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Pilates People has experienced tremendous growth, largely due to the effectiveness and satisfaction a fully-integrated Pilates program produces. The staff now includes several highly motivated professionals, each of whom brings the same dedication to a science-based, humanly realized program which has helped to define Pilates People from day one.
 Doreen Hall, PT
Owner
Doreen is co-owner of Pilates People, and has over 20 years of experience as a licensed physical therapist. Doreen has been teaching Pilates for 11 years, and has found that it is an invaluable tool for integrating awareness and facilitating the body’s innate ability to heal through movement. Doreen has a diverse backround in physical therapy with emphasis in manual therapy . Her clinical experience includes pre-natal and postpartum rehab, sports and orthopedic rehab as well as work with seniors. Doreen is currently teaching the “Walk Tall” program for osteoporosis prevention and management to seniors in San Diego. Doreen Graduated from Quinnipiac University in 1989, with a BS in Physical Therapy, and is an active member of the APTA and the PMA.
 David W. Hall, M.S.
Owner - Pilates Method Alliance Certified
David is a graduate of San Diego State University in Exercise Physiology. His research study, "The Effects of Pilates Based Training on Gait and Balance in an Elderly Population" was published in the International Institute of Sport and Human Performance, and was presented at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) national conference (Seattle, 1999). David is certified in the Polestar approach of Pilates training for rehabilitation. David worked in SDSU's Adult Fitness Program conducting maximal exercise testing and developing exercise prescriptions for adults of all fitness levels. He has over five years of experience teaching Human Anatomy and Dissection at San Diego State University and at Miramar College. These collective experiences allow him to bring a strong working knowledge of biomechanics and the musculature of the human body to every exercise session.
 Daniella Olave, B.S.
Daniela is a Pilates instructor with a respected background in professional ballet. She has recently chosen to retire from her ballet career in order to teach Pilates full time and share her love of movement. She has been trained in the mat and apparatus work and has received her education from the Stott Pilates Trainers program.
Daniela's dance career began with the California Ballet School in 1982. During the summer of 1992, Daniela was accepted to New York City's Joffrey Ballet School trainee program. From 1993 to 1996 she attended the University of California Santa Barbara and received a Bachelors of Science degree in Geological Sciences. While at the University, Daniela continued her professional dance career by joining the Santa Barbara Festival Ballet Company. Upon finishing her Bachelor's degree in 1996, she returned to San Diego to perform with the California Ballet Company as a company member. Daniela also worked with the California Ballet School as a ballet instructor for ages ranging from young children to adults.
Jonni Garro
Jonni Garro began studying Pilates fifteen years ago as an injured dancer. She completed her certification through Julian Littleford in January 2005 and taught in multiple studios in New York City until returning to California in 2006.
Along with Pilates, Jonni has studied various disciplines and forms of movement including Alexander Technique, Butoh, Suzuki, yoga, ballet, tap, and ballroom dancing. She brings her knowledge of these forms of movement and her experience with the body into her teaching to inspire her students to find joy in all movement as well as encouraging them to push their minds, bodies, and spirits past of what was thought possible.
Jonni is a forever performer and continues to pursue her first love, dance.
 Selena Emma Di Paolo
Born and raised in San Francisco, CA, Selena is a classically trained ballet dancer. By the age of 16 she was teaching ballet to all levels, and at age 19 she moved to NYC to pursue a dancing career. While living in NYC she began doing Pilates for cross training and injury rehab and shortly thereafter, motivated by her passion for teaching and working with people, became a certified Pilates instructor through the Integrated Teacher Training Program run by Madeline Black in 2002. Following, she taught and managed a Pilates studio in the Berkeley, CA area.
In 2005 she moved to San Diego and worked for a Pilates studio in Encinitas, CA. Through this studio she obtained further certifications in both Mat Work and full apparatus equipment through the Long Beach Dance Conditioning (LBDC- Marie Jose) certification program. Her personal goal for her work is to help people become better connected to their bodies, with great emphasis on form, breath, core strength, and all over flexibility. Selena wants her clients to feel good, look good and see these improvements come from within.
Suzanne Wise, B.A.
Suzanne was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan where she began dancing at the age of four. Seven years later, she and her family relocated to San Diego where she continued to pursue her love of dance throughout high school. Unable to dance in college due to injuries to her foot, she found an outlet through rowing and competed with Beach Crew at Cal State University Long Beach. Suzanne’s passion for movement of the body also lead her to swimming, yoga, African dance, kayaking, running and biking but it wasn’t until she discovered Pilates that she found a connection to her background in dance. After graduating from San Diego State University with a BA in Painting and Printmaking, Suzanne completed her Pilates certification through Julian Littleford.
