Continuing Education Workshops and Certifications

Brigitte Robitaille has been a STOTT PILATES™ instructor since 2004 and a Instructor-Trainer for the company since 2009. She has also been a massage therapist since 2008. She teaches functional anatomy as well as several workshops on movement and posture.

With a university degree in psychology, she believes that by becoming aware of our body and mind, we can greatly improve our health and overall well-being. Her holistic approach—both in massage therapy and movement—always considers the body and mind as a whole.

For the past 20 years, she has taught a wide variety of people, including children, seniors, athletes, and special populations. She has a particular interest in working with special populations, especially women from pregnancy through to menopause. In addition to Pilates, Brigitte is trained in Hypopressives®, Bellies Inc© Core Confidence, Postnatal Corrective Exercise, Pfilates, Brain Gym, EFT, Breathwork, and is a Pain Care Aware specialist for working with people dealing with chronic pain.

Brigitte is approachable, calm, and grounded, which creates a warm and friendly training environment. Her attention to detail, patience, positive energy, and motivation help her clients reach their goals while feeling confident and connected.

Cheryl Gillen has been an instructor with the YMCA for over 35 years, teaching at various centres including Cartierville, Westmount, NDG, Saint-Laurent, and the West Island.

In addition to being a certified Pound® instructor, she has taught a wide range of classes over the years including hi/low aerobics, step, toning, HIIT, circuit, aerobox, stretch and strength,  aquafit, fitness for seniors, just to name a few. Is there anything she cannot do? Come join her for this energizing fun filled event!

Evan Beloff is a personal trainer, wellness coach, and certified naturopath with a focus on dietary epidemiology. Outside his private practice and teaching, he has worked for the Westmount YMCA for close to a decade.

Farrell has served as a master instructor for both Fitness Kickboxing Canada and EBFA Global. He has a certification in FMS 1 & 2, Animal Flow 1 & 2, Precision Nutrition 1, Bioforce Conditioning, and YMCA Corrective Conditioning and Individual Conditioning.

Farrell has taught the Personal Trainer Certification course as well as many other continuing education workshops at the YMCA. In 2022, Farrell began facilitating webinars for AARP. Teaching is one of his great passions and he is excited to bring this course to you.

Jayme Hernandez is a yoga, meditation, and psychosomatic healing, teacher/transformational coach with over 25 years of experience helping people transform stress, anxiety, and burnout into clarity and resilience. She has created multiple teacher training certifications, including prenatal and mother–baby yoga, a 200-hour therapeutic yoga certification, and retreats that blend movement, dance, and energy work. As founder of a trauma-focused life coaching practice, she combines body, mind, and energy techniques to address core wounds and unlock lasting well-being.

Jayme Hernandez is a yoga, meditation, and psychosomatic healing, teacher/transformational coach with over 25 years of experience helping people transform stress, anxiety, and burnout into clarity and resilience. She has created multiple teacher training certifications, including prenatal and mother–baby yoga, a 200-hour therapeutic yoga certification, and retreats that blend movement, dance, and energy work. As founder of a trauma-focused life coaching practice, she combines body, mind, and energy techniques to address core wounds and unlock lasting well-being.

Louka Kurcer, also known as “The Kettlebell Guy,” has been teaching kettlebell training for over 10 years all across Canada. 

He is part of an international school of strength called StrongFirst, developed by Pavel Tsatsouline. 

He teaches specialty courses such as Bodyweight Training, Flexibility and Mobility, Functional Movement and Breathing. Louka is also the founder of the Kettlebell Club in Montréal, where the focus is strength training for people over 40. Besides strength teaching and training, Louka enjoys spending time with his wife and two-year-old little boy.

With a strong background in fitness leadership and a keen interest in promoting healthy lifestyles, Louise Malone recently joined the Sylvan Adams YM-YWHA team as fitness engagement manager.

Louise is certified in multiple disciplines, including injury rehabilitation, corrective exercise, Pilates and group fitness. Louise is also a trainer for YMCA Canada, teaching in their Personal Training Certification program.

