Co-Owner/Physical Therapist
Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist
PMA® Certified Pilates Teacher
Certified GYROTONIC® Instructor

Stephen graduated with a Masters in Physical Therapy in 1998 from LSUMC in New Orleans. Immediately interested in hands on therapy, he began to study with known manual therapist Brian Mulligan and became certified in the Maitland Australian Approach in 2003. Stephen completed a comprehensive Pilates training in Santa Monica at retroFit Pilates in 2002 and is Certified through The Pilates Method Alliance. The combined treatment of manual therapy with mind body awareness exercises using Pilates concepts was the start of his whole body treatment approach. Stephen then began to study the fascial system when he moved to Austin, TX in 2004. This lead to training with Alan Weismantle and hisFunctional Manual Therapy Approach and studying Myofascial Release with John Barnes. Stephen completed his level 1 GYROTONIC® certification in 2009 becoming the first Physical Therapist in Texas certified in the GYROTONIC® method. In 2011, Stephen and Cheryl started the Pilates Teacher Training Program offered at CORE. Since 2012, they have had the opportunity to present the work of Joseph Pilates to the Physical Therapy schools at both Texas State and The University of St Augustine-Austin.

Now Stephen pulls from both a traditional and alternative mindset for an eclectic and innovative approach to physical therapy. Treatment consist of manual therapy (myofascial release, joint mobilization & manipulation, soft tissue mobilization, muscle energy, craniosacral therapy, traction, and neurodynamics) with mind body exercises utilizing Pilates and GYROTONIC® equipment. Stephen and his wife, Cheryl, opened CORE Therapy & Pilates in May, 2005. Stephen enjoy's hiking, sports and live music.  They have 2 boy's and are members of Westlake United Methodist Church.

"I opened my business after 3 years of working at the typical 'PT mill' with juggling 3 to 5 patients an hour.  So my clinic is now based on NOT being the typical and the first step is spending time with each patient.  So I chose to offer one on one, hour long appointments to address reaching the goals of each individual.  This allows me to learn about the body on each visit in a continuous assessment and treatment progressive approach.  With the home release program and awareness training, I teach patients to empower themselves to improve."

Place: The mountains!
Restaurant: Jaques-Imos (NOLA), Uchiko (ATX)
Food: Cajun
Vacation:  Colorado, Lake Tahoe, Mammoth
City: NOLA
TV show: 24
Film: The Usual Suspects
Singer/Group: JJ Cale, Widespread Panic
Celebrity: Willie, Shaq
Book: Rich Dad Poor Dad (that changed everything for me)
Sports: LSU Football and Baseball
Team: LSU
Hobbies: Live music and I Try to keep up with my kids!

Co-Owner, PMA® Certified Pilates Teacher
Certified GYROTONIC® & GYROKINESIS® Instructor
GYROTONIC® Master Trainer

Cheryl graduated with a Marketing degree from LSU. After working a corporate desk job for a few years, she changed careers by completing her Pilates certification in 2002 at retroFit Pilates in Santa Monica, CA.  Cheryl then completed her Level 1 GYROTONIC® certification while working with Madeline Black at Studio M in Sonoma, CA.  Since moving to Austin to 2004, Cheryl has become level 2 GYROTONIC® trained as well as assisted Madeline in teaching Pilates education courses from California to New Orleans.  The year of 2009 was a busy one as she completed her GYROKINESIS® certification in Germany with Juliu Horvath, certifications on the specialized GYROTONIC® Archway, Leg Extension Unit, GYROTONER® and Jump Stretch Board, as well as becoming a Certified GYROTONIC® Pre-Trainer.  Not to mention having her second little boy. Cheryl completed a Pilates mentor program in 2011 with Madeline Black offered by Balance Body University coined "Passing the Torch". In the summer of 2011, Cheryl and Stephen launched a Pilates Teacher Training Program at CORE.  Cheryl passed her PMA Exam and has studied the GYROTONIC® Therapeutic Application courses with German Physiotherapist Paul Horvath and Uwe Herbsreit. In 2014, Cheryl completed the requirments to become a GYROTONIC® Master Trainer and is now able to teach the GYROTONIC® Level 1 Foundation Courses as well as all updates for current certified GYROTONIC® trainers.

Her background as a gymnast and exercise enthusiast led her to an interest in Pilates and GYROTONIC® exercise. Cheryl and her husband, Stephen, opened CORE Therapy & Pilates in May, 2005. They are members of Westlake United Methodist Church.

