Tonya Leeka, Owner / Certified Instructor
Tonya is a FULLY CERTIFIED STOTT PILATES INSTRUCTOR and is recognized by STOTT PILATES and MERRITHEW HEALTH & FITNESS as a POST REHABILITATION SPECIALIST.  Tonya has been teaching Pilates since 2004. 
Tonya works with clients of all abilities from post rehabilitation to advanced.  "I love working with a variety of people each day and seeing them experience the benefits of Pilates.  Whether they are here to get in shape, stay in shape, improve their sport, or improve their   quality of life, it brings me joy knowing that I am helping them achieve that goal."
Tonya graduated from Missouri State University with a BFA in Dance Performance.  She took her first Pilates mat class at an American College Dance Festival in 1995 which sparked her interest in Pilates.  Eight years later after doing Pilates on her own and loving the way it made her feel and look, she decided to go for her certification in August of 2003 so she could teach others.  Tonya received her level I & II Certification in 2006.  The combination of her love for dance and movement with her interest in anatomy and bio-mechanics has proven to be great assets in her teaching.  Tonya is also a graduate from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, is a Certified Holistic Health Coach and has her Master of Science degree in Nutrition and Integrative Health from Maryland University of Integrative Health.  Tonya believes that nutrition and exercise are undeniable asset in living a well balanced life full of health and happiness.
Outside of Pilates, Health Coaching, and nutrition she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
 

Chrissy Tourkakis, Certified Instructor 

Chrissy is a FULLY CERTIFIED STOTT PILATES INSTRUCTOR.  She has been teaching Pilates since 2017 and also holds certification in JUVO BOARD.  Chrissy began practicing pilates in 2010 at Premier Pilates St. Louis, when she purchased a pilates studio gift certificate for her mom's birthday and promised to tag along (great gift, by the way).  Introductory lessons quickly turned into a lifelong love of the method. 

Chrissy has a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology from Washington University in St. Louiis as well as a Master's degree in Physical Anthropology from Iowa State University.  She conducted her Master's thesis field reserach studying the postural and locomotor behavior of chimpanzees in Fongoli, Senegal.

A collector of odd jobs, and a lifelong student at heart, Chrissy has been an anthropologist, a zoo keeper, a dental office administrator, a wedding photographer, and mom to two precious girls, and has practiced Pilates through it all.  "I find the scientific layers of the Pilates method inspiring- especially the plasticity and adaptability of the method to suit every person at any time in their life.  I have always been active but I never considered myself an athlete and I don't have a background in dance, which people often associate with Pilates.  The Pilates method has made me feel strong, graceful and athletic in a way I had never envisioned for myself.  Pilates truly is for everyone and I plan on practicing the method into my 90's and beyond."  Chrissy relishes a great pilates flow with good music and group class camaraderie.  More than anything, she loves helping her clients feel their best through movement.

When not in the studio, Chrissy loves spending time with her sweet family, exploring the great outdoors, shooting a roll of film in her Hasselblad, marathoning audiobooks/podcasts, or drinking a good craft cocktail.

Dana Yenzer, Certified Instructor
Dana is certified Level I in Mat and Reformer in the STOTT PILATES Method.  She has been teaching since 2006.
Dana started doing Pilates when she was 7 weeks pregnant with her second child and instantly fell in love with it.  "It made me stronger and more aware of my posture.  Pilates helped me with lower back pain during pregnancy and helped me bounce back so much quicker after he was born."  What she loves most about Pilates is how much stronger she is and how Pilates allows her mind to escape.  Dana hopes to share her love for Pilates with her clients and show them the awesome benefits they can reap from this method.  "I started teaching because it made me stronger and I wanted to share that with other men and women.  Pilates is efficient, relaxing and a challenge.  There are not many other forms of exercise that can claim that." 
Dana received her BS in Psychology/Sociology from St. Louis University.  She received her STOTT PILATES Certification in Level I mat and reformer in 2007 and is now trained in Level II Refomrer and Level I Stability Chair.  Dana teaches group classes with a reputation of giving challenging arm and abdominal workouts!
Along with Pilates, Dana also enjoys running, biking, reading and spending time with her family.

Erika Irace, Certified Instructor
Erika is certified Level I in the STOTT PILATES Method.  She is trained in Level II Mat and has been teaching Pilates since 2005.  In 2005, Erika was also trained in Pre-Natal Pilates through Fit4Moms.
The thing Erika Loves most about STOTT PILATES is the way it transformed her body and how the exercises are modified to accommodate every body type.  She was impressed with the way that it can help people with injuries and give back to them abilities they never thought they would have again.  Erika also enjoys seeing clients gain greater self confidence through this method. 
Erika earned a Communications degree from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri.  After graduating, she worked a variety of jobs until discovering Pilates.  "I used to have a desk job and every minute I was there I was miserable.  I felt like I needed to do something that inspired me, inspired others and made me feel good about myself."  She took her first mat class at a gym and loved it!  Erika found that Pilates offers fitness, strength, balance, grace and focus all wrapped up into one.  In 2004 Erika found STOTT PILATES and began her training in Springfield, Missouri.  She received her Level I certification in 2006 and Level II Mat training in 2007.  Erika is known for her Cardio Pilates classes and strength training.
When not teaching Pilates, Erika enjoys spending time with her husband and kids, biking, traveling, hiking, swimming, weight training and staying active.  She also enjoys spending time with family and friends, drinking good wine and enjoying good conversation!

