New Committee Members for 2021/22

Meredith Brooks

Meredith began Pilates 30 years ago with Lesley Ackland in London while working in the finance industry by day and studying ballet and contemporary dance the rest of the time, a balance she maintained after returning to Sydney in 1996 then onto New York in 2000.

On returning to Sydney in 2004, she commenced a non executive career.  The corporate board roles included Audit and Risk Committees at Perpetual Limited, Pendal Group Limited and GenRe Australasia.  She chaired the Remuneration Committee of both Pendal and GenRe and was also the non-executive Chairman of Balmain Funds Management.  In the non-profit world, she chaired Synergy & TaikOz and Critical Path and was the Treasurer of Glaucoma Australia.

She completed her APMA qualification at Spring Pilates in 2006 (bridging to the Diploma of Pilates Movement Therapy in 2021) and spent the next 6 years at Modern Pilates.  She started teaching at Wellcentred Pilates in North Sydney in 2012, keeping up her various board positions until she took over the ownership of the studio in June 2018.  Since then, it’s 100% Pilates.

A wholehearted supporter of the aims of the PAA, Meredith looks forward to contributing to the ongoing challenge of firmly establishing Pilates as a respected therapeutic movement modality. Meredith believes her background in business management and corporate governance in with-profit and non-profit organisations will assist the committee to give members confidence in the integrity of the organisation.

NARELLE FORBES

With a Pilates teaching career spanning over 25 years Narelle has been a strong advocate for high industry standards and Pilates education. She has been an accredited course provider and national examiner for many years, demonstrating her strong standing and reputation in the industry. Narelle is also the proud director and owner of InSync Physiotherapy & Pilates in Camberwell, Melbourne.

Narelle comes from an elite dance background; studying at the Australian Ballet School, she danced with the West Australian Ballet and the Australian Ballet Company after completing a 4-year scholarship in Monte Carlo. Injury curtailed her dancing career, but serendipitously introduced her to Pilates.

Narelle has assisted with the development and management of numerous Pilates studios in Sydney while working as a mentor and trainer. In the early days of working as a Pilates Instructor Narelle’s thirst for understanding more about the body and how it worked, not just moved, led her to complete a 4 year Diploma in Nutrition. Her special interests include exercise rehabilitation and biomechanical retraining for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions, all dance related clients and services and the health and wellbeing of young dancers.

Narelle is regularly approached to present at international and local conferences and workshops. These opportunities create the perfect environment for her to continue learning about new research, discoveries and strategies in movement education and training techniques that can be integrated into her daily practice.

Outside of InSync, Narelle is involved in a number of business and leadership groups and consults to new physiotherapy and Pilates businesses. Her drive and passion to educate and empower her clients to take ownership of their bodies, get fit and live healthy lives is evident in her successful business.

Narelle’s ambition is to help others be inspired about Pilates and driven to be the best practitioners they can be and keep the Pilates Industry growing, flourishing and strong into the future of Australia and the greater good.

MARY MCARTHUR

After many years of teaching music and then working in the fitness industry, Mary branched out from traditional gym based work to focus on the study and practice of Pilates. Having completed of a number of Pilates qualifications, Mary established Pilates Tasmania and for some years taught Pilates in her own studio in Battery Point. In 2018, she sold her practice to Emily Clark and Todd Skipworth.

Mary continues to work alongside the growing team of Pilates practitioners in Hobart and much of her time these days is taken up teaching and promoting the safe practice of Pilates to individuals and small groups at Studio Hobart in Salamanca. As well as an Advanced Diploma of the Pilates Method, she has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English, a Diploma of Education, a Diploma of Music with majors in Piano and Voice (University of Tasmania) and a Certificate IV in Training & Assessment.

As well as teaching Pilates, Mary continues to enjoy her passion for music, is a guest fitness presenter on ABC radio and has been a motivational speaker for several years – presenting at conferences throughout Tasmania, as well as interstate and overseas, on a range of topics such as lifestyle, wellbeing, fitness and stress management.

Mary has served for many years as a committee member on the PAA, three of those years as Secretary. Having enjoyed a few years leave of absence and survived the Covid challenges of 2020-21, Mary is delighted to once more join the Pilates Alliance of Australasia committee. She is committed to raising the profile of the PAA to Pilates practitioners in Tasmania and foster and support the important work of Australia’s foremost Pilates governing body throughout the island state.