Meet Our Instructors
Brea Agostino
Originally, Brea Agostino is from a small town in Indiana where the freedom to grow was limited. Brea graduated from GCU with a Bachelor’s in Marketing and Advertising in December 2022 where she realized she was missing a holistic type of education which is why yoga came into her life. In April 2023, Brea embarked on her first solo trip to Lakshmi Rising Yoga and Wellness School in Costa Rica for her RYT 200 for Hatha Yoga. Her yoga school primarily focused on learning from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Yoga Anatomy, and Krishnamacharya.
Brea soon realized upon arrival this was the education she has been searching for her whole life, learning to become in union with the mind and body. Throughout this experience, she discovered her interest in restorative and slow-flow practices compared to intensive ones. She found a mantra that she uses every day along with meditation techniques that she looks forward to sharing with her community.
Brea’s goal is to provide a safe, inclusive container for every BODY ensuring they feel their needs are met. Furthermore, she would like to work towards holding the true meaning of yoga present throughout the practice, removing some of the Western interpretations. Honoring the lineage of this spiritual practice is of utmost importance due to reducing the amount of appropriation seen.
Brea would be honored to hold a space for every BODY that crosses paths ensuring it is done in a safe, sacred manner meeting you where you are.
Carolyn Blackmon
Carolyn began exploring yoga ago after her Grandfather starting taking chair yoga classes to help him with his limited mobility due to a stroke and other health concerns. Yoga became such a big part of his life and helped him find the mind-body connection and movement that his body needed to carry on each day as best as he could. He encouraged Carolyn to try it. She fell in love with it!
Over the last decade, Carolyn has practiced all types of yoga and found that it helped her with soul healing, find community, rest for the mind, and nourishment for her body. Carolyn completed her 200 Therapeutic Yoga Teacher Training Certification through Soma Yoga Institute in Hawaii with the intention to progress her practice and grow. She began teaching in the fall of 2017. She completed her 300 Hour Therapeutic Yoga Teacher Training in the fall of 2019 through Soma Yoga Institute as well. She also received training in Yin Yoga, Trauma-Informed Yoga, and she looks forward to sharing yoga through a new set of lenses.
Carolyn enjoys teaching Mindful Movement and making yoga accessible for all levels while sharing wisdom through the incorporation of themes and infusing encouragement to all her students. Carolyn now teaches a wide variety of styles of yoga and programs at various studios around the valley.
Her passions include traveling, volunteering, hiking, eating vegan/vegetarian food, spending quality time with friends and family, listening to all kinds of music, journaling, connecting people, listening to and being interviewed on podcasts, taking care of people’s pets, nannying, and of course yoga!
Ashely Borys
Ashley is a Phoenix based, yoga and meditation instructor, sound healer and breath coach. With a passion for holistic healing and spirituality. Ashley strives to live a life of balance, happiness and love.
Ashley started her yoga career in 2016 in hot yoga. Ashley’s own healing journey led her to uncover healing modalities that have shaped and transformed her life. She battled the great darkness of addiction, depression, anxiety and negative thought patterns. She started to notice she was holding her breath and forgetting to breathe, both on and off the mat. This realization inspired her to dive deeper into her personal practice.
In 2017, Ashley completed her 200-hour YTT with Sumits Hot Yoga in Scottsdale, Arizona. Sumit Bangeree mentored Ashley on Vinyasa Flow and various breath-work techniques that she has integrated into her yoga classes.
In 2019, Ashley expanded her practice to Aerial Yoga at Elevate Yoga and Wellness in downtown Phoenix, Arizona.
After completing her 8-week, 50-hour apprenticeship she was asked to start teaching classes at Elevate. She continued her training by completing a 25-hour Trauma Sensitive Restorative YTT with Eleanor Bramwell, founder of BodyWise Foundation and furthering her Aerial Yoga practice by completing a 25-hour Aerial YTT with Holly Dison, owner of Three Queens Circus. Ashley has also incorporated Sound Healing into her classes. She utilizes crystal bowls, gongs and chimes to guide students through gentle meditations with sound healing frequencies.
Outside of yoga, Ashley is a mother, adrenaline junkie and nature lover. You will catch her rock climbing, snowboarding, surfing, and traveling the world with her family. Volunteering at Native American Connections, Ashley also works with people in recovery from drugs and alcohol. She has a deep passion for holistic healing and is thrilled to share the benefits of yoga and healing - connecting the mind, body and soul.
Holli Cagle
Holli Cagle is happily married, a mother of 2 amazing boys ages 13 and 15, and a full-time school counselor. Holli has always had some type of gym membership that ranged from step aerobics to Zumba, to HIIT classes, to Cross Fit, she’s done it all except for yoga. The word yoga always seemed intimidating and conjured up images of pretzel pose so it was not something Holli was drawn to.
Working as a school counselor, especially the past 3 years, has been a difficult time, to say the least. In the spring of 2021, a friend suggested that Holli should give yoga a try as a form of self-care. Holli decided to jump both feet in and not only try yoga but become a teacher. Yoga’s Arc was the natural choice since their focus is that yoga is for everyone, anywhere, anytime. It immediately put Holli’s fears of pretzel poses to rest.
Just 2 months into yoga teacher training, however, it was decided Holli needed a full hip replacement. What was first seen as something that would stall her yoga training only proved to help her recovery and provide her with more insight into others who’ve gone through the same surgery. Now Holli has added a Certified Yoga Instructor to her resume. She cannot stress enough how much yoga supported her recovery after surgery and her mind after a long day at work. She’s excited to be teaching for Yoga’s Arc.
Paige Carpenter-Swaim
Paige started her yoga journey in 2017 as a student at a studio in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. Immediately falling in love with the practice she knew she wanted to share this with others. She fully believes that yoga is for ANYbody and that yoga can be beneficial to both the body and the mind.
