Karen Washburn

Owner/ Founder/ Director
Karen discovered Classical Pilates in 2002 as a graduate student of dance at UCLA. She met Shari Berkowitz, and became certified through Power Pilates with Shari’s mentorship. Always wanting to learn more, Karen became a teacher trainer for Power Pilates and had the good fortune of working with the late Bob Liekens, who became another beloved mentor. Most recently, Karen was a participant in the graduate program “The Work®" at Vintage Pilates, where she had the wonderful opportunity to study and practice the method with Jay Grimes. “I am as excited about the Pilates method today as I was during my first lesson over 20 years ago. There is always more to learn and explore. I keep this excitement alive for myself and my clients.” Karen loves inspiring her clients, growing with her fellow teachers, and thriving in small business. She holds a Masters Degree in Dance from UCLA.

Chris Clausen

A life long athlete, Chris has always had an interest in sports conditioning and performance. After studying and coaching at San Diego State University Chris was hired by the San Diego Chargers as an assistant in the teams strength and conditioning department. In 1992 he was tabbed as the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Los Angeles Rams spending 14 years with the team. Some of Chris’ professional highlights include participating as a coach in two Super Bowls and being part of the historic St. Louis Rams “Greatest Show on Turf”. Chris discovered the Classical Pilates method while searching for a way to alleviate his nagging low back and sciatica pain. Starting with the most basic Pilates mat exercises, within a few months, Chris was able to gradually reduce his chronic pain and experience a full recovery. The Classical Pilates method has become an integral part of Chris’ overall fitness regimen. Chris employs the entire Classical Pilates system to address the individual needs of each client. It is key for students to strive for a deep understanding of the method in order to get the best results from the work. Chris enjoys guiding and encouraging practitioners to achieve their goals in a safe, fun, yet challenging way. Chris was originally certified in 2012 through Mary J. Brown’s Comprehensive Classical Pilates teacher training program in St. Louis, MO. After continued study and gaining a few years of teaching experience, Chris was accepted into the highly selective Classical Pilates Masters program “The Work ®” directed by Jay Grimes of Vintage Pilates in Los Angeles. Chris continues to learn, practice, and share the Classical Pilates method.