bios
Amy Broekemeier DPT, CMPT, Owner, PMA Certified Pilates Instructor, Polestar Principle Educator
Amy is the owner of Pinnacle Performance, a practice committed to addressing function of the whole person. She is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, is a Certified Manual Physical Therapist through the NAIOMT (North American Institute of Manual Therapy), is a Polestar Pilates Educator, and an adjunct faculty member at the University of Utah Physical Therapy Program. Amy holds herself to the highest standards in the profession by being dedicated to the growth and development of critically thinking manual physical therapists and movement specialists. She hopes that through this work, the community will have access to knowledge, skills, guidance and inspiration to achieve health, well-being, and freedom of movement to realize their full potentials.
Shawnee Haws DPT, PMA Certified Pilates Instructor, Polestar Pilates Mentor
Shawnee Haws recently received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Utah and has been practicing at Pinnacle Performance ever since. She also received her certification as a Pilates instructor through Polestar Education. Prior to attending graduate school, Shawnee attended Weber State University where she studied Sports Medicine, Nutrition and Zoology. In her free time, she enjoys mountain biking with her husband Brady. As a Utah native, she also enjoys rock climbing, camping and hiking along the beautiful Wasatch Front, and throughout the state. She believes that healthy living is essential for the body, mind and spirit. Shawnee’s goal is to provide quality care and education in helping clients achieve and maintain healthy living.
Tessa Furano Hale DPT, Polestar Pilates Practitioner
Tessa graduated from the University of Utah with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. As a student, she was drawn to Pinnacle Performance for its holistic approach to physical therapy. She began working full-time as a therapist at Pinnacle after graduating and completing certification as a Pilates instructor through Polestar Education. Prior to Pinnacle, she worked at the University of Utah’s Orthopedic Center and Physical Therapy School as the research assistant for the SMERF (Skeletal Muscle Exercise Research Facility) lab group. Tessa feels very fortunate to work in an environment that encourages both staff and clients to reach their maximum potential and to make the most of every opportunity put before them.
Dannielle Nicole Holder-Swensen PMA Certified Pilates Instructor
Dannielle has been teaching creative and functional movement modalities since 1994. She began teaching Pilates in 2001 and is certified through Polestar Education and the PMA. She has taught at various studios throughout California, Oregon, and Utah. She had the fortune of working as an assistant to Elizabeth Larkam for three years and continues to study under some of the most influential teachers in the Mind Body industry. Dannielle is a faculty member of Balanced Body University, conducts Pilates instructor trainings at the University of Utah, and is in the process of becoming a Registered Yoga Teacher. Dannielle is committed to disseminating the art and science of intelligent movement and is excited to be a part of the collective knowledge at Pinnacle Performance.
Deric Brown
A long time client of Pinnacle Performance, Deric Brown is now an essential part of our full-time staff serving as the Director of Financial Management. Deric has an extensive background in business management having most recently worked as the General Business Manager at Revolution Climbing, Inc. He is currently studying accounting at the University of Utah and has an educational background in mathematics & computer science. A Utah native, Deric has taken full advantage of the Wasatch Mountains having skied since age 4 and rock-climbed since age 13. Deric first came to Pinnacle after suffering from a hip and back injury and began taking movement classes to facilitate his rehabilitation. He now trains on a regular basis in order to prevent injury and continually improve his athletic performance.
Nichole Anderson Polestar Pilates Practitioner
Nichole came to us 5 months ago and has done an excellent job facilitating the front desk. But Nichole has been a part of the Pilates community for 4 years. She has studied under Brent Anderson, the founder of Polestar Pilates and his assistant Shelly, teaching Pilates in Florida and in Shanghai, China. While studying Mandarin at the University of Utah, Nichole is teaching solos at a discounted rate. Her training and experience are excellent and we are excited to have Nichole become an even bigger part of Pinnacle. We encourage everyone to experience one-on-one training with Nichole.