Lagree Summit Panelist Bios

Sebastien Lagree

Founder and Creator of Lagree Fitness

Sebastien Lagree is the inventor, CEO, and founder of Lagree Fitness. In 1998, Sebastien Lagree moved from France to the United States to pursue a career in acting. After some time, Sebastien realized that his dream of an acting career would pivot and lead him to become a personal trainer at a local gym in Los Angeles, California. In this role, he taught one-on-one Pilates sessions to gym clientele. Sebastien noticed that many of his clients would leave their Pilates session with him and train on cardio equipment or weight train to sweat and obtain better results. Sebastien began to modify his sessions to incorporate more cardiovascular benefits. This is what led him to create the Lagree MethodTM and an entire line of fitness equipment. Sebastien has almost 200 patents and is the only person in the world to hold a patent on a fitness method.

Heather Perren

Senior Lagree Fitness Master Trainer & Co-Founder of Lagreeing at Home

Heather, a former elementary school teacher, found Lagree Fitness after having triplets in 2010. Before long, Heather was obsessed with the workout and in 2015 she decided to get certified in the Lagree Method. In 2020, Heather was hand selected and appointed by Sebastien Lagree as a Senior Master Trainer for Lagree Fitness. Heather is also certified in Prenatal and Postnatal Fitness. In 2020, Heather pivoted from teaching in studio on the Lagree Megaformer to the new Lagree Microformer with virtual workouts. Thanks to a loyal following, she became an online sensation with her creative and inspiring workouts, which allowed her to form Lagreeing at Home with her co-founder, Lexi Heinzer. In addition to her work as Senior Master Trainer for Lagree Fitness and running Lagreeing at Home, she is the Director of community relations and events for Lagree Fitness. She works side by side with Sebastien Lagree uniting the Lagree community and growing the brand awareness.

Andrea Ruelas

Senior Lagree Fitness Master Trainer

Andrea has been teaching Lagree Fitness since 2013 and is passionate about training trainers at all levels. She is proud to have been recognized for her dedication to education and leadership in the fitness industry both as a Senior Master Trainer for Lagree Fitness as well as a Senior Master Instructor for CycleBar.

Sharnee Lee Scott

Senior Lagree Fitness Master Trainer

With years of experience in Dance, Pilates & Lagree in Australia, Sharnee moved to the USA in 2017 for Lagree and has since, Led hundreds of certifications around the world, authored content in advanced Lagree certifications & released an anatomy ebook - Anatomy Fitness 101 badged as an ACE Fitness Certification, has taught groups on ALL of the Lagree machines, and has led celebrity privates, such as Adam Sandler. Sharnee also loves music, movement, the ocean, travel & life - singing, playing guitar, surfing, roller skating whenever possible. This smiling assassin is passionate in educating in a fun way - the WHY in fitness, what to FEEL + how to REGRESS & PROGRESS intensity!

Sara Gonzalez-Judson

Owner of Rexpert Marketing

Sara created the digital marketing firm, Rexpert Marketing, in 2019, and is backed by nearly a decade of experience in the digital marketing realm and has worked alongside the Lagree Fitness brand and team since early 2019. Responsible for Lagree Fitness' online presence, Sara and her team pride themselves on delivering workmanship that is backed by results grounded in numbers and analytics. With a comprehensive understanding of the Lagree Fitness method, machines and equipment, and licensing and certification processes, Sara is here to show you how to elevate your studio's online visibility and level up your branding to match the energy of the Lagree Fitness brand to your studio.

Melissa Hennessee

Lagree Licensee

Melissa is the heart behind Trim Fitness Studio, a welcoming fitness haven with three locations in Orange County. Specializing in Lagree Fitness and Versa Climber classes, Melissa's passion lies in fostering connections and creating a genuine community within her studios. She believes in making fitness more than just a workout; it's about building a supportive fitness family that goes beyond the usual gym experience. Outside the studio, Melissa is a proud mother to two teenage girls and has enjoyed 22 years of marriage. Balancing family and business, she gracefully navigates the complexities of both worlds. Melissa's mission extends beyond physical fitness; it's about cultivating a brand that embodies positivity. With a reputation for delivering excellent fitness experiences, Melissa Hennessee is dedicated to making Trim Fitness Studio a place where everyone feels at home, creating a space where transformations extend beyond the physical.

