Pilates Teck's certified teachers are always the best that the Pilates industry offers.
Find out who the best are today! All of our teachers hold certifications from companies that required a minimum of 400 hours of training.
Karena Thek Lineback
President of Pilates Teck
certified by Polestar
Karena comes to Pilates from a professional dance career. Dancers have been using Pilates exercise for over 70 years to maintain a long, lean physique while tremendously increasing their strength. It wasn’t a big leap then, when she retired from dancing to open her own Pilates studio. Karena’s interest in tailoring exercise programs to fit very individual needs, directed her to become certified in Pilates post-rehabilitation by Polestar Education. She also holds certifications from the PhysicalMind Institute as well as the American Council on Exercise. Her past studies of kinesiology and anatomy at the University of Utah are just a small part of her ongoing study of movement. Her years of study culminated in the writing of OsteoPilates; Increase Bone Density, Reduce Fracture Risk, Look and Feel Great! (New Page Books 2003). She is also a contributing author to “Cancer Wellness,” a manual for rehabilitating and working with patients with cancer. Karena continues to write for newspapers including the Los Angeles Daily News. As a result of her expertise, Karena has been a guest on nationally syndicated radio shows including Ed McMahon’s Lifestyles, as well as many local radio stations. In 2007, the Propel Fitness Water Company asked Karena to be their spokesperson. Also, in 2007, Karena was interviewed by Bottom Line Health, a health publication that goes to doctor's offices around the nation.
Karena's newest project is starring in the PBS special, 'Pilates for Healthy Bodies with Karena Thek Lineback'. The special began airing nationwide in June 2009. While Karena has had to make time for tv and radio interviews, she continues to work one-on-one with clients. Karena's passion and specialty is working with people who have special needs due to injury or chronic conditions.
In order of their appearance at Pilates Teck:
Suzi McDonald Hill
Director of Instruction
certified by BASI
Suzi has worked consistently as a dancer in feature films, commercials, stage and industrials for the past 12 years. She came to Los Angeles from Seattle on a professional dance scholarship to Edge Performing Arts Center. From there, she was busy as a Laker Girl, world tours with the Beach Boys and Latin artist Chayanne, filming commercials for ESPN, NBC Sports, Ford and many others. She can be seen in feature films “Forrest Gump” and “Showgirls”, as well as dancing with Robin Williams on the 72nd Academy Awards. Suzi’s resume also includes many industrial shows and stage performances for Disney, “Legends in Concert”, in Las Vegas “BRAVO starring Charo and “American Superstars”. As well as performing, Suzi has guest taught and judged dance competitions nationally. As associate director of Wild Room Productions, she brings her experience and creativity to the stage with “VAMPS” performing at Risqué inside the Paris hotel in Las Vegas.
In 2000, Suzi began to transition her performing career to pilates personal training earning certification with Rael Isacowitz from Body, Arts and Science International in Costa Mesa, California. At Keith Klevens Physical Therapy in Las Vegas, Nevada, she became experienced in pilates for physical rehabilitation for sports, dance, women’s health, and debilitating conditions. In addition, Suzi continued teaching pilates at Body and Soul Pilates, also in Las Vegas.
Suzi has two daughters and has a lot of experience with what it means to get back into shape after 4 months of bedrest with her 2nd daughter.
Suzi has been with Pilates Teck since 2004. She was a fitness model for the PBS Special and DVD, Pilates for Healthy Bodies with Karena Thek Lineback, that was hosted and produced by Pilates Teck.
Jordana Ruhland
certified by Pilates Teck
Jordana Ruhland grew up in the SCV. After taking ballet for years locally, she left California in 1988 to attend Vassar College, in Poughkeepsie, New York. Jordana majored in English Literature and graduated with honors in 1992. Upon returning to California, she began working in Los Angeles as an editorial assistant at Glamour and House & Garden, both Conde Nast publications. She then worked as an assistant editor at Bon Appetit magazine. While immersed in her career in publishing, Jordana continued to take ballet classes to satisfy her love of dance. She continued editing and dancing until the birth of her first child. Jordana took up Pilates after the birth of her second child to get back into shape and to improve her posture. However, what began as a way to exercise and lose the "baby weight" became a passion for her. After coming to the studio as a client for eighteen months, she decided to become certified so that she could share her enthusiasm for Pilates. Jordana's compassionate but firm approach has transformed many bodies but more importantly has encouraged people along their path of feeling better about their health and about themselves in general.
Jordana has been teaching at Pilates Teck since 2006.
