About Us

Our Story

At Riser Fitness, our journey began with a single belief: that Pilates has the power to transform lives.

As one of the first and longest-standing franchisees in the Club Pilates network, we've been honored to grow alongside a brand that shares our passion for wellness, purpose, and community.

What started over a decade ago with one studio has blossomed into a community of more than 85 locations across the United States—with 40+ more additional territories in development. But for us, growth has never been just about numbers. It's about people. We’re not just building studios—we’re building experiences grounded in connection, empowerment, and lifelong wellness.

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From the beginning, our mission has been simple: to make Pilates accessible and impactful for every community we serve. At the heart of our success is an extraordinary team of passionate professionals who’ve driven our progress, embodying our values of collaboration, operational excellence, and unparalleled customer care. Together, we continue to expand, embracing new opportunities to strengthen our presence within the Club Pilates system. 

Club Pilates has been ranked on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 List for six consecutive years and on Inc. Magazine’s Inc. 5000 list multiple times. As a leader in the industry, Club Pilates is committed to providing individuals with the opportunity to experience the transformative benefits of Pilates. Today, as part of a global network of over 1,000 studios across four continents, we are proud to contribute to Club Pilates’ mission of making Pilates accessible to everyBODY.

Founders

Keely Watson Lombardi
Managing Director
Jeffery Nash
Managing Director
Eduardo Lombardi
Managing Director
Timothy Nakagawa
Managing Director
Keely is one of the original Club Pilates franchise operators and has a deep understanding of not only the practice and instruction of Pilates, but more importantly, over ten years of experience in translating Pilates into a working business. She first tried Pilates in 2007 and immediately fell in love with it. She completed her certification less than a year later and began teaching full-time shortly afterwards; as of today, she has taught well over 10,000 Pilates classes over the last 18 years. Keely earned dual degrees in Communications and Spanish at the University of San Diego. In 2013, Keely opened her first Club Pilates franchise in Orange County, CA. With more than a decade of experience in the industry, Keely holds the recognition of Master Trainer, allowing her to train and certify instructors for Riser Fitness studios.
Jeff earned a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and has accumulated over 20 years of investment, operational, and start-up experience. He embarked on his career at Union Bank of Switzerland and later was a partner and Managing Director at systematic trading hedge funds and a proprietary real estate investment company. Prior to these ventures, Jeff partnered with Ed Lombardi at Centara Capital Group, Inc., a Registered Investment Adviser and Broker-Dealer. His expertise spans capital raising, finance, operational scaling, marketing, and brand development for start-ups and early-stage growth companies. Jeff, Ed, and Tim have been collaborative business partners for over 25 years, uniting with a shared vision to support Keely's endeavor in establishing Riser Fitness as a premier Pilates business.
Eduardo holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Washington. Since 2016, he has been integral to the growth and strategic direction of Riser Fitness, serving as a Board Member and Managing Director. Prior to Riser Fitness Eduardo spent 15 years on startups in the financial services sector where he developed proprietary financial products and oversaw operations and compliance for an SEC Registered Investment Advisor and Broker Dealer. His extensive experience in scaling operations for startups and early stage companies has been pivotal in his current role, driving Riser Fitness to become a leading franchisee within the Club Pilates network.
Tim earned a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and brings over 20 years of experience in investment management and the alternative investment space. His journey began at Union Bank of Switzerland, where he served as an analyst. Tim then was in charge of short-selling at a number of long/short hedge funds, providing research and advice to hedge funds, mutual funds, and other large financial institutions. Notably, in 2007, Tim joined Waterloo International Advisors, a short-sale hedge fund, and played a pivotal role in positioning its portfolio correctly for the financial crash of 2008. In 2013, he became a part of Caplink Partners, a capital introduction firm, specializing in evaluating private equity and direct investment opportunities. Having been friends and colleagues for over 30 years, Tim and Jeff joined Ed as he recognized the potential to elevate Riser Fitness into a leading franchisee within the Club Pilates Franchise, aligning their strengths to contribute to the company's growth alongside Keely's vision.
