When Shannon first came to Just Pilates STL on June 4, 2025, she wasn't convinced Pilates was for her.

She was looking for a way to commit to exercise while feeling underweight and weak, and going to a gym alone to invent her own workouts had never worked. The Pilates she saw online didn't help: impossibly strong people in matching sets taking expensive classes didn't exactly feel inviting.

Then she tried JPSTL's intro package.

After her first class, she recruited her cousin. They've been coming ever since.

Pilates changed how Shannon thought about her body. She began feeling the difference when she missed class and found a community that helped keep her accountable. Most importantly, she began appreciating that she looked strong—not just small.

In May 2026, Shannon began comprehensive instructor training through Breathe Education and is currently completing her training and the Just Pilates STL Student Teaching Practicum.

Teaching appealed to her immediately. Years ago, Shannon taught swimming lessons and loved watching students progress and celebrating their wins. Pilates gives her the opportunity to combine that love of teaching with a form of movement that changed how she feels about herself.

Beginners and busy moms especially light her up. She loves the relief on someone's face when they finish those first few classes and realize, I did it.

Her philosophy is simple:

Showing up is the first step.

Outside the studio, Shannon jokes that her hobbies belong to someone's great-grandmother: she knits a mean blanket, makes wonderful bread and homemade pizza, and is the designated family pie and birthday-cake baker.

She also has two very spoiled dogs.