Our Team
Deborah Ross Bisignano – Owner & Founder
Deborah is the owner of Ross Pilates and Conditioning, and is a seasoned movement educator with 40 years of experience in helping clients achieve their personal health and fitness goals. Her leadership and expertise were recognized with the Platinum Award for Best Personal Trainer (CommunityVotes 2025).
She is passionate about helping clients move better, feel better, and fully enjoy the activities they love. Deborah is a comprehensively certified Pilates Process™ and STOTT Pilates instructor, as well as a Teacher Trainer for the Pilates Process Method™. She also holds advanced certifications as a Medical Exercise Specialist, Level 4 Franklin Method® Educator, Franklin Method® Fascial Trainer, and Level 5 MELT Method Practitioner. In addition, her qualifications include certified Functional Movement Screening Specialist, Smart Spine™ Instructor, Buff Bones® Instructor, and CoreAlign® Instructor. Dedicated to empowering people to reclaim pain-free movement, Deborah helps clients rediscover the freedom and joy of living life to its fullest.
Specializing in Therapeutic Pilates and Corrective Exercise, Deborah uses a problem-solving approach to help clients move out of pain and toward greater ease and confidence in their bodies. While her expertise lies in addressing movement challenges, she also enjoys working with fitness-based clients to enhance strength, stability, and performance. With a deep understanding of body mechanics, she tailors safe, effective movement practices to each individual, fostering lasting change and improved function.
Outside the studio, she enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her beloved pup, Maui, as well as exploring new culinary adventures, honing her cooking skills, and staying active with Pilates.
Susie Thompson
Susie is a comprehensively certified Pilates instructor and a Teacher Trainer for the Pilates Process Method™. Her expertise and dedication were recognized in the 2025 CommunityVotes Thunder Bay Awards, where she received the Silver Award for Best Personal Trainer. She is also a Level 5 MELT practitioner, Franklin Method Low Back Fascial Trainer, and a certified instructor in Smart Spine, Core Align, Buff Bones, MOTR, and OOV.
With a background in competitive sports and dance, and over 15 years of experience as a movement educator, Susie brings a wealth of knowledge, creativity, and enthusiasm to her teaching. She loves sharing her passion for fitness with clients of all ages and abilities, creating personalized programs that challenge and inspire.
Committed to ongoing learning, Susie is diligent about continuing education—you’ll often find her at the studio studying or completing online courses to further enhance her skills.
When she’s not in the studio, Susie enjoys practicing Pilates and yoga, running, hiking, camping, and spending quality time with her family and friends.
Lynda DePiero
Lynda is a comprehensively certified Pilates, fitness, and dance instructor with over 35 years of experience. Her expertise was recognized in the 2025 CommunityVotes Thunder Bay Awards, where she received the Gold Award for Best Personal Trainer. She holds certifications with STOTT Pilates, Pilates Process, and ACE (American Council on Exercise). Lynda specializes in adult and senior exercise programs, Therapeutic Pilates, and Golf Pilates programming.
Passionate about sharing knowledge, Lynda continues to expand her skills through ongoing education, regularly attending Pilates and fitness workshops and conferences. She delivers safe, functional, and effective programming tailored to each client’s needs and abilities, using a variety of Pilates equipment including the Reformer, Cadillac, and CoreAlign.
Outside of teaching, she enjoys spending time at her home and camp in Shebandowan with her husband Bob (married 45 years) and their family. She loves gardening, making homemade pesto and dill pickles, cooking, entertaining, and staying active through tennis and golf.
Dorothy Daneff
Dorothy is a comprehensively certified Pilates instructor with the Pilates Process Method™ and has over 20 years of teaching experience. She has been an integral part of the Ross Pilates & Conditioning team for many years, bringing knowledge, compassion, and a supportive approach to every session.
She has trained extensively on specialized Pilates equipment, including the Chair, Arc Barrel, Ladder Barrel, Oov, and CoreAlign, and integrates these tools to create dynamic, effective sessions. She finds it incredibly rewarding to see clients leave a session feeling better, stronger, and more balanced.
Dorothy continues to expand her expertise through ongoing education and training, ensuring she delivers safe and effective programming tailored to individual needs.
Beyond Pilates, Dorothy enjoys spending time with family and friends. In the winter, you'll often find her downhill skiing or curling, while in the summer, she loves tending to her garden—creating a beautiful outdoor retreat.
Stephanie Bisignano
Stephanie has been teaching Pilates since 2012 and is comprehensively certified through the Pilates Process Method™. With over a decade of teaching experience, she brings a deep understanding of movement, balance, and strength to every session.
In addition to her Pilates career, Stephanie is a Professional StrongWoman athlete who has competed across Canada and the U.S.—a testament to her own dedication to training and resilience. She also brings over 10 years of experience working in the mental health field, giving her unique insight into how movement, confidence, and well-being are deeply connected.
Stephanie loves helping people discover what their bodies are truly capable of—whether that’s building strength, finding balance and stability, or gaining confidence through mindful movement.
Outside the studio, you’ll often find her hiking, crafting, or enjoying time with her loyal pup, Rebel.