CORE Pilates & Yoga
feel better. see results. become transformed.
CORE Staff
Lara Garda, Studio Director & Founder
Lara
has over 18 years experience in the instruction of health and fitness.
She is an ACE Certified Group Fitness Instructor with a Bachelor
of Science degree in Physical
Education, Sports and Nutrition.
Lara began teaching group fitness in 1990, teaching aerobics,
step, slide, aqua and Spinning.
After training for her second Marathon yoga became a welcome
recovery and in 1999 Lara began taking the necessary steps to become a
Registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance.
Her certifications and trainings include: Integrative Yoga
Therapy with Joseph LePage, Baby Om, Fitness Yoga with Molly Fox, Yoga
Steps, YogaFit Levels 1, 2, 3, and
pre-natal. Lara is
also trained in Pilates Mat work, Reformer and MVe®
Chair through The Pilates Coach, Powerhouse, Stott and PEAK Pilates
organizations. Lara’s
signature class offerings include, Hello Toes Yoga!™
for Mom and Baby, Preschool and Kids Yoga as well as Yoga for Stress
Management. Her Pilates
Equipment training sessions are goal oriented and deliver a complete
workout for the mind and body.
Danielle Proctor, CEO & Founder
A
graduate of CMU, Danielle has over 10 years experience managing
businesses. After a knee injury requiring full ACL and meniscus
reconstruction, Danielle started personal Pilates training to enhance
her physical therapy program.
Experiencing immediate results and an unusually speedy recovery,
Danielle realized the true potential of Pilates and established CORE
Pilates & Yoga in 2008 with the goal of providing an affordable,
state-of-the-art Pilates equipment studio focused on customized results.
Danielle is happy to combine her love of Pilates and yoga with her
amateur golfing passion.
Jill
is originally from the Pittsburgh area and after high school she took a
brave new step and moved to Alaska!
She graduated from the University of Alaska, Anchorage with a
Liberal Arts degree and also attended the Computer Learning Center for
computers. Returning to
Pittsburgh as a computer analyst downtown she quickly realized that the
behind the desk job did not mesh with her adventurous spirit and
outgoing personality. Her
love for fitness and an active lifestyle emerged once again and she dove
into the health and fitness industry teaching group fitness and personal
training. It was along this
path that she discovered Pilates.
Jill has been teaching Pilates Mat work for 5 years. Her
trainings include Peak Pilates Level I, NETA Yoga, YMCA Kickboxing, step
and personal training. Jill
plans on continuing her Pilates training with Peak Level II in the near
future.
Leslie Georgiadis
Leslie
has been a yoga and Pilates instructor for 7 years. Her
yoga training hails from the Himalayan Institute, YogaFit Level I, II,
and III with supplemental training from Vinyasa Flow/Shiva Rae and
Anusara/John Friend. Leslie
has completed her PEAK Pilates Comprehensive Training and has additional
training in Barrel I & II and Chair I & II plus, Pilates MVe®
fitness chair. Leslie’s
SGTs are a mind/body explosion of energy and experience.
Her private sessions blend the ingredients of her vast education
and are customized to each individuals need.
Leslie also specializes in training dancers and athletes.
Trisha Self
Trisha,
a former LPGA Duramed Futures Tour player, has over 17 years of
experience in competing and working in the golf industry. She graduated
from Colorado State University with a B.S. in Health and Exercise
Science and a concentration in Health Promotion. Trisha received
certification through TPI in Golf Biomechanics Level II and Junior Golf
Player Development Level II.
With cutting edge fitness techniques, Trisha works with golfers of all
skill levels to improve their overall golf game and health. By combining
her passion for golf and her drive for fitness, Her focus is on creating
result orientated programs that will strengthen specific golf muscles,
improve overall flexibility and rotation with repetitive reinforcement
on balance and stability movements.
Lisa Standish
After an
ongoing love affair with all things fitness-related, it was yoga’s
ability to not only strengthen the body but soothe the mind that made
Lisa add a new path to her accomplished life. Trained in YogaFit
Level I and II, Lisa became an instructor to spread her passion for
yoga’s unique practice of physical and mental health and give it back to
others.
Lisa is an accomplished runner and tri-athlete, having competed
varying races including several half-Ironman races and two full Ironman
distance races with her third Ironman coming up in fall of 2012.
In addition to her passion for fitness, Lisa owns a family,
mediation and collaborative law practice and continues to give back to
the community by volunteering her legal services to multiple
organizations in the Pittsburgh area.
Lisa lives in Wexford with her husband, Bobby, their 8-year-old
daughter, 4-year old son, and their black lab.
Cathy Suchin
Cathy brings over 16 years
of group fitness experience with step aerobics, strength training and
Pilates. Her certifications
include AFAA – Group Fitness, Johnny G. Spinning, Resist-a-Ball, YMCA
Personal Training, Flexibility Training and Mat Pilates; plus PHI
Pilates Mat Work, and; CORE’s in-house ZenLates™ Training -
Pilates Based Movement Level 1, 2 and Chair.
Cathy is an avid sport enthusiast- running competitively in a
variety of road races from 5K’s to full Marathons.
She has won the masters division in Hershey Pa; 1/2 marathon in
2005 and the St. Barnabas 5K in 2010 plus qualifying for the Boston
Marathon! When she is not
running and teaching, Cathy is “running” after her five children and
dabbling in Triathlon Training.
Cathy strives to bring customized variety to each workout!
Betty Jo Thaman
Betty
Jo has over 26 years of professional experience in the fitness industry.
She is ACE certified as a Group Fitness Instructor and a Personal
Trainer specializing in pre/postnatal, post-rehab, cancer survivors, and clients with arthritis.
She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marshall University
(Huntington, WV). Betty Jo
began teaching Pilates mat in 2000 and reformer in 2004 with training
from PHI Pilates, Pilates Coach, and PEAK Pilates MVe®
Fitness Chair. She also has yoga training through AAAI-ISMA and YogaFit. Her specialty lies in training beginners, older adults, and those
with issues or limitations that need a slower, calmer approach through
her years of experience she is able to deliver a personal touch offering modifications for the beginner to more
advanced movements for those who like to” kick it up a notch” and
challenge themselves.
Sarah Tritch
Sarah graduated from Slippery Rock University in 2008 with a degree in
Athletic Training. During her time at Slippery Rock, she worked with
several college and high school level athletes during their athletic
related injuries including football, basketball, and field hockey. After
graduation, she continued work with the Slippery Rock Sliders and the
Special Olympics. Deciding to continue her education, Sarah went back to
school and completed a Massage Therapy Program from Everest in 2011. As
a Licensed Massage Therapist, she specializes in Sports Massage, Swedish
Massage, and Myofascial Release. She is also available for Aromatherapy,
Trigger Point, and Energy Work. Sarah enjoys creating beauty products
such as vegan chap-stick, sugar scrubs, and personalized aromatherapy
products. She believes in continually learning new therapy techniques
and modalities to incorporate into her practice. In 2012 she plans to
pursue Hot Stone, Reiki, and Pregnancy Massage.
Amy White
Amy
is a certified PHI Pilates instructor and has been teaching Pilates for
over 6 years. She started practicing Pilates when a running injury
prevented her from running and was introduced to the healing qualities
of the Reformer. After experiencing her recovery from intensive Pilates
work, she began to study and train in a Pilates studio in Wexford. Amy
has taught Pilates to a wide range of clients and enjoys teaching
equipment and mat classes as well as private instruction. Amy has lived
in the Pittsburgh area for 14 years and has her Bachelor Degree in Art
Education. She enjoys teaching art, fitness, Pilates and biking.