Our Team

All of Lifestyle Pilates Instructors are diploma qualified in the pilates method with extensive training and experience.

Anita Delbridge Goswell

Anita Delbridge Goswell is the Director of Lifestyle Pilates and Rehabilitation Studio and an accredited Exercise Physiologist with ESSA. She completed her Graduate Certificate in Exercise Science (Rehabilitation) at Charles Sturt University in 2009 and her Bachelor of Education (PDHPE) at the University of Newcastle in 1995. She lectured at the NSW Tafe in the Health and Recreation Department for 10 years and has been in the Health and Fitness industry since 1990, specialising in exercise programming for general fitness, injury rehabilitation and sports specific training.

Anita is also a Pilates Method Instructor and completed her Graduate Certificate in the Pilates Method at the University of Technology in Sydney in 2002 and holds a Diploma of Contemporary Pilates and Teaching Methodology through Tensegrity Training. She has been teaching the Pilates Method since 2001, bringing the first commercial Pilates studio to Newcastle in 2002.  She  spent 4 years on the former Australian Pilates Method Association (APMA) council, with her last year as Vice President of the association.

Anita has experience as a course deliverer for Government accredited Certificate IV and Diploma courses in the Pilates Method. She is an educator on musculoskeletal rehabilitation, pre and post partum exercise and the Pilates Method for other allied health professionals and Pilates instructors. She also holds a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.

With experience in exercise prescription in the Health and Fitness Industry, an Exercise Physiologist and Pilates Instructor, Anita is able to implement the knowledge from these modalities of training to assess a client’s movement patterns and to establish training programs using the Pilates Method to address their muscle imbalances.  She specialises in musculoskeletal rehabilitation and pre and post partum exercise using the Pilates Method.

Anita is on the AUSactive Health and Fitness Industry Standards Council and part of AUSactive’s Pilates Stakeholder Reference Group. She is also on the ESSA Education Review Committee for external courses.

Melanie Sakavaras

Melanie has been with Lifestyle Pilates & Rehabilitation Studio since 2017, starting her journey as a student, client and now Studio Manager. Before Pilates, Melanie worked in various roles in the corporate world of travel.  These included Travel Agent for Harvey World Travel, 2IC for the Newcastle Teletech Qantas Frequent Flyer contract, as well as Senior Product Administrator and later Product Manager for Scenic Tours, European River Cruise and European Product. Working for Scenic Tours Melanie also had the pleasure of working operationally with Channel 9 travel programs, Getaway, Postcards and the Kerri-Anne Kennerley show.

In 2011 Melanie underwent a life changing trip to Papua New Guinea completing a 10-day trek along the Kokoda Track, which would transform the trajectory of her life as she knew it. She realised something was missing from her world and wanted to give back more to the community. This was the beginning of her next chapter and made ‘making a difference to other people’s lives’ her new dharma. She left the corporate world and begun studies in psychology and fitness. This led Melanie to the role of Customer Service Manager for the Wests group managing the Balance gyms (also to meeting her future husband).

In 2017, Melanie completed her Diploma in the Pilates Method with Anita Delbridge Goswell and Mark Goswell through Tensegrity Training

Melanie’s mission statement for the studio is to create an environment where everyone is encouraged to become the best version of themselves whilst learning how to strengthen their own body and mind to live their best life. Melanie also has a special interest in sporting groups, particularly rowing, and Pilates for children, understanding the importance of both strength and stability.

Outside Pilates, Melanie’s other passions are her family, (she is a proud wife and mother of four wonderful children), cooking nutritious food, ocean swimming, cross country trail running, travel, photography, and her new love rowing. Melanie has also managed to combine her love of rowing with Pilates and is currently teaching Pilates to the children participating in the Newcastle Grammer School rowing program, to help them achieve a profound knowledge of their body to exceed in the boat.

Cheryl Felk

Cheryl is a fully qualified Pilates Instructor, completing her Diploma of Contemporary Pilates and Teaching Methodology in 2016 with Anita Delbridge Goswell and Mark Goswell through Tensegrity Training. She has been with Lifestyle Pilates & Rehabilitation Studio since completing her Pilates training, between having two children.

Cheryl is passionate about Pilates and the improvement and changes each person gains from the Pilates method. Moving the body through low impact exercises and stretches gaining strength, postural improvement, muscle imbalance improvement, reduced tightness and lowered aches and pains. It’s a lifestyle change people can truly feel the difference in. For Cheryl it’s an enjoyment to be part of each person’s Pilates journey and the changes they have felt within themselves and their body. Cheryl is a highly experienced Pilates instructor with a caring and grounded approach to teaching which makes your Pilates session a holistic movement experience.

Outside of the workplace Cheryl spends her time with her two beautiful children and husband. She loves to be by the ocean, camping and learning to surf.

Emily Gill

Emily has grown up with an energetic passion for dance, music, and fitness. Emily’s background in dance stems from RAD ballet training at Newcastle Dance Academy for 15 years as well as training in contemporary, lyrical, jazz, national character & musical theatre. Emily has been involved in many Dance and Music based showcases and musicals in both the Newcastle region and overseas performing in a range of festivals and major events.

