Instructors

View our team of amazing professionals

Wahida Sharman, Owner

Wahida is the owner and the inspiration behind EPY Pilates. She graduated from occupational therapy school at San Jose State University in 1988. Due to her own personal injuries Wahida found herself on a journey of health and fitness that started with yoga in 1995 that led to further training in Pilates, Gyrotonic ® Method exercise, the Franklin Method®, and eventually to instruct and inspire new teachers. She is a Balanced Body Master Trainer and a Gyrotonic ® Pre-Trainer. Wahida has mentored with Tom McCook, Nora St. John, Juliu Horwath, Debra Rose, Eric Franklin, Morten Ditmer and numerous other wonderful teachers who have inspired her along her journey. Her eclectic experience brings diversity to her teaching style while adhering to each discipline’s principles. She is excited to share her knowledge and inspire new teachers.

Megan Soske – Senior Instructor

Integrative Movement and Gait Specialist – Anatomy in Movement Practioner (AiM) – Certified Gyrotonic ® Instructor – PMA Certified Pilates Instructor – Master Pilates Teacher, Balanced Body
Megan integrates several movement methodologies to improve clients’ functional movement, reducing pain or enhancing athletic performance. Her goal is to help clients through issues, to find healthier movement, and to prepare them to continue strengthening using other modalities.

Everyone’s most common form of movement is walking. Dysfunctional walking habits could create pain resulting in limited activities of daily living and athletic endeavors. With every step, all bones and associate joints should move in a sound biomechanical way. Megan uses her in-depth knowledge of biomechanics of the gait cycle (Anatomy in Motion) to evaluate and change a client’s habitual movement patterns.

Megan Soske
Megan Soske

Megan Soske – Senior Instructor

Integrative Movement and Gait Specialist – Anatomy in Movement Practioner (AiM) – Certified Gyrotonic ® Instructor – PMA Certified Pilates Instructor – Master Pilates Teacher, Balanced Body
Megan integrates several movement methodologies to improve clients’ functional movement, reducing pain or enhancing athletic performance. Her goal is to help clients through issues, to find healthier movement, and to prepare them to continue strengthening using other modalities.

Everyone’s most common form of movement is walking. Dysfunctional walking habits could create pain resulting in limited activities of daily living and athletic endeavors. With every step, all bones and associate joints should move in a sound biomechanical way. Megan uses her in-depth knowledge of biomechanics of the gait cycle (Anatomy in Motion) to evaluate and change a client’s habitual movement patterns.

Holly Thompson

Holly Thompson – Senior Instructor

Certified Pilates Method Alliance  GYROTONIC® & GYROKINESIS®   Instructor

Holly’s background in movement began with growing up as a competitive figure skater. She started Pilates in 1993 as a supplement to her skating; improving performance and correcting imbalances. She trained under Brent Anderson, PT, and founder of Polestar Pilates. After many years of taking Pilates herself, she moved on to become an instructor and was mentored by Elizabeth Larkam through Pilates and Beyond. She is certified with the Pilates Method Alliance. After being introduced to the Gyrotonic EXPANSION SYSTEM® in 2003, Holly was instantly drawn to this movement approach because of its flow and relevance to skating.

Jenny de la Vega

Pilates Instructor

Jenny was introduced to Pilates as a young ballet student.  Her teacher, Barbara Crockett, founder of The Sacramento Ballet was an avid Pilates devotee well into her late 90’s.  She stressed the importance of supplementing ballet classes with Pilates, and what Barbara  recommended, you did!  Jenny trained with Sacramento Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Vail and Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle.  Each of these schools incorporated Pilates as part of their curriculum.  She danced professionally with both Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and her hometown company Sacramento Ballet. Pilates was not only instrumental in creating the strength and flexibility necessary for a ballet career but was invaluable as rehabilitation from two career-ending injuries involving her back and hip. Memorable highlights from her dance career include the London Tour of Midsummer Night’s Dream with Pacific Northwest Ballet, performing for former President Gerald Ford and Betty Ford, former President George Bush Sr. and Barbara Bush and performing at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre.  

Mesa Burdick

Certified GYROTONIC® Instructor

Mesa Burdick was introduced to Gyrotonic ® exercises in her early years as a ballet student, and instantly connected with the practice. She found it helped her body recover and corrected imbalances before they turned into injuries. Years later, she would join the Sacramento Ballet in 2019, but Gyrotonic ® movement was always a constant in her life. Inspired by her mother who is also a Gyrotonic ® certified instructor, she became certified in 2021. She finds great joy in helping her clients resolve issues in the body, build a deep integral strength, gain more flexibility, and improve their coordination. Her background in ballet provides her years of first hand experience resolving her own pain and injuries which informs her intuitive approach. She aims to help clients reach their goals and find liberation in movement. When Mesa is not teaching, you can find her rehearsing with the Sacramento Ballet and performing their seasonal repertoire.

