Cross, MEd, has owned Cross Coaching & Wellness in Texas for 20 years. Kay offers in-home personal training, business and life coaching and motivational speaking. She is certified as a strength and conditioning specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Lorna Francis, PhD, brings 30 years of experience as a university professor, author, international speaker and certified life coach to her interactive presentations. As a fitness and wellness professional, Lorna has published extensively and has received numerous honors for her contributions to the fitness field, including two lifetime achievement awards.
Eric Franklin is a dancer, educator, university lecturer and successful author. He is the founder of the Franklin Method® and teaches throughout the world, including New York University, the Royal Ballet School, the University of Vienna and the American Dance Festival. Eric has coached both world and European champion athletes in the Franklin Method and is the author of best-selling books in the mind-body field such as Dance Imagery for Technique and Performance, Dynamic Alignment Through Imagery and Pelvic Power.
Michael Fritzke and Ton Voogt are internationally-recognized Pilates presenters, educators, consultants and innovators with over 25 years experience in the fitness industry. They co-own ZENIRGY, LLC, and they created the revolutionary TRIADBALL™, two DVD lines and several Pilates certification programs.
John Garey, MS, has studied Pilates for more than 10 years. The owner of two Pilates studios in California, he is a STOTT PILATES®-certified instructor and holds a master’s degree in adult fitness. American Fitness magazine chose John as one of the top six instructors in the United States.
Ray Gin, DC, is the director of Body Wisdom Center for Healing, a holistic, integrative health center in Laguna Hills, California. He specializes in functional kinesiology and mind-body approaches that address the emotions and soul. Ray is also the president of PEP Talk, International, a nonprofit health education organization consisting of doctors from around the globe who teach cost-saving and self-care techniques.
Colleen Glenn is a master trainer and senior development director for Peak Pilates®. She is a well-known lecturer and educator and has been a pioneer in Pilates teaching and instructor training for more than 20 years.
Michele Hébert is a master yoga and meditation teacher, a natural nutritionist, an author and a pioneer in women’s wellness and spirituality. She is the owner of Spa Spirit Wellness, a company that provides spiritually-based wellness programs for groups and individuals.
Betsy Ingalls is a guild-certified Feldenkrais® practitioner and has been teaching Awareness Through Movement® classes at her studio in Santa Barbara, California, since 2002. She has been studying the Feldenkrais method and other mind-body-spirit modalities for the last 30 years, and continues to study with several advanced trainers in the Feldenkrais field. Betsy is also a white belt Nia® dancer, a student of Pilates and an Enneagram teacher.
June Kahn is the founder of June Kahn’s Bodyworks, LLC, and the director of education for BeamFit, LLC. As an international program developer and fitness educator, she is also the Life studio coordinator for Life Time Fitness® in Westminster, Colorado. June is the co-author of Morning Cardio Workouts, has developed several Pilates certification and training programs and has appeared in numerous fitness videos and DVDs. She is certified by ACE, ACSM and AFAA.
Michael King has been working with the Pilates technique for over 27 years and taught at the Voight Center as well as many other Pilates studios in Los Angeles. Michael is the founding director of the Pilates Institute in London and his Pilates programs are taught in over 26 countries worldwide.
Kim Kraushar holds a degree in kinesiology from Dalhousie University and has trained hundreds of health and fitness professionals throughout Canada over the past 7 years.
Michelle May, MD, is the award-winning author of Am I Hungry? What to Do When Diets Don’t Work. She founded the Am I Hungry?® Mindful Eating and Weight Management Program, receiving the Excellence in Patient Education Innovation award for her work. Dr. May has shared her compelling message and constructive approach with audiences nationwide. She conducts corporate weight management workshops and advises organizations about promoting healthy lifestyles.
Stacy McCarthy holds a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and is a well-respected conference teacher at some of the industry’s most renowned conventions. She is an ACE-certified instructor, a former regional program director for Club One and a former world-champion athlete.
Tom McCook is the founder and director of Center of Balance, and a nationally-recognized fitness and movement specialist. A personal trainer since 1984, Tom designs programs for health and life performance for working professionals, people rehabilitating from injuries and world-class athletes.
Kelly McGonigal, PhD, teaches yoga and psychology at Stanford University. She is a leading expert on the mind-body relationship and yoga for healing. Kelly is the editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Yoga Therapy and a frequent contributor to publications such as IDEA Fitness Journal and Yoga Journal. Her teaching brings together Western science, traditional yoga practices and Buddhist psychology.
David Mesirow is the creator of Beaming™, an activity-based lifestyle program that is the culmination of David’s 29 years of experience in the fitness industry, coupled with his social work background. He is a former Reebok® master trainer and Avia® select athlete. David has won numerous fitness accolades and he is certified by, and is an education provider for ACE and AFAA.
Jill Miller has 23 years of experience in the moving arts of modern dance, Pilates and shiatsu. She is a Yoga Alliance ERYT-200 instructor. Her teaching playfully integrates the nuts and bolts of human movement coupled with profound yogic philosophy. Jill teaches her unique style, Yoga Tune Up®, internationally, and her signature class is featured at Equinox® clubs around the U.S. Her work has been featured in Fit Yoga, Yoga Journal and Better Health & Living.