She has a Master's Degree in Counseling with a focus in Trauma Counseling. Knowing how important movement is for the healing process, Paige first started her journey as a yoga teacher by completing her 50-hour Trauma Informed YTT and 25-hour Trauma Sensitive Restorative YTT with Eleanor Bramwell, founder of BodyWise Foundation.
Paige fell in love with the teaching side of yoga and went on to complete her 25-hour Aerial YTT at Elevate Yoga, led by Holly Dison, owner of Three Queens Circus followed by her 200-hour YTT with Vanessa Running, owner of Twine Yoga School. She continued her education with a 25-hour certification as a Mobility Specialist to complement her Aerial Yoga practice.
She is passionate about helping others not only find yoga but loves helping members through their own personal yoga journeys by teaching students at varying levels to meet them where they are on their yoga path.
Most recently, Paige completed her level 1 and 2 Reiki Practitioner training. She believes that Reiki is an art of healing one’s self and others. Falling in love with Reiki and its infinite power and wisdom that can support mental, emotional, physical, and relationship challenges. She is now sharing that love with others.
Darrin Chappell
Here is an attempt to distill some of the key points of Darrin’s (mostly) adult life thus far into a few lines.
Before making Arizona home, Darrin lived in California, Oregon, and Tanzania. He likes staying up late and waking up early, as well as eating food often but not too fast. He appreciates the adaptability and resilience of humans and the planet we live on.
Darrin is a father of three and spouse of one. Making food, teaching 1st-6th graders, and painting houses are among the professions he’s enjoyed in addition to teaching yoga. Long runs, extended time on lakes and rivers, and going to live concerts are other ways he likes to spend his time. He is also a big fan of sitting in quiet, even when it’s not quiet around him.
Since Darrin can remember he’s been asking himself, “Why and I here?” and “What is my Purpose?” - currently he’s been wondering if those questions need to be answered at all. Recently, when he catches himself wondering how things are supposed to be, he’s often reminded of all the wonderful ways things already are.
Sample Class Links: Yoga for Good Posture
Devnie Christias
Devnie graduated from ASU in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and knew she wanted to help people in their wellness journey. She began practicing yoga during her college years and completed her 200-hour teacher training at Authentic Yoga Teacher Training in 2022.
Through her yoga practice she recognized mind, body, and spirit as interconnected parts. She also observed as her anxieties, physical self and everyday living blossomed.
Devnie utilizes crystal sound bowls to guide students through sound healing meditations. She aims to bring awareness to those around her as to the power of yoga and sound healing and what can be found deep within oneself. She creates an environment that is welcoming, fun, energizing and supportive.
In her free time, you can find her spending time with her husband and 3 dogs, snowboarding, kayaking, camping, at music festivals and traveling.
Jessica Corrazco
Jessica Corrazco is a preschool teacher and has worked in education for seven years. Jessica values being part of the Tucson community.
Jessica’s goal is to help people feel their best so they can live their best lives. She has been practicing yoga regularly since 2018 and completed her 200 HR YTT in 2022 along with a 30HR yin training. She is passionate about teaching and creating a safe space for self-care and clarity.
Diana Barillari Croce
Diana’s yoga practice began in 2005 as a casual practice; she was initially drawn to yoga because of the similarities between the yoga asanas and her modern dance background. Yoga would always meet her where she was, and she found the practice to be grounding, balancing mentally and emotionally beneficial.
Over the past ten years, Diana’s practice deepened significantly and she knew that she had to find a way to share the joy and benefits of yoga with others. She received her RYT-200 certification through Yoga Pod Tucson in 2021 under the instruction of Shaelyn Delgado.
Diana is particularly drawn to Vinyasa-style yoga. She loves the physically challenging practice coupled with the freedom to move the body fluidly syncing breath with movement.
Sarah Di Stefano
With a diverse background in real estate, business development, and now yoga, Sarah brings a unique blend of skills and experiences to Yoga's Arc. Growing up a lifelong athlete immersed in swimming and dancing, fitness and wellness have always been integral parts of her life. Sarah has studied Real Estate, Business Management and is currently earning a degree in Communications from Ashland University.
Sarah’s journey has been driven by a deep passion for the outdoors, health, recovery, and a commitment to supporting those who need it most. She is particularly interested in bringing transformative health to vulnerable, recovering, and traumatized populations, including those in the prison system. Sarah’s role as a mother to two teenage daughters who have danced their whole lives and now teach, further fuels her dedication to fostering health and connection through movement and self-care.
At Yoga's Arc, Sarah aims to lead with compassion and authenticity, harnessing the power of yoga to inspire positive change and resilience. She is driven by a belief that true success comes from happiness first, fostering the drive that will positively impact others. Sarah’s approach is rooted in authenticity, compassion, and a relentless pursuit of growth. She is committed to supporting and empowering those around her, embodying the values she holds dear in both her personal and professional life. Sarah firmly believes that laughter and connection are priorities, and she strives to infuse these elements into every interaction she encounters.
Sample Class Links: Yoga for Healthy Joints (Psoas Release)
Zenia “Z” Ellis
Zenia “Z” Ellis is a native Arizonan and truly loves life! From a young age, Z was an athlete living an intense and competitive lifestyle. Once Z reached 15 years old, her off-balance lifestyle finally caught up to her when she had to have surgery on her Softball pitcher throwing arm. After her surgery Z went through a serious mental decline due to haunting feelings of failure and loss.
At this point in time, a therapist recommended yoga to hopefully find mindfulness for mental health and support. Initially, Z was not amused by yoga, for it was completely different than the competitive world of athletics. Yoga did what it does best and found its way to her heart and opened her eyes to a whole new world of balance. After a few short months, Z developed a consistent yoga practice and found balance for the first time in her life. She could not imagine her life without yoga and she will never take it for granted.
