Kat Strafford
Kat Strafford discovered Classical Pilates as a practitioner, on Gratz apparatus. Before becoming President of Gratz Pilates, she spent more than two decades leading global teams that create products people love, not just products people use. Today, she helps guide the company's long-term vision while preserving Joseph Pilates' legacy and supporting the global Classical Pilates community.
Kat's connection to Gratz began long before she joined the company. As a practitioner, she experienced firsthand the discipline, precision, and lifelong learning that define the method, and came to appreciate not only the apparatus but the instructors, studio owners, and community dedicated to preserving it.
Kat's career has centered on the intersection of entertainment and technology. She led global teams at Microsoft, Electronic Arts, and Unity, building products, brands, and communities that reached millions of people. Gratz brought her back to one of her earliest passions, fitness, combining her business experience with her love of Classical Pilates and her education in Exercise Science and Psychology.
Kat works across every area of the business, partnering with teams to support Gratz's growth while honoring its history and the integrity of Joseph Pilates' original designs. She works closely with instructors, studio owners, teacher training centers, ambassadors, and customers around the world, believing the strongest ideas come from listening to the community Gratz serves. She is passionate about strengthening connections across that community, creating educational opportunities, and supporting future generations of teachers and practitioners.
"Getting to share my day, energy, and creativity with others who have dedicated their lives to the practice of Classical Pilates and getting to introduce Classical Pilates to people who haven’t yet discovered it. I love getting to visit studios around the world to hear their stories and get to be taught by their instructors. I also get great joy from the workshops and studying we do internally with employees to understand the history of all our apparatus, as well as learning the Classical work, and how each exercise comes to life on each of our apparatus."
"Two things:
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Many people get comfortable with one favorite instructor. Working consistently with one teacher is valuable, so do that 80% of the time. But spend the other 20% with others. A different space, word choice, accent, or mindset will expand how you learn and deepen your practice.
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The apparatus matters. When I started Classical Pilates on Gratz apparatus, I could feel the quality difference even if I didn't know why. Instructors called it "the gold standard," but I didn't fully understand at first. As my skill grew, I found that those differences, combined with the method, created an impact in my body I didn't get from anything else."
"All of them! Well, except maybe the Electric Chair, but only because it's so mean to me. It challenges my poor posture and hip asymmetries every time.
Otherwise, I'm like a kid in an ice cream shop. Every flavor is my favorite; it just depends on which one I used last. The Reformer feels safe, like home, and I've grown to really love the 80-inch Archive Reformer. It feels like it was made just for me. The Wunda Chair makes me feel powerful, like I can fly. The Small Arm Chair feels like it was designed to help me personally with my shoulder and scapula function.
I love how the Spine Corrector, Small Barrel, and Ladder Barrel support my upper back, and I love their shape and how beautiful certain fabric colors look on those curved surfaces. The love how the Pedi Pole connects my arms to my back, wakes up my lats, and makes me feel so tall.
I get super excited whenever a studio has a Guillotine. It's big, so not every studio has one, and fewer instructors are comfortable teaching on it, so each session feels like a special treat. It makes me feel grounded and powerful. And the Cadillac! There's so much you can do on it, from spinal articulation to strength building to stretching."