Our Teachers
Gretchen Iniguez, Founder & Owner, Lifestyle Pilates
Owner Gretchen Iniguez’s passion for Pilates began in 2005 when she was certified through a locally owned Pilates studio and continued her passion by completing a comprehensive program through BASI (Body Arts and Science)
In 2008 Gretchen opened her own studio, Lifestyle Pilates in Petaluma, which has grown in popularity with each passing year. She strongly believes that health and fitness are a way of life, which is why she’s built a lifestyle that exhibits her dedication and commitment to helping others enjoy their path to optimal health.
As a veteran of over 20 years in the fitness industry, Gretchen has taught gymnastics to children and adults for 12 years and was a certified Personal Trainer through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFFA) for three years. She is also a graduate of the Institute for Interactive Nutrition (IIN) as a fully certified Holistic Health Coach. Additionally, she is certified by Balanced Body Barre to teach Barre classes.
She has the following training and certifications:
Kayla, Certified through Lifestyle Pilates
After years of dedicated fitness training and teaching a variety of fitness classes, Kayla decided to elevate her expertise by becoming a Certified Mat and Reformer Pilates instructor in early 2020. She has a deep appreciation for the strength that emerges from the harmonious connection between mind and body.
Kayla's unwavering commitment to her practice is evident through her continual education and participation in workshops that cover Reformer Formatting, Scoliosis, and more. Kayla's comprehensive expertise spans Mat, Reformer, Chair, Tower, and small props. She is eagerly embracing opportunities to expand her teaching skills and aims to help her students seamlessly integrate into the Lifestyle Pilates community.
In addition to her Pilates qualifications, Kayla is also a certified cycle instructor and loves activities such as hiking, running, yoga, nutrition, and various body work. Guided by Gretchen Iniguez, Kayla's passion for understanding the human body has flourished through years of training, sports, and physical activity. Driven and deeply committed to her passion for health and wellness, Kayla invites you to join one of her Pilates classes. Discover a newfound love for your body, learn what it truly needs, and have fun keeping it active.
Annette, Certified through Lifestyle Pilates
In college, Annette competed in cross country and track while completing her BA in pre-physical therapy. She learned firsthand the value of appropriate exercises in patient recovery for a wide variety of orthopedic and medical conditions.
Annette has worked in the clinical setting most of her career, implementing progressive exercise programs for individuals and groups. Along the way she added ACE certifications (Medical Exercise Specialist and Health Coach) and certified SAIL instructor (Stay Active and Independent for Life) to her educational toolbox. She was always looking to expand her knowledge base, which led her to look into Pilates. She recently completed her certification in Reformer, Tower and Chair with Gretchen at Lifestyle Pilates Petaluma. She is excited to join the Lifestyle Pilates team!
Melanie, Certified through Lifestyle Pilates
Melanie discovered pilates at a young age as a form of cross training during her years as a ballet dancer. After studying and performing with ballet companies all over the country, Melanie went on to pursue a degree in dance and non-profit management at Butler University. She is a certified Bar Method instructor and is currently working towards her Certificate of completion for Reformer training at Lifestyle Pilates. Melanie is a lifelong dancer and teacher at heart. She loves helping others find strength and flexibility on an individual level. Her other passions include hiking, antiquing, playing barista in the kitchen, and snuggling with her two rag doll kitties Meeko and Mozart.
Jeannie
Jeannie Evans is a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher. She has always lived an
active lifestyle starting from a young age. She has maintained a balance of work
and exercise, along with a healthy diet. Jeannie attended Humphrey’s University
after high school and in 1989 earned an Associate’s Degree in Court Reporting.
She became a California Certified Shorthand Reporter in 1990. She enjoyed
owning her own business and working as a freelance court reporter. Due to an
injury, she was unable to continue working as a court reporter.
Jeannie started taking Pilates mat classes in 2009. In 2012, she started working on
the Pilates Reformer. The Reformer has helped Jeannie maintain her core
alignment. She knew Pilates would need to be a lifetime commitment to maintain
this balance in her body. In May 2016, she decided to go through the
comprehensive teacher training program.
September 2016, Jeannie received her Balanced Body Mat 1 and Movement
Principles Certification. She received her Comprehensive Teacher Training Pilates
Certification from Foundation Pilates November 18, 2016. April 2017, she
completed her Balanced Body Mat 2 Instructor Training Certification. July 1 st ,
2017, Jeannie became a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher. Jeannie enjoys
teaching and sharing her knowledge of Pilates with others.
