Our Instructors
Elisa Buxbaum
Founder and owner of Pulse Pilates. Elisa received her BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) degree in dance from Adelphi University. Her dance training began with Olga Dunn and continued on to New York City where she joined companies such as Jennifer Muller “The Works” and Randy James. She performed at well-known venues such as Jacob’s Pillow, Tanglewood, and Linhart Theatre in New York. It was during her performing years that Elisa recognized her love for Pilates. While taking Pilates on the upper west side of Manhattan, she began to see improvement in her performance, strength, and body composition. Many years, a husband, and two children later, she decided to share her love for Pilates by receiving her certification and creating Pulse Pilates. Elisa combines her Pilates technique with her knowledge of dance to create her own style. She believes that Pilates is an energetic way of staying in touch with your mind and body.
Rana Fahey
Rana is a proud graduate of the internationally renowned Balanced Body Teacher Training Program, and was also awarded a certification from the Pilates Method Alliance. Her solid background and credentials translate into an exceptional client experience that is not only enjoyable, but is focused on results, safety, and efficiency. Because of Rana’s dance and baton twirling background, she has first hand knowledge of body position and kinesthetic awareness that strongly carries over into her classes. Rana is very passionate about teaching and brings a smile and positive energy to each class. She looks forward to working with clients of all ages and abilities. Rana’s philosophy is, “Pilates is for everyone and every body!”
Larissa McGrath
Larissa fell in love with Pilates when she took her first mat class in the winter of 1999. Since then, both mat and equipment exercises have challenged and intrigued her. Larissa loves the variety of exercises the Pilates apparatus offers, and the fact that Pilates readily compliments and enhances her performance as a runner. Larissa believes that Pilates is an extremely “centered and balanced” component of mind/body fitness. She feels that the Pilates experience is a great fit with existing fitness interests and active lifestyles. This led her to pursue training to become a certified Pilates instructor this past year. She has been inspired by the many benefits of Pilates and is truly excited about sharing this passion with others.
Brenda Mai
Brenda was always active in sports as a child growing up. After the birth of her son, she began taking an interest in running and yoga. In 2001, she purchased her first Pilates video in attempt to find a new, enjoyable form of exercise and a way to alleviate her neck and back pain. In 2005, she experienced her first real Pilates class. Brenda found a true love for the art form, and the benefits she noticed spiritually, emotionally, and physically. After practicing Pilates for several years, she embarked on BASI’s CTTC (Comprehensive Teacher Training Course) and became a certified Pilates teacher. Brenda is a devoted teacher who wants to make sure that you feel the benefits she does when you take a class at Pulse Pilates.
Lisa Jones
Lisa grew up with a lot of activity in her life – swimming, gymnastics, ballet, and tennis. These early experiences helped her develop a love of movement. She discovered a passion for yoga in the early 2000s and completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training course in 2006. A few years later, just after the birth of her 3rd child, Lisa began experiencing a lot of issues with her lower back. After about a year and a half of enduring periodic episodes of debilitating back pain and the accompanying emotional distress, she was determined to rehabilitate herself. Her physical therapist recommended Pilates, and Lisa decided to give it a try. Within just a few sessions, Lisa noticed greater core strength, stability, and mobility. She was hooked. She continued practicing Pilates, and her back problems were no longer an issue. Lisa was so inspired to share Pilates with others that she enrolled in the BASI Comprehensive Teacher Training Course and became a certified Pilates instructor. Lisa’s classes combine a sense of playfulness with attention to detail, guaranteed to strengthen, lengthen and awaken mind, body and spirit.
Elice McKinley
Elice is a former member of the Carolina Ballet and Miami City Ballet. She danced for 21 years and through injury discovered the power of Pilates. Whether daily practice to compliment ballet rehearsal and performance, or to rehabilitate major injury, Pilates became and integral part of her life; just as imperative as breathing. Now that Elice has hung up her pointe shoes, she is focused on attaining a degree in applied nutrition to become a Registered Dietician with focus on performance athletes. She hopes to pass on the immense capacity Pilates has to every individual, no matter the goal. While Pilates is a “workout”, she aspires for all clients to leave feeling energized, refreshed, and ready to tackle life’s challenges.
Lisa Russo
Lisa grew up in Tennessee and graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a B.S. in Psychology. Lisa and her husband moved to Raleigh in 1997 and she worked in the corporate world until the birth of her children. As an exercise enthusiast, Lisa searched for exercise methods that would fit into her limited schedule. She found Pilates in 2006 and became a dedicated student of private lessons, group sessions, and mat classes. She began to see improvements in her performance as a runner, her strength, and her body. After 6 years as a student she became interested in sharing her Pilates passion with others. Lisa enrolled in the Body Arts and Science International (BASI) teacher-training course in November 2012. After completing over 500 combined hours of practice, observation, and apprenticeship, she became a graduate of the BASI Comprehensive Teachers Training Course. Lisa is a dedicated, passionate teacher and continues to practice and educate herself in the Pilates method. Lisa designs sessions to help her clients reach their individual short and long-term goals. She looks forward to working with clients of all ages, gender, and abilities.