Joy Bitonio

Founder/Owner of KOMO Studio in Oahu, HI & Lagree Master Trainer

Joy walks the talk when it comes to doing hard things on purpose, starting with opening her first business two months before the pandemic hit. She has also jumped into the ocean 50’ out of a helicopter Navy SEAL style, skydived at 18,000’, swam in open water with sharks, nailed catches on the flying trapeze, rappelled off a 30’ rock face, and can be found regularly adventuring outdoors in Hawaii. She trained with the best in Los Angeles in 2015, and ever since, her energetic teaching style, magnetic personality, and addictive classes have continued to build strong bodies, minds, and lives. Joy has coached A-listers and first-timers alike and believes in treating everyone like a VIP. She was named Best Instructor in Honolulu (Classpass 2019) and has been featured in Honolulu Magazine, Hi Now Daily, Modern Luxury Hawaii Magazine, and KITV4.

Briana Anderson

Master Trainer for Lagree Fitness

Briana is a former collegiate athlete who holds a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and a master’s degree in Spiritual Psychology. She teaches Lagree in Asheville, NC at Scorch Fitness and travels around the country running Lagree Certification Courses with Scorch owner, and fellow MT Ellen Olson.

Ellen Olson

Owner of Scorch Fitness - Asheville, North Carolina & Lagree Fitness Master Trainer.

Ellen’s studio has been open for over 6 years and she is in the process of opening a second studio. In addition to her love of Lagree she is a nurse practitioner specializing in pediatrics and psychiatry, working with communities in Asheville and Hawaii. She and one of her Scorch teachers, Briana Anderson, MT for Lagree Fitness, have been hosting Level One Certifications in Asheville and around the country.

Stephanie Bradley

Fitness Studio Adviser

As a Fitness Studio Advisor, I partner with motivated fitness and wellness studio owners to formulate a customized plan focused on business process improvement, financial solutions, budgeting, training & revenue growth. I'm interested in applying my passion for getting things done, being productive and making a difference for the betterment of a business using my financial background, organizational skills and unbelievable ability to cultivate relationships. My specialty is in fostering the relationship between franchisor and franchisee. A quintessential liaison of sorts that can share insight from experience.

Lacy Harrison

Co-Owner of Peak|45

Lacy Harrison is co-owner of PEAK|45 Lagree Fitness studios. As a former NBA and NFL dancer, Lacy has always been passionate about fitness. Lacy is currently a Director of the Los Angeles Charger Girls and has been in the sports entertainment world for over 23 years. PEAK|45 is proud to have five (5) studios in operation and Lacy is thrilled and honored to be a part of the first Lagree Summit. Lacy lives in Park City, UT with her husband and two little girls that you can find any time on skis or bikes in the beautiful UT mountains.

Katherine Mason

Founder & CEO of SculptHouse | Lagree Master Trainer

Katherine is Founder & CEO of SculptHouse, the world’s first fitness studio to combine the Megaformer with a treadmill. Today SculptHouse has two brick & mortar locations in Atlanta and Dallas and serves a national audience through the brand's e-commerce athleisure store. As a lifelong athlete, Lagree Fitness Master Trainer and former Wilhelmina fitness model, Katherine empowers people to face the world confidently through fitness and fashion. Katherine has over 10 years experience in the fitness industry and since founding SculptHouse in 2016, has become a thought leader in the Southeast for fitness and retail, winning local and national awards including over 25 “Best of” awards. Katherine and SculptHouse have been featured in national fashion and fitness publications such as Women’s Health, Men's Health, Runner’s World, Well + Good and Vogue USA. Katherine has appeared on the cover of SHAPE, was named a top trainer in 2014, and SculptHouse was featured in 2018. As a successful business owner and fitness studio consultant, Katherine has made a name for herself, winning Atlanta Business Chronicle's Pacesetter and 40 Under 40 Awards, Dallas Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Awards, Dallas’ People Newspapers’ 20 Under 40, as well as a features in Well+Good, Men's Health, The Knot and more.

