Our Teachers

We Do Things Differently

Lori Tilton-Gritman

Owner

Lori Tilton-Gritman founded Tilton's Gymnastics, also known as Tilton's Acrobatics and Tumbling, in December 2005, originally in downtown Lake Oswego. Due to its substantial growth and success, the program has moved several times, now proudly settled for over 10 years in a vibrant facility in Tualatin. This floor-only program is dedicated to providing gymnastics instruction in a non-competitive environment.

With a cumulative teaching experience of 38 years, Lori's teaching philosophy is deeply influenced by the foundational techniques she learned from the renowned Betty Dali during her own training as a young gymnast. Originally from Modesto, CA, Lori enjoys a fulfilling life outside the gym with her husband, Kurt, and their daughter Halle, who, at 14 years old, is following in Lori’s footsteps as a Tilton’s teacher.

Renee Nichols

Studio Director
Private Lessons

Renee started gymnastics as a young child in the California Bay Area and has been hooked ever since. She began teaching gymnastics in 1996 at 15 years old and worked as a coach through high school. In college she spent two years as a preschool assistant at her university preschool where she got valuable experience in early childhood development. She graduated from Boston University with a BA in Anthropology in 2003 and in 2005, returned to teaching recreational and competitive gymnastics at Bay Island Gymnastics in Oakland, CA. 

In 2007, Renee took over management of Bay Island and leadership of its compulsory competitive team, coaching many students to state and regional championship titles. She left the gymnastics world in 2012 to pursue a corporate career and worked in the tech industry as a member of various people teams until 2023. 

She joined Tilton’s as Studio Director in April of 2024 and loves being part of the team and contributing to growing the program. Witnessing a child successfully completing a skill for the first time remains one of her greatest joys in life. She lives in Portland with her spouse, Dylan, and their two dogs, a Chihuahua named Pigeon and an American Bully named Zeus.

Makenzie McDonald

Level 3 Lead Teacher
Private Lessons

At just three years old, Makenzie started tiny tumbling and soon progressed to joining the competitive team at her gym. By age seven, she began taking acrobatics and tumbling classes from Tilton’s owner Lori Gritman to further enhance her competitive gymnastics skills.

Her time as a competitive gymnast instilled in her a deep understanding of the discipline, perseverance, and joy that gymnastics can bring. After 6 years of successful competition, including winning the State Level 5 All-Around championship in 2016, Makenzie realized that her true calling extended beyond her own achievements: she wanted to make a lasting impact on the gymnastics community by becoming a teacher.

Makenzie returned to Tilton's, where she originally fell in love with gymnastics, as an apprentice when she was 14 and has been teaching ever since. She took on the role of Lead Teacher in 2023 and loves sharing her passion with her students. Every day, she dedicates herself to not only improving her students’ physical abilities, but also fostering an environment where young athletes can fall in love with self-growth and personal development, just like she did as a girl. 

Katie Hornecker

Level 3 Lead Teacher
Private Lessons

Katie Hornecker began her relationship with Tilton's acrobatics and tumbling when she took her first class with owner Lori Gritman at 8 years old. Since then her love for the studio and the sport has only grown. She began teaching in 2017 and took a short break to attend the University of Colorado in 2020 (go buffs!), but has since returned to Tilton’s to continue fostering a healthy learning environment for her students. 

Katie is confident in students’ abilities and strives to individualize her teaching efforts with each child to ensure they feel supported during classes. She strives to contribute to a loving learning environment where students are able to come as they are, learn spatial and self-awareness, and safely practice the sport that has brought so much joy to her own life. 

Halle Bacigalupi

Level 2 Teacher

Owner Lori Tilton-Gritman’s daughter Halle has been part of the Tilton’s family since birth. She started gymnastics at 2 years old and has had the privilege of watching Tilton’s change and grow over the last 14 years. She’s witnessed Tilton’s go through many phases: pre-pandemic, pandemic, post-pandemic, curriculum changes, new classes, new locations, and new team members. Over the years she’s had the ability to give creative input on many elements that have contributed to the studio's success and she’s thrilled to finally be old enough to teach. Halle is a Tilton’s Level 6 gymnast and level 2 teacher and she loves every second of it.