A love of movement, awe of the human body, and compassion

A love of movement, an awe of the human body, and compassion for people brought Deborah to Pilates. Deborah began teaching Pilates in 1996, having been introduced to it a few years earlier through her dance studies. Greatly influenced by her extensive study with First Generation Pilates teacher, Ron Fletcher, as well as the influence of her family of educators, Deborah soon began working with teachers-in-training and developing curriculum for Pilates. As a founding teacher of Body Works Pilates Studio and the Fletcher Pilates school, in Tucson, AZ, Deborah worked for nearly 3 decades, to sustain Ron’s legacy and bring Fletcher Pilates to worldwide notoriety. Deborah was integral in the development and evolution of the Fletcher Pilates Program of Study, creating and maintaining curriculum, resources and manuals for the Program. She was responsible for attaining and sustaining state licensure for the School through the Arizona State Board for Private Post-Secondary Education, and was an invaluable Mentor and Teacher. She served as the Director of Education for the Fletcher Pilates school for close to 15 years, until 2023.

Deborah is a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher, a Fletcher Pilates® Professional Teacher, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Santa Clara University. Deborah has supported the greater Pilates community and supported establishing standards for the Pilates industry by serving on the PMA Board of Directors and varying committees of the PMA and NPCP over the years. Deborah is passionate about the evolution of Pilates and that the upcoming generations of Pilates practitioners have a deep understanding of the Pilates movement principles, and the tools to be excellent teachers to themselves and others. Deborah’s teaching style is heartfelt, passionate, detailed, and precise. She hopes each client/student leaves each session with a deeper understanding of their own body and its amazing ability to thrive and live life with “spontaneous zest and pleasure.”