About

Paula Lester

Operations Director | Certifications: Peak Pilates Level III, WITS Personal Training, AFAA Group Exercise Instructor, Zumba, PIYO, AIS (Active Isolated Stretching), RIPPED

Paula is the former owner of her own Pilates Studio and has over 10 years of experience in the fitness industry. As a lifelong dancer, Paula has always had a love of movement. That love eventually led her to the fitness world where she pursued her Personal Training Certification. In 2010 she embraced the opportunity to begin her Pilates career. Studying under Peak Master Trainers Zoey Trap and Pamela Garcia, Paula completed over 800 hours of Pilates training obtaining her Level III Peak Pilates Certification. She continues to expand her knowledge of Classical Pilates with continuing education and personal practice.

Paula’s teaching style is both challenging and encouraging. She uses Pilates to empower her clients to enhance their physical and mental health. Paula is mindful to address every client individually and cater their program to their specific needs. One of her favorite parts of teaching is the ability to educate clients on how to use their bodies correctly to make them feel better and stronger. Her knowledge of anatomy and movement coupled with her patience and dedication to each and every client has made her a successful instructor.

Paula teaches a variety of fitness and Pilates classes. She is also available for Private Pilates and Training sessions.

Kristine Ciardiello

Certifications: Level 3 Peak Pilates

An avid fitness enthusiast, runner, and skier, Kristine Ciardello has been instructing fitness classes on the shoreline for 17 years. She first became interested in Pilates to enhance her running and weight training. The amazing changes she saw in her body and strength inspired her to pursue a professional Pilates certification. Today she is a level 3 certified Peak Pilates teacher and works with people of all ages, fitness levels, and special populations. Her deep conviction that perfect health comes from a healthy moving body inspires her to continue her study of bodies in motion.

Kristine strives to teach her students how to re-align their bodies, strengthen their core and create healthy movement patterns with total spinal stability. Her deep understanding of the Classical approach to Pilates enables her students to take what they learn in the studio and apply it to everyday life. She believes that learning is an ongoing process and has studied under some of the most renowned Pilates teachers alive today. She continues her studies by regularly attending seminars and workshops. Today Kristine teaches private Pilates lessons, small group classes, spinning, and strength training. She encourages her students to work hard, have fun, and to enjoy Pilates and all of its benefits.

Melissa Bonner

Certifications: NASM Certified Personal Trainer, NASM Certified Nutrition Coach, AFAA Certified Group Exercise Instructor, Total Resistance Exercises (TRX)

Melissa is dedicated to helping individuals realize their wellness potential. Her passion for fitness and living a healthy lifestyle turned into a career she loves. Those who work with Melissa achieve results, feel great about their progress and are confident in what they can accomplish next. Whether you are new to exercise or not, Melissa’s “all-level” approach to teaching her classes will meet your expectations and help you to push out of your comfort zone.

Melissa specializes in Barre and HIIT (high-intensity interval training) class formats. She is certified in TRX, a form of suspension training that uses bodyweight exercises. Melissa utilizes TRX in her personal training sessions to develop strength, balance, flexibility, and core stability.

Susan Kaempf

Instruction: Group Exercise / Pilates Mat | Certifications: Privé- Swiss Pilates Teacher Training Program Mat Certification, Certified American Barre Technique Instructor

Susan has had a lifelong passion for health and fitness and has been an instructor for over 25 years. A decade ago, she discovered Pilates and was immediately hooked!

Following her passion, Susan left the corporate world behind to pursue a career in fitness. Her enthusiasm for fitness and wellness is obvious and contagious! Susan’s dedication to her professional education will continue for the rest of her life and she is excited to share that knowledge with her students… inspiring them on their own fitness journeys.

Susan teaches Rebounder, Barre, Barefoot Bands as well as Cardio Yoga.

Traci Costanzo

Instruction: Yoga | Certifications: E-RYT500 registered with Yoga Alliance

Traci is devoted to yoga and continually works to deepen her practice through teaching and study. She blends these influences with a safe environment for students to connect to their inner strength. She is E-RYT500 registered with Yoga Alliance. She enjoys the physical challenges the practice offers and embraces the opportunity to quiet the mind and spirit while slowing down and releasing tension.

