Our Staff

Laura M. Savard, Owner/Health & Nutrition Coach

After purchasing All Wellness in 2008 Laura stepped into the role of manager, overseeing daily operations, as well as helping to implement the vision of the business.  Entrepreneurship was never something she planned to do, but over the years has found a great passion for the challenge and excitement of business ownership.  Laura’s formal education include an independently designed B.A. from Wheaton College, MA in Environmental Psychology and Religion.  After college she completed the Health Coaching program offered by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC and offers nutrition focused workshops throughout the year.

Arica H. Bronz, Manager, Yoga Teacher, Pilates Instructor

 At a young age, Arica realized that awareness of and connection to the physical body can be a gateway to emotional and spiritual well-being. As a result, she has studied movement and healing in various forms for 20 years.  Arica holds a B.A. in dance education, is a nationally certified massage therapist, and has taught yoga and Pilates since 1998. She is currently pursuing Anusara Yoga teacher certification.  Her classes emphasize optimal alignment, balanced action, heart opening philosophy, and connection to a larger spirit that unites and flows through all of us.

Julie Griffis, Physical Therapist

Julie has been a licensed Physical Therapist in Vermont since 1999. She integrates her PT training with her personal passion for bodywork, yoga and energy balancing to best meet the needs of her clients and patients.  Her background includes energetic massage and bodywork, myofascial release, trigger point release, therapeutic yoga, and a long-term personal yoga practice. Her physical therapy experience ranges from pediatric physical therapy to sub-acute rehabilitation in nursing homes. She is Reiki certified and received her bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Vermont.

Joan Shaplin, Physical Therapist, Lymphedema Specialist & General Practice

Joan has 33 years of experience as a Physical Therapist.  Her areas of interest and specializations include foot/ankle orthotic management, woman’s health and urinary incontinence, chronic pain, post surgical shoulder repair, joint replacement recovery, and arthritis deconditioning.  She is also a Lymphedema specialist and is certified in The Vodder Technique, as well as with the Lymphedema Association of North America.  Joan has over 11 years of experience in the treatment of women with breast cancer.  She recently returned to the Burlington area after developing a Physical Therapy program at the Nashville Breast Center in Tennessee and the US Virgin Islands.

Alison Hopkins, Physical Therapist & Polestar Pilates Instructor

Alison is a 1985 graduate of northwestern university’s physical therapy program. She began practicing in Chicago, Boston, and St. Louis, focusing on pediatrics. After having two beautiful children, she became an at-home mom for ten years. During this time she discovered Pilates. The changes in her body and spirit inspired her to complete the Polestar instructor training so she could share this amazing discipline with others. Her favorite aspect of Pilates is that it’s truly beneficial movement for a lifetime.

Lynne Martens, Polestar Pilates Instructor

Lynne is certified in the Pilates method of body conditioning by the Pilates Studio, New York City, and trained by master teachers Romana Kryzanowska and Bob Liekens.  She earned a second certification from Polestar education in 2008 and has owned her own pilates studio, Absolute Pilates in South Burlington since 2007.  Lynne is a former professional dancer and is delighted to offer pilates training as the perfect synthesis of movement and body conditioning.

Mandi Michetti, Yoga Instructor, Polestar Pilates Instructor
Mandi started practicing yoga twelve years ago and Pilates five years ago. In 2004 she attended her first Ashtanga teacher training with Kathy McNames of Yoga Vermont and then with David Swenson. Mandi has also studied with LRY’s Sofi Dillof, Desirée Rumbaugh in Anusara & biomechanics, Linda Ruth Spitzfaden in Transcendental Meditation, Bob Schroedter and Shelly Power in Polestar Pilates and most recently with Baron Baptiste. In addition to these wonderful teachers and experiences in yoga and pilates, one of Mandi’s principal teachers has been her own body through injury. This is why alignment and patience are two things she strives for in her classes, and is what brought her to her first Pilates private class.  Currently Mandi teaches Power Vinyasa Yoga in the Baptiste methodology and is a Polestar Pilates Teacher.

