Club Pilates

Bios

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  David Wolk (Owner/Operator)

  Owner/Operator

  David graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Kinesiology/Exercise Physiology and has always had a passion for fitness. He became a licensed Athletic Trainer and obtained his CSCS certification shortly after graduating from Penn State. David had worked with post-operative high school and collegiate athletes designing and implementing rehabilitation programs to get them back to competitive form. In 2001, he left the world of sport rehabilitation and fitness to help run a small business in the world of academics. As the years went on, David realized his passion was to help people set and achieve their fitness goals. While researching new endeavors, he saw the opportunity to bring healthy living and exercise to the masses through Pilates. David's Club Pilates studios in Commack, Melville and Woodbury have become his second home. Come meet him and the team at any of the three studios!

  Education:

  Certifications:

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  Yvonne McCabe

  Certified Master Trainer

  Yvonne began her career as a Team Leader at Ascent, a school for individuals with Autism. It was during this time that she realized she not only had a passion for teaching students but also a love for training other staff members. She brings the same enthusiasm for teaching in a classroom setting to teaching in the studio! Yvonne studied Pilates and became certified at IMX in Manhattan and then assisted with opening a studio on Long Island. Teaching and managing that studio for 5 years, gave her the opportunity to teach students ranging from 15-70+ years old....from beginners to advanced. She also enjoys working with and helping students/athletes rehabilitating injuries. While her teaching style is challenging, she is also nurturing and supportive. Yvonne designs classes that are creative and engaging, meeting her students individual needs. Yvonne has a larger than life personality and brings that energy to every class she teaches along with a wealth of experience and knowledge in the Pilates practice. Club Pilates is excited and honored to have Yvonne as a part of the team!

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  Jess Thompson

  Certified Pilates Instructor

  Jess is a certified Pilates instructor with a passion for fitness. In addition to her Pilates practice, Jess also is a dancer. Through her studies in Exercise Science, she has a keen eye for students' form. Outside of Pilates, Jess also dances aerial hoop and pole.

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  Krista Militello

  Certified Pilates Instructor

  Krista Militello has been in the fitness industry for more than 28 years and has dozens of fitness certifications including AFAA, Yoga-Fit, 200 hour Yoga Alliance, Kane School Mat Pilates Certification, IMX Studio Pilates Mat Certification, Basic IMX Reformer, and Advanced IMX Reformer, Keiser Cycle Certification, The Bender Ball Method, Silver Sneakers, Booty Barre and more! Krista is also a CPR instructor through the American Heart Association. She began doing Pilates herself around 8 years ago after realizing that as the body got older and started to change, her fitness and workouts needed to change as well. Pilates and Yoga became her love and passion. Her number one goal with her clients is to train consistently so that they can truly benefit from exercise both mentally and physically. During the typical work week, Krista is a full-time Health Teacher at Deer Park High School where she has worked for the last 24 years. Her excitement working with teens during the day discussing health and fitness is the perfect complement to her passions in the fitness world. Krista feels unbelievably fortunate to be able to say that she "loves going to work at the school and at the gym each and every day." Krista lives in Hauppauge with her husband and two beautiful daughters. Her one favorite quote as an instructor is, "Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

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  Melanie Quagliata

  Certified Pilates Instructor

  Melanie started her career in the fitness industry more than a decade ago as a Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer. Her passions were concentrated to cardio and weight training but she felt as if she wanted more!! Around 2010, Melanie began to add Pilates to her workouts and was immediately hooked. She fell in love with the craft and the way the exercise made her body feel. In 2014, Melanie decided that she wanted to dive deeper into the world of Pilates, and began her comprehensive Pilates certification program. Melanie completed her training as a classically trained Pilates Instructor in April 2015 and has been sharing her passions and love for Pilates ever since. Melanie holds many other certifications and also instructs TRX, Barre (Levels I and II), Spin, Boot Camp, Body Sculpting and Kickboxing.

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  Debbie Rapaport

  Certified Pilates Instructor

  Debbie started her career as the President of a National Swimwear company where she worked for more than 15 years. During that time, she dedicated herself to the practice of Pilates on a regular basis. She finally committed herself to Pilates on a full-time basis and left the business world. She completed her Basi and Equinox certification and thus began to follow her passion for Pilates. For the past 4+ years, she has taught thousands of hours of group and private Pilates sessions. Debbie’s teaching style is both challenging and encouraging. She uses Pilates to empower her clients by enhancing their physical and mental health to better shape their everyday life. Always an optimist, she believes there is always room to be happier, stronger and better in all aspects of life. She makes sure her clients get both a good sweat and a smile during every session.

