As the Founder of ALIGN and Director of Education, Christopher seeks to bridge the gap that currently exists between cutting-edge fascial research done in the laboratory with the hands-on training done in the field. A proud member of the Fascia Research Society, Christopher has collaborated with the Body Worlds Museum in Berlin, the University of Padova, and prestigious universities across the U.S. His primary goal? To make soft tissue manipulation accessible to the general public. ALIGN was the first (and remains the only) fascial remodeling studio in Washington, DC and helped thousands of people heal chronic pain, restore agency with their body, and maximize their physical potential.
Having battled scoliosis pain since age ten, doctors told Christopher surgery was the only choice. Searching for an alternative path, he began studying for his personal training exam by age 16, was certified at 18, and graduated with a degree in Kinesiology four years later. After the dean of the kinesiology school took him under her wing, he gained his first introduction to applied research, collecting raw data for cardiovascular studies at the World Bank—the largest corporate fitness facility in the world.
When Christopher discovered Rolfing—a century-old technique rooted in structural integration—he alleviated his scoliosis pain for the first time. Learning from the many talented and bright minds within the field, Christopher began incorporating what he learned from them into private training sessions. Using weight benches as treatment tables, Christopher experimented with soft tissue modalities as a precursor to exercise, rather than a recovery tool (methods considered taboo for the time, particularly within the confines of a traditional training studio).
Aiming to become the living embodiment of what he studied in the laboratory, Christopher transformed the top floor of his home into a training studio, and ALIGN was born. Carrying on his vision to become the trifecta of fascial research—training studio, education hub, and applied research facility. Today, ALIGN serves as a sturdy spoke in the wheel of change for the healthcare industry, blurring the lines between physical therapy and performance training.
Christopher earned a double degree in Kinesiology and Business from the University of Maryland, and holds certifications from the National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF), American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and the MELT Method. The son of immigrants, Christopher believes strongly in paying it forward, building ALIGN to be a change agent in the wellness community. Christopher’s personal interests often mirror his professional pursuits, and you will often find him on a construction site, guerilla landscaping around DC, or whipping up a culinary recipe, or spending time in his cabin in Maine. Christopher and his husband, Nathan, are proud dog owners to their Bernese mountain dog, Daphne, who can often be found walking around the studio.
Christopher Rodousakis
Founder and Director of Education
Stacey Maiers
Chief Operating Officer
Stacey Maiers is a meticulous organizer, excellent problem solver, and Chief Operating Officer at ALIGN. A connector of people and curator of all things beautiful, she thrives in elevating people, ideas, and spaces.
Stacey launched her career in hospitality, running the gamut between boutique hotels, salons, and retail businesses throughout the East coast. A survivor of the hustle and expert in transforming chaos into clarity, she found her niche in streamlining small, entrepreneurial businesses.
When ALIGN moved to its current home on Vermont Avenue, Stacey played an integral role in bringing the vision to life. ALIGN set a new precedent in the wellness industry, one where each team member is cared for, with salaries and full benefits packages—commensurate with other professional career tracks. As ALIGN scaled from a two-person operation to six, Stacey ensured the studio hired the right people, at the right time—with each new team member fully invested and looking to build a meaningful career.
Today, there is very little at ALIGN that Stacey doesn’t play a role in, from managing revenue, orchestrating the schedule, managing daily operations and employee benefits, and streamlining client experiences. Known for her integrity and thoughtfulness, she ensures ALIGN has the people, processes, and policies in place to better serve the thousands of clients that pass through our doors.
A lover of all things DC, Stacey can be found trying boutique fitness classes, perusing farmersmarkets exploring art exhibit, or exploring everything the city has to offer with her dog Mateo and partner Enrique. An avid cook, Stacey loves to whip up new recipes—often within this very studio.
Lorraine Fischer
Physical Therapist, Practitioner, and Instructor
As a physical therapist, fascial practitioner, wellness instructor, and lifetime learner, pain management is embedded into Lorraine Fischer’s DNA. Having dedicated the past 40 years to client rehabilitation, Lorraine has—quite literally—worked with clients of every age group, from premature babies to clients in their nineties.
Lorraine launched her career in a rehab center, working with clients experiencing nearly every injury or illness. Over time, her client roster ran the gamut between amputations, spinal cord injuries, strokes, orthopedics, and chronic pain. She worked in a children’s hospital treating babies and young children with hip and lung issues. When the AIDS epidemic broke out in the ‘90s, she worked one-on-one with the hemophilia population. She moved up the ranks to Rehabilitation Director within an assisted living facility.
Through decades of service treating thousands of patients across seemingly every diagnosis, she loves nothing more than hearing the same declaration: I feel good for the first time in years.
Lorraine joined ALIGN in 2018, with a focus on posture and alignment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lorraine launched a weekly exercise class designed to help women understand and strengthen their own bodies using fascial concepts. Years later, the class has grown into a powerful, loyal community, and remains a highlight of her week.
Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, Lorraine earned her BSc in Physiotherapy from McGill University before coming to the United States. An avid learner, Lorraine dedicates three hours a week to acquiring new skills, and has received her certifications in NKT (neurokinetic therapy) and the Roll Model Method. A proud DC resident, you will often find her walking or cycling around the city, serving on the board of the Anne Frank House, or spending time with her husband and two children and their spouses.