Place: There's no place like home 🙂
Restaurant: Uchi
Food: Chocolate
Vacation: The beach
City: Sonoma
TV show: Anything on the cooking channel
Film: Star Wars 🙂
Singer/Group: Mumford and Sons/George Strait
Celebrity: Brad Pitt
Book: The Shack
Sports: Football, gymnastics
Team: LSU
Hobbies: Hanging with my family

Physical Therapist
Occupational Therapist
Manual Therapy Certified (MTC)
Certified Pilates Instructor

Andy, originally from Taiwan, moved to the U.S. in 2014 to further his study as a physical therapist. He graduated from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in St. Augustine, FL in 2017 with his Doctor of Physical Therapy and Master of Occupational Therapy degrees. He practiced in outpatient orthopedics as a PT for 2 years in NYC before moving to Austin and joining CORE.

Andy is passionate about providing a holistic approach to help people in Austin stay active and fit. He has a special interest in helping musicians perform more freely and comfortably. To better serve his patients, he acquired his manual therapy certification (MTC) through USAHS in 2018, and he is in the process of becoming a certified hand therapist. He also completed his Comprehensive Pilates and pre-/post-natal training through Core Pilates NYC, and became a certified classical Pilates instructor in 2019.

Andy experienced a total change in his posture, body awareness and health by practicing Pilates, and he loves to help his clients experience the same. Andy has also become more athletic since starting doing Pilates. He enjoys paddle boarding, playing tennis, surfing, and snow skiing.

Place: The beach
Restaurant: Lady M
Food: Cheesecake
Vacation: Florida
City: Singapore, Helsinki
TV show: CSI
Film: Les Miserables
Singer/Group: Backstreet Boys, Luke Bryan, Rascal Flatts
Celebrity: Jeremy Lin
Book: Don’t Eat The Marshmallow… Yet!
Sports: Paddle boarding, tennis, surfing, snow skiing
Team: Roger Federer for tennis
Hobbies: Making videos, singing karaoke

Pilates Instructor
Certified GYROKINESIS® Instructor

Megan was a competitive gymnast when she was younger and spent most of her free time in the gym. After stepping away from gymnastics to focus on other goals when she was 15, her body started breaking down and she suffered from chronic pain, adrenal fatigue, seizures, as well as anxiety and depression. She struggled for 15 years with these issues before discovering Pilates. Megan found that mindful movement assisted in releasing the energy that was trapped in the muscles and has allowed her to manage her fibromyalgia and create a new life that is no longer dictated by physical constraints. She discovered CORE while searching for a Pilates training program that took a therapeutic, whole body approach to movement. She immediately felt at home in the CORE Studio and enjoys watching the transformation of the clients as they find relief from pain and return to the things that they love.

Megan’s goal when working with her clients is to help them with the following. To connect their breath with the body using movement and awareness to release energy that gets trapped in the body. To provide education of the body mechanics to better aid in recovery and prevention of injury. She looks forward to exploring movement modalities that assist the body in releasing stored trauma and helping her clients become aware of the mind-body connection that is necessary for whole-body healing to occur.

Place: Home and nature
Restaurant:  Vespaio, Roy’s BBQ
Food: Tacos!
Vacation: Tablerock Lake
​​​​​​​City:  Assisi, Italy
TV Show: The Peaky Blinders & Nature Docs
Film: Harvey, Snatch
Singer/Group: Ween, Wu-Tang, Sublime
Celeb:  Bill Murray
Book: Crime and Punishment by  Fyodor Dostoevsky
Sports: Gymnastics, wakeboarding, water skiing
Team: Royals
Hobbies: Reading, hiking with my dog Matie

Certified GYROTONIC® Level 1 Instructor
Certified GYROKINESIS® Instructor
Pilates Instructor

Alexis’ main intention for her clients is for them to enjoy a healthy and fit body, free from aches and pains, and to help them achieve their personal physical goals. She helps them experience a physical movement practice with personal guidance and training that brings them joy and improved physical activity regardless of age, previous injury or limitation.

Alexis was born and raised in Germany, where she graduated with a degree in Physical Therapy in 2005. She worked as a licensed Physical Therapist in Germany until 2009 and earned additional diplomas in Lymph drainage & Compression Therapy and Manual Therapy during that time. During one of her PT internships she followed her curiosity for integrative healing methods and started training with the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM®. She was delighted to discover that it works wonders on posture, flexibility and strength.

In 2009 her passion for personal growth and development opportunities brought her to the US, and she has lived in Austin since 2010. In her free time she enjoys triathlon training and is convinced that the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® has provided her with unique benefits that cannot be found in any other training modality. It has helped her with an increased range of motion, ease of movement, and something that every athlete values - more speed. After experiencing the many personal benefits of the GYROTONIC® method, Alexis is devoted to help others overcome physical limitations and elevate their performance with the GYROTONIC® method.

