About Us

ABOUT OUR PROGRAM CREATORS

CAROL LEMAITRE

SHARON GALLAGHER-RIVERA is the Owner of Internal Fire Pilates in Mill Valley, CA and is also Co-Owner of Pilates Education Lab Teacher Training Program. As a seasoned instructor, mentor, and bodywork and rehabilitation specialist, she is committed to enhancing the wellbeing and resilience of her clients across all physical states and abilities.

Sharon started as a young gymnast and a multi-sport athlete, earned her BA in Politics and Performing Arts from USF in 1992, and then spent decades performing, both commercially and with contemporary dance companies, including Printz Dance Project, for many years. Initially trained by Ellie Herman, she began teaching Pilates in 1999 and taught at various studios in San Francisco and Marin, including Sanchez Street Studios, owned by Carol LeMaitre (now her teaching partner and co-creator of Pilates Education Lab).

Sharon’s mastery of Classical Pilates and complementary approaches comes from working with many talented teachers over the years. In addition to years of study with Jennifter Stacey, M.S., she earned a Master’s Certificate with the renowned Pilates Center of Boulder, whose leaders learned directly from Pilates elder Romana Kryzanowska. Sharon enriches her Pilates practice with continued movement study through a regular Pilates practice, dance training in many styles (including Modern/Contemporary, West African and Brazilian), yoga and weekly sessions with Jean Claude-West.

Her students are her greatest teachers and she continues to gain experience through teaching with a range of methods, from Pilates to bodywork and massage techniques learned from her studies with Stephen Coleman, L.Ac., (blending the work of Lauren Berry, Swedish Massage, Rolfing and Feldenkrais), Jayne Edwards (Neuromuscular Rehabilitation work of Vladimir Janda, M.D.), and Sue Hitzman (creator of the M.E.L.T. method).

Lululemon Athletica selected her as a 2010-11 Global Ambassador, and she was honored to be selected by PilatesAnytime.com as their Next Pilates Anytime Instructor 2012, winning a feature story in Pilates Style magazine.

Sharon is a PMA Certified instructor and has modeled for Ellie Herman’s books, Pilates for Dummies and Pilates Wunda Chair as well as Ellie’s DVD of Advanced Mat. She appears in Jordan Matter’s book, Dancer’s Among Us as well as in Lois Greenfield’s Moving Still.