Derek Cook
Fascial Researcher, Movement and Manual Therapist, Anatomist and Teacher
Derek Cook is a movement and manual therapist constantly studying the physical workings and philosophical intricacies of the human body. After years spent misunderstanding and mistreating his body, Derek found yoga and movement—and credits both for saving his life. Two decades later, Derek is known for his inclusive, disarming, and motivation sessions aimed to help others grow and heal.
Before wellness, Derek launched his career in theater, building sets and leading production departments in Indiana, New York City, and eventually Arena Stage and The Studio Theatre in DC. To find a balance in an otherwise high-stakes, high stress lifestyle, Derek began practicing yoga—and he quickly transitioned into teaching.
When the opportunity to teach yoga overseas arose, Derek traded in a life backstage for a life on the mat. His teaching and studies carried him across the globe, from Japan, India, Thailand, and ultimately New York City. Along the way, his interests broadened to the Alexander technique, pilates, and other manual modalities, as he began studying soft tissue work. After years studying with world-renowned fascia expert and anatomical explorer Dr. Gil Hedley, Derek led his own dissection labs. Years later, Derek shared his discoveries—centered on fascia’s form, function, and organization within the body—in movement festivals and conferences across North America.
At ALIGN, Derek helps clients better understand their bodies to mitigate pain and optimize performance. His ultimate goal? To guide each client to feel—and appreciate—a newfound connection to their bodies.
Derek is an experienced yoga teacher and holds certifications in Gil Hedley’s Integral Anatomy Series and Neurokinetic Therapy (NKT). During the pandemic, Derek returned to his childhood home in West Virginia and now splits his time between teaching anatomy and physiology as a grade school PE teacher while also working at ALIGN. Referred to by his students as, “Mr. Derek,” he finds great joy whenever a student passes on health lessons to their parents.
Savannah Vaughn
Certified Personal Trainer, Fascia Practitioner, Reiki Master
Savannah Vaughn is a dedicated personal trainer, transformation coach, and reiki master, diving into the intricate tapestry of training for mind-body-spirit connection. Having battled arthritis and psoriasis since childhood, Savannah preaches that a diagnosis does not equate limitation. After a decade spent teaching in the public school system, Savannah dedicated her career to empowering others to take ownership of their bodies.
As an advocate for creative healing, Savannah encourages clients to invite change in their body. An artist who studied metalsmithing, textiles, and weaving, Savannah is no stranger to working with her hands. Therefore, soft tissue work was a game changer in Savannah’s personal healing process. However, it wasn’t until she experienced a health crisis—practicing mixed martial arts while teaching full-time—that she learned the value of downregulating the nervous system. Today, she encourages clients to take steps back in order to move forward, while never forcing the process.
At ALIGN, Savannah blurs the lines between teacher, trainer, artist, and healer. Knowing that the mind can distract where the body can lead, Savannah guides clients to feel their bodies working as an integrated unit. Finding joy in her own transformation, she now dedicates her career to helping others do the same.
Savannah’s one-on-one sessions encompass strength, isometric movements, corrective exercises, and reiki, with intention dialed into every movement. Savannah brings a heartfelt presence to each client relationship, tailoring every session to the individual.
Savannah is a multidisciplinary certified personal trainer (through ISSA) and practitioner, certified across Functional Movement Systems (FMS), Fascial Stretch Therapy (FST), Performance Stretch Systems (PSS), Functional Range Conditioning (FRC), the Role Model Method (RMM), Animal Flow (AF), and Pain-Free Performance Specialist (PPSC), Neurokinetic Therapy (NKT), and Karuna Reiki Master. After earning her BS in Art Education with a Minor in Art History from Edinboro University, Savannah pursued her BFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing. A lover of roaming, basket weaving, journal making, neo-soul music, and crushed ice cubes, Savannah hopes to one day own homes in Frederick, Maryland and New Mexico.
Amadeus Heimann
Strength and Performance Coach
Amadeus is a practitioner, personal trainer, and strength coach in an endless pursuit of a deeper knowledge and understanding of how the human body works. With a deep-seeded fascination for body mechanics, he draws upon an arsenal of techniques to help clients maximize their athletic performance.
In college, Amadeus pursued a degree in history—only to become increasingly frustrated with the shortcomings of the public school system. His ability to pose questions, search for better solutions, and never accept the status quo is something he carried with him from education to the wellness industry.
A former five-sport athlete, Amadeus made it to 2018 before facing his first serious injury. When chronic shoulder tendinopathy landed him in a physical therapist's office, he became fascinated with the rehabilitation process. Quickly setting a record for most questions asked by a single person during rehab, Amadeus took the knowledge gained on injury prevention and post-injury rehab to program safe, effective workouts for clients.
Today, Amadeus preaches that everyone has an inner athlete, and people are stronger than they think. Firm in his belief that strength and performance training is for everyone, he programs workouts for lifetime athletes and post-rehab clients.
Amadeus received his B.A in History with a Minor in Music from Guilford College, and holds certifications as a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) through NCSS, Certified Strength Coach (CSC) through NCSF, Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES) through NASM, TRX Instructor Level I, Kettlebell Concepts Instructor Level I, GOATA, Youth Exercise Specialist (YES) through NASM, and Role Model Method. A lifetime learner, he is currently pursuing certifications in NeuroKinetic Therapy (NKT) and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). As someone whose natural habitat is doing anything active, you will often find Amadeus working out, traveling, scuba diving, rock climbing, reading, or watching sports.