Alexis is a certified GYROTONIC® Level 1 Instructor and has advanced training using the GYROTONIC® method therapeutically for hip, lower back, shoulder and neck problems.

Place: Sunrise on the beach
Restaurant: ???
Food: Sushi
Holiday: Thailand, Bali, New Zealand, Kawaii....
City: Amsterdam, Krabi, San Diego
TV show: Cooking Shows, anything that's really well written (6 Feet Under, House of Cards, The Crown)
Film: I am not your Guru, depends on the genre
Singer/Group: Depends on my mood, could be anything between Country and Hip Hop
Celebrity: Tony Robbins
Book: The Lord of the Rings & The Enneagram
Sports: Swim, Bike, Run (repeat); snowboarding
Team: TEC (Tank Engine Crew aka my cycling group)
Hobbies: Acrylic painting, my sports are my hobby

Certified Pilates Instructor
Certified GYROTONIC® Instructor

Celeste Knickerbocker is a Pilates & GYROTONIC® instructor with a basis in therapeutic massage and PT modalities. She discovered Pilates as a teenager majoring in dance, and nurtured a personal dedication to the practice for nearly two decades. After a enjoying a decade-long career in the corporate world, she finally went on to pursue her passion for working with healing movement. In 2011, she completed her Balanced Body Comprehensive Pilates training at EHS Institute in San Francisco.

After discovering the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® in 2013, she was impressed by this effective exercise art. Her many hours of study in this technique culminated into a trip to Germany in 2015, where she received her Level 1 Certification. Thanks to a lengthy background in dance, movement, massage and PT modalities, she is confident in her ability to work with all body types, and to help people prevent or recuperate from injuries. She finds interacting with a variety of people, while helping folks improve their overall health and well-being, to be deeply fulfilling. She is excited to be a part the Austin community now that she's settled here.

Place: On my reformer, listening to music
Restaurant: El Rancho
Food: Mediterranean
Vacation: Relaxing on the beach
City: Paris
TV show: House Hunters International
Film: Gone With the Wind
Singer/Group: The Raveonettes
Celebrity: Audrey Hepburn
Book: Contrology by Joseph Pilates (of course!)
Sports: Tennis, Volleyball, Surfing
Team: The Knicks
Hobbies: Writing, Dancing, Video production, Reading, Crossword puzzles

Client Services
Pilates Instructor

Liz came to CORE in 2013 as a physical therapy patient searching for relief from chronic back pain. Scoliosis, a sports injury, and living in New York City left Liz constantly defending herself from re-injury and feeling like she could never quite get over the hump to find relief. She decided to move back to Austin to return to a more even keel lifestyle and to get down to business finding a way to live her life to the fullest, without fear of pain. Through physical therapy at CORE, Liz was introduced to Pilates and quickly realized it was a highly effective and achievable exercise regimen for injured and healthy bodies alike, and anyone in between. Through her training and personal Pilates practice, Liz has been able to find a much deeper understanding of the body, how it connects, and how it moves through pain. Liz completed her Pilates training with Cheryl in August of 2018 and is working as an apprentice instructor at CORE, teaching group Pilates classes and private sessions. She is amazed at the endless bounds of knowledge and technique to be found in the Pilates method and looks forward to helping CORE clients find their strength and a healthier sense of well-being through this movement practice.

Place: Anywhere in nature
Restaurant: Suerte
Food: Mexican
City: Amsterdam
TV Show: Any murder mystery
Film: Bad Moms
Singer/Group: Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie
Celebrity: The Dunn's
Book: Just Kids by Patti Smith
Sports: Basketball
Team: Always rooting for the underdog...
Hobbies: Playing guitar in one of my 3 bands, travel, cooking & eating

Pilates Apprentice

Rebekah grew up dancing and planned to pursue a professional career in ballet until she developed a torn ligament in her ankle around the age of sixteen. After surgery and a very difficult recovery, she had to give up her dream. She turned all of her attention and drive towards her academics and eventually discovered kinesiology at the University of Texas. She loved pursuing her bachelor’s degree in a field that related to her passion for exercise and movement. However, her years in college were very difficult and ended up taking longer than she ever imagined because of unexpected health issues. She was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, struggled with thyroid issues, had a few surgeries, broke several ribs, suffered two concussions, and more. During these years she enjoyed volunteering in several hospitals and spending time as a teaching assistant for UT’s social dance program. She also rediscovered Pilates, as she had been briefly introduced to it years earlier as a dancer, and decided to pursue becoming an instructor. In July 2018 Rebekah flew out to Long Beach, California to attend BASI’s Pilates Teacher Training with Dance Specialization. She was honored to have Karen Clippinger as her teacher and found much in common with her. Karen introduced and encouraged her to pursue Pilates rehab. Shortly after graduating from UT in May 2019, Rebekah was excited to discover CORE while searching for a rehab focused Pilates apprenticeship. She is looking forward to helping CORE clients reach their goals and discover their potential.