Kia Miller is a devoted yogini and teacher who shares her wonderful spirit and joy for life through her teaching. Her style is both intuitive and steeped in the traditional aspects of yoga. Kia is a member of the YogaWorks teacher training faculty and is passionate about the practice of yoga and the powerful tools it offers for personal transformation and self-discovery.
Karen Mullen, MS, is a GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® master trainer and the owner of the GYROTONIC Movement Center. Karen has published and presented both nationally and internationally in movement-related fields.
Cathleen Murakami is the director of Synergy Systems® Fitness Studio in Encinitas, California, specializing in Pilates and GYROTONIC® exercise. She is a veteran presenter at numerous IDEA conventions, an author and a producer of educational DVDs.
Mehrad Nazari, PhD, is a senior teacher of raja yoga and has been teaching for 15 years. He is a continuing education specialist in yoga for the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and an international presenter.
PJ O’Clair is the owner of Northeast Pilates, New England’s largest STOTT PILATES®-licensed training center with locations in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. She is a continuing education provider with 20 years of experience offering workshops in Pilates training, applied anatomy, stability ball and yoga. She is certified by ACE and ACSM.
Pamela Peeke, MD, MPH, FACP, is the chief medical correspondent for the Discovery Health Channel where she hosts the National Body Challenge TV series. She is also the author of the New York Times bestseller Body for Life for Women and Fit to Live.
Phyllis Pilgrim is the education director of Body-Mind-Spirit and Specialty Week Programs at Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort. She teaches yoga, meditation, labyrinth and meditation walks.
Kay Rice, MEd, is the founder and president of Spontaneous Health, LLC. She holds a master’s degree in exercise physiology, is a student of Deepak Chopra and is a certified Chopra Center instructor and Vedic master. Kay is an engaging speaker and workshop facilitator, as well as being a licensed corporate wellness coach and certified nutrition coach.
Debbie Rosas is the co-creator of the Nia® Technique, an international mind-body-spirit fitness and lifestyle program that is taught in 40 countries by over 1750 licensed teachers. Since 1983, Nia’s focus has been on mind-body-spirit education and program development.
Kathryn Ross-Nash has over 24 years of Pilates experience and is a former principle dancer for Ballet Hispanico. She has been featured in all of the Romana’s Pilates™ DVDs and is dedicated to the preservation of the original work of Romana Kryzanowska.
Laura Sachs is the creator of the E-MOTION® mind-body fitness video, relaxation and yoga walk programs. A mind-body expert with over 20 years experience, Laura has created fitness content for the Soma Management website and has been featured in Shape, Fit Yoga, Natural Health, IDEA Fitness Journal and American Fitness. Laura holds several certifications, including ACE, AFAA and RYT.
Shannon Paige Schneider is an author, sacred activist and dedicated teacher of Shiva Rea’s Prana Flow. Shannon is an expressive student of the symbolic nature of tantra and mystic poetry. She interweaves her students’ unique purpose-driven inspiration into the divine play of body and breath to unlock the secret wisdom held within the heart.
Barbara Schwarz is a GYROTONIC® master teacher and the owner of GYROTONIC Los Angeles. She has been studying GYROTONIC methodology since 1995 and is certified in all levels of GYROTONIC and GYROKINESIS® curricula.
Megan Scott, PhD, has 20 years of training and practice in mind-body self-regulation techniques. She teaches at California Pacific Medical Center, the Institute for Health and Healing and the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry. Megan is the founder, director and contributing researcher at the Chronic Pain Institute and the co-author of Yoga With Weights for Dummies.
Norma Shechtman, MEd, MA, was named the 2003 ACE Group Fitness Instructor of the Year. She has been in the fitness field for over 30 years, has written numerous books and articles, and has scripted and directed several videos. Norma is known for her down-to-earth, caring and unassuming presentations.
Nora St. John has been teaching Pilates in studio, group and postrehabilitation settings for over 18 years. She is the education program director for Balanced Body® University and holds a Pilates Method Alliance certification.
Rick Stollmeyer is the founder and CEO of MINDBODY® and has worked closely with the wellness industry for 10 years helping fitness professionals run their businesses more successfully.
Deborah Szekely is the founder of the world-class spas Rancho La Puerta and Golden Door. A spa industry pioneer, Deborah has dedicated more than 65 years to defining and enhancing the spa experience.
Zoey Trap, MSc, is a Peak Pilates® master trainer and the co-owner of the InnerSpace in Connecticut. With a focus on alternative therapy and the spine, Zoey helps instructors learn how to work with each body’s unique posture to enhance potential. Her work has been published in seven languages, featured in four DVDs and was recently featured in Pilates Style magazine. She holds certifications in and is an education provider for ACE and AFAA.
Mari Winsor is responsible for bringing Pilates to new levels of public recognition through her workouts with celebrities and professional athletes. A long-time professional dancer and teacher, Mari now owns and operates two Pilates studios in the Los Angeles area.
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