Louise studied physical education at McGill University, and holds a certificate in sports therapy. In her spare time, Louise enjoys teaching small group personal training and indoor cycling, and networking with fellow fitness professionals.

With over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry, Marie-Eve Ricard is a PRO TRAINER for canfitpro, and she is renowned for her accessibility-, enjoyment-, and holistic health-focused approach. As the inaugural recipient of the Industry Impact Award, she leverages her expertise to train instructors and enhance the quality of group fitness classes.

Holding a bachelor’s degree in physical and health education, Marie-Eve collaborates with various organizations to deliver engaging trainings, both in person and virtually. Her contagious passion makes her sessions unique, motivating, and impactful.

Martin has been working for the YMCA for over 25 years and teaching at the University of Montréal’s School of Kinesiology and Physical Activity Sciences since 2001. His kinesiology specializations include training for athletes and non-athletes, fitness assessments, exercise physiology, and the effects of exercise on health.

He is self-employed and works as a trainer for a diverse clientele. Additionally, he is a lecturer and co-author of the series Mythes et réalités sur l’entraînement physique, la musculation, la course à pied et le vélo, published by Éditions de l’Homme.

An award-winning presenter, Nathalie is the coach and cupid of the fitness industry. She blends decades of international experience with degrees in psychology and exercise science to ensure fitness and wellness professionals thrive in their career.

An expert in motivation, Nathalie uses her joie de vivre to coach profound and lasting changes with her clients and audiences.

I obtained my kinesiology degree from Université de Montréal in 2012 and I have been actively coaching since 2010. Through my journey, I have achieved a wide range of goals in endurance sports (marathon, triathlon), body sculpting and strength training, including joining the 1,000-pound club. I leverage this wealth of experience to fine-tune my teaching and coaching style, staying focused on efficiency, understanding the “why” and achieving sustainable results.

Since 2022, I have also taught anatomy, physiology and sports biomechanics at École de massage professionnelle À Fleur de Peau, and written articles for the Réseau des massothérapeutes professionnels du Québec.My approach—a balanced blend of scientific rigour, hands-on experience and pedagogical know-how—is aimed at helping and coaching instructors as they deepen their knowledge.

Sarah is a Registered Kinesiologist, Clinical Exercise Physiologist, and group fitness instructor with over 25 years of fitness industry experience. She is the owner of Continuum Fitness and Movement Performance in Ottawa, a personal coaching studio offering one-on-one coaching instruction, athletic therapy, physiotherapy, and registered massage therapy services (www.continuumfitness.ca).

Sarah specializes in bridging the gap between rehab and a return to sports activities, focusing on correcting muscle imbalances and perfecting alignment, movement patterns, and optimizing kinesthetic awareness. Sarah is a published author with Human Kinetics. She is the creator of the Prenatal and Postnatal Strength workout DVDs. Sarah is a former international fitness competitor, a nationally ranked race walker, and a regular fitness expert on CTV’s Morning Live Ottawa.

Currently the assistant director of operations at the Saint-Roch YMCA, Simon Louis-Seize completed a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology at Laval University in 2008. He co-founded the weightlifting club Les Athlétiques in 2009, where he was the head coach until 2022. From 2008 to 2017, he was a fitness trainer for Excellence Sportive Québec-Lévis (ESQL) and the Institut National du Sport (INS).

He also worked as an athletic trainer for Laval University’s Rouge et Or athletic sports team and coached several Québec teams in football and weightlifting. From 2017 to 2021, he trained Canadian Armed Forces members at Valcartier (Personnel Support Programs).

Sonia is a graduate of Concordia University and has been certified since 2012. Passionate about following sports event coverage, she works with college and high school teams as well as athletes at Dawson College, where she has grown her client base and treats all kinds of injuries. She has completed functional movement screen training and works with active people to ensure safe physical activity.

Valérie Gautherot has been teaching at the YMCA for 25 years. She loves including a wide variety of exercises in her aquafit courses and wants to share these exercises with the next generation of instructors.

After her aerobox and aquafit equipements workshops, she shares with you new ideas on how to stay motivated the whole year long and there will be (of course!) a Master class.