Jody A. Thatcher PT, MPT
Jody graduated from Loma Linda University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences and a Master of Physical Therapy degree. She started her career in a hospital setting and then transitioned to in-home care. Ready to work with a population that was more pro-active about their health, she moved to the private practice out-patient orthopedic setting in 2002. With a firm belief that the best treatment is prevention, she started personally practicing yoga in 2000 and Pilates in 2002. Jody has worked with all musculo-skeletal conditions and has had unique success in treating Sacro-Iliac joint dysfunction and Thoracic spine pain. She has worked with a large population of runners, cyclists and pregnant patients. In October of 2008 she received her Pilates certification to teach on the reformer. Her treatment approach is to use manual therapy along with movement re-training and believes in treating the whole patient, not just their musculo-skeletal impairments. Her goal is to complete the full Pilates certification training, and to be a health care provider of choice to fill the much needed gap of helping people safely transition from a medical condition to wellness and fitness.
Stacey Scanlan PT, MPT
Stacey grew up on the Oregon coast and completed her education in Colorado and Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah with a master of physical therapy degree in 1998 and immediately moved to Boise to start her career. Since then she has practiced in a variety of settings and is very excited to be joining Thrive Physical Therapy and Pilates. Her continuing education emphasis has been on manual therapy and wound care. She is a level II certified manual therapist through North American Institute Of Manual Therapy (NAIOMT). In her free time she enjoys most of the outdoor activities that Idaho has to offer as well as yoga and Pilates. You may also recognize her name as one of the top female cyclists in Idaho; she has also competed at the national level for the past 9 years. Stacey lives in North Boise with her husband Darren and Sport, their border collie.
Kim Kutzner PT, DPT, Certified Pilates Instructor
Kim is from McCall, Idaho where she found her enjoyment and love for the outdoors. Kim has been active in dance (ballet, jazz, modern) from a young age and throughout the years has added hiking, running, rock climbing, and snow boarding to her activity repertoire. She hopes to soon add road biking to this list. Kim graduated with her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Idaho State University in May of 2011. She worked for Elk’s Healthcare Staffing in various orthopedic settings before accepting a full time position with Thrive Physical Therapy and Pilates. Kim feels she has found her “home” as she is also a Certified Pilates Instructor. Kim was certified by Romana Kryzanowska at the International Pilates and Physical Therapy Center in Seattle in 2003. She taught at Forté Pilates in downtown Boise until May 2011. Kim has a detailed approach to physical therapy and is very interested in correcting movement impairments in all body types. Kim is looking forward to meeting new patients and to help them return to their full, active, physical potential.
Jessica Gradhandt, Certified Pilates Instructor
Jessica has been practicing Pilates since 2000 and is the owner of Pilates at Thrive, LLC (the Pilates division of Thrive Physical Therapy + Pilates). She completed an intensive instructor training course through Turning Point Studio in Walnut Creek, CA (now a member of Balanced Body University) in the spring of 2003 and began teaching immediately. The majority of Jessica's work and continuing study has been with Physical Therapists; consequently she has developed specialties in therapeutic and post-rehab work. In addition, she has a strong background working with specific populations such as pregnancy/post-partum and osteoporosis and has co-taught continuing education workshops in these areas. Most recently, in January of 2009, she became a Faculty member of Balanced Body, allowing her to teach and certify Pilates instructors in the Mat, Reformer and Apparatus work of the Pilates method. She also believes that there is always more to learn and understand about the body, so frequently attends continuing education workshops to increase her own knowledge and to enhance her clients' workouts. In addition, she is trained in the Healing Touch technique to assist in balancing the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. Jessica holds a B.A. in International Management from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN.
Julie Aldrich, Certified Pilates Instructor
Julie graduated from the University of California in 2008 with a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Psychology and another Bachelor of the arts in Dance with a specialization in performance. While in school, Julie studied Pilates with Diane Diefenderfer at Studio du Corps and earned her teacher certification in June 2008. Julie began teaching for several Pilates studios in the area including Studio du Corps, FineForm Pilates, and Total Woman. Julie relocated to Boise in April 2010 to continue her education and is currently a pre-medical student at Boise State University.