Currently a PMA Certified Pilates Teacher at the studio, she receives daily gratification from being able to teach clients about the deep connection of the mind to the body. She is a firm believer that only with the connection and awareness of breath, will the body then achieve optimal core strength and overall balance, strength and flexibility.
Luisa Elizondo, PT
Luisa graduated from Fresno State University with a Masters in physical therapy in 1995. She has been a practicing therapist for 12 years. She has worked in San Diego hospitals within the acute care, in-patient rehab and outpatient orthopedic settings. Her primary experience has been within the outpatient orthopedic clinics, utilizing manual treatment, exercise and postural awareness to improve the function and wellbeing of her patients. Luisa began Pilates for her own enjoyment and self rehab after a back injury. Realizing the value, she became a Stott certified Pilates instructor to use the principles and exercise to help clients' needs.
Karen Turner, MS, PT
Karen has been in the physical therapy industry for over 15 years; 11 years as a licensed physical therapist. Her background is diverse as it all started in the fitness industry at age 16 teaching aerobics and personal training a variety of clients, then becoming a massage therapist. Seeing that injuries were widespread, Karen wanted to pursue more knowledge and background on treating and preventing injury. This led her to physical therapy where she obtained her Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy at Chapman University in 1997. Since then, she has been busy working in San Diego outpatient orthopedic settings where manual therapy is the focus.
Along the way, Karen became a pilates enthusiast in the early 1990’s. She was exposed to pilates while being a regular guest instructor at Rancho La Puerta fitness spa. Later taking more pilates classes with and learning from instructors trained under the Long Beach Dance Conditioning program. Karen has also incorporated the basic pilates principles into her physical therapy treatments. Integrating the healing touch with functional training is very powerful and successful in controlling pain.
Currently, Karen is pursuing her Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy with a Manual Therapy emphasis through the University of St. Augustine, which is the first physical therapy school here in San Diego! Karen never stops learning and is eager to help her patients gain control of their health.
Tanya Wagers, MPT, CSCS
Tanya graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2003 with a master’s degree in physical therapy. She has been practicing in outpatient orthopedics physical therapy since then. She also has experience in sports rehabilitation, running form analysis, acute hospital rehabilitation, and post operative rehabilitation. She has also earned her certification as a strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Tanya uses a variety of techniques for treatment, including manual therapy, functional rehabilitation, exercise, stretching, pilates, and plyometrics.
Tanya began running at age seven and continues to be active in the running community. She participates in a local running group and has acted as an assistant coach to a girls’ running program. Since living in San Diego, she has started competing in triathlons. She also enjoys occasionally surfing, hiking, snowboarding, and wakeboarding.
Jessica Garfin, DPT
Jessica received her Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology from the University of Colorado, her Masters of Physical Therapy from Northwestern University and just recently completed her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from AT Still University. She has been a physical therapist for 11 years and has worked in a variety of physical therapy settings, specializing in outpatient orthopedics for adults and adolescents. Jessica is currently pursuing Pilates training and she enjoys using a combination of techniques, such as manual therapy, exercise, Pilates and stretching to assist her patients in reaching their rehabilitative goals. Jessica’s thirst for knowledge keeps her constantly taking continuing education classes to continually expand her knowledge in the field of physical therapy. As a Physical Therapist, Jessica has an outstanding understanding of how the human body moves and personally understands the benefits of integrating physical exercise into her daily routine.
Sarah-Jane Romano, MSW, HHP
Sarah-Jane is a recent transplant from Boulder, CO, where she practiced massage for six years following completion of a 1000 hour training program at the Boulder College of Massage Therapy. She holds an MSW and has worked as a licensed psychotherapist in New York, West Virginia and Colorado, and was also a vision therapist in Boulder, helping children to learn to use their eyes for greater success in school. Sarah-Jane was a phys-ed and health teacher at a private school for five years, and also teaches fitness/dance classes and is herself an avid dancer, runner, rock climber, road biker and yogini. Sarah-Jane is certified in prenatal, labor, and post-partum massage as well as having extensive experience with sports injury treatment, trauma work, and ongoing study in shiatsu (a form of acupressure). She is thrilled to join our facility and is a firm believer in the power of Pilates to develop and maintain optimal fitness and functioning. Sarah-Jane enjoys singing, playing the guitar, and finger-painting with her step-son in her spare time.
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