Member Spotlight: Siri Chilazi
A Lifelong Love of Movement
For Siri, the spark for fitness ignited early at just 3 years old while following along to her mom’s Jane Fonda workout tapes. “I was instantly hooked,” she recalls. By the time she reached college, that passion had evolved into a career path. Encouraged by her group fitness director (now mentor and colleague), she earned her first group fitness certification and began teaching Step Aerobics, a format she still proudly teaches today and calls “the queen of all fitness classes.”
Her career has flourished since then. With more than 20 specialty certifications and experience across a wide range of modalities, she now leads 5 to 7 in-person group classes every week, from Zumba and HIIT to Barre, Pilates, Cardio Yoga, and more. In 2019, she became a Master Trainer, expanding her role to include educating fitness professionals around the world. She now presents regularly at major industry events, including IDEA® World, and conducts workshops and continuing education both online and in person.
What She Loves About Being a Fitness Professional
“I truly think it’s the world’s most amazing job because, as fitness professionals, we get to inspire and help people live their healthiest, most fabulous lives,” she says. “I bounce out of bed every morning knowing that I get to bring joy and light into the world and make a positive difference.”
For her, the human connection is the heartbeat of the industry. The relationships she has built with students, colleagues, and fellow leaders keep her inspired every day.
The IDEA Connection
Although she officially became an IDEA member in 2019, she had admired the organization’s work for years. The decision to join came when she began carrying her own liability insurance, which she calls “one of my favorite IDEA services for fitness professionals,” and she quickly embraced all the membership benefits.
She names IDEA® Fitness Journal as her favorite fitness publication and looks forward to IDEA World each year. “The conference is one of the highlights of my year every year,” she says.
Beyond Fitness
Outside the studio, Siri pursues another passion: academic research. She is a behavioral scientist at Harvard University, studying gender equality in the workplace, and recently coauthored a book titled Make Work Fair. When she is not teaching or researching, you will likely find her walking with her husband, cooking vegetarian meals, or traveling the globe.
✨ Fun Fact: Her first love, Step Aerobics, is still a cornerstone of her weekly teaching schedule, proof that some classics never go out of style.
Follow Siri on Instagram.