After receiving successful achievements in her HSC in 2018, including nominations for exemplary performance in music & dance, Emily has now moved onto studies at the University of Newcastle. Emily has completed her Bachelor degree in Exercise and Sports Science (2021) and is now completing her Master’s degree of Exercise Physiology, in which she will graduate at the end of 2023. Whilst completing her final year of undergraduate studies, Emily also completed her Government Accredited Integrated Diploma in Pilates through Tensegrity Training (2021). Emily has obtained her qualifications in Mat Pilates, reformer, and studio Pilates (Cadillac and Wunda chair).

Emily’s experience and background as a dancer has helped to lead her further into the fitness and Pilates realm, allowing her to build on her knowledge of strength training and the way the body moves. Emily’s qualifications further extend in her holding her Level 1 in Strength and Conditioning which she uses to help plan and structure her lessons to allow clients to gain the most from their classes. Emily wishes to continue to gain expertise and use it to help educate her clients and dancer’s on the benefits strength and conditioning can have on the body and how it can allow advantages for professional careers.

Emily’s passionate and helpful nature are what have helped her to excel so far in her fitness and Pilates journey. Emily always brings an energetic energy to her classes and identifies the safety of her clients and their needs. Emily can’t wait for you to take part in her classes, she is looking forward to seeing you there!

Rocio Barcelo

Rocio was born in Argentina, and moved to Spain when she was 15. After working through her 20’s in the advertising industry, she decided to make a career change to find more balance in her life and in her relationship with her body and health. Teaching Pilates came as a natural choice given that her mother was a Pilates Instructor and was familiar with the method for many years.

She completed her training in Barcelona with Polestar Pilates and became an accredited Studio and Mat Instructor in 2018. Between 2018 and 2021 she taught in several studios in Barcelona and in Mallorca. Rocio moved to Australia in 2021, and joined the team at Lifestyle Pilates & Rehabilitation Studio in 2022.

Rocio is very passionate about health and movement, and feels very fortunate to be able to work every day in helping others to improve the way they move.

Alison Bonning

Alison Bonning is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist with Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA). Alison Completed her Bachelor of Exercise and sports science at the Australian College of Physical Education (ACPE), then continued to improve her knowledge of Rehabilitation of body by completing A Masters in Clinical Exercise Physiology at Australian Catholic University (ACU).

Alison is a qualified Pilates instructor, having completed her training through Tensegrity Training in 2018. She has been working in the health and fitness industry since 2012. These experiences have allowed her to gain a strong understanding of movement patterns within the human body. Alison is able to use this knowledge and experience to provide her clients with the best possible outcomes in injury prevention and rehabilitation

Outside of the workplace, Alison enjoys being in the outdoors, Running, Wake-boarding, snowboarding and jet skiing.

Melanie Pirozzi

Melanie has been involved in movement for most of her life. She trained as a ballet dancer from the age of 3, and at 17 went to France to pursue a career as a professional dancer. She danced with the Jeune Ballet in France, the Bavarian State Opera and the Royal Opera in London, and the Friedrichstadtpalast in Berlin. She also toured South America, Russia, Canada, Portugal, France and Germany with the Lido de Paris as principal dancer. After retiring from dancing, she was classical ballet coach to the dancers of Cirque du Soleil for their resident show ‘Zaia’ in Macau.

Melanie became certified with Polestar Pilates Asia in 2007 in Hong Kong. After a 30 year career overseas in Europe and Asia, Melanie has returned to Australia and continues to enjoy teaching the Pilates method to clients of all ages and backgrounds.

Melanie has a BA (Honours) in French and is currently studying physiotherapy at the University of Newcastle.

Mark Goswell

Mark has specialised in Exercise Physiology since 2000, developing areas of expertise in the treatment and management of injuries to the lower back, shoulders, neck, and knees. He has extensive experience in assisting clients with complex neural conditions and has an interest in assisting clients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression, chronic pain in coping with their condition using effective exercise techniques. Mark’s personal journey of recovery from neck and lower back surgery provides firsthand knowledge and experience on how to gain a full recovery from debilitating injuries to return to a full and active life.

Mark was one of the first Exercise Physiologists to become accredited with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) in Newcastle. He has assisted clients with Muscular Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy, Stokes, Acquired Brain Injuries, Amputation, Paraplegia, Autism and Gillian Barre Syndrome, by way of improving and managing their conditions.

He is a qualified Rehabilitation Pilates Practitioner and has a comprehensive understanding of the involvement of core stability in the rehabilitation of all major injuries. His knowledge in the development of exercise routines, that incorporate core stability, ensures that clients have a high success rate in improving their condition. Due to his extensive knowledge in the Pilates Method he can assist in increasing a client’s core, lumbopelvic, scapula and cervical stability.

Mark is furthering his knowledge of core stability by currently completing his PhD (Physiotherapy) on the development of a clinical measurement of Core Stability. This currently does not exist in the health industry and Mark is at the forefront of core stability knowledge and its impact on the spine and in its effectiveness in the rehabilitation of all injuries. Mark is also an educator, writing and delivering courses to Exercise Physiologists around Australia on Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation techniques, including assessment procedures and exercise prescription. Due to his extensive knowledge on musculoskeletal rehabilitation he has been invited to speak to companies on manual handling techniques, stress management strategies and injury management