Nadia Kull – Senior Instructor

 PMA Certified Pilates Method Alliance Instructor   Master Pilates Teacher Balanced Body

Nadia began her Pilates journey in 2007 as a student following an Achille’s tendon injury while training for a marathon. Over time she realized that this practice was life changing and she decided to pursue her certification through the Physical Mind Institute. She is PMA Certified, has completed the Balanced Body teacher training program and most recently became a Master Trainer for Balanced Body to instruct students to become Pilates teachers!

Nadia has a BS in biology and Business Administration from the University of Illinois Circle Campus and Elmhurst College respectively. She spent over 20 years as a successful Sales and Marketing Executive for Fortune 1000 companies. She also worked for a well known motivational speaker, traveling worldwide helping people work on personal self-empowerment.

Nadia Kull – Senior Instructor

 PMA Certified Pilates Method Alliance Instructor   Master Pilates Teacher Balanced Body

Nadia began her Pilates journey in 2007 as a student following an Achille’s tendon injury while training for a marathon. Over time she realized that this practice was life changing and she decided to pursue her certification through the Physical Mind Institute. She is PMA Certified, has completed the Balanced Body teacher training program and most recently became a Master Trainer for Balanced Body to instruct students to become Pilates teachers!

Nadia has a BS in biology and Business Administration from the University of Illinois Circle Campus and Elmhurst College respectively. She spent over 20 years as a successful Sales and Marketing Executive for Fortune 1000 companies. She also worked for a well known motivational speaker, traveling worldwide helping people work on personal self-empowerment.

Christie Underwood – Pilates Instructor

Christie’s passion for fitness led her to Pilates after 15 years in the fitness field. She has been doing Pilates in her body since 2002 and quickly became a mat instructor. She began teaching Balanced Body Reformer classes in 2015 and later added the chair, barrels, and the tower.  Christie is a strong believer in the lifelong concept of mind/body/spirit and has witnessed how Pilates contributes to this triad. She has studied with many Balanced Body Master Instructors and continues to study alongside them at EPY Pilates.

Christie considers herself fortunate to have found her passion for fitness during high school and carried it forward Western Oregon University teaching aerobic fitness classes. She continued to train at Salem YMCA for dry land and water aerobics instruction. This provided Christie with a remarkable opportunity to broaden her horizons … halfway around the globe. She was offered a spot with the International Studies Abroad program in Israel.  Here she shared her passion for exercise, and it’s benefits with members and guests of the International YMCA in Jerusalem.

Jenna Dennis – Pilates Instructor

Jenna started her Pilates journey by feeling afraid to go to a class. With a poor mind-body connection her coordination needed work– which she found embarrassing when trying to keep up with a class. Jenna found the least intimidating studio she could find and fell in love with being in her body while improving her coordination. She now has a better embodiment of herself resulting in a deeper mind-body relationship. With a background in Chinese Medicine Jenna loves to bring a touch of energetics into her sessions to help clients find a deeper mind-body connection – thus engaging the spirit into her sessions.  Jenna enjoys working with all ages and abilities.  
 
Jenna has successfully completed Comprehensive Balanced Body Pilates Teacher Training with Pilates master instructors at EPY Pilates

Jenna Dennis – Pilates Instructor

Jenna started her Pilates journey by feeling afraid to go to a class. With a poor mind-body connection her coordination needed work– which she found embarrassing when trying to keep up with a class. Jenna found the least intimidating studio she could find and fell in love with being in her body while improving her coordination. She now has a better embodiment of herself resulting in a deeper mind-body relationship. With a background in Chinese Medicine Jenna loves to bring a touch of energetics into her sessions to help clients find a deeper mind-body connection – thus engaging the spirit into her sessions.  Jenna enjoys working with all ages and abilities.  
 
Jenna has successfully completed Comprehensive Balanced Body Pilates Teacher Training with Pilates master instructors at EPY Pilates

Leslie Ann Wilson – Pilates Instructor

Leslie Ann Wilson had a long career as a professional modern dancer and choreographer including performances in LA and across the US. She studied at the California Institute of the Arts for dance. Her dance career exposed her to Pilates. This led to her love for pilates – that was fifteen years ago! Leslie used Pilates training to be a better dancer and realized the potential impact Pilates had on herself and others. She pursued Pilates teacher training and went on to become a professional Pilates instructor in 2009.

Leslie had wonderful opportunities to work with and assist physical therapists to provide post – rehabilitation care using Pilates. Working in the physical therapy and rehab community helping people overcome injuries and regain their overall health was fulfilling and gave her a solid foundation. She has worked with some of the top physical therapists in LA and Sacramento to increase her knowledge in many different areas.

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