Our Staff

Deborah Matthews, PMA-CPT

A Founding Partner of InsideOut Body Therapies, Deborah is a member of the Pilates Method Alliance® and a PMA Certified Pilates Instructor. She trained at The Pilates Center of Boulder (TPC) whose owners, Amy Alpers and Rachel Segel, studied with Pilates Elder Romana Kryzanowska, a long-time student of Joseph Pilates. Deborah completed her initial Pilates training in 1999, the TPC Master's Program in 2008, and currently serves on the Faculty of The Pilates Center. She is the Director of the InsideOut Body Therapies Pilates Teacher Training, which is officially licensed from The Pilates Center.

Before moving to Durham, Deborah managed and taught GYROTONIC® at White Cloud Boulder and was Senior Teacher for Cara Reeser at Pilates Aligned in Denver. Deborah offers a classical, yet highly innovative approach to Pilates, with a deep understanding of the damaged body in need of rehabilitation and the everyday body in need of strength and flexibility. Her teaching has been influenced by her study of art, Rolfing® movement, and the process of her own rehabilitation from many challenging physical issues, including a kidney transplant.

In addition to ongoing training with Pilates masters, Deborah's teaching is continually informed by her work with Hubert Godard, Dean of Dance and Movement Analysis at the University of Paris and Rolf Movement Instructor at The Rolf Institute®. Deborah studied GYROTONIC® with Master Trainers Skye Shansby and Sebastian Plettenberg.

Toby Matthews, LMBT

A Founding Partner of InsideOut Body Therapies, Toby is a Certified Rolfer™ and Certified GYROTONIC® & GYROKINESIS® Instructor. He is a Nationally Certified Bodyworker (NCBTMB) and a Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist (LBMT) in the State of North Carolina (NC License #3687). Before becoming a Rolfer, Toby studied drama, biology, and dance at Duke University as an A.B. Duke Scholar. Since then, he has done graduate work at The University of Akron in Theatre Arts, Naropa University in Somatic Psychology and Dance/Movement Therapy, and was a member of the New World Performance Laboratory.

Toby's abiding interest is in the relationships between the body, movement, sensation, perception, and the mind. His practice has been particularly influenced by his time with teachers Hubert Godard, Liz Gaggini, Susan Aposhyan, Christine Caldwell, Barbara Dilley, and, of course, his wife, Deborah Matthews. He apprenticed in GYROTONIC® with Master Trainers Skye Shansby and Kathy Van Patten and has continued to train with Miriam Barbosa and Bradley Kreamer.

Toby is a member of the The Rolf Institute® and the International Association of Structural Integrators and served on the WFSS Faculty of the 2008 American Dance Festival.

Mischa Abshire, PT, DPT, OCS, PMA-CPT

Mischa Abshire, PT, DPT, OCS, PMA-CPT, a Partner at InsideOut Body Therapies, holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the Duke University School of Medicine and a BS in Exercise and Sport Sciences from the University of Florida, and is an Orthopaedic Certified Specialist. Mischa is a PMA Certified Pilates Instructor and trained at The Pilates Center of Boulder whose owners, Amy Alpers and Rachel Segel, studied with Pilates Elder Romana Kryzanowska, a long-time student of Joseph Pilates. She is a graduate of The Pilates Center Master's Program and is on the Faculty of The Pilates Center. She co-leads the InsideOut Body Therapies Pilates Teacher Training and is Director of the InsideOut Body Therapies Pilates-Based Physical Therapy Fellowship Program.

Mischa's love of movement began with her study of ballet, modern dance, and theater. After witnessing the effectiveness of Pilates in rehabilitating injuries during a ballet workshop, Mischa knew that she wanted to integrate Pilates into her physical therapy practice. She has since worked in many different settings including hospital-based acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, and outpatient orthopedics most notably at NovaCare Rehabilitation in Chapel Hill, The Durham Rehabilitation Institute, Jack D. Close and Associates in Las Vegas, and The American Dance Festival.

Mischa developed the Pilates-Based Physical Therapy Program (PBPT) at InsideOut Body Therapies in 2006. PBPT is a client-centered approach to healing grounded in the moving body that assesses and treats the whole person -- not just an injury or symptom -- through Pilates exercises and traditional physical therapy methods.

Mischa is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, the North Carolina Physical Therapy Association, and the Pilates Method Alliance®. She has training in manual therapy through Maitland Australian Physiotherapy Seminars and Michigan State's School of Osteopathic Medicine.

Anya Adams, LMBT

Anya Adams, LMBT (NC License #7977) is a Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist in the State of North Carolina. She is a graduate of the National Holistic Institute School of Massage in San Jose, CA, though her bodywork training began in Ukraine. Born in Russia, Anya grew up in Ukraine and studied economics, but alternative healing practices always held a special appeal for her. In dealing with her own health difficulties, she has discovered the value of therapeutic movement in combination with massage. She enjoys tailoring sessions to meet a client's needs be they relaxation, stress relief, or pain management. Professionally, she is very interested in the role of the myofascia from its visceral and craniosacral aspect to its more superficial muscular-tendonous layers. Personally, she enjoys spending time with her family and is fascinated by the energetics of food and herbalism.