Since her initial teacher training program, Rebekah’s passion for learning has led her to complete several continuing education workshops. These workshops include BASI’s The Art of Cueing, Merrithew’s Fascial Movement Foundation Course, The Neuro Studio’s Pilates for Neurological Conditions, and BASI’s Pilates for Injuries and Pathologies. She looks forward to continuing her education to further her growth as a teacher and expand her ability to aid CORE clients in their journey of healthful and functional lives.

Place: The dance floor, on pilates equipment, in nature
Restaurant: Palm Court in Taba, Egypt
Food: Thai, Middle Eastern
Vacation: In the mountains
City: Beirut, Washington, D.C.
TV Show: PBS Masterpiece shows, Covert Affairs
Film: The Lord of the Rings series
Singer/Group: Daughtry, Sinatra, Bocelli, Lauren Daigle
Celebrity: Shawn Johnson
Book: Anything educational!
Sports: Dancing, running, swimming, tennis
Hobbies: Traveling, photography, hiking, movies, reading, hammocking, spending time with friends

Client Services

A native Austinite, Jase was very active growing up, playing football, wrestling, skiing, and more. While he was in his 20's and due to poor weightlifting technique, Jase found himself with 2 herniated discs in his back. He was in the hospital, barely able to move for two days. He faced the choice of surgery, pills, or a more holistic approach to healing. Having seen very mixed results from surgery and pills for other people, Jase chose the holistic approach. When he started coming to CORE, he was barely able to stand up straight or get out of his car, let alone do most of the activities he loved. While a patient with us, Jase learned about the roles of rarely discussed minor muscles (over 640 in the human body) and things like the fascia which can have a large impact on pain. He also learned about the relationships between the musculoskeletal system, nervous system, emotions, and long term trauma. Through physical therapy, private sessions, and classes he has found tremendous healing and now he can kayak, play racquetball, throw his kids in the pool, and even go skiing (green runs only).

Jase now uses his experiences as an entrepreneur and in hospitality to manage the office of CORE. He focuses on making sure clients have a great experience in all aspects of their relationship with our studio.

Place: Nature
Restaurant: Jack Allen’s Kitchen
Food: Pizza and Ice Cream
Vacation: Travelling in Europe
City: Mountain towns
TV Show: Good Morning Football, oh and New Girl
Film: going outside
Singer: Mumford and Sons and Don Williams
Celebrity: authentic people
Book: Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris
Sports: Skiing, football, volleyball, kayaking
Hobbies: Hiking and doing pretty much anything else outside

Pilates Apprentice

As a local Austinite, Robin has a common true love of adventurous activities exploring the Greenbelt to catching a sand volleyball game at Zilker to cheering on her Alma Marter, The Texas Longhorns, with friends and family. Coming from a background as a collegiate volleyball player herself, she has found maintaining her stamina and strength at such a high competitive level requires a more holistic approach to physical fitness. Whether coming in for physical therapy or taking a pilates group class, she had always found her way back to Core Therapy and Pilates the past couple of years.

Starting her Pilates career with Lagree Fitness. She has spent the last four years pushing her clients into peak physical fitness through Megaformer training. Realizing the need for a less intense, work smarter not harder mentality when needed, she moved her focus to the classical method. Now learning that true power comes from the deep connection between mind, breath work, correct and intentional movement patterns among many other factors all contribute in maintaining a healthy body.

In hearing that CORE would be leading a training program in the Classical Pilates, Robin thought it was the perfect opportunity to take her current training more seriously. On her way to complete her second certification of five apparatuses, you can find Robin behind the desk greeting Core's clients or teaching reformer classes at the studio.

Place: The beach
Restaurant: Peche, El Chile
Food: Vietnamese
City: Koh Phi Phi, Thailand
TV Show: The Real Housewives, Crime Investigation shows, Cooking Shows, sports
Film: Jurassic Park
Singer/Group: Jack Johnson
Celebrity: Olivia Palermo (Style)
Book: Always changing depending on my mood. Currently anything nutrition
Sports: Volleyball
Team: Texas Longhorns, Dallas Cowboys, Astros
Hobbies: Styling people and places all over Austin, Trying new Restaurants, Cooking at home