Rena Shields

My journey in the Pilates industry began in 1997 when I completed my Mat certification through the PhysicalMind Institute, followed by my full certification with Polestar Pilates in Post-Acute Care Rehabilitation in 1999. Over nearly three decades, I’ve witnessed tremendous change with both the growth and the growing pains of our industry in Canada.

In 1999, I opened my first studio in Vancouver, offering Reformer classes long before they were a trend. From 1999 to 2005, that space was a place of innovation and learning, until pregnancy and shifting priorities led me to downsize and focus on private rehabilitation work, a practice I continue to this day.

Through these years, I’ve seen the Pilates community expand, but also fracture. The challenges became especially clear during the pandemic, when unsafe practices emerged, and when too many instructors and practitioners were left vulnerable, physically, financially, and professionally. My own experience with a life-altering injury brought this truth into sharp focus: as independent contractors, we have no safety net when our bodies, which are our tools, are injured.

These experiences revealed a gap in our industry. There is no unified Canadian association that represents and protects Pilates professionals across all approaches and levels of training. There is no registry to verify credentials, support ethical standards, or provide a foundation for community care.

This is WHY I founded the Canadian Pilates Method Society (CPMS)

The CPMS is being created to:

• Establish a National Registry where instructors, practitioners, and educators can build and maintain their professional reputation

• Ensure ethical standards for how apprentices, instructors, practitioners, and educators are treated within studios, clinics, and training programs

• Create grants to support individuals who are unable to afford Pilates as no one in our community should be left without help when life happens

• Create opportunities through education, grants, and recognition across the diverse approaches to the Pilates Method practiced in Canada

My vision is that the CPMS will give every Pilates professional, from apprentices to educators, a place to belong, to be recognized, and to be supported. This is not just about structure; it’s about care, integrity, and the sustainability of our craft.

Founder/ 1st West Coast Director

Faye Li

My name is Faye Li, and I am a Pilates studio owner and movement practitioner based in Vancouver, BC. I believe deeply in Pilates as both an evolving practice and a growing professional field in Canada. As a studio owner who works primarily one-on-one and one-on-two, I see every day what clients truly need from this profession: clarity, integrity, and consistent standards. I also see how much the public relies on us for rehabilitation, strength, longevity, and well-being and how urgently our industry needs unified, transparent guidance. Pilates in Canada is at a turning point. We can choose to solidify a meaningful foundation for growth, or continue allowing inconsistent training, outdated standards, and a lack of public education to define the landscape. I believe the next generation of instructors, clients, and studio owners deserves something stronger, clearer, and more unified.

What I bring to this position:

• Integrity: My work is rooted in client-centered care, evidence-informed movement, trauma awareness, and long-term professional development.

• Collaborative leadership, I lead a team of instructors and work closely with other movement practitioners. I prioritize communication, transparency, and creating environments where instructors feel heard, supported, and valued.

• Knowledge of the field, working directly with clients while running a studio, gives me insight into the real issues instructors face: accessibility, inconsistent training quality, public misconceptions, competition with unregulated certifications and trends, and the gap between rehabilitation and movement.

• Commitment to diversity in Pilates I believe multiple lineages and approaches can coexist under a shared standard of excellence, safety, and ethics.

A forward-facing vision My goal is to support the establishment of meaningful, transparent standards that elevate the profession, protect clients, and ensure instructors across Canada, especially the upcoming generation, have a profession they can thrive in. I am passionate, pragmatic, and deeply invested in seeing Pilates in Canada evolve into a profession that is respected, accessible, and grounded in integrity. Thank you for considering my nomination. I look forward to contributing to the growth and future of our profession.

2nd West Coast Director

Annabel Scott

With over 23 years as a Pilates studio owner, I bring extensive experience in fascial education, therapeutic movement, integrative health, and mind–body education. I am Manitoba Fitness Council certified and the creator, Master Trainer, and Master Evaluator of its Reformer Certification Program. My training includes Stott® Mat and Reformer, Stott® Injuries and Special Populations, Gyrotonic®, Yamuna Body Rolling®, MELT® Method Hand & Foot, MELT Neuro-Strength and Performance, ELDOA, Trauma-Sensitive Yoga and Mindfulness, LUNGtivity, and intenSati. I hold a Master’s Level Diploma in Integrative Medicine & Healthcare from the National College of Integrative Medicine (U.K.) and am a Fellow of the Society for Integrated Health.

