Doreen Puglisi, M.S. is an exercise physiologist and educator who transformed her professional -- then personal -- experience with cancer into a successful rehabilitation program for breast cancer survivors. In just six years, the nonprofit organization she established has trained and certified more than 400 instructors in the United States, Australia and Europe to help women recover their mobility, strength, and range of motion following breast cancer surgery.
The Pink Ribbon Program originated when Doreen began working with breast cancer survivors as a Pilates Instructor and Exercise Physiologist. She was stunned to discover that survivors were discharged following mastectomy, lymph node dissections and even reconstructive surgeries without a plan for either physical therapy or rehabilitation of the affected side. With her energy, drive and knowledge of exercise physiology, Doreen she set out to develop a program to help her clients achieve their best possible recovery.
 The Pink Ribbon Program was well underway when Doreen faced her own cancer diagnosis when an early cancer was discovered following breast reduction surgery. Even with her level of fitness and understanding of breast cancer, she was overwhelmed by the both the diagnosis and recovery. She applied the Pink Ribbon protocol to her own recovery, and continued to tweak the exercises and stages based on her experience. Today the Pink Ribbon Program is a gentle, staged process that begins when the survivor is either six weeks past her surgery or has received her doctor’s approval to begin gentle exercise.
Chairperson of the Health Education & Exercise Science Department at Morris County College in Randolph, New Jersey, Doreen travels extensively. She speaks frequently about the need for post-operative rehabilitation and trains health professionals as certified Pink Ribbon Program instructors. In 2008 she helped conduct a national breast cancer awareness campaign in Australia at the invitation of The National Breast Cancer Foundation and the Coca-Cola Corporation. She holds a Master’s degree in Exercise Science from Montclair State University.
Instructor Trainers
Naomi Rayman
 Naomi received her Pilates certification from the Ellie Herman Pilates Studio in San Francisco, California. Prior to receiving her certification, Naomi practiced Pilates as a means of gaining strength, improving her posture, and building self confidence in order to pursue her competitive ballroom dancing goals. As a mother of two grown sons, she knew the time had come to pay attention to her own health and follow her own dreams.
In 1984, Naomi was awarded her Masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology and found that the therapeutic nature of her work in that field fit well into her current work as a Pilates instructor, especially when applied to assisting clients with specific needs and limitations. For several years, Naomi was on the faculty of the College of Marin where she led stroke support groups and conducted speech therapy clinics for stroke victims.
Naomi is also a Certified Acupressure Therapist specializing in reflexology, jin shin, tui na and acu-yoga.
Her constant goal is to keep learning more about the Pilates repertoire and how other disciplines can motivate and enhance the client’s sense of well being.
Besides ballroom dancing, Naomi enjoys walking and hiking, gardening and traveling…all activities, which are enhanced by staying in shape and being strong. She hopes to maintain adequate balance to stay upright on her Vespa motor scooter!
Naomi lives in Marin County, California with her husband of 30 years.
contact us
The Pink Ribbon Program
P.O. Box 496, Mt. Freedom, NJ 07970
Tel: 973.993.5799
Email: info@pinkribbonprogram.com
webmail
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