Traci’s yoga class provides a soothing sequence to promote health and flexibility, create calm in the mind, and restore balance and harmony in a mindful practice of breath, movement, and meditation. Yoga has helped Traci slow down a bit and she feels the freedom of breath and movement is transformational. Traci finds the opportunity to share the practice with others a true gift.

Sara Angelini

Instruction: Pilates

Sara’s Pilates journey began in 2011 by matter of serendipity — and she hasn’t looked back since. Sara is comprehensively certified through Peak Pilates. She aims to tailor each class and lesson to the body in front of her — and looks forward to sharing your Pilates journey with you.

Nancy Finke

Instruction: Pilates

Nancy began practicing Pilates with our team in 2011 and completed the Privé-Swiss Pilates Teacher Training Program in 2019. Nancy loves learning from our other instructors and being inspired by our clients. She teaches with the idea that anyone can do Pilates — and loves that her clients’ ages range from 18–80! Her personal goal is to be able to continue pilates into her 80’s since as we age balance, flexibility, and core strength are so important.

Victoria Chamberlin

Instruction: Pilates | Certifications: Pilates Academy International Apparatus and Mat Certified, 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training with Yogaworks

Over the 20+ years of practicing Pilates, Victoria has found it to be one of the best forms of movement and exercise that truly addresses all aspects of mobility and strength in a safe, smart, and progressive way. With an innate interest in the human body, Victoria was certified in mat and all apparatus Pilates through Pilates Academy International in 2013. Her desire to further study the human experience as well as dive deeper into her own relationship with the Mind/Body connection led Victoria to complete her 200-hour Yoga teacher training through YogaWorks in 2013. Victoria is also a local Chiropractor; she and her husband own Back to Balance Chiropractic & Family Wellness in Guilford. As a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.), Victoria has extensive training in anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, and biomechanics as well as pre/peri/postnatal populations. An avid supporter of props and safe alignment for every BODY, Victoria is passionate about guiding a practice that is accessible to any population. Each day is different from the next; Victoria strives to offer instruction and hold space that meets you where you are in the present moment. Victoria’s philosophy is simple: she believes in and subscribes to healing and wellness from the inside out!

Jenn Konin

Instruction: Pilates

Jennifer has studied Pilates since 2006 and has been teaching the Peak Pilates® method since 2012. She was first introduced to Pilates after suffering a neck injury as a result of an automobile accident. Pilates changed her life by focusing on her core strength, posture, and overall mind-body awareness, in doing so she regained full range of motion in her neck and alleviated her pain entirely. As a result of her experience with Pilates, she changed her career so she could help other people achieve the same results.

She has been trained by highly regarded leaders in the close-knit community of classical Pilates. 
Jennifer has an innate ability to connect with students of all ages. She is patient and caring and provides a safe environment to promote learning, allowing students to explore their own potential. She has worked with celebrities, and competitive athletes, and is sought out by high-level executives from across the country. She also enjoys teaching teens and adults of all fitness levels and with limitations such as neck, shoulder, and back as well as hip and knee conditions.

Pilates is a unique discipline designed to work from the inside out focusing on core stability, flexibility, and quality of movement. With Jenn’s guidance students develop greater body awareness, strength, and confidence. Through Pilates, they are able to feel and see results quickly.

Kim Brand

Certifications: The Nia Technique – Black Belt Level Instructor, American Barre Technique, Level 1 Instructor

Kim has always had a love for dance, leading an athletic lifestyle, and community. She started teaching The Nia Technique in 2016. After retiring from a 15-year career in telecommunications, Kim completed her Nia White Belt Certification and began co-teaching a local Nia class. It was the spirit of dancing in community and “sensing” what was happening in her body that resonated with and inspired her. In 2017, Kim made the decision to pursue teaching Nia as a full-time career. As time went by in various studios, Kim was introduced to Barre, loved it, and achieved her teaching certification. 

Kim teaches from a deeply sacred place while inviting plenty of play, balancing the discipline and precision of the form – be it dance, martial or healing arts – with lots of room for freedom, expression, and evolution.