Though balance was just the beginning in 2020, Z was so in love with the art of yoga that she wanted to share the light she had found with others. Therefore she earned her 200 YTT at Revive in Washington and will continue her education in July of 2022 for her 300 YTT at My Authentic Yoga in Scottsdale.
Sarah Flower
Sarah's yoga practice really started to take shape in 2016 with more consistent practice. This helped her learn about herself and her connection to the world around us through the movements fueled by her breath.
Yoga helped her slow down so she could appreciate the moments, and helped her reset her nervous system, finding health and harmony in so many different ways.
Sarah finally found her calling when she attended yoga school in India, changing the entire trajectory of her life. She realized yoga was her way to help make a positive impact on our world.
Sarah loves helping people cultivate their own inner peace so they can tap into their inner wisdom and take back their power.
Breath and meditation are two of her favorite tools to bring to class, so you can stretch your body and your mind while finding your way to your favorite, healthiest self.
Sarah has her 500 hour hatha and ashtanga, 85 hour pre and post natal, and is currently in Yoga's Arc's 300 hour.
Kelly Gaona
Kelly has been practicing yoga since 2011. With a background in social work, she was quickly drawn to the healing benefits of the practice. She completed her 200-hour training in 2014 and went on to complete her 300-hour at Dave’s Ashtanga Yoga in 2016 under the direction of her teacher, Cheryl Oliver.
Kelly enjoys teaching many different modalities of yoga across the valley, including private sessions and small groups. She is privileged and honored to contribute her time and experience to yoga teacher trainings as well.
Kelly’s love of travel led her into a partnership with a retreat business in which she helped establish, plan and host yoga retreats across the world. Kelly is most passionate about Ashtanga Yoga and has a daily practice in Ashtanga vinyasa. She is continually taking workshops and classes to improve her knowledge of yoga.
Sample Class Links: Ashtanga Yoga , Vinyassa Flow
Mel Gerard
Mel’s first Yoga class was in 2002 and she knew the Yogic life was her path. From asanas to Yogic wisdom and philosophy, she brings devotion and sensitivity to all her offerings. Her deepest wish is that everyone will listen to their heart’s whispers.
With every breath, Mel is a wife, mother, friend, Yoga teacher, and Bhakta. As an educator for a large healthcare organization, she continues to hone her teaching skills. As a Bhakta and Yoga student, she strives to provide her students an experiential and well-founded teaching. Mel weaves Yoga philosophy and mythology in her classes to inspire her students to embody the subtle energies in the asanas.
Mel graduated from Bhakti Nova School of Yoga 300hr in 2021. She continues to study and practice Yoga philosophy, Ayurveda, and meditation. She draws inspiration from the writings of Yoga philosophy, Sally Kempton and Dr. David Frawley. Jen Lo, Angie Hall and Mel’s beloved mentor Maa Nubia Teixeria continue to influence Mel’s practice and teachings.
Sample Class Links: Partner Yoga
Betsy Gorges
Betsy finally realized that every time she would “leave” the practice, whether it was for a week or month, she was always aware that her yoga would meet her right where she was at that current moment upon her return. That is the beauty of this practice. It doesn’t matter what stage in life you are, whether you’re having a good day or going through a hard time, your yoga will meet you where you are at. Betsy has been a yoga practitioner for many many years. But it has only been since the beginning of her 200-hour yoga teacher training in 2014 that she has truly surrendered to her ever-evolving practice committed for life.
Sample Class Links: Kundalini Yoga , Yin Yoga for the Chakras
Julie Hoffman
Julie began studying yoga in 2002. Her teaching style is playful and inclusive. In addition to aerial yoga Julie has experience teaching prenatal, chair, yin, nidra, restorative and flow classes. She has completed 700-hours of yoga teacher training and will complete a yoga therapy program in 2024. Julie is passionate about making yoga accessible to persons of all ages and abilities. She believes that her purpose on this planet is to help others to heal. In her 200 hour YTT when asked where she planned on teaching Julie stated that she would be teaching yoga in prison. When asked what drove her to teach yoga in prison, she honestly answers that she has no recollection of making that conscious decision and that most likely the universe chose it for her.
In Julie’s personal life she is the matriarch of a large, blended family with three grown children, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She loves cattle dogs and enjoys hiking and walking with them. She meditates daily and has been a vegetarian most of her life. Of course she practices yoga several times each week! Prior to teaching yoga Julie worked as a nurse, and a beadwork artist. When Julie isn't teaching yoga you will find her reading Tarot. She is a perpetual student and is always studying something, or several somethings. Finally, Julie loves to travel and has a goal of making it to all the continents, including Antarctica.
Sample Class Links: Yoga for Stroke Recovery , Yoga Nidra , Pre-Post Natal Yoga
Jennifer Hofmann
Though not a native of Arizona, Jen did move here as a child and has been here ever since. She grew up in the East Valley and then attended Arizona State University, where she graduated with a degree in History. She fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming a teacher, and spent 25 years working in the field of education.
Jen first tried yoga in the early 2000s while exploring different forms of exercise, and though her practice was inconsistent, she found herself returning to her mat any time she needed a physical and mental reset. A broken foot in 2007 led to severe back pain, but Jen’s doctors believed surgery could be avoided with a regimen of physical therapy and yoga. Thankfully, they were correct, so yoga has been a part of Jen’s self-care routine ever since.
Jen has always been passionate about educating and helping others. She had long considered becoming a yoga teacher, but when she learned about Yoga’s Arc’s teacher training program, she was finally ready to take that leap. The combination of experienced instructors and opportunities to bring yoga to the greater community proved to be the undeniable calling Jen needed to begin the next phase of her yoga journey. Through this training, Jen discovered a whole new world of breathwork and meditation, both of which have been life-changing for her. She is excited to share the benefits of yoga and meditation, and looks forward to seeing you on your mat!