Suzy Shulman, Power Pilates Instructor

Suzy brings to All Wellness Studio her multiple passions for physical fitness, athleticism and whole body wellness.  Recently, she earned her certification as a trainer on Reformer Pilates, building on her earlier certification in mat Pilates. Before turning her attention towards helping others achieve their personal, physical best through the Pilates method, Suzy spent over a decade studying Ashtanga,Vinyasa and Vajra yoga with the ultimate goal of sharing them with others. Suzy’s interest in body mechanics and the connection between physical and mental balance emerged while she was working on her Massage Therapy Certification. Suzy is particularly proud of the fact that her students return to her classes because of the warm, fun, encouraging and engaging atmosphere she fosters.  Her holistic approach to life extends beyond the classroom; when not teaching she is often found developing new gluten-free recipes, taking her dog, Naftali, on long rambles, or meeting friends at a local eatery.

Meg Bronz, Pilates Instructor

Meg was introduced to Pilates while being treated with physical therapy for chronic pain.  Her results were surprisingly effective and empowering.  As she practiced and learned more, she realized that Pilates gave her a chance to be an active force in her own healing process.  She fully recovered from her initial injury, increased her overall strength and body awareness, and found an unexpected powerful benefit for her mind as well as her body. Meg is excited to help others experience the positive effects of improved alignment, strength and body awareness that regular Pilates practice can bring forth.  Meg has a BA in Psychology and is currently pursuing Polestar Pilates certification.

Lauren Godes, Katonah Yoga Instructor

Lauren has been practicing yoga for twenty years and has been teaching for more than 10 years.  Her physical practice is Katonah Yoga which is a pragmatic, intelligent and spiritually refined system developed by Nevine Michaan and her teachers over the last 30 years.  Katonah Yoga is a combination of classical Taoist theory and Hatha Yoga. The student is guided to create a form that has function and find the connections so a dialogue can occur  between  the breath, pose and the mind.   Props are often used and poses are held to help the student learn to occupy previously unexplored territory.  Lauren started her career as an MSW, social worker in the South Bronx.  She moved from there to her current specialty as an executive recruiter, career coach and entrepreneur.  Lauren has always had a life that is balanced between work and the activities she loves.  Lauren, her husband and two children have a love of the out doors.  As a family they have a deep commitment to the environment and enjoy bicycling, hiking, skiing and paddling.  Lauren’s passion for cycling has included a number of century and double century rides as fundraisers for different charities.

Samuel Lurie, MEd., CHt, Hypnotherapist, Spinning Instructor
Samuel Lurie is a popular spinning instructor with a professional background in health education, Body-Mind health and motivational speaking. He has 13 years of experience leading creative, fun and energizing rides for wide range of riders, including absolute beginners.  Samuel has been teaching at Shelburne Health and Fitness for 6 years where he created “Mindful Spinning,” a unique, accessible ride that incorporates a holistic, even spiritual approach, to indoor cycling. Samuel is also a hypnotherapist whose office is conveniently based right at All Wellness.

Shannon Lashua, Polestar Pilates Instructor

Shannon Lashua is a Polestar certified Pilates instructor, former ACE Certified Personal Trainer, and dancer originally from New York City.  She graduated with a BFA in dance from NYU in 1997 and then went on to get her fitness certification that same year. Since then she has worked in the health and fitness industry in health clubs as well as with Chiropractors and Physical Therapists in Vermont and New York. Shannon has been extensively trained in the Pilates Method both in its classical form as well as evolved. Locally, Shannon was an instructor at Pilates Vermont in Shelburne for three years, and then went on to become a Senior Instructor at Pilates Space in Burlington before opening her own studio, the Pilates Den in Willison, VT.

Vanessa Ament, RYT Vinyasa Yoga Instructor

Vanessa grew up surrounded by the ocean in the San Juan Islands of Washington State. Growing up in a creative family of dancers with a deep connection to nature has inspired her life and yogic practice. She has been singing, dancing, and practicing yoga since childhood, and continues to evolve and benefit from the tools that yoga provides. In 2009 Vanessa pursued her 200 hour RYT Vinyasa Yoga Certification through Samadhi Yoga Studio in Seattle, and began teaching yoga and fitness classes. Vanessa is excited to bring LGBTQ Affirming Yoga to All Wellness. Her classes will provide a safe, supportive and loving space to all those in the Queer community and their allies. Vanessa’s vision is to create a space where people can be themselves fully and feel completely accepted and supported for who they are in all sizes, shapes, and identities.