OUR TEAM
STEF
Owner | Instructor
Stef is the owner and founder of PowHer by Stef. She built this studio around the belief that fitness should be challenging, empowering, and something you genuinely look forward to.
A lifelong athlete and former dancer, Stef grew up constantly moving. After discovering Barre in college, she fell in love with a different kind of strength– one that challenges the body while creating a deeper connection between movement, confidence, and mindset.
Stef holds a degree and license in School Counseling, a background that continues to shape the way she approaches PowHer. Her passion has always extended beyond physical wellness– she believes in creating environments where women feel seen, supported, confident, and empowered. That same focus on connection, self-confidence, and mental well-being is at the heart of the PowHer community.
In 2022, Stef took a leap of faith and took over the studio she had once been a client and instructor at, transforming it into PowHer. What began as a dream quickly became a community of strong, supportive women who inspired her to keep dreaming bigger.
Today, Stef is also a wife and mom. Becoming a mom has made her even more passionate about creating a space where women can grow through every season of life. Watching her daughter grow up surrounded by strong, inspiring women is one of Stef’s favorite parts of what she has created.
Stef wants everyone who enters PowHer to feel their energy shift, confidence grow, feel supported, and completely at home.
CARA
Instructor
Cara Bednar is a local mom to 3 little ones; Eloisa, Liam & Brady. She has been teaching group fitness and 1-1 classes for the past 12 years. Cara’s passion for sports and athletics started at a young age and continued though college where she played division 2 tennis all 4 years. After college Cara’s passion grew into running and she began running marathons. She has completed over 20 marathons and numerous other road races.
As life progressed so did Cara’s passion for fitness. She became AFFA group trainer, as well as TRX, Barre and Power Pilates certified. While living in Boston Cara taught throughout the city.
When she and her husband Craig relocated back to Marblehead she began teaching more locally at Orange Theory, Town Barre & Btone Middleton & Lifetime. After having her first child in 2019 Cara became a certified Pre and Postpartum trainer as well.
It is very full circle as Cara previously taught at Town Barre and is extremely excited to be back teaching at Powher by Stef.
GRACE
Instructor
Grace grew up in Marblehead, graduated from Fairfield University, and is currently pursuing a masters in school psychology at Umass Boston. She has always had a passion for fitness and has taught outdoor bootcamp classes the past few summers. She recently got her AFAA group fitness instructor certification and is so excited to instruct as part of the amazing PowHer community.
Outside of the studio, she loves spending time with family and friends, boating, and taking her golden retrievers on long walks or runs.
MOLLY
Instructor
Molly is a dance teacher, choreographer, and mom to identical twin girls - Harper & Lilah. Originally from Laguna Beach, California, she found her home in Marblehead, where she lives with her husband, twins, and sweet dog, Percy. With a lifelong passion for movement, creativity, and community, Molly brings those values into both her work and everyday life.
A passionate educator, choreographer, and artist, Molly believes in the connection between movement, confidence, creativity, and mental health. She is dedicated to creating spaces where people feel challenged, inspired, expressive, and connected to themselves and others. Molly has extensive experience teaching and choreographing for dancers of all ages and has performed and choreographed both DanceWorks Boston and Boston Community Dance Project and her work has been featured in festivals from coast to coast.
Outside the studio, you can find Molly planning her next bucketlist trip, taking family dog walks, heading to the beach, or doing something creative. She is also a former beauty marketing professional, having worked with some of Sephora’s top brands.
Molly is also a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200) and longtime believer in holistic movement practices. As a longtime Powher client herself, she is excited to help others feel strong, empowered, and at home in their bodies through movement and community.
MICHÈLE
Instructor
Michèle grew up in Marblehead and currently works at a local construction company in their HR department. An athlete since childhood, she has always loved staying active, but her true passion for fitness took off after COVID. Since then, she has explored just about every workout out there, but nothing has transformed her body and overall wellness quite like exercise that Pilates and sculpt provide.
A year ago, Michèle walked into Powher as a client and instantly connected with the strong, supportive community. She quickly became a dedicated member, often bringing her sister and friends to join in on the fun. Now, as an instructor, she is excited to help others build strength, confidence, and a love for movement through the Powher method, while also giving back to the community that inspired her. Michèle is also currently working toward her personal training certification, furthering her commitment to health and fitness.
Michèle currently lives in Cambridge, but can often be found in Marblehead at the beach or getting a bite to eat at Maddie’s. In her free time, she loves to travel, cook, and spend time with her friends and two kitties.
HEATHER
Instructor
Heather works as a high school English teacher, but her true passion lies in fitness and movement. In 2021, Heather felt conflicted about her future career path when a friend of hers suggested becoming a fitness instructor. Unsure but excited by this idea, she set out to looking at local fitness studios. Heather was a dancer growing up and through college and had previously fallen in love with barre, so it was a natural pull to begin teaching at a barre studio. After teaching her very first class, she knew this was what she was missing. This new passion led to her becoming a Certified Personal Trainer and obtaining her Group Fitness certification, as well as her Nutrition Coaching certification.
Still wanting to expand her skills and explore more avenues of fitness, Heather found PowHer and immediately knew this was a team and a community she wanted to be a part of. The movements, the music, and the incredible group of women hooked her in and she has been loving every minute of it. When not teaching high school students or fitness classes, Heather loves to travel, spend time with her family, and cuddle with her sweet orange cat, Biscuit!
CARA G.
Instructor
Cara grew up in Marblehead, Massachusetts, and her love for movement comes from over 10 years of competitive gymnastics before continuing in springboard diving and track & field. These sports taught her the value of strength, balance, body awareness, and discipline.
After years of trying different pilates studios and workout types, Cara came to Powher for the first time in 2025, and instantly fell in love with the classes, but more importantly the community. She is so excited to be stepping up to the front mat as an instructor and to help others discover the same confidence and joy that has gotten her to this point.
Prior to instructing, Cara coached swimming and diving for 6 years, where she discovered a passion for helping others build confidence, move with intention, and develop a lifelong appreciation for health and wellness. That experience inspires her approach to teaching, creating a supportive space where every client feels challenged, empowered, and equipped to make each workout their own.
When she’s not in the studio, you’ll find Cara traveling, spending time outdoors, or trying new restaurants with family and friends!
HADLEY
Instructor
Hadley, a native of Marblehead, had fitness and wellness embedded early on in her life. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health in 2020. She was also a collegiate athlete. After college, Hadley tried to rediscover what movement looked like in her life without the rigor of team sports. She was open to many different styles of workout classes. Then she participated in her first class at Powher. It was from that moment on she knew she was hooked.
Hadley appreciates the community of Powher; one that was welcoming, encouraging, and functional for all. That appreciation paired with her love and passion for movement led her to pursue her barre teacher certification in the spring of 2025. As an instructor, her goal is to create a supportive and empowering experience for all.
The unique circumstances of graduating amidst a pandemic led Hadley to a position teaching health and physical education. This role ignited a passion for combining her dedication to education with her love of movement, prompting her to pursue and complete a Masters in Education. Currently, Hadley is a health education teacher at Swampscott High School, where she also coaches field hockey during the fall season. In her free time, she enjoys spending time out on the ocean whether it’s paddle boarding, sailing, or sitting at the beach.
SYDNEY
Instructor
HAILEY
Instructor