Noell Hyman
Noell came to yoga while recovering from a dance injury and found that the practice gave her many of the rewards that dancing gave her, but in a way that felt more healing and whole. Later, with the guidance and suggestion of a physical therapist, she used yoga to deal with some chronic breathing, nerve, and spine problems.
Now she incorporates her knowledge and experience from dance training and physical therapy, along with her specialized yoga training in how to help chronic pain and conditions, to guide students through a balanced yoga practice that feels healing, strengthening, and meditative, and where appropriate, challenging and artful.
Noell infuses her passion for harnessing the power of breath and spinal movement to soothe the central nervous system and support a stronger, healthier spine; for relieving joint tightness in order to free the joints for deeper work; and for exploring the various paths our bodies can take as we grow into strengthening postures.
Sample Class Links: Yoga for Healthy Back,Yoga for Athletes (dancer focused)
Lauren Johnson
Lauren Johnson’s mission is to embolden others to fiercely seize their purpose, power, and potential. The drive for creating Atoms of Eve and for wanting to dive deeper into somatic healing is to create an environment for others to feel safe in their bodies.
Lauren’s current lifetime has been a journey of seeking peace and now she wishes to share resiliency techniques with others. Without her own journey through the darkness of depression, anxiety, and addiction, she would never be able to write this bio from such a state of blissful healing.
Without the darkness, Lauren would not know the light. She would not know vulnerability in the community, and she would not know the feeling of radical growth which now she feels so called to share with others.
Aubrey Jones
Aubrey’s first experience with yoga was through a cable TV program over 20 years ago. She practiced early in the morning in her tiny living room before her small children woke up. At the time, she could barely reach past her knees in a forward fold and found sitting cross-legged uncomfortable. Yet, she kept returning to the class.
Over the years, Aubrey continued practicing yoga while raising four young kids as a stay-at-home mom. She cherished the moments of respite yoga provided. As she became more flexible, she began attending classes at a local studio, where she initially felt uncomfortable because she wasn’t “good at yoga.” However, her determination kept her going. Though she didn’t initially feel skilled, the positive feeling after each class was enough to keep her coming back. Over time, she developed a deep appreciation for the physical strength, balance, and inner peace yoga offers.
Aubrey is passionate about health and wellness. With a degree in Human Biology, she is a scientist, a medical intuitive with nearly 10 years of experience, and a Certified Functional Nutrition Counselor. She excels at identifying what isn't working for her clients and providing tools to solve these issues. Currently, she is pursuing her 200-hour yoga teacher certification through Yoga’s Arc. Aubrey is married, has four children, and a dog, and has lived in the Phoenix area for 25 years.
Ketaki Joshi
Ketaki is an experienced and passionate Yoga Instructor with over five years of teaching experience and advanced training in Yoga Nidra, Arm Balancing and Vinyasa approaches.
Ketaki is committed to providing extensive instruction and support to her clients while motivating them to find true inner peace and their healthiest self.
Ketaki is adept at creating powerful teaching plans that aim to support and benefit EVERYBODY in EVERY BODY. She brings forth love and respect for the art of yoga, and all that it encompasses.
Jennifer Klemmetson
Jennifer Klemmetson first found yoga in high school at the local YMCA. After nearly 15 years of practicing (off and on in her free time), she rediscovered a passion for yoga after a challenging year, and committed to a regular practice. Two years later, she decided it was time to dive deeper and accomplish her goal of getting her yoga teacher certification. In 2020, she completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training with Steph Ball-Mitchell of Yoga and Ayurveda Center. She has received additional certifications in chair yoga, restorative yoga and yoga for mental health. She enjoys introducing people to yoga and helping people find emotional and mental relief from life’s everyday stresses through yoga.
Elizabeth Leadon
Elizabeth Leadon started her yoga journey over 2 decades ago, in search of a calming and grounding practice to counter her running activities. In 2018, she enrolled in Alanna Kailvalya’s Yoga Teaching Academy and completed her 500-hour certificate. Originally wanting to deepen her own practice, Elizabeth soon found joy in teaching group and individual sessions over Zoom and in person.
During the day Elizabeth works a corporate job at a brokerage firm and holds a BA from the University of Washington in Theatre. She lives in Southern Arizona with her husband, 12 dogs, 11 cats, numerous chickens, pigs, and goats.
Kris Massey
Kris has been practicing yoga for over 15 years. What started as a way to de-stress after a hard workday became a lifestyle as she moved on to a regular 5am ashtanga mysore class. It took a pandemic and a hip replacement to make her finally realize she needed to pursue a long-neglected goal to complete her YTT. She completed her 200hr certification in 2021 and will complete her 300hr certification in June 2024, both with My Vinyasa Practice. She has also completed level 1 and 2 sound meditation certification through the Sound Healing Academy. She loves to collect singing bowls and other instruments, and share that love in her yoga classes. For the past two years she has been teaching a weekly class for members of her community. While she loves her little groups of yogis, she is excited to branch out and work with a wider community through Yogas Arc.
While vinyasa is her main teaching style, she has really learned to love teaching yin, restorative, and yoga nidra, weaving a little sound into all of these more restful practices.
Jessica Maxwell
Jess began practicing yoga when she moved to Arizona in 2013 from Illinois. After several years of practicing on her own, she received an opportunity to teach, and that is when she decided to start her yoga teacher training journey.
Jess has always been active, enjoying hiking, kayaking, and outdoor adventures. Yoga has quickly become more than a hobby for her, it has become a passion of hers to help others and spread her knowledge of yoga.
Jess specializes in teaching gentle yoga to everybody. She is working towards completing her 200-hour yoga certification and recently returned from her first of many yoga retreats. She believes everybody deserves to take time out for themselves to just breathe.
Yoga is not a one-size-fits-all, it is something truly anyone may practice. When she is not teaching yoga she is spending time with her rescue dog, Nala. She also enjoys photography and loves to travel and capture the beauty in all of the places around the world!