Dr. Rodante

Chiropractic Sports Physician | Co-Owner of the Remedy Place

Dr. Rodante is a board-certified Chiropractic Sports Physician and has been in private practice in the Los Angeles Region for 6 years. He is the lead Chiropractic Doctor at Remedy Place, West Hollywood, where he is also the Director of Movement and Director of Complementary & Alternative Medicine. He holds his Masters in Exercise & Sports Science, with an emphasis in Sports Medicine, from the University of Western States. Dr. Rodante has over 10 years of experience as a Strength & Conditioning coach, working with a variety of private and public organizations and serves as a consultant to startups in the Wellness and Fitness industries. He is also the Founder and CEO of Move Well, a direct online access educational platform that teaches its users how to enhance their movement and physical health.

Amaris Umbarger

Owner of BODICORE

A trailblazer in digital media, seamlessly transitioned from a web developer, developing websites, honing her skills in creating engaging and user-friendly online platforms at a leading media company before transitioning into her former role as Assistant Vice President of Digital Media Revenue at Sinclair Broadcast Group where she developed sales and marketing programs for ad technology solutions, empowering advertisers to strategically target and reach their audiences across various channels. With a robust background in advertising, media planning and strategy, she specialized in ad technology, mastering channels like CTV/OTT, display, video, social media, and Google advertising platforms. Beyond her corporate success, Amaris's entrepreneurial spirit led her to venture into the world of fitness and wellness. She is the proud owner of BODICORE, a Lagree and soon to be VersaClimber fitness studio nestled in the heart of Baltimore County, Maryland. BODICORE is a testament to Amaris's commitment to promoting health and wellness within her community. The studio offers a unique fitness experience, blending Lagree's innovative workout method with Amaris's passion for creating a positive and empowering space for fitness enthusiasts.

Brad Delava

CEO and founder of Clique Digital Marketing

Brad is the CEO and founder of Clique Digital Marketing, a boutique digital advertising agency based in Los Angeles. In 2016, he started his agency after seeing the need for more accountability in performance marketing and the potential opportunities within Connected TV advertising. His early adoption and success with programmatic connected TV was featured by The Trade Desk as their very first customer success case study. This has afforded him opportunities to consult for some of the top agencies in the country as well as hedge funds looking to invest in the ever-changing advertising space. Brad has managed a wide range of successful campaigns for brands like Sandisk, Sierra Nevada, Molekule, Pearl Izumi, Yale Locks, Lemonade Restaurants, Chevrolet and he currently manages the day to day advertising for Lagree.

Maura Miller

Owner of HiLo House

Hi! My name is Maura. I am a country girl at heart. If I could wear cowboy boots every day I would. One of my favorite places to visit is Aspen, Colorado. I love spending time with my amazing husband Nick, and three incredible children -- Wyatt (7), Seerey (6), & Jett (4) & our dog Sunny. They inspire me every day to love more, to keep growing out of my comfort zone, and to find joy in the simple things. I am the Owner & Founder of HiLo House Fitness in Wilmington, Delaware. I have been in the boutique fitness industry for over 15 years. I started my boutique fitness journey with my yoga business in 2008. I was working with athletes, professional and high school, as well as teaching small group yoga classes. I shifted away from yoga and decided to venture into the barre industry. I opened the first and to this day only Pure Barre in Greenville, Delaware in 2013. I sold the successful studio after five years. I was ready to put my creative energy back to use and develop my own brand from the ground up. HiLo House opened in August of 2020, two days after my youngest son turned one. The ride has been wild, but every entrepreneur becomes an entrepreneur because they thrive on the wild & the unknown. They thrive with the ever-changing landscape of being an entrepreneur. They thrive in development and change.