Amy Ginsburg, Ed.D.

Amy Ginsburg, Ed.D., is a Pilates Instructor and Dance Educator with extensive training in contemporary dance techniques, ballet, Laban Movement Analysis, and Ideokinesis. She completed the Comprehensive Pilates Teacher Training Program at Body Precision Pilates Studio near Philadelphia.

Recently honored in the Who's Who Among America's College Teachers, Amy developed and directed the Dance Program at Dickinson College where she was Associate Professor and Director of Dance. Since relocating to Durham in 2005, she has continued to teach dance and movement at area schools including Meredith College, Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. Amy holds a B.A. in Psychology from Duke University, an M.A. in Dance from the University of Illinois, and an Ed.D. in Dance from Temple University.

Amy's work is fueled by a deep appreciation of the transformative power of movement.

Ashley Smitherman

Ashley has been active and athletic all of her life. From her college days at UNC-CH (where she majored in Journalism) to more recent cardio and weight-training, she has always been fascinated with the potential of exercise to create change. She began taking Pilates in 2005 and realized what a difference it made in her own body and way of life and knew that she wanted to share that experience with others. She has since graduated from The Pilates Center Teacher Training at InsideOut and is a member of the Pilates Method Alliance. She plans to take the PMA Teacher Exam later this year.

When not teaching Pilates, Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband, two dogs, and watching Tar Heel Hoops and Lost.

Bart Matthews

Bart Matthews is a Pilates Instructor. He trained at The Pilates Center in Boulder, CO. A graduate of Duke University in biology, he has a long-standing interest in Pilates, Ashtanga and Anusara yoga, and GYROTONIC®. He is also an avid musician and athlete.

Christina Lincoln, RYT

Originally from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, Cristina stepped into her heart through Anusara® Yoga during a class at Namaste Yoga Center in Cary in 2004. She has been practicing yoga for 5 years and is eternally grateful for the life transformation she has undergone through the practice. A Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance through the Asheville Yoga Center, she is currently working towards Anusara-Inspired status through the Triangle Anusara® Teacher Training Institute with Lila Brown and Paul & Sommer Sobin. Cristina is devoted to broadening her understanding and practice of yoga so she can fulfill her passion to serve as an inspiration to others in their journey towards unveiling the light that shines within their hearts.

Hannah Byrum

Hannah Byrum first studied yoga while living abroad at Galway Yoga Centre in Ireland. This Sevananda-style school gave her a firm foundation in the practices of Asana, Pranayama, Meditation and Yoga Nidra. While living in NYC, Hannah studied at Integral Yoga and upon returning to Chapel Hill (her home town), she continued expanding her studies through Yin Yoga, Anusara® Yoga, Bikram Yoga, and Vinyasa Yoga. Hannah has completed a 200 hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training with Ti Harmony and a 200 hour Anusara® Teacher Training with Paul & Sommer Sobin, as well as Anusara® Yoga Founder John Friend's Level 1 Teacher Training and Level 1 Yoga Therapy Training. Her passion for yoga and her desire to deepen her own practice brought her to numerous workshops with Angela Farmer and Victor VanKooten, Gabriel Halpern, Seane Corn, Patty Townsend, Sarah Powers, Todd Norian, and Paul Grilley.

Jessica Satterlee

Jessica fell in love with Pilates after her very first class. Pilates exceeded any expectation she had ever had for exercise and it became an addiction - an addiction to health, happiness, and balance. Jessica's passion for Pilates and her desire to share that passion with others led her to complete The Pilates Center Teacher Training at InsideOut. She is currently a member of the Pilates Method Alliance and looks forward to taking the certification exam in the near future. Pilates has changed Jessica both physically and mentally and she aspires for that change in her clients.

Jessica's other enduring passion is for baking. She loves to see the smiles of friends and family when she shares her creations with them.

Jude Roman, MSOM, MSPT, LAc, Dipl OM

Jude began studying Tai Chi Chuan and Qi Gong in 1996 with Dr. Robert Carpenter DOM of New Mexico. During this time he studied, Yang style long form, fast form, push hands, Yang style sword form and Taoist qi gong. In 2001, he began studying with Master Wei Lun Huang of Miami, Florida. From Master Huang he has continued to refine and expand on the yang style long form while developing his qi gong exercises to open and strengthen the body. In addition, he has studied Liu He Ba Fa, Yang style fast form, classical push hands and tai chi applications.