Heather McCleester
Heather discovered yoga at the early age of 17 when she dedicated herself to a lifetime of spiritual exploration and body movement. Her goal is to bring the ancient practices of yoga to anybody that feels called to feel more at home within themselves. She has an RYT 200 in Power Yoga and an RYT 300 in Jivamukti Yoga.
Veronica Menjivar
Yoga started as an outlet for Veronica to relieve stress and get together with her girlfriends and has now transformed into a beautiful passion and practice that she gets to partake in daily. Veronica completed her 200-hour Hatha Flow training during Covid as a project to keep her mind occupied but soon found her calling is Vinyasa because of its mind-to-body connection and release.
Forever looking to be the student, this practice has helped Veronica learn about her own spiritual journey, reconnect to her body, and grow more fearless in all her life's endeavors. She loves to make people feel comfortable in any setting and truly feels welcomed in this community as she was when she first started. Yoga is for everyone and everyone should be able to partake in this practice.
Veronica is here to gently push your levels of comfort while simultaneously welcoming you to explore the philosophy, spirituality, and community that accompany yoga!
Stephy Monde
Stephy found Hot yoga in 2018 and absolutely fell in love with all things yoga! When she got pregnant with her daughter, she wanted a career that would allow her to spend as much time with her daughter as possible! She decided to trade her behavior therapy career for her passion for yoga! She found Cheryl Oliver’s amazing program and graduated with her 200-hour in 2021 and then her 300 hour in 2024. She began her career working in gyms where she discovered how meaningful and beneficial this practice was to so many others. Stephy gets so much joy out of watching students get further into their practice and seeing their amazement in what their body and minds can now achieve because of yoga! She could not get enough of the wonderful yoga community, nor does she ever feel she is done learning. Stephy’s objective with students is to teach them to love their bodies and have a yoga practice that serves their mind, body, and soul.
Joel Moorehead
Joel Moorehead received his 200-hour Yoga Certification from Balance Hot Yoga in Cedar Falls, Iowa in 2020. Joel taught there for a few months prior to moving his wife and 2 sons aboard Shadowfax, a 46 ft sailboat in La Paz Mexico.
Joel spent much of the next two years living aboard and cruising around Mexico with some time spent in WA and IA with family. He took this opportunity to teach at pop-up classes for cruisers; a resort in Mexico; and a recreational center in Iowa while spending time there in the summer of 2021. Joel currently teaches at Mountainside Fitness as well as for Yoga’s Arc.
Sara Nakai
Sara Nakai is a RYT 500, earning her YTT 200 certification through My Vinyasa Practice and her YTT 300 certification through Yoga's Arc. She has loved practicing yoga for almost 25 years, and finds immense value in yoga's insistence to slow down and also tune into the breath. As a wife, mother, and mountain bike coach living in our culture that rewards speed, productivity, and busyness (usually at the expense of our physical and mental well-being), she appreciates how the slower pace of yoga highlights the importance of taking our time and being intentional.
Kami Neises
Kami attended a 200-hour yoga teacher training (YTT) in 2010. After graduating, she got married and started a family, and within these life-changing events, her yoga practice took a back seat. However, the seed for her return to yoga was planted, and in 2016, after severely struggling with her mental health, Kami found her way back to the mat.
Where there was once only fear and dis-ease, Kami discovered an unmistakable sense of healing and balance through her daily practice. Her life was forever changed when she realized she could take her conscious breathing off the mat and use it to serve her in ways she never thought possible.
After completing an internship through Yoga's Arc for the 200-hour YTT in 2022, Kami has grown in ways she never imagined. She has since been serving as a yoga instructor for vulnerable communities while continuing to run the marketing department behind the scenes for Yoga’s Arc. She is passionate about being part of an amazing team that brings yoga to those who need it most. Kami believes everyone deserves the chance to discover the true teacher within each of us, one breath at a time.
Sample Class Links: Yoga With a Chair , Yoga With God , Yin Yoga (resting with God)
Heather Reed
Before moving to Tucson, Heather served in the Army as a Human Resources Officer and was stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. She’s currently in her first year of law school at the University of Arizona.
Heather started practicing yoga when shea was in high school as a way to manage stress but fell in love with the practice and the physical and mental benefits it offered. She continued her yoga practice through college and while she was on active duty.
Yoga was instrumental in Heather’s recovery from two hip surgeries that she had as a result of an injury she sustained while in college. Not only did yoga get her back to living an active lifestyle, but it also gave her peace and comfort during the difficult recovery process.
Heather received her 200-hour yoga teacher training from Hot Asana Yoga University in Southern Pines, North Carolina. She is passionate about creating challenging, dynamic sequences and alignment based cueing.
Edana Roberts
Edana was introduced to yoga in 2020 when attending a drug and alcohol treatment facility. She left treatment excited about the idea of teaching yoga in such a setting, but the thought was fleeting as she wrestled with staying sober. After 5 months of relapse, Edana was finally on track in her recovery and accredited a lot of her growth to the spiritual, meditation, and breath work practices she participated in.
When Edana was asked if she would like to attend Yoga’s Arc YTT program, she was still uncertain of herself and continually declined until a string of unique occurrences showed her that the program was undoubtedly where she was meant to be. Edana was thrilled as she learned more of the yoga practices and principles as they were so aligned with her existing journey.
Edana loves hot yoga and Vinyassa styles of yoga, but it’s really the breathwork in yoga that lights up her soul which we can expect to experience in her classes! Edana looks forward to teaching yoga Nidra and meditation as well.
Sarah Rose
Sarah Rose’s yoga practice began in 2009 when she picked up a Rodney Yee Yoga DVD- fortuitously set atop a beautiful southwest canyon. Fast forward to 2021 when Sarah spontaneously lead informal daily yoga while on a river rafting trip down the Grand Canyon. This inspired Sarah to obtain her 200 hr Yoga Teacher certification, which she completed in 2022 with Yoga’s Arc. Sarah loves sharing yoga with those new and old to the practice, young and wise. Her favorite place to practice is in the great outdoors! She hopes to lead her students to find a little more stillness, peace, and light through their practice.
