MEET OUR INSTRUCTORS

Amanda Gardner Studio Owner Amanda’s career as a pilates instructor began after years of traditional weight training. With a true love of fitness, but a desire to get more out of her repetitive “gym workouts,” Amanda decided to try out a pilates mat class. She was immediately hooked! The rapid results and changes that occurred in her body were unlike anything she had ever experienced. She became fascinated with this form of exercise and dedicated much of her time over the next few years to improving her own skills and learning more about the classical pilates method. With a background in education, Amanda decided to transfer her love of teaching into the fitness world. In 2006, she began her comprehensive certification through a Power Pilates program in Scottsdale, AZ. Constantly seeking to learn more, Amanda happened upon a continuing education course with world renowned instructor, Chris Robinson in 2015. She has worked under his mentorship ever since. In 2020, she was invited to participate in his year long, intensive master training program. This program transformed her teaching and deepened her understanding of the method profoundly. Amanda has been trained to work with clients of all ages and also with those suffering from pain caused by either injury, misalignments, or muscular imbalances. Over the course of the last 18 years, Amanda has worked with professional athletes and bodybuilders, expectant mothers, seniors, teenagers, and everyone in between! Over the years, Amanda has developed what can be described as an athletic approach to her training where she focuses on unlocking each body’s potential to move more efficiently through the use of the classical pilates system.  Amanda has received specialized training in the following areas: pregnancy and pilates working with individuals with a wide range of special needs (i.e osteoporosis, scoliosis, and hip, neck, knee, lower back, and shoulder issues) advanced work on the mat, reformer, tower, barrels and wunda chair In 2010, Amanda was honored to be selected as an ambassador, or community representative, for lululemon athletica, an athletic clothing store that specializes in yoga/pilates wear and other athletic apparel for men and women.

Jennifer Campbell
Jennifer has been a fitness enthusiast for most of her life. She spent her younger years playing sports, and later transitioned into traditional weight training, hiking and running. Jennifer was first introduced to pilates in 2006. She became a strong believer in the method when she noted the differences and changes in the way her body felt after doing pilates. After 15 years as an elementary school teacher, Jennifer decided to switch gears and pursue a career in the fitness industry teaching pilates. She first became certified to teach mat pilates. She enjoyed it so much that she made the decision to deepen her education further, and became comprehensively certified through Power Pilates in 2016. Jennifer finds such joy teaching others and sharing the benefits of Pilates. It’s so rewarding for Jennifer to see her clients experience themselves the benefits that pilates brings to both the mind and the body.

Amanda Zannis
Amanda Zannis is a third generation classical pilates instructor with over 19 years of teaching experience. Her introduction to the pilates method began shortly after a surgery prevented her from performing her regular weight training and running routines.  She was immediately hooked once she gained more strength and a more sculpted physique within a month of practicing with a skilled instructor three times a week!  She began teaching mat pilates in 2004 and was fully certified in the classical method with Power Pilates in 2009.  While vanity was her initial reason for wanting to learn more about this method, when she started working with clients and saw how it helped them to become stronger to perform daily functions or helped them ease their pain, she shifted her focus to truly teaching the body in front of her and her love of the method continues to grow with each happy client served.  In early 2020, Amanda was one of four Pilates instructors invited to participate in a year long intensive masters training program with Chris Robinson, world renowned second generation instructor who studied directly under Romana Kryzanowska and Jay Grimes.  As she ages, she is even more inspired to help spread the work of Joseph Pilates and help others and herself to be as strong and pain free as possible.

doug zabrocki
CMT, CPT
Doug Zabrocki is originally from Duluth, MN. He and his wife, Alicia, have been teaching pilates since 1997 and have been entrepreneurs for 18 years owning pilates studios and training facilities in Arizona (2002-2007) and Chicago (2008-2019). Doug was originally classically trained through Romana Kryzanowska, under mentorship of Juanita Lopez. Doug was a Power Pilates Teacher Trainer traveling nationally from 2002-2012. Doug is a licensed massage therapist having practiced in Minnesota and Chicago. This native of Minnesota has over 22 years of fitness/wellness instruction and experience. Working as a personal trainer and massage therapist in settings ranging from clinical hospital based programs to high end health clubs, Doug began to formulate his understanding of form, function and appropriate exercise prescription. With a strong background in exercise physiology from the University of Minnesota, and a life long passion of martial arts and anatomy, pilates became a very logical and appropriate career direction. Doug has had experience teaching pilates, Red Cord and Indo-Row. Doug’s hobbies include: harmonica, tai chi, comedic improvisation, hiking and is a huge dog lover. He is happy to be back in the desert with his wife, Alicia and their dog, Pepper, after a 12 year hiatus in Chicago.