Greg Galloway

Co-owner of Salt Lake Power Yoga and Peak 45 Lagree Fitness Studio

Greg Galloway is a prominent figure in the boutique fitness industry in Salt Lake City, UT with over a decade of experience. His journey began with the successful co-ownership and operation of Salt Lake Power Yoga, a thriving yoga studio that's garnered recognition for its commUNITY approach to yoga and exceptional client experience. Greg and Salt Lake Power Yoga are known for their community yoga events in and around Salt Lake City. Greg's passion for fitness and wellness led him to venture into the Lagree fitness domain, where he co-founded Peak 45 in 2017. Peak 45 currently has 5 locations, with more in the works. Greg brings a wealth of experience and expertise, making him a valuable asset to the discussion on the future of Lagree Fitness and its impact on the boutique fitness industry. Greg is also a Legacy Ambassador for lululemon and an avid cyclist, mountain biker, and music festival goer.

Kerry McStay

Lagree Master Trainer

In addition to being a sought-after Dallas based Lagree Instructor for over a decade and Master Teacher Trainer since 2021, Kerry’s expertise managing and developing instructors is what often sets her apart. For over seven years as Director of Training at a Dallas studio, she managed and developed over 50 instructors at one time across four studios, which included collaboration on 3 new studio openings. She uniquely developed and implemented policies for instructor reviews, instructor tiers, instructor pay scales, trainer contracts/agreements, recruitment, scheduling, continuing education, and much more. Her additional expertise in building support roles and leadership teams has cultivated opportunities within as studios grow and instructor teams evolve. Her proven record of producing exceptional trainers (from day one) is strongly tied to leading and upholding a uniquely structured 100-hour training requirement built into the official Level 1 Certification. Within this formula, she created and integrated policies for instructors in training (trainees), created training manuals, and accountability checkpoints inclusive of in-house follow up training sessions, mocks, community classes, standardized evaluations, apprentice classes and more. The goal to her approach is always to uphold standards within the Lagree method, create success for Lagree studios with first rate instructors resulting in loyal clients and everlasting Lagree communities across the globe. Kerry’s wealth of experience, leadership, positivity, and gold standards sets her apart on many levels. She is thrilled to share her knowledge alongside the other exceptional panelists at the Lagree 2024 Summit!

Chris Gilligan, MD, MBA

Pain Medicine Specialist

Dr. Gilligan is a pain medicine specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital who serves as the Executive Medical Director of MGB Global Advisory, Senior Medical Director for Periprocedural Services, the Director of the Spine Service Line and the Chief of the Division of Pain Medicine. He is also Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. In his administrative role, Dr. Gilligan is charged with leading hospital wide initiatives in Periprocedural Services that redesign the delivery of care to improve patient outcomes, clinician and patient satisfaction and operational effectiveness. Areas of focus include quality and safety, teamwork and professionalism, and operational performance. He has worked extensively supporting Brigham and Women’s collaborations with hospitals in the Middle East, China and Bermuda. He also has a successful track record as a venture capital investor in and board member of biotech and medical device start-up companies culminating in Initial Public Offerings and acquisitions. He began his career at BWH in 1997 as a resident in General Surgery and Emergency Medicine. He then completed a fellowship in Pain Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and earned a Master’s in Business Administration from Harvard Business School. Previously, he earned an MD from Yale University School of Medicine, a M.Phil. from Cambridge University, and a BA from Harvard University. He remains clinically active, and continues to conduct clinical trials, and teach and mentor fellows, residents and students. He serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Pain Practice and Co-Editor of Bonica’s Management of Pain. He is internationally known for his expertise in the design and conduct of clinical trials for novel, minimally invasive therapies for spinal pain. He is currently the Principal Investigator of the MODEL and SERENITY CM Phase 3 trials and Co-Principal Investigator of the RESTORE trial.