Mel Rzeznick
Mel began her yoga journey after the birth of her daughter. As a full-time new mom, yoga helped her work through severe postpartum depression and anxiety. She found a sense of peace and self-worth through the healing nature of the practice. She credits yoga for being the catalyst for major transformations in her mind, body, and consciousness. Mel strives to create a safe space where students can dive into their exploration of self-study. Blending playfulness and conscious movement, she encourages students to cultivate a powerful sense of presence, steadiness, and ease to take with them on and off the mat.
She is honored and humbled to share the wisdom of yoga with others. She has a steadfast belief in the healing power of yoga and considers it a gift to share her passion for the practice. She has the deepest respect and reverence to her incredible teachers, students, family, and friends who continue to inspire her and light her path. Mel completed her 200-hour yoga teaching certification under John Salisbury through Modern Yoga in Scottsdale, AZ. She continuously attends workshops and studies yoga scripture to expand her knowledge as a student and teacher.
Sarah Rohe
Sarah (200 RYT) has been passionate about yoga since the first yin class she attended in 2016. There she found inner peace, clarity, and comfort within herself. She’s been practicing ever since and truly believes there’s no place like your mat.
Last October, Sarah decided to quit her 9-5 job. She always knew that was not a space she saw herself in long term and decided to make the change. Since then she has gotten certified in yoga, meditation, and reiki. She is passionate about creating a safe and comfortable space for others to explore in their practice and healing journey. She enjoys teaching gentle, hatha, yin, and slow power. Those styles have helped her slow down and shift her outlook on life.
Her goal is to get people to practice for at least 5 minutes every day however that may look- on a lunch break, in front of a tv, before bed, going to a studio, etc. She believes just a few minutes of yoga every day can bring clarity, healing, peace, and love to one’s life.
Outside of yoga Sarah loves meditating, crystals, tarot, being with her dog Ralphy, traveling, and spending time with her nieces.
Sample Class Links: Yoga Flow , Yoga With a Chair
Josh Rothman
Josh Rothman is a master-level (500-hour) certified yoga instructor. Sports-related injuries from playing many years of competitive soccer led him to the physical practice of yoga. He has been teaching professionally since 2005 in yoga studios, gyms, universities, community centers, and corporate settings. His love of asana is the experience of how balancing and restorative it is for mind and body.
Josh gears his classes to a holistic approach in exploring and coping with past injuries (and, as best as possible, the prevention of future ones), along with an exploration of the connections between the physical, the psychological, and the spiritual.
Josh has participated in various teacher training programs (Inner Vision Yoga, SWIHA) and hosts workshops on yoga for athletes, arm-balances, and inversions, as well as all-levels yoga flow classes set to popular music themes, and has hosted yoga retreats. He has studied with Paulie Zink, Paul Grilley, Tias Little, Makunda Stiles, among others.
Having a diverse background in the liberal arts, Josh has completed post-graduate work in justice studies, political philosophy, and religious studies. As a jnana yogi, he is drawn to any intellectual pursuit that sheds light upon the true self. In January 2022, he earned his certification as a mind/body health nutrition coach. It is his passion and pleasure to share holistic modalities for peace, health, and happiness with you.
Larissa Rzemienski
Larissa Rzemienski began her yoga journey to heal following the loss of her spouse at a young age. As she dove deeper into her yoga practice, she decided to embark on the journey to become a certified yoga teacher. In 2015 she completed her 200-hour teacher training through LifePower in Tempe, Arizona. In 2019, she completed her 300-hour teacher training through Urban Yoga in Phoenix, Arizona. In addition, Larissa has certifications in Yoga Nidra, Yin Yoga, and as a Sound Practitioner. Larissa has also led several yoga teacher training programs.
Larissa creates yoga offerings, yoga sequences, and classes that are unique and specialized for all her clients. She weaves in creativity through all her classes and loves learning more about yoga philosophy and yoga sutras. Larissa has also served as the local lululemon store ambassador for the past several years and has offered large community events for the lululemon community.
Outside of teaching yoga, Larissa is also a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified School Guidance Counselor. She is a telehealth counselor and teaches college courses in counseling and mental health.
Kay Sinkule
Kary has dedicated the last 30 years of her life to health, wellness, and education, and has been teaching and practicing yoga for over 25 years. Kary spent 20 years in Public Education, which she has since retired from to follow her passion for sharing yoga through her Yoga's Arc's Mobile Yoga Company, Yoga's Arc's Foundation for Non-Profit, and 5 Yoga Teacher Training Schools. We have over 100 teachers in our communities serving to fulfill our purpose of bringing more Yoga to more people.
Kary will always have the passion to teach yoga even though she has taken a back seat, giving all of our Yoga's Arc Instructors a chance to shine through our ongoing Schools and Mentoring Programs. She truly cares and it shows in her ability to help her students and teachers feel comfortable in their yoga journeys.
Vanessa Siren
Vanessa was born and raised in Brazil, and started modeling at age 16. Modeling brought an opportunity to travel the world and with that a love for yoga was born. Vanessa has been practicing for over 20 years and enjoyed practicing in lots of exciting, exotic places including Spain, Germany, Japan and Switzerland. She enjoys all different styles including hot yoga, Ashtanga, and Power Yoga.
Vanessa completed a 200-hour Yoga Alliance Certification and training in Senior, Prenatal, Yoga Nidra, Body Pump, Roll and Release and Barre. She is currently going through a 300 hour program with Authentic Yoga in Scottsdale. Vanessa is a mother to five beautiful children, including twins! Yoga keeps her sane! She believes practicing can be fun and exciting, and laughter only adds to the beautiful energy of yoga!"