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  Rachel Kalish

  Certified Pilates Instructor

  Rachel Kalish has been practicing Pilates for more than 20 years. She started her journey towards teaching Pilates by certifying as a mat instructor in 2009. She then received her full apparatus certification through the Club Pilates Comprehensive Teacher Training Program in 2018. Rachel holds a PhD in Sociology and teaches at SUNY College at Old Westbury. Besides doing Pilates, her hobbies include making pottery and watching hockey.

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  Pat Nitti

  Certified Pilates Instructor

  Pat Nitti is a certified Personal Trainer, Group Fitness, and Reformer Pilates instructor. She holds a wide array of certifications in a variety of formats including strength training, TRX, Tabata, kickboxing, HIIT, rebounder and Spin. Pat is highly skilled at motivating clients of all ages and fitness levels. She trains high school and college athletes, teaches group fitness classes and works with patients who have had or are seeking Bariatric surgery. Pat's mission statement is: “I have the experience and knowledge to help you reach your fitness goals safely and effectively.”

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  Adrienne Peterson

  Certified Pilates Instructor

  Adrienne Peterson has been devoted to practicing Pilates for more than six years. A spine condition initially led Adrienne to practice Pilates for her physical rehabilitation. An opportunity, to become an instructor, arose in 2014 and she completed her Polestar Comprehensive Training in 2016. That same year she was also able to achieve her PMA Certification. Adrienne is proficient in: Reformer, Mat, Tower, Chair, Cadillac, Ladder Barrel, Spine Corrector, and Pilates Suspension Method (TRX). She is excited to share her talents with the Club Pilates Family at the Syosset-Woodbury and Commack studios.

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  Banu Altindag

  Certified Pilates Instructor

  Banu has been teaching Pilates for more than 14 years. She completed her certification program in Europe and has worked with her master trainer for more than 4 years. In addition, she served as assistant master trainer as a part of her training program. Her philosophical approach to Pilates is “to always create a mutual learning relationship between student and instructor. As such, if the student does not master Pilates, then the instructor has not served his/her purpose.” She is passionate about Pilates and believes that everyone can learn Pilates but everyone has a different style. Banu practices Pilates everyday even if for only 15 minutes because “if you cannot feel it you cannot teach it.” Banu is also a follower of Kundalini Yoga as well as an avid swimmer and marathon runner.

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  Diana Barone

  Certified Pilates Instructor
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  Robin Magliato

  Certified Pilates Instructor

  Robin has been in the Dance/Fitness world for most of her life. She trained extensively in New York City, studying all disciplines of Dance. Robin had a professional, bi-coastal career in every area of performance (Film, Stage, Television and Video). She has worked with the likes of Michael Jackson, Paula Abdul, Michael Peters, Jeff Hornaday and Jerry Mitchell. For the last 30 years she has been living on Long Island, teaching and choreographing in all areas of dance. Robin understands the importance of a strong, healthy and injury-free body. Pilates had always been a part of her Dance/Fitness life. Her extensive dance background had prepared her to have an understanding of correct body alignment and proper form. As alignment is such an important part of Pilates, Robin was able to seamlessly mesh these same principles in her dancers' practice while making them stronger and more competitive. Robin has a passion for teaching and helping those become stronger and healthier. She become comprehensively certified in Pilates by Club Pilates in 2019. She is thrilled to be a part of the amazing and talented team at Commack and Syosset-Woodbury.

• Lisa Alper

  Club Pilates Instructor

  Lisa has been a life-long athlete. Growing up on Long Island, she spent her youth as a competitive Gymnast and then migrated to outdoor sports such as windsurfing, skiing and cycling. But her passion was tennis and still plays competitively today. Lisa is retired from her first career of 30 years as a Creative Director. Since retiring, Lisa began playing more tennis and began to realize the demand that tennis has put on her body. She searched for a workout that can build her core, strength, flexibility and mental focus... She found Pilates. After seeing the improvement in her body and mind, she decided to become an Instructor through the Club Pilates Teacher Training Program. Her goal is to have her students feel stronger, more energized, and healthier both mentally and physically.