Instructors

Jennifer Thornton

Jennifer is a fully certified STOTT PILATES instructor in Matwork, Reformer, Cadillac, and Stability Chair in both Essential and Intermediate levels. She discovered her love of Pilates in 2008 and began teaching at APT in 2009. Jennifer has a fun yet focused style, and she especially loves working with beginners, older adults, and those recovering from injury. Jennifer believes Pilates can help each person connect mind, heart, and body to become the most efficient, tension-free version of themselves. Jennifer also teaches private and duet sessions at the Sirron Pilates Studio in Andersonville.

Jennifer practices aerial circus arts, yoga, and dance, and she performs regularly with the 1960s go-go troupe The Revelettes (http://www.revelettes.com). She freelances in event planning with nonprofit cultural organizations and volunteers for civil rights and sustainable living causes. Jennifer enjoys cooking, cycling, and traveling and lives in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago with her husband Adam.

Rachel Weeks

Rachel is a STOTT PILATES instructor trained in Matwork, Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, and Barrels. She has also completed the workshop in Injuries and Special Populations. Rachel was first exposed to the benefit of STOTT PILATES as a ballet student in her hometown of Memphis. She graduated with a B.A. in Communication from Northwestern University with an emphasis in theater performance and a minor in dance.

Rachel encourages her clients to understand the fundamentals behind the exercises while offering challenging and creative variations for her students. She also instructs matwork and equipment sessions for Cheetah Gyms and teaches mat classes at Healthy Results, a comprehensive wellness organization in Lincoln Park.

For her personal fitness routine, Rachel practices yoga and Pilates and takes dance classes from ballet to swing to cardio dance fitness.  Rachel is an avid arts enthusiast who enjoys seeing theater, dance, visual art, and music performances about town and in the Chicagoland area.

Patricia Staszak, PT
Email: pstaszak.andersonvillept@gmail.com

Pat graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a B.S. in physical therapy. She then worked at the University of Illinois Hospital and the University of Chicago Hospital, specializing in orthopedics and sports medicine. She has a wide variety of experience in all aspects of physical therapy and has an eclectic yet practical approach to rehabilitation. She specializes in lower-body biomechanics evaluations and rehabilitation up the kinetic chain: the foot, ankle, knee, and hip. She has a special interest in treating cycling and running injuries and helping patients get back to their exercise of choice.

In 2009, Pat became an instructor-trainer for the STOTT PILATES Rehabilitation program, and she now teaches continuing education to physical therapists at Elements in Motion, a Pilates training studio in Chicago. Since starting to teach, she has been more focused on exploring movement and its relationship to injury. Last year, she created the “Movement Education Center” and began offering classes taught by physical therapists that explore movement and teach proper body alignment. In 2011, Pat became a certified Nordic walking instructor through the American Nordic Walking Association. She is also certified in the Graston Technique for soft-tissue mobilization.

Pat has been involved in sport her whole life. She played team sports as a kid, in college, and through her thirties. These days, she exercises to stay fit and have fun—biking, kayaking, cross-country skiing, golfing, hiking, and of course Pilates. Her newest activity is Nordic walking—which she is obsessed with. She has also recently rediscovered yoga and has been integrating this into her workout routine.

Pat is passionate about the services APT provides to their patients and the community and feels everyone needs to learn how to correctly move their body to stay strong and injury free. When Pat is not working or exercising, she enjoys gardening, reading, cooking, and traveling. She is also a member of the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.