Keely Watson Lombardi
Managing Director
Jeffery Nash
Managing Director
Keely is one of the original Club Pilates franchise operators and has a deep understanding of not only the practice and instruction of Pilates, but more importantly, over ten years of experience in translating Pilates into a working business. She first tried Pilates in 2007 and immediately fell in love with it. She completed her certification less than a year later and began teaching full-time shortly afterwards; as of today, she has taught well over 10,000 Pilates classes over the last 18 years. Keely earned dual degrees in Communications and Spanish at the University of San Diego. In 2013, Keely opened her first Club Pilates franchise in Orange County, CA. With more than a decade of experience in the industry, Keely holds the recognition of Master Trainer, allowing her to train and certify instructors for Riser Fitness studios.
Jeff earned a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and has accumulated over 20 years of investment, operational, and start-up experience. He embarked on his career at Union Bank of Switzerland and later was a partner and Managing Director at systematic trading hedge funds and a proprietary real estate investment company. Prior to these ventures, Jeff partnered with Ed Lombardi at Centara Capital Group, Inc., a Registered Investment Adviser and Broker-Dealer. His expertise spans capital raising, finance, operational scaling, marketing, and brand development for start-ups and early-stage growth companies. Jeff, Ed, and Tim have been collaborative business partners for over 25 years, uniting with a shared vision to support Keely's endeavor in establishing Riser Fitness as a premier Pilates business.
Eduardo holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Washington. Since 2016, he has been integral to the growth and strategic direction of Riser Fitness, serving as a Board Member and Managing Director. Prior to Riser Fitness Eduardo spent 15 years on startups in the financial services sector where he developed proprietary financial products and oversaw operations and compliance for an SEC Registered Investment Advisor and Broker Dealer. His extensive experience in scaling operations for startups and early stage companies has been pivotal in his current role, driving Riser Fitness to become a leading franchisee within the Club Pilates network.
Tim earned a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and brings over 20 years of experience in investment management and the alternative investment space. His journey began at Union Bank of Switzerland, where he served as an analyst. Tim then was in charge of short-selling at a number of long/short hedge funds, providing research and advice to hedge funds, mutual funds, and other large financial institutions. Notably, in 2007, Tim joined Waterloo International Advisors, a short-sale hedge fund, and played a pivotal role in positioning its portfolio correctly for the financial crash of 2008. In 2013, he became a part of Caplink Partners, a capital introduction firm, specializing in evaluating private equity and direct investment opportunities. Having been friends and colleagues for over 30 years, Tim and Jeff joined Ed as he recognized the potential to elevate Riser Fitness into a leading franchisee within the Club Pilates Franchise, aligning their strengths to contribute to the company's growth alongside Keely's vision.
Eduardo Lombardi
Managing Director
Timothy Nakagawa
Managing Director
Keely is one of the original Club Pilates franchise operators and has a deep understanding of not only the practice and instruction of Pilates, but more importantly, over ten years of experience in translating Pilates into a working business. She first tried Pilates in 2007 and immediately fell in love with it. She completed her certification less than a year later and began teaching full-time shortly afterwards; as of today, she has taught well over 10,000 Pilates classes over the last 18 years. Keely earned dual degrees in Communications and Spanish at the University of San Diego. In 2013, Keely opened her first Club Pilates franchise in Orange County, CA. With more than a decade of experience in the industry, Keely holds the recognition of Master Trainer, allowing her to train and certify instructors for Riser Fitness studios.
Jeff earned a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and has accumulated over 20 years of investment, operational, and start-up experience. He embarked on his career at Union Bank of Switzerland and later was a partner and Managing Director at systematic trading hedge funds and a proprietary real estate investment company. Prior to these ventures, Jeff partnered with Ed Lombardi at Centara Capital Group, Inc., a Registered Investment Adviser and Broker-Dealer. His expertise spans capital raising, finance, operational scaling, marketing, and brand development for start-ups and early-stage growth companies. Jeff, Ed, and Tim have been collaborative business partners for over 25 years, uniting with a shared vision to support Keely's endeavor in establishing Riser Fitness as a premier Pilates business.