He earned a BS at James Madison University in Health and Human Sciences in 1993 with a core study of Athletic Training. He then obtained his Masters of Physical Therapy from Old Dominion University in 1995 and worked extensively in outpatient orthopaedic and geriatric health settings. He received his Masters in Oriental Medicine from the International Institute of Chinese Medicine in 2000 and is nationally certified by NCCAOM in Acupuncture, Chinese herbology, and Oriental Medicine. In 1999, he completed studies in Acupuncture and Chinese herbology in China at the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He is licensed as an acupuncturist and herbalist in North Carolina. He currently practices oriental medicine at Oriental Health Solutions in Durham, North Carolina. He specializes in treating musculo-skeletal disorders, internal medicine, and allergies.

Julie Matz

Julie Matz is a passionate Pilates Teacher. She began studying pilates seven years ago with a background in track and field and gymnastics. She has completed the Comprehensive Pilates Teacher Training Program at Body Precision Pilates Studio in Philadelphia. She thrives on the intense physical and mental challenge that the form offers and loves teaching others how to achieve through body awareness and the encouragement of future strengths. When not at IOBT or teaching at her home studio, Julie loves spending time with her husband and growing family.

KimLien LaFitte, LMBT

KimLien is a Certified Kinesis Myofascial Integration Practitioner and Certified Structural Integrator. She is also a nationally Certified Bodyworker (NCBTMB) and is a Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist in the State of North Carolina (NC License #6058). She received her initial training at the Body Therapy Institute (BTI) in Silk Hope, NC and remains on their Faculty as well as maintaining a private Structural Integration practice.

She loves to learn and teach and has received additional certifications in Medical Massage and The Spirit of Learning both at BTI and recently assisted Tom Meyer's in teaching his KMI approach to Structural Integration. She is a member of the International Association of Structural Integrators and the AMBP.

KimLien believes bodywork is about awareness. Bringing an awareness to the physical body, and awakening the inner spirit. It is from this place that we can expand into wholeness.

Lauren Fitts

Lauren is a Pilates Instructor passionate about health, movement, and the potential of every client. She felt an instant connection with Pilates when she took her first lesson over five years ago and has since trained with Deborah Matthews and Mischa Abshire in The Pilates Center Teacher Training at InsideOut. The more she learns about the form, the more excited she is to share her discoveries with her clients. She finds great joy in helping others realize their strengths and actualize their potentials through movement.

Lauren and her family moved from Chicago to Chapel Hill in 1998 to begin an entrepreneurial journey and they have been in the area ever since.

Michael Dorman, RYT

Michael Dorman, RYT, took his first yoga class in 2003, has been a devoted student of Anusara® Yoga since 2005. He earned Anusara-Inspired Yoga Teacher status in April, 2009, after much study with his primary teachers, Paul & Sommer Sobin and Lila Brown, as well as Anusara® Founder, John Friend.

Anusara® Yoga's heart-centered practice has helped him forge a strong connection between his mind and body, find a place of confidence and calm from which to act, and to connect more closely with others, especially the local Anusara® community. When not on the mat, he works to find the yoga in his marriage, cats, cooking, programming computers, playing very loud electric guitar, and doing drop-backs from diving boards.

Sherri Pietropaolo, MSW

Sherri Pietropaolo, MSW, has been an active member of the Yoga community for over fifteen years completing her initial teacher training in 2000. She has studied in both the San Francisco Bay Area and Boulder, practicing extensively with many wonderful teachers including Sarah Powers and Richard Freeman. In addition, she has worked with people struggling with addiction, self-esteem and other issues as a social worker in various therapeutic settings. Sherri's experience as a yoga teacher and social worker gives her a unique perspective in cultivating each practitioner's experience of Yoga. She creates classes that provide space for each student to get in touch with the love, the joy, and the breath that feeds the inner self and gives rise to the inner teacher. Utilizing a vinyasa flow style emerging from her years as an ashtanga vinyasa practioner, she emphasizes moving with breath and finding our energetic core to help increase strength and stability while at the same time creating an openness of spirit.

Stephany Heckman

Steph is our morning Receptionist. She is from Latrobe, Pennsylvania and has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. She co-owns and operates our favorite, local popcorn store, The Mad Popper. When not working at one of her two jobs she enjoys relaxing with her husband, Dan, as well as reading, biking, knitting, and watching reality tv.

Tiffani Johnston

Tiffani is originally from Southern Maryland and also lived in Virginia for 10 years. She graduated from St. Mary's College of MD in 2000 with degrees in Economics, Political Science and Public Policy. Her professional career includes 2 years with Booz Allen and Hamilton, 6 years as the Marketing Manager for the Washington Redskins and 2 years with ettain group in Raleigh. Tiffani also cheered for the Redskins for 8 seasons, which kept her active in the DC community and provided plenty of opportunity to stay physically fit. Tiffani married her husband in June 2008 which brought her to North Carolina.