Sample Class Links: Kids/Family Yoga
Kumari Sky
Kumari Sky (E-RYT 200, YACEP) is passionate about sharing the teachings of yoga! She is part of our Tucson Yoga Team!
Kumari has taught all ages and abilities since 2004 and has completed numerous yoga trainings. Her specialty is slow yoga -slow flow, yin, restorative, meditation, sound baths and yoga nidra.
Kumari creates her classes as an invitation to go inward, to breathe and to quiet the mind. All levels are welcome in her classes and she will always have alternative options available if a position is not accessible for you. She believes yoga is for everybody, and it’s her mission for you to feel welcome, feel the benefits in daily life and to help you feel stronger and more at peace.
Maggie Steill
Maggie discovered yoga while living and working as a hairstylist in San Diego. She felt yoga was a great way to destress after a long day on her feet. After a few months of practicing at home, she picked up a part-time job at a local gym and was asked to go through a Body Flow training consisting of yoga, Pilates, and tai chi and still teaches this style of movement 16 years later.
After moving back home to Indiana she realized that the yoga aspect of this class was calling her. Maggie enrolled in a Yoga Teacher Training at Cityoga, in Indianapolis, IN, with the intention to deepen her practice and become a more knowledgeable teacher. After graduating with 200 hrs, Maggie began teaching yoga immediately She started working at Community Yoga, in West Lafayette, Indiana. She was able to learn from her experiences and her fellow teachers while continuing to grow. Since then, Maggie has been working in studios, teaching a variety of styles; Yin, Vinyasa, Vin/Yin, Hatha, Slow Flow, etc. Maggie is now currently in her 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training Program. She is so excited to keep learning and growing while teaching to a variety of students at different levels
Maggie gave birth to her first son, in 2011. Her family of three moved to Phoenix in 2012. She began teaching classes such as; prenatal and yin, beginning to slow down her practice and learn new styles of teaching. Maggie had her second son in 2013 and felt that yoga really helped her as a mother. She developed patience and found herself able to be more present with her children. Maggie is truly passionate about yoga. She loves helping people reach their goals, whatever they may be.
Sample Class Links: Vinyassa-Yin , Yoga for Athletes (runner focused)
Connie Stultz
About 20 years ago, Connie opened a Vanity Fair magazine on an overseas flight. In it she saw full-page head shots of yogis, many of them much older than her, who exuded peace and well-being. Having experienced a messy divorce and lifelong mental health issues, she thought, “I want what they have, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get it!” Thus began her journey of self-discovery through yoga.
Over the years, yoga has changed Connie’s life in innumerable ways. This includes more balanced emotions, mental clarity and self-insight. Not to mention a stronger, more flexible body. In 2013, she became a certified yoga instructor so she could share the practice with others. Since then, she has taught weekly yoga classes and workshops, with an emphasis on “yoga for beginners”, “relaxation yoga” and “yoga to relieve anxiety and depression.”
Connie is an E-RYT 200 with Yoga Alliance and currently attends Yoga’s Arc advanced 300-hour yoga teacher training. She is also a Level 1 Practitioner of LifeForce Yoga for Mood Management and a certified Yoga Nidra Facilitator in the tradition of Amrit and Kamini Desai.
Shari Susich
Shari fell in love with group fitness while attending college in Huntington Beach, CA in the 80s. Since then, fitness has always been part of her life.
In 2012, after a lifelong love affair with exercise, Shari found her passion in teaching Group Fitness in Boston. In 2015 she headed to Arizona to escape the snow for warmer weather. She started teaching classes and quickly found her tribe at the gym.
In 2016, Shari discovered she had melanoma. Less than a year later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, followed by a double mastectomy. She underwent nine surgeries and fought through several other health conditions. She rebounded after every surgery and couldn't wait to get back to teaching. Shari realized how strong she was after being knocked down repeatedly. She believes she was chosen to fight these battles so she could help others.
A good friend mentioned to Shari that Yoga's Arc had started teacher training to bring yoga to people. Shari had done yoga on and off but never considered teaching it. After all her health challenges, she decided it was time to start a new chapter in her life. She realized that yoga was much more than challenging poses. She discovered the beauty in intertwining your breath with movement.
Yoga's Arc Yoga Teacher Training changed Shari's life! She teaches differently and looks at life with new eyes. She accepts herself for who she is, not who she thinks she should be. She wants to share this and show others that yoga can help them at any stage of their life.
Beth Tyrrell-Prevost
Beth was introduced to yoga when she was pregnant with her second child in 2000. What started out as a fun, accessible form of exercise became so much more over time. In addition to the physical benefits of the practice, she soon discovered that her overall mindset and well-being were also positively impacted by her time on the mat. When her children were a little older, Beth completed a 200-hour Yoga teacher training program, and she set out to share her love of yoga with others.
As a public school teacher, she began to teach yoga classes to her colleagues through the Community Education Department at her school district. As Beth’s interest in yoga grew, she enrolled in a 300-hour Healing Emphasis Yoga training program which she completed in February 2022. Armed with new knowledge, she began to offer yoga and mindfulness workshops for her school district entitled, Self-Care for Educators. These workshops delve into the stress response in the brain and cover methods for managing the pressures of teaching today. Her participants even learn techniques that they can share with their students.
Michelle White
Michelle began her yoga journey twelve years ago after the birth of her son. With a combination of Power Yoga, Ashtanga, mountain biking, and clean healthy eating she was able to lose the 60 pounds she gained during her pregnancy.
Michelle soon realized how much this beautiful flowing meditation wasn't just for helping develop a strong body. She was loving the benefits of her practice in her body, mind, and spirit.
Michelle is a world traveler and has been able to practice yoga in Ireland, Spain, Italy, Greece, and several other countries. She loves to spend time with her husband and four children in the pool, at the lake, or in the ocean!
