Sara Armbrister

Aligned Studio Owner Sara Armbrister was originally introduced to the Pilates method to help her body keep up with the physical demands of a pre-professional musician and dancer. As a cello performance major at the University of Kansas, Pilates helped her recover from an overuse injury. Inspired to help other performing artists avoid & overcome injury, she began teaching in 2004. Sara initially completed her Pilates education through Centerworks® Pilates, and has received additional comprehensive training & continuing education through Balanced Body®, Fletcher® Pilates, Polestar, and many first-generation and master teachers. She has also received research grants and presented numerous lectures on injury prevention for musicians and dancers.

Sara served as Studio Director & Lead Trainer of Pilates Performance & Rehab Lawrence for many years, until she took over ownership and transitioned the studio to Aligned in 2016. She is also a Master Trainer for Balanced Body Education. She teaches the Balanced Body Pilates & Barre instructor training programs, as well as specialty workshops, at Aligned and as a guest presenter throughout the Kansas City area and across the country.

A dynamic, inspiring teacher, Sara aims to make Pilates accessible to all. Her diverse clientele includes athletes, dancers, fitness professionals, musicians, pre/post-rehab clients, and men & women of all ages and abilities.

Kayleigh Phlegar

Kayleigh’s mind-body fitness journey originally began when she sought out yoga classes while recovering from some minor injuries, and was thrilled to find a practice that provided tools for healing more than just her body. She knew early on that she wanted to explore more of what yoga had to offer. The thought of teaching anyone, anything, was intimidating. She now teaches yoga, Pilates, and barre classes regularly, and is passionate about helping others explore the benefits of a body-mind-spirit connection.

Kayleigh holds a BS in Exercise Science (with a psychology minor) from the University of Kansas, and feels that continuing to be a student in some capacity is both rewarding and vital to her role as a teacher. She completed her 520 hour comprehensive Pilates education through Balanced Body, and 200 hour yoga training through OmTree Shala. She is also certified in Balanced Body Barre.

When she is not working or studying, she enjoys beekeeping, photography, and being in or near water.

Kristin Salmans

Kristin has lived in Lawrence since 2013 and has been at Aligned since 2015. Prior to that, she lived in various places around Alabama, Texas, Illinois, Virginia, Nebraska and Germany as an Air Force spouse. Kristin began practicing and teaching Pilates matwork shortly after the oldest of her three children was born.  In 2016, Kristin completed the 520 hour Comprehensive Instructor Training program through Balanced Body Education and began teaching private clients & small groups, in addition to mat & barre classes, at Aligned. She also holds certifications through AFAA, Balanced Body Barre, TRX and several indoor cycling certifications. 

Kristin holds a BS in Nursing from Baylor University as well as a Masters in Health Systems Administration from Georgetown University. This background and experience are a perfect complement to the teaching and practice of Pilates. She truly loves working with clients of all ages and abilities. The greatest reward to her is seeing the amazing transformations of her clients, not only physically, but in mind-body balance and confidence. 

Amber Ramsay

Amber found Pilates while rehabbing from an injury in 2009, and knew from the moment she got on the reformer that teaching Pilates was a career path that she was destined to pursue. She had been a student of Iyengar yoga for over four years and found that Pilates provided an ideal compliment to balance her physical body by strengthening and toning her muscles, while also continuing to calm the mind. With a master’s degree in Higher Education, Amber spent 10 years working in a university setting, where she assisted students in better understanding and achieving their academic goals, as well as helping to develop a variety of leadership programs. Amber has been happy to transition her education and leadership background to the Pilates & fitness world.

Amber is passionate about the emotional connection to the physical body, and strongly believes that Pilates is a way for everyone to better understand and experience this connection. She enjoys working with individual clients as well as small groups, and gains great satisfaction in helping each person achieve a mind/body balance. Amber completed her comprehensive teacher training program through Centerworks® Pilates Institute. She has also completed Yogafit Level 1 & Prenatal Yoga training, and is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, and CrossFit Level 1 Coach. Outside of the studio, Amber is often searching for new ways to challenge herself physically & mentally through CrossFit, weightlifting, yoga, and meditation. She also enjoys traveling and cooking healthy yet delicious meals.

Ashley Sandefur

Ashley has had a lifelong love of dance, and over the years, that passion has funneled into a larger category of movement. Studying Exercise Science at the University of Kansas, while also majoring in dance, brought the science of movement into sharp focus. Ashley discovered Pilates in 2002, after the birth of her first child. She dove into the method by studying with the first (and at the time, only) Polestar educator in Kansas. Since then, she has pursued a wide variety of Pilates training including matwork, apparatus, Fletcher towel work & floor work, barre, dancer-specific training, rehab-based modalities, and trauma sensitivity. She completed her 520 hour comprehensive training through Balanced Body Education.