 

Melanie Summers, Certified Instructor
Melanie is certified in Level l & ll in the STOTT PILATES Method and has been teaching since 2007.  Melanie began taking Pilates Mat classes at her gym.  She soon followed her instructor (Dana) to the studio and was introduced to the reformer.  It didn't take long for her to fall in love with Pilates and to become a certified instructor in the STOTT PILATES Method. "PIlates is a fun, challenging workout for the mind and body.  I have tried a variety of workouts, but there's nothing quite like Pilates."  Melanie is known to challenge her group classes with new exercises and increased precision.

Melanie received her Level I &II Mat certification and Level I Reformer certification in 2008 and is now trained in Cadillac, Stability Chair and Barrels.  She is in the process of completing her full STOTT PILATES certification.

Pilates is a great complement to her background as an Occupational Therapist.  Melanie works for Special School District as an Occupational Therapist.  She has a Bachelor of Health Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a Masters in OT from the University of Indianapolis.  Outside of work, Melanie enjoys crafts, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Gina Stiffler, Certified Instructor

GIna is trained in the STOTT PILATES method and is currently working towards her full certification.  She started Pilates in 2015 after seeing firsthand how it helped her sister work through shoulder pain after a car accident.  Pilates gave her sister a way to strengthen her body with modification to avoid further injury.  Gina observed that through the Pilates method her sister gained mobility which helped manage and minimize pain.  Wanting to see what Pilates could do for her, Gina started practicing the method.  "What started as just a way for me to strengthen my core once a week, turned into the classes I looked forward to and never wanted to miss.  Pilates has toned my body and increased my flexibility.  Nothing compares to the challenge, both mind and body, of a Pilates workout."

Gina is employed full time in accounting and is a business owner.  Her love for Pilates pushed her to become a certified instructor in order to help others transform, strengthen and align their bodies.

In her free time Gina loves spending time with her family, going out for a nice dinner, and enjoying a glass of wine!

Emily Murnin, Certified Instructor

Emily is certified Level I in the STOTT PILATES method.  She is trained in Level II Mat and Reformer, and Injuries and Special Populations.  Emily is also CPR and AED certified by the American Red Cross. 

She has been teaching Pilates since January 2019.  "I discovered Pilates about 3 years ago when a friend of mine, who is a STOTT PILATES certified instructor, encouraged me to try one of her classes.  I have always been very fitness focused.  I enjoy boxing, boot camps, weight training, Barre, yoga, and running.  However, I had never tried Pilates.  I was hooked after my first class!  Pilates is the perfect complement to my regular weight training and running program.  I became such a regular at the studio where my friend taught and was such a fan of Pilates that she suggested I train to become an instructor.  Level I Matwork was my first training course and after completing that, I knew becoming an instructor was definitely what I wanted to do and I wanted to continue my training to teach on all of the Pilates equipment.  One of the things I especially love about Pilates is how the exercises are modifiable to accommodate any body type and fitness level."

Emily has her BSBA from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.  After college, she worked in commercial real estate as a Property Manager.  She left the workforce to stay at home when her oldest daughter was born in 2010.

When not teaching, Emily enjoys spending time with her two daughters, traveling, running, and weight training at the gym.  She is in her second year of assistant coaching Girls on the Run at her daughters' elementary school and is very involved with the PTO at the school.  She also likes to spend time enjoying good food, good wine and good company!

Cheryl Preyer, Certified Instructor

Cheryl is a STOTT PILATES Level I certified instructor in Matt, Reformer, Cadillac, Chair and Barrels.  Having discovered Pilates in 2000, Cheryl found STOTT PILATES in 2007 after moving from Denver to Columbus, Ohio.  She was enamored by the STOTT PILATES Method that she began training and started teaching in 2008. 

Outside the studio, Cheryl works in the Insects as Feed (for animals) and Food (for people).  She also serves as President of the North American Coalition for Insect Agriculture (NACIA).  This is a big change from her multi-decade career in Quick Service Restaurant marketing.  In fact, she likes to point out that she moved from fries to flies.  Cheryl is also a Wayfinder Life Coach trained under Martha Beck.

Lacy Hubbard, Certified Instructor
Lacy is a FULLY CERTIFIED STOTT PILATES INSTRUCTOR, and has been teaching Pilates since 2004.  When her Yoga instructor first introduced Lacy to Pilates, she was immediately hooked on this training method. Pilates practice not only improved her posture, strength and flexibility, but also helped her to understand how to use the appropriate muscle groups while she was engaging other exercises and martial arts.  She loved Pilates so much that she started going to classes three times a week, and eventually decided to become an instructor.  After completing her anatomy and bio-mechanics study, Lacy entered a STOTT PILATES Certification Program in Springfield, MO.  In addition to her Level II advanced certification, Lacy also received training from Pilates for Golf in 2006 in hope of helping golfers improve their performance. 

Lacy founded Premier Pilates in 2008.  While overseeing the studio business, she also remains at her day job as VP of Global Product Support in The Elekta Group, a leading medical device company specialized in Radiation Oncology.  As the studio continually grew, she came to the difficult realization that her family needs her around more than her passion in Pilates.  In September 2016, she sold the studio business to her long time supporter and friend, Tonya.   Lacy will continually enjoy Pilates teaching and learning in her spare time.