Tessa Ben Ami

Lagree Master Trainer & Owner of TBA Fitness

Tessa entered the fitness industry in 2017 with a passion for alignment, kinesiology, and biomechanics. This led to her discovery of the Lagree Method. In 2018, she got certified and began to concentrate her fitness career solely on the Megaformer, until the pandemic hit Changes not only happened around the world, but also changes happened in Lagree Fitness, in the best way! Sebastien introduced a new machine, the Microformer. She pivoted only to Microformer training both virtually and in-person. Eventually, this led to her opening one of the first Lagree certified Microformer studios in early 2021. Now as a master trainer, she gets to share her knowledge of Lagree on a different level to help aspiring fitness instructors and future studio owners build to their fullest potential, set up for success and spread the love for Lagree!

Sara Stimac

Owner of Chromacore & Lagree Master Trainer

Sara is the co-founder and owner of Chromacore. Sara’s love of fitness and sports came from a shared passion with her father, John. She began in ballet and jazz as a kid but quickly outgrew her tutu and traded it in for sneakers. Sara began her fitness career as a step aerobics instructor (grapevine!). Sara counts herself blessed to have discovered Lagree Fitness during her hectic years as an entertainment lawyer in LA. Sara is a passionate advocate for real Lagree Fitness done right. A student since 2008 and certified since 2012, Sara has taught thousands of Lagree Fitness classes and knows how to create a standout class experience. She is particularly drawn to the evolution of Lagree Fitness and was the first studio owner in the world to bring the Evo 2 lightning spring technology to pioneer the Lagree 2.0 method at her studio. With a decade of leading Lagree Fitness certifications under her belt, Sara fulfilled her dream of becoming an official Level 3 Certified Lagree Master Teacher Trainer in 2021. Sara's specialty is knowing how to precisely use the Magic 8 and the art of effective sequencing to create classes that are known for their effective intensity. Sara has experience on the Proformer, Megaformer M3K and, most uniquely, the Evo 2. Trainers of all levels love working with Sara. She runs a no-nonsense tight ship but does it with humor, passion and backed up with experience. People describe working with Sara as life-changing: “Everything I thought I knew about Lagree was blown out of the water and intensified. Her powerful cues, enthusiasm and smooth transitions changed everything for me.” She strives to create a supportive, positive and inclusive training environment to maximize the Lagree learning experience.

Cereza Richeson

Founder of Motivate Studios & Lagree Master Trainer

Cereza is founder of Motivate in Los Angeles. She has been teaching Lagree for 15 years and is a Level 3 Master Trainer. Cereza has grown Motivate from 1 to 8 studios in under 9 years and is thrilled to share her passion for Lagree and business at the Lagree Summit 2024!

Jenny & Matt WIlson

Owners of Lagree HD

Kiran V. Patel MD

Kiran V. Patel MD is an Interventional Pain Management physician board certified in Pain Medicine and Anesthesiology. Dr. Patel is the Director of Pain Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and Founder/CEO of the NYC Neuromodulation Center of Excellence. Dr. Patel treats patients in New York City with a holistic approach, blending physical activity with interventional and implantable pain therapies. Dr. Patel trains other Pain Medicine physicians and is an ACGME Pain Medicine Fellowship program at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell. Dr. Patel teaches and lectures worldwide about pain and implantable pain therapies. She has been featured on the TODAY show, FOX news and PBS for the cutting-edge pain therapies that she offers her patients. She herself has practiced the Lagree Method for 10 years and is a certified Lagree instructor. Dr. Patel is an advocate for her patients to adopt the Lagree method as a means of rehabilitating injuries and maintaining wellness.

Elia Covino

Owner and Founder of Body Politik

Elia is the owner and founder of Body Politik, a Lagree and Versa Climber studio in Scottsdale that opened in November 2022. Prior to teaching fitness, Elia graduated law school in Miami and was barred as an attorney in both Florida and Illinois. After taking her first Lagree Fitness class in Chicago in 2016, she became enamored with the method and 2 months later, became an instructor herself- a side hustle that soon blossomed into a full-time fitness career. In 2020, Elia relocated to Scottsdale to be closer to family and open Body Politik.

Jen Thorn

Lead Trainer for PEAK|45