Eduardo holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Washington. Since 2016, he has been integral to the growth and strategic direction of Riser Fitness, serving as a Board Member and Managing Director. Prior to Riser Fitness Eduardo spent 15 years on startups in the financial services sector where he developed proprietary financial products and oversaw operations and compliance for an SEC Registered Investment Advisor and Broker Dealer. His extensive experience in scaling operations for startups and early stage companies has been pivotal in his current role, driving Riser Fitness to become a leading franchisee within the Club Pilates network.
Tim earned a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and brings over 20 years of experience in investment management and the alternative investment space. His journey began at Union Bank of Switzerland, where he served as an analyst. Tim then was in charge of short-selling at a number of long/short hedge funds, providing research and advice to hedge funds, mutual funds, and other large financial institutions. Notably, in 2007, Tim joined Waterloo International Advisors, a short-sale hedge fund, and played a pivotal role in positioning its portfolio correctly for the financial crash of 2008. In 2013, he became a part of Caplink Partners, a capital introduction firm, specializing in evaluating private equity and direct investment opportunities. Having been friends and colleagues for over 30 years, Tim and Jeff joined Ed as he recognized the potential to elevate Riser Fitness into a leading franchisee within the Club Pilates Franchise, aligning their strengths to contribute to the company's growth alongside Keely's vision.
Keely Watson Lombardi
Managing Director
Keely is one of the original Club Pilates franchise operators and has a deep understanding of not only the practice and instruction of Pilates, but more importantly, over ten years of experience in translating Pilates into a working business. She first tried Pilates in 2007 and immediately fell in love with it. She completed her certification less than a year later and began teaching full-time shortly afterwards; as of today, she has taught well over 10,000 Pilates classes over the last 18 years. Keely earned dual degrees in Communications and Spanish at the University of San Diego. In 2013, Keely opened her first Club Pilates franchise in Orange County, CA. With more than a decade of experience in the industry, Keely holds the recognition of Master Trainer, allowing her to train and certify instructors for Riser Fitness studios.
Jeffery Nash
Managing Director
Eduardo holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Washington. Since 2016, he has been integral to the growth and strategic direction of Riser Fitness, serving as a Board Member and Managing Director. Prior to Riser Fitness Eduardo spent 15 years on startups in the financial services sector where he developed proprietary financial products and oversaw operations and compliance for an SEC Registered Investment Advisor and Broker Dealer. His extensive experience in scaling operations for startups and early stage companies has been pivotal in his current role, driving Riser Fitness to become a leading franchisee within the Club Pilates network.
Eduardo Lombardi
Managing Director
Jeff earned a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and has accumulated over 20 years of investment, operational, and start-up experience. He embarked on his career at Union Bank of Switzerland and later was a partner and Managing Director at systematic trading hedge funds and a proprietary real estate investment company. Prior to these ventures, Jeff partnered with Ed Lombardi at Centara Capital Group, Inc., a Registered Investment Adviser and Broker-Dealer. His expertise spans capital raising, finance, operational scaling, marketing, and brand development for start-ups and early-stage growth companies. Jeff, Ed, and Tim have been collaborative business partners for over 25 years, uniting with a shared vision to support Keely's endeavor in establishing Riser Fitness as a premier Pilates business.
Timothy Nakagawa
Managing Director
Tim earned a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and brings over 20 years of experience in investment management and the alternative investment space. His journey began at Union Bank of Switzerland, where he served as an analyst. Tim then was in charge of short-selling at a number of long/short hedge funds, providing research and advice to hedge funds, mutual funds, and other large financial institutions. Notably, in 2007, Tim joined Waterloo International Advisors, a short-sale hedge fund, and played a pivotal role in positioning its portfolio correctly for the financial crash of 2008. In 2013, he became a part of Caplink Partners, a capital introduction firm, specializing in evaluating private equity and direct investment opportunities. Having been friends and colleagues for over 30 years, Tim and Jeff joined Ed as he recognized the potential to elevate Riser Fitness into a leading franchisee within the Club Pilates Franchise, aligning their strengths to contribute to the company's growth alongside Keely's vision.