Melissa Lee
certified by Health and Fitness, a classical New York style training
Another SCV native, Melissa Lee joined Pilates Teck in December of 2006. She brought with her a classical New York style Pilates training, high energy and the ability to highly motivate all clients. Melissa is currently training for a triathalon that takes place in October of 2009. She is raising money from pledges for the Circle of Hope. So far she has raised just over $2,000 for The Circle of Hope! Go Melissa! Melissa has run 5 marathons and too many triathalons and half-marathons to count. As a serious athlete, Melissa brings that athleticism to her clients through a focused teaching approach. She is a passionate group fitness instructor and can energize any group to fitness success. Outside of her classical training, most of Melissa's continuing education is through Stott education. Melissa and her husband have two sons. Melissa did a half marathon when she was 8 months pregnant with her 2nd son and did a 10k when he was 6 weeks old. The boys are growing fast. Don't blink, Melissa!!!
Lisa Colvard
certified by Pilates Teck
Lisa joined Pilates Teck as a client in 2001. Not many years later, she went through a rigorous training program and is now a certified Pilates instructor. Lisa was a fitness model for the PBS special, Pilates for Healthy Bodies with Karena Thek Lineback. You can also see Lisa on the accompanying exercise DVD.
Lisa grew up an army brat on or around military bases in Europe and the United States until she finished high school. As a child, she was always athletic and early on she figured out that the more sports she was involved in the less availability she would have to do housework. So, she ran Junior AAU track and even placed in the Junior Olympics a couple of years. In addition to being a sprinter she played team volleyball, and later took on Tae Kwon Do.
At Washington State University she studied Business and after graduation moved from Tacoma to Los Angeles where she worked in an administrative position at a movie studio. Deciding a desk job was not for her, she began taking courses in TV production. From there she freelanced as a Production Assistant on various projects for about two years which included going on the road as a wardrobe assistant. She began her career in Post Production in 1990 and worked as an editing and telecine assist until 1999 when long hours of working in the dark and the birth of her son caused her to significantly curtail her work load. During this time she also discovered she could no longer do a sit up. She began taking Pilates in 2002 and has been hooked ever since.
“It has strengthened me in a way no other sport or form of exercise ever has. My love of doing Pilates became a desire to help people through teaching.” --Lisa
Wendy Hassenpflug
Wendy has worked as a dance teacher in both public and private sectors for the past 21 years. She came to Los Angeles from Orlando, where she performed with a jazz dance company and taught dance at The Disney Institute at Walt Disney World. Prior to that she was co-captain for the World League of Amercian Football Gold Dust Girls in San Antonio, while finishing her Bachelors in dance at Southwest Texas State University. Wendy has choreographed and directed for high school dance programs in Las Vegas, Denver, Austin and locally in Burbank as well as for an Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic competitor. Currently she is an adjunct dance faculty member at College of the Canyons, where she teaches yoga and modern dance. Wendy is also a judge for the United Spirit Association for both regionial and national dance/drill and song competitions.
In 2005, Wendy began to incorporate pilates and yoga as well as personal fitness into her repertoire. Having seen the benefits of pilates and yoga in her own life, she set out to become certified to instruct others and share her knowledge. She finds pilates to be an amazing accompaniment to all the activities in her own life and enjoys showing others how to complement pilates with their lives as well.
Joanna Blades
Kinesiologist
Director of Teacher Training at Pilates Teck
certified by Stott Pilates and the Pilates Method Alliance
Before joining Pilates Teck in February 2008, Joanna owned her own studio in Northern California, 'Core Connections'. At 'Core Connections', Joanna earned a reputation for having a great eye for detail and for being able to change minute aberrations in movement patterns in order to perfect a client's performance. Her ability to see those minute details partly stems from her kinesiology background, a bachelors's degree she obtained at Humboldt State University. Joanna's skill and background makes her a great addition not only to our rehabilitation location but also for our fitness studio where people strive to make permanent changes in their bodies. Joanna was a fitness model for the PBS special hosted by Pilates Teck: Pilates for Healthy Bodies with Karena Thek Lineback.
Sheyla Cintron
Certified in New York Style Pilates
Sheyla is a former dancer turned Pilates instructor. Sheyla grew up in Puerto Rico and moved to Connecticut to study with the Hartford Ballet Conservatory. She rapidly moved into a professional dance career including dancing with a tour of 'West Side Story' and being a cast member with a Broadway dance solo in 'Cats'. Her theatre credits also include 'Moonchildren', 'Antigone', 'The Little Prince', 'Sweet Charity', 'Cabaret', 'Puerto Rican Carnaval', 'Paquita', and 'Sleeping Beauty'. Sheyla moved to Los Angeles and pursued an acting career. Again she was successful. She performed a recurring role on 'That's Life' and had roles in 'Zoolander' and 'Sex and the City'. Also having a successful modeling career, she was the Bud Girl, The Corona Girl, the Tecate Girl and the Jack Daniel's Girl. Sheyla has two young sons.
Crystal Lacey Edwards
Info on Crystal coming soon!