Meet our Team
Rachel Miller, PT, DPT
Dr. Rachel Miller is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, certified Pilates instructor, and founder of The Pilates PT. She graduated cum laude from The Ohio State University and then earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Northwestern University in 2004. She is passionate about educating and is a professional mentor, certified Clinical Instructor, and has developed and taught anatomy courses. But most important to her is educating her patients and clients to understand their own bodies! She has successfully treated many patients who have failed to respond to other treatments.
Her dance background and love for fitness led her to Pilates. She became certified in mat and standing Pilates through Physical Mind Institute in 2008 and has been teaching group mat classes ever since. She continued her Pilates training by earning a comprehensive certification through Balanced Body. She also enjoys spending time with her family, staying active, and promoting wellness. She teaches weekly mat Pilates classes at Heather's Gym in Libertyville, and regularly teaches classes and workshops in the community.
After becoming a Mom, she realized the lack of postpartum education and the need for better care for new (and not so new) moms. Her continuing education has focused on manual therapy of the pelvis and spine, Diastasis Recti, and pelvic floor Physical Therapy. She enjoys looking at the body holistically and combining Pilates with Physical Therapy to achieve long lasting results.
Nicki Walton, PT, DPT
Dr. Nicki Walton is a physical therapist with over 12 years of patient care experience. She graduated with a degree in Biological Sciences from DePaul University, and then went on to earn her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Northwestern University.
She is a board certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist and enjoys working with patients of all ages, and activity levels. Her treatment incorporates a lot of patient education, manual therapy, targeted therapeutic exercises, and functional movement training. She strongly believes that activity should be an important part of everyone’s life, but that the quality of the movement should be what we pay the most attention to in order to optimize function and prevent injury.
Since having children and realizing that, even as a physical therapist, there was a lot she didn’t know or understand about her own body, she developed a clinical interest in helping to educate and treat pregnant/postpartum women. She is currently pursuing a Certificate of Achievement in Obstetric Physical therapy through the American Physical Therapy Association, and has taken many other continuing education courses to further her education in this area. Through personal experience, she understands the challenges that motherhood can place on the body, and the importance of making mom’s health and wellness a priority in order to successfully get back to the activities you love. She was introduced to Pilates during her postpartum journey and feels that the principles of Pilates can greatly complement any rehabilitation program.
Katie Hinrichs, Director of Marketing
Katie is thrilled to join our team after experiencing, first hand, the benefits of both our Pilates and Physical Therapy program. She stays active keeping up with her son's many activities, hitting the gym, hiking, and as an avid runner. She is a graduate of Indiana University with a B.S. in Marketing/Management. In the past, she spent many years working in corporate marketing and as an ESL teacher in Europe. She also volunteers, both at the local hospital and as an ESL tutor at the library. Katie is excited to work with our current valued clients and to introduce more members of the community to our holistic approach to Physical Therapy, Pilates, and educational programs.
Michelle Gross, certified Pilates instructor
Michelle is PMA (Pilates Method Alliance) certified in Pilates, holds a Group Fitness certification from ACE, and a Group Strength Specialty Certificate from SCW Fitness Education. She is a Group Fitness Instructor with over ten years of teaching experience. Michelle came to Pilates as a way to relieve her back problems and other injuries she had sustained. Pilates enabled her to return to running, an activity she had loved but had to give up. Pilates practice also enabled her to find a new challenge in biking. Michelle draws from her years of teaching fitness to continually add to her classes. Michelle has earned Master’s Degrees in Business Administration and Asian Studies to augment her Bachelor of Arts in the History of Art. Her philosophy is: movement is the key to a happy and healthy life.
Tabitha Green, certified Pilates instructor
She was first introduced to Pilates while earning her BFA at Columbia College Chicago. The strength and resiliency she gained from her Pilates practice contributed to her successful dancing career with Breakbone DanceCo. To share her love of movement and the many benefits of Pilates, Tabitha pursued a career in teaching. She mentored under Randi Whitman at Frog Temple Pilates Studio. She completed the Master’s Program at The Pilates Center in Boulder, CO and is a certified Pre and Post-Natal Pilates Specialist TM through The Center for Women’s Fitness. Tabitha is a Level 1 Eric Franklin teacher. She is detail orientated and enjoys guiding her clients toward efficient movement patterns. She brings an element of fun while practicing challenging exercises and enjoys guiding clients toward their fitness goals. She believes the benefits of Pilates will make life more enjoyable for everyone. Her two daughters keep her on her toes and light her life up.