She has the following training and certifications:
- Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT) through the National Certified
- Pilates Certification Program (NPCP)
- Comprehensive Pilates Certification through Foundation Pilates
- Comprehensive Pilates Certification through Balanced Body
- Certified through Pilates Method Alliance (PMA)
- The Dynamic Spine (Gwen Miller)
- Intervals of Pilates and Strength Training through Balanced Body
- PMA Educates: Visceral Pilates
- PMA Educates: Embodied Planking – Align, Strengthen, Breathe
- Pilates for Neurological Conditions by Mariska Breland
- Get Unstuck: Unique Neuro Strategies to Improve Tightness, Spasticity & Rigidity with Any Client by Meghann Koppele
- Certificate of Fletcher Barrework Course by Fletcher Pilates Online
- Foot Focus! Activating Ground Forces & Foot Practices by Madeline Black
Elena
Elena Gillogly has spent most of her young life as a student and teacher of movement, technique and form. As a young dancer in her hometown of San Pedro, CA, she enjoyed everything from tap to lyrical to hip hop. When she wasn’t practicing, she was teaching dance fundamentals to a younger generation. In high school, she was admired for her dance talent, twice earning top honors. That experience helped her earn a spot in the national top-10 dance program at CSULB. While at Long Beach State, Elena enrolled in a course in Pilates, which, for a dancer with sometime anatomical issues, was a revelation. After college graduation, she immersed herself in the exercise discipline, earning her BASI certificate and mentoring under noted teacher Karen Clippinger. In the years that followed, she became a popular practitioner of both Reformer and Mat disciplines in the Long Beach/Orange County area. That process gave Elena a renewed sense of confidence in her ability to teach tried-and-true principles to grateful students—everyone from high school dancers to pregnant moms, to appreciative seniors.
Kristen
Kristen was introduced to Pilates in 2021 and recognized the myriad of health benefits it offered to both her body and mind. She is a certified Comprehensive Pilates Instructor proficient in Mat, Reformer, Chair, Cadillac, Ladder Barrel, Spine Corrector, TRX, and small props, having dedicated herself to a career centered around Pilates. Kristen's passion for Pilates extends to ongoing education and deepening her practice. In the past year, she participated in the Polestar Pilates Reformer Training, and attended Tracey Mallett's "Pilates Next" workshop in London. Since 2022, Kristen has been sharing her expertise, aiming to inspire and assist her students in advancing their Pilates practice.
Danielle
Sonia
Sonia’s Pilates journey began in 2010 when she took her very first class at Lifestyle Pilates with Gretchen—and she’s been hooked ever since! She fell in love with the way Pilates challenged her body while leaving her feeling energized and refreshed. With a lifelong passion for health and fitness (from tennis and volleyball to hiking and running), Sonia decided to turn her love of Pilates into something even more rewarding: teaching! In March 2024, she started her teacher training under Gretchen’s mentorship and is currently working toward her Reformer Certification. Sonia has lived in Petaluma for 27 years and loves being part of this amazing community! When she’s not in the studio, you’ll find her spending time with her husband, son, and their adorable new puppy, Saki. She’s excited to share her Pilates journey with you all and help others discover the benefits Pilates can bring to their lives.
Alexa
Alexa's journey to Pilates began not with a simple desire to get fit, but out of a need to reconnect with her body. For years, she felt disconnected, battling with chronic pain, postural issues, which left her feeling both physically and emotionally drained. Pilates entered her life like a breath of fresh air teaching her that movement isn’t just about strength or flexibility, but about truly understanding and listening to your body.
She was captivated by how Pilates taught her to move with intention, to focus on the breath, and to find strength in every part of her body. It wasn’t about pushing through discomfort, but learning how to move with mindfulness and precision. Her goal is to help others discover the deep, transformative benefits of Pilates, no matter where they’re starting from. She believes that Pilates is for everyone. It’s not just about physical fitness, but about fostering a deeper connection with yourself.
Through her teaching, she aims to create a space where you can feel supported, challenged, and empowered to explore your body’s potential. Whether you’re recovering from an injury, looking to improve flexibility, or simply want to experience a new kind of movement, she is here to guide you every step of the way.
Stephanie
Outside the studio, she’s all about balance—hiking in nature, crafts, gardening, and diving into health-focused podcasts and audiobooks. Most importantly, she loves being a mom to her amazing teenage daughter. Stephanie’s energy and dedication make every session motivating and fun, inspiring everyone to live their healthiest, happiest life!
Stephanie's Certifications:
- Balanced Body Ceritifed Comprehensive Instructor
- NASM - CPT (certified personal trainer)
- NASM - YES (youth exercise specialist)
- TRX
- Buti Yoga
- P90X (strength training)
- PiYo (rule breaker of Pilates & Yoga)
- Turbo Kick (cardio + kickboxing)
- Soul Fusion (Pilates + Strength Training)
- Warrior Strength (Rebel-not traditional Yoga)