Leslie came to Just Pilates STL as a client on May 12, 2025, because she needed a new way to move.

A longtime runner, she had reached a point when her hips and knees simply wouldn't tolerate running anymore. She still wanted movement in her life, so she decided to try Pilates.

What surprised her was how much strength it required. Flexibility came naturally, but Pilates challenged her in an entirely different way. As she kept showing up, she began seeing muscles develop and discovering strength in parts of her body she hadn't realized were capable of so much.

She also discovered how much she loved being able to mentally check out for a while, focus on movement, and leave feeling better.

Eventually, Leslie wanted other people to experience that feeling too. She pursued comprehensive training through Breathe Education and was certified and released to teach in May 2026.

As an instructor, Leslie loves meeting new people and watching them grow. She wants everyone walking into her class to understand one thing:

There is no competition here.

Everyone starts somewhere. Leslie's goal is to make class welcoming, fun, challenging without being intimidating, and something clients actually want to do again. Few things make her happier than watching someone try something new, accomplish it, and leave proud of what they did.

Outside the studio, Leslie is mom to Claire and William and has been married to her high-school sweetheart for 23 years. After more than 21 years as a stay-at-home mom, she'll tell you family is everything—and friends tend to become family too.

She loves to laugh, cook, travel, and try new things.