As the part-time LUNGtivity Program Coordinator for the Manitoba Lung Association and owner of Winnipeg’s largest stand-alone Pilates studio, I specialize in empowering clients with therapeutic and restorative needs, including back pain, arthritis, injury recovery, cancer, fibromyalgia, and more. My passion is helping people understand their bodies, challenge limiting beliefs about pain and aging, and cultivate new ways of thinking and moving so they can feel better, function better, and achieve meaningful wellness goals.

1st Central Canada Director

Adriana Sartori

I have a Bachelor's in Physiotherapy, master's degree in Neurological Rehabilitation, and Pilates instructor with 25 years of experience dedicated to helping individuals move better, recover safely, and build long-term wellbeing. For the past decade, I have owned and operated Adirection Pilates, a studio known for integrating evidence-based rehabilitation with classical and contemporary Pilates methods. My work focuses on creating inclusive, adaptable movement programs that meet clients where they are, from injury recovery to athletic conditioning.

As both a clinician and studio owner, I understand the diverse realities of Pilates practitioners across Canada: the business challenges, the educational gaps, and the need for unified standards that still respect the richness of different Pilates lineages. I am committed to advancing a collaborative, professional community where educators, instructors, and clinicians can support each other while maintaining high-quality training and client care.

I bring:

• Strong clinical background in rehabilitation, biomechanics, and injury prevention.

• Studio leadership and operations experience, including team development and client-centered program design.

• Commitment to integrity and professional ethics, grounded in my long-term healthcare experience.

• Collaborative mindset, valuing dialogue across different Pilates styles and professional backgrounds.

• Vision for growth, focusing on elevating the recognition of Pilates within the broader health and wellness landscape.

I believe this new Pilates society is an important step toward strengthening our profession nationally. As a board director, I would work to support diversity in approaches while helping build clear standards, stronger community connections, and more opportunities for professional development across Canada.

2nd Central Canada Director

Cara Hazelton

I am a NCPT (Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher) has been doing Pilates for 20 years. A 3rd generation teacher from Joe Pilates, I have more than 25,000 hours of teaching experience. I completed my comprehensive training with Clare Dunphy (A second generation teacher). I spent dozens of hours learning from Jay Grimes in the 2010’s (who learned from Joe Pilates himself). In addition, I have taken many workshops with the best teachers in the world including: Inelia Garcia, Brooke Siler, Blossom Leilani Crawford, Saul Choza, Dorothee Vandewall, Kathi Ross-Nash, Peter Fiasca, Anthony Rabara, Chris Robinson, Cary Regan, Fredrik Prag, Murat Burkin, and others.

My Pilates expertise is paired with formal education.

• A MScKin graduate

• I teach with the most recent movement science

I am:

• a founding and board member of the Pilates Teacher Association of the UK

• I have sat on the board of the Authentic Pilates Union

• I also sat on an exam creation committee with the National Pilates Certification Program.

• I also consult with Pilates Scandinavia to provide feedback and collaboration on their full line of Pilates Apparatus.

• I consult for Studio Grow, providing business coaching to boutique fitness studio owners.

I own Precision Pilates Studios, two fully equipped, comprehensive Pilates studios in Atlantic Canada, as well as Authentic Pilates Canada, and I have trained dozens of teachers in Canada and beyond since 2014. Most recently, Cara launched LEAD Pilates Education, a hybrid learning Teacher Education program that is gaining traction globally.

1st East Coast Director

Michele Beauchamp

I am a 3rd-generation certified classical Pilates Teacher. I trained under Brett Howard and obtained my certification in 2014 with the New York Pilates Studio. As an external student, I trained twice a week with Marion Knackstedt (Peak comprehensive trainer) for 4 years and later worked under the mentorship of Lorraine Kelly (The Pilates Center or TPC) at her downtown Montreal studio. I am interested in all things Pilates as well as other types of movement. I never miss an opportunity to visit all styles of studios.

I value the extensive Classical Pilates education I have received; however, I believe the best teachers are students. We need to learn from other teachers, whatever their backgrounds, but also from the clients who trust us with their bodies and their desires to move pain-free.

2nd East Coast Director