Harriett Jastremsky, Certified Pilates Instructor
Harriett, a Boise native, trained to teach Pilates Exercise in Mary Bowen's studio, Your Own Gym, Northampton, MA where she taught and co-managed from 1997-2001. Her training was overseen by Kate Faulkner, P.T. She received her certification from The Physicalmind Institute. She studied Anatomy and Physiology with Judy Cotter, Holyoke Community College, MA., and Anatomy and Kinesiology with Irene Dowd, New York City. She found her Pilates mentor, Clarice Marshall, in New York, and trained with her 2001-2005. Harriett graduated from Wesleyan University, was dance company member with Paula Josa-Jones/Performance Works, founding member of Kinodance Company, and was involved in year-long performance projects with Defacto Dance and Peggy Florin. For her own performance projects, Harriett has received funding from the Northampton Arts Council, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and the Idaho Commission on the Arts. Harriett had long Pilates-teaching practices in Northampton, MA and Manhattan. She most recently taught from 2007-2011 at Forte Pilates in Boise. She has the good fortune of working with wonderful people over a period of years to help them physically do what they love to do. She is experienced in guiding exercises right for the aging body (which seems to start at 35!) and for special spine considerations such as back fusions, scoliosis and stenosis. In her personal time, Harriett spends a lot of time with her family; has recently traded in her dance for a beginner's enthusiasm on the ski slopes and on the tennis court; and as a beginner gardener, digs, studies plants, and designs garden space to a point of near obsession.
Angela Gibson, Certified Pilates Instructor
Angela is originally from Canby, Oregon and received her Pilates certification through Stott Pilates in 2008. She began her Pilates training as a teen under Melanie Byford-Young of Pacific Northwest Pilates as a way to augment her studies as a young ballet student. Over time, however, she developed her love of teaching. In addition to teaching clients at Thrive, Angela is now in her fourth season performing with Ballet Idaho. Coming from a professional dance background, and having undergone many injuries along the way, Angela has a highly attuned knowledge of body mechanics and strives to help clients of all activity levels, from post-rehab to elite athlete. Angela earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts from Texas Christian University in 2007 and moved to Boise in 2008 where she met her husband. They enjoy being active, traveling and partaking in The Arts as well as sporting events together!
Alison Brown, Student Pilates Instructor
Alison has been practicing Pilates since moving to the USA in 1996. She started teaching both Mat and Reformer in 2010 and is working towards certification on the full range of Pilates equipment, through Balanced Body University. She works with students of all ages and fitness levels in private and small group settings.
Alison read Pure Mathematics at the University of Southampton, England, before embarking on a career in market research and statistics, working for some of the top London agencies with many familiar household names among her client list. She has been busy raising her English born family in London, Oxford, Chicago, the Bay Area, and Idaho, training at many Pilates studios along the way. In recent years, she has introduced her teenage daughter and son to the benefits of regular Pilates practice. Good food, wine, golf, and tennis are among her favorite activities outside the studio.
Amber Hand, Student Pilates Instructor
Amber grew up in the beautiful Hailey, ID, enjoying all of the outdoor activities the valley has to offer, and still loves getting up north for some of the best hiking around! She attended Boise State University graduating with a B.A. in Business Management, and after working in Seattle for a few short years Amber moved back to Idaho where she discovered her love for Pilates. Practicing as a student for a number of years it became obvious that she wanted to move to the next level in Pilates and subsequently began instructor training at the Balanced Body University. Today Amber is happily living in the north end, teaching Pilates classes at Thrive, and looking forward to what the future holds!
Anne Sanders, Physical Therapy Office Manager
Anne Sanders grew up on the Central Coast in California and has been living in the Northwest since graduating from High school. She graduated from Portland State University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Her work experience includes working for non-profit and non-governmental organizations, both local and international. After moving to Boise two years ago to be closer to family she started to shift her work focus to the Health and Wellness field. As a life-long dancer and advocate for physical well-being, Anne is excited to be working in an environment such as Thrive Physical Therapy and Pilates. She looks forward to a long working relationship with Jody, Jessica and Stacey. When not working at Thrive she enjoys exploring Idaho's outdoors, spending time with friends and family, and not being able to put down a good book.