In her spare time, she volunteers and works for non-profits. Her biggest desire is to teach, serve, and share her love of yoga and meditation with others.
Naomi Webster
While Naomi has called Phoenix her home for over a decade now, she is a native of the beautiful state of Michigan. Naomi’s unique career background includes years of leadership and management experience, both in the restaurant and automotive industries, as well as Academic Counseling at the College level. She graduated from West Chester University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Psychology.
She continued her education and earned her MBA in 2010. Naomi’s background is geared around serving and helping people. As a yoga practitioner for over 15 years, it was not a surprise when she decided to follow her passion of yoga in 2015, earning her 200 yoga certification Dave's Ashtanga Yoga in Scottsdale, AZ.
Naomi has a passion to spread the practice of yoga to anyone who will listen. When Naomi is not practicing yoga, teaching yoga, or painting; she is spending time with her seven year old daughter and long-time partner. She loves to spend time traveling to visit family and friends back east (preferably during the HOT Arizona summers).
Jennifer Wright
Jennifer (Jen) Wright hails from Peoria, Arizona, and thrives as a freelance marketing and event production specialist. Armed with a B.S. degree in Recreation and Tourism Management with a focus on Sports Marketing and Management, her professional journey has seen collaborations with industry giants like Red Bull, ESPN, Vail Resorts, and several municipal recreation departments, as well as numerous nonprofit
organizations in both the Phoenix Metro Area and Colorado's Western Slope, including Aspen, Snowmass Village, and Telluride. Beyond her career, Jen finds joy in activities such as sand volleyball, hiking, biking, water and snow sports, live music, and culinary adventures.
Her transformative journey with yoga began after attending a sound meditation session several years ago. This experience sparked a deep connection, leading her to seek further guidance from a holistic psychologist who studied under B. K. S. Iyengar and become a member of Archipelago, a wellness social club. Her commitment to her practice is evident in her 200-hour yoga teacher certification from Yoga’s Arc and 30-hour sacred sound training.
Jen is passionate about the power of yoga, which she believes can lead to inner serenity and harmony while enhancing one's overall quality of life. She is dedicated to leading students through various practices such as sound meditation, yin, nidra, restorative, chair, and gentle all-levels classes. With an unwavering commitment to personal and professional growth, she eagerly anticipates expanding her expertise in the field for years ahead!
Cassandra Yazzie
Cassie discovered Yoga's Arc through their inspiring yoga-in-the-park program and quickly fell in love with the practice. Taking a leap of faith, she joined the 200-hour teacher training program and graduated in November of 2023. Shortly after, she made another bold decision to leave her full-time job and pursue her passion for teaching yoga full-time.
Since then, Cassie has taught over 464 classes and counting, and she founded her own yoga business, All In Yoga. Driven by her personal transformation and the profound benefits of yoga, she embarked on further training and achieved her 500-hour RYT certification in November 2024.
Cassie is passionate about sharing yoga's transformative power and encourages everyone to give it a try. Yoga changed her life, and she is dedicated to helping others discover its potential to do the same.
Jennie Yinling
Jennie has been practicing yoga for the last 30 years and teaching it for 17 of them. Her strong love of yoga helped motivate her to complete her 200-hour yoga teacher certification in 2004 in San Diego, and then finish with her 300-hour certification in 2008 in Arizona.
She is also certified in prenatal, postnatal yoga & Pilates as she continues to take yoga workshops and learn from other instructors to keep her yoga knowledge fresh and lively.
Jennie loves the way that all her training & certifications blend together so well to create a mind/body awareness. She can teach just about any style of yoga from beginners to advanced, from a gentle Yin class to an active power class, working on breathing techniques, postures, strength, alignment & flexibility.
Using all her teaching experiences & workshops with various master yoga teachers from all over the world, Jennie does her best to incorporate everything she has learned to give the best class she can to her students but to also have fun at the same time.
Lori Yearwood
Lori has landed in Phoenix through the route of Canadian origins, and a lengthy Los Angeles base. She has flowed her way through an eclectic teacher life of dance instruction/choreography, academic teaching (including working with several school age actors on film productions), Lagree Fitness coaching, and yoga.
Lori completed her 200 hour RYT through LifePower and is registered with Yoga Alliance. She believes your yoga practice should be an experience and that it is so much bigger than the poses. Having moved several times, raising her own children, teaching babies through seniors and riding through her own storms in life; Lori is ready to meet you where you are at. You will feel all of her passions come through in her Yoga’s Arc classes.
Sample Class Links: Wall Yin , All Levels Flow , Yoga for Core Stability
Selina Zimmerman
Selina was introduced to Yoga 12 years ago as a supplement to her standard fitness regimen. She appreciated how it helped her physically recover from the muscle work, slow down, and improved fitness performance in the gym.
A few years later due to joint inflammation, Selina was told to only do Yoga or swimming for exercise. This was the turning point where the deeper appreciation for the Yoga practice took place. Yoga helped heal her body, and mind, and helped get the inflammation disease under control while clean eating and keeping ‘life balanced’. Having a desk job for over 20 years adds a whole other challenge in keeping the body flexible and healthy. Being in corporate Selina has served on wellness committees and has been a fitness advocate in some capacity to promote wellness within her immediate teams or companywide.
Selina’s goal as a Yoga teacher is to hold a deeper understanding and share the benefits of Yoga with others. It is a great supplement to workout regimens, primary fitness activities, countering the repetitive movements, or facing any barrier mentally/spiritually/physically.
Selina’s favorite asana is tree pose: it reminds her to stay grounded, strong yet flexible, and balanced. In addition to Yoga, Selina enjoys free weights, aerobic activities, hiking (all things outdoors), music, dancing, cooking, and sharing the power of nutrition She currently works full time as a Cyber Security Professional. She loves and treasures her time with family, friends, and her Westie fur baby.