Bria Staff

Misty Moon Nickel

Pilates Instructor, Owner

Misty was selected as Seattle's Best Pilates Instructor for 2008 by Seattle Metropolitan Magazine!

Misty has been teaching movement and healing in the Seattle area for over 15 years. Driven by her vision to build a center where movement integrates into healing, Misty constructed Bria where she practices as an advanced trained Certified Stott Pilates instructor, licensed massage therapist, certified yoga instructor, certified herbalist, and founder of Bria Herbals, an organic skin care line.

Recently, Misty co-produced Complete Yoga and Pilates, a 4-DVD box set now available nationally. Misty also received national recognition when Allure Magazine named her "Seattle's Best Massage Therapist."

Dedicated to a life-long pursuit of the healing and moving arts, Misty has studied around the world and remains current with the ever-evolving science of movement by frequently attending workshops. She enjoys enriching others' lives by drawing on her wide background of related work and employing her extensive knowledge of anatomy and healing.

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Carrie Goodnight

Pilates Instructor

Carrie received her Pilates Certification from the Kane School of Core Integration in 2002 and has been teaching group and private Pilates instruction for over seven years in New York, Washington DC, and Oregon.

Carrie has a background in being a choreographer, a teacher and a performer with a love for movement of art and somatic practices. She grew up in the Seattle-Tacoma area studying classical ballet and modern dance. She has performed with the Tacoma Performing Dance Company, Semaphore Repertory Dance Company in Northfield, Minnesota, Sapphire Moon Dance Company and Spoon and Fork Collaborative in New York City, and the University of Oregon Repertory Dance Company. Recently, Carrie received her MFA in Dance from the University of Oregon where she taught modern, ballet, tap, jazz, and ballroom dance as a Graduate Teaching Fellow. Currently, she teaches dance at Spectrum Dance Theatre, and is a Co-Director of the BareFoot Collective in Tacoma where she enjoys collaborating with composers and digital artists in her creative work.

Carrie is delighted to be back in the Pacific Northwest. With training in anatomy and biomechanics, Carrie believes in the importance of empowerment and communication in all kinds of education. She hopes to inspire self-awareness, curiosity, and a joy of motion.

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Heather Mesenbourg

Pilates Instructor

Heather comes to Bria by way of the East Coast. She graduated from the College of Charleston with a B.A. in Psychology, and completed her Master of Clinical Social Work from the University of South Carolina. Her experience in the mental health field solidified her understanding of the importance of the mind/body connection.

Heather’s passion for pilates was driven by the benefits she experienced as a runner. She is a STOTT-trained pilates instructor. Heather is excited to be a part of Bria.

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Nadgia Lara

Pilates Instructor

Coming from years of experience teaching self defense, art, and photography, Nadgia Lara has had the unique opportunity to teach a broad range of ages, styles, and abilities.

Her first introduction to pilates was in Croatia in 2004 during a modern dance training, the focus of breath with movement, balance, and endurance impressed her deeply.

She believes those same fundamentals helped her own quick recovery after giving birth despite being on bed rest during the last half of her pregnancy.

In 2006 She became a certified pilates instructor through Vitality Studios, in addition to completing the standing pilates course thru Physical Mind, and in 2008 completed the Stott pilates training with supplementary pre/post natal and special populations courses.

Nadgia is always striving to expand her knowledge and experience through trainings and personal practice.

Her goal is to help people feel empowered both physically and emotionally by facilitating a safe, fun, and productive environment so when you leave you always feel better than when you arrived.

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Amy Schactman

Pilates Instructor

Bio coming soon!

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Sophia Walker

Pilates Instructor

Sophia comes from an active background of running, climbing, and skiing. She discovered Pilates in 2004 as a holistic method to treat her own back pain. She began working with a talented Pilates instructor in Ketchum, Idaho and quickly found that her body was changing — becoming more stable, free and strong. Since then, her interest in movement and dedication to Pilates has deepened.

Sophia completed the Stott Pilates instructor training program in Mat, Reformer, and CCB and received her certification in 2009. She loves introducing new clients to Pilates and the joys of an active, balanced lifestyle. Sophia also enjoys working with athletes to help increase performance and reduce the risk of injury. She is passionate about helping people realize balance, freedom of movement and increased self awareness, as well as a sense of ownership of this process.

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Amanda Weisberg

Pilates Instructor

Amanda Weisberg has danced for most of her life and began working in the fitness industry at the age of 18, teaching a broad range of group exercise formats, including kickboxing, spinning and Nia. She discovered pilates in 2000 at the Pilates Center in Boulder, Colorado. While witnessing the profound personal changes resulting from a consistent pilates practice, she began to see physical fitness in an entirely different light.

After that she moved to San Francisco and became certified through the Ellie Herman Studios in 2004. Teaching movement and learning about the body on a deeper level inspired Amanda to pursue a career in medicine. In 2008 she moved to Seattle to study naturopathic medicine and acupuncture at Bastyr University. Amanda brings her diverse background in movement, physical rehabilitation and extensive anatomy education to her instruction. She caters to all fitness levels and ages, including pre and post- natal clients. She believes pilates to be the most beneficial form of physical medicine and plans to include it in her medical practice in the future.

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Amanda Herman

Studio Manager

Amanda comes to Bria with a background in both movement science and movement art. An inquisitive child with an unquenchable thirst for learning, Amanda has always been curious about how the body works, heals, and communicates. Her passion for a holistic understanding of the physical moving body led her to Hobart and William Smith Colleges in NY where she earned a B.A. magna cum laude and phi beta kappa, with a double major in Dance and Movement Science and a minor in Science and Society.

She has presented research at annual International Association of Dance Medicine and Science conferences, and is published in the Journal of Dance Medicine and Science as well as the Journal of Dance Education. Amanda is a certified DanceAbility (dance for people both with and without disabilities) teacher, and currently serves as Co-Director of the BareFoot Collective, a non-profit movement arts organization in the South Sound.

Amanda was first exposed to Pilates Equipment while pursuing an M.F.A. in Dance at the University of Oregon. As a participant in a research study Amanda was able to see the measurable improvements she made with the reformer and was convinced of its effectiveness. She looks forward to reaping the benefits of Pilates training alongside Bria clients.

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Lisa Kugler

Marketing & Public Relations

Lisa is currently working towards full certification from Vitality Pilates Instructor Training Program. She holds a B.A. in Liberal Studies from Sonoma State University and has been a credentialed teacher for 10 years.

Lisa's interest and enthusiasm for health and wellness is what initially brought her to Bria where she greatly enjoyed her membership. Now, as the studio's sales rep, Lisa is thrilled to be onboard working with Bria's dynamic team of professionals. She is committed to building partners within the local community and looks forward to watching Bria grow.

Lisa loves to be active hiking, running and chasing after her two kids. She is excited to become a Pilates instructor and share the benefits Pilates can add to one's overall health and well-being.

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Anita Claypatch

Customer Service Rep

Anita’s lively spirit landed in Seattle by way of California where she was continuing to explore her body, mind and spirit through physical movement. While working at a yoga studio, she discovered how important it was for her to keep practicing and discovering the connections between movement and breath. She has found this practice extremely helpful during times of stress and transitions in life.

Anita holds a BS in Landscape Architecture from the original UW in Madison, WI and is looking forward to becoming a certified yoga instructor in the near future. In the meantime she finds herself busy with graphic design work, studying for her licensure exam and LEED certification, knitting/crocheting, biking and learning all about Pilates. She looks forward to sharing the wonderful experience of Pilates with you!

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