Our Instructors
Rachael
Classes: Active Vinyasa Flow, Yoga Tone & Flow
With dance being a central part of her upbringing, Rachael discovered yoga not only as a form of physical activity but a source of strength and connectedness. Rachael teaches her Flow classes in just that manner — to help others feel strength and a sense of belonging.
Originally from Scanton, PA, Rachael grew up practicing and performing ballet, tap, and jazz.. After college she spent 10 years in Hoboken, NJ as an elementary school teacher and continued to train with a ballet based dance company. She recently relocated to Rochester with her husband & three little girls.
A fun fact about Rachael is that each year they travel to Florida for spring training baseball.
Melissa
Classes: Slow Flow Vinyasa
With a background in fashion design, Melissa tries to bring her creative nature into the classes that she teaches through sequencing that flows smoothly and is easy to follow via carefully thought out cues meant to make every practitioner feel confident throughout their practice whether it is their first class or their one thousand and first.
Though Melissa went to her first yoga class purely for its physical benefits, what got her hooked were the lessons that she learned on the mat that could be used OFF of the mat: specifically, using the breath to ease anxiety or to clear the head. The realization that yoga had so much more to offer humans than simply a fun workout solidified her decision to become a yoga teacher in 2019 in Long Beach, CA. She moved from Southern California to Rochester in December of 2020 seeking easier access to nature, adventure, and a better work/life balance.
Carol
Classes: Hatha Yoga and Slow Flow Vinyasa
Carol first encountered yoga nearly 30 years ago, at a small studio in her college town. She was immediately drawn to the philosophy behind the physical practice. The sense of centeredness and peace that came with yoga kept pulling her back to her mat, and she began teacher training in 2011. She received extensive training through YogaFit and later completed her 200 hour RYT training at Inspire Yoga in Penfield, NY under the guidance of her teachers Aimée Senise Conners and Joan Nichols. She has been teaching since 2012 in gym, studio, and private settings.
Carol believes that the essence of yoga is listening to breath and body, meeting ourselves as we are in the present moment, and developing an internal focus. Yoga offers many gifts such as presence, patience, strength, balance and equanimity—these qualities can be practiced on our mats and then carried out into our lives. Carol teaches with warmth, humor, and a passion for encouraging students to follow their own bodies’ wisdom.
Heather
Classes: Hatha Yoga and Restorative Yoga
Heather is a 500-hr RYT with Yoga Alliance. She first met yoga more than 20 years ago as a means of conditioning for dance as an undergrad student. Her background and training comes from the Anusara and Iyengar traditions with her long-time teachers Jacki McCausland and Angela Caplan at Shakti Yoga. She also teaches prenatal and postpartum yoga in private and small group settings. Her classes invite all ages and levels of movers into the practice with a focus on breath, body awareness, mind-body connectivity and honoring the individual self while playfully enjoying being in the present moment.
Heather has had the honor of studying in person with Ram Dass, Krishna Das, Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield, Bill Mahony, Sonam Targee (Ayurveda), Barrie Risman, Ellen Saltonstall, and Sharon Salzberg.
Heather also occasionally teaches for Butterfly Kids Yoga, guiding young yogis-in-training.
When she’s not on her mat, Heather teaches dance at Nazareth College where she enjoys exploring the intersection of dance and yoga in her classes on both physical and philosophical planes. She holds an MFA in Dance from The College at Brockport, has toured nationally with the Bill Evans Dance Company, is a certified Evans Technique teacher, Pilates mat instructor, and Holistic Health Practitioner, specializing in nutrition and natural healing. Heather is also an advocate for organic farming and sustainable living.
Beth
Classes: Hatha Yoga and Mindful Yoga
Beth has been a clinical psychologist for over 25 years, a background that enriches and informs her yoga teaching. Whether doing therapy or teaching yoga, Beth believes that the individuals she works with are the experts of their own lives. She teaches mindful yoga, emphasizing the mind-body connection and customizing the practice to each person. She strongly supports making yoga accessible to all (bodies, abilities, ages, genders).
Beth's classes tend to be slower-paced, allowing her students time to notice and observe their own personal experience on the mat. She frequently weaves in themes, quotes, yoga philosophy, mudras, and other elements to nourish and enhance mind-body awareness. Although she is serious about yoga, Beth is playful in her teaching style. At home, Beth often practices with YouTube yoga videos - ask her for recommendations!
Beth completed her 200-hour teacher training with Aimée Senise Conners in 2015. Since then, she has obtained certifications in Yoga for All, Yoga for Healthy Aging, Yin Yoga & Anatomy, and Restorative Yoga. In addition to yoga, she loves reading, baking, and being outside in warm weather. A fun fact about Beth is that she has reviewed hundreds of yoga and other fitness videos on Amazon as Reviewer Dr. Beth. You can find her on social media (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram) as YogiBethC.
Ellen
Classes: Mindful Yoga and Hatha Yoga
Ellen has always loved to move and is fascinated with the body’s ability to change, heal, communicate and entertain. Ellen found her way to yoga after dancing and teaching dance for many years. A back injury further prompted her to learn even more about yoga and the power it has to heal on many levels. The concept of Ahimsa (do no harm) now drives Ellen’s yoga practice and classes. In her classes, focus is on proper alignment and adapting the poses appropriately to each person’s ability and body. Ellen earned her RYT 200 hour certification through Yoga Works in 2013 and obtained Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga certification in 2018.
Ellen recently made a positive life change in starting a new job as a clinical assistant for a local chiropractic office after working as a medical social worker for 20 years. Off the mat and off the clock, she loves to hike, paddle board, snuggle with her cat, Mambo, and venture to new places - always with a chai in hand!
Julie
Classes: Slow Flow Vinyasa
Julie Willmes is a E-RYT 200 and certified in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction meditation. Julie obtained her 200-hour teacher training in 2015. Julie’s style of teaching supports the philosophy that yoga helps us to feel better and is for everyone. Julie has continued her yoga studies through multiple workshops and trainings at local yoga studios, online and at Kirpalu Center for Yoga and Health. She received her certification in Reiki in 2019 and has taught yoga on the trails of Letchworth at NYS Yoga Festivals for past few years.
Working in corporate America for more than 25 years, Julie is familiar with the mental and physical stress that our mind and bodies hold while working at a desk. Julie uses her yoga trainings, life experience and passion for teaching to offer experiences to her yoga students that promotes healing and encourages the ability to build physical and mental resilience.
Erin
Classes: PIYO, Active Vinyasa Flow, and Slow Flow Vinyasa
Erin took her first PIYO class five years ago and was immediately hooked. Soon after, she got certified to instruct PIYO as well as cycling. Erin focuses on having fun while working out! She encourages you to challenge yourself, but with a reminder not to take yourself too seriously.
Outside of the studio, you can find Erin just up the road teaching math at Fairport High School, where she has taught for 15 years. Erin loves to workout, read, golf poorly, and hang with her family and rock head of a puppy, Teddy.
Kellie
Classes: Form & Flow
Kellie Scott Reed has been teaching fitness in some capacity for 30 years. Her love of yoga bloomed after a running injury in 2010. After a year of practice to recover, she applied to receive a 200 hour certification from Open Sky Yoga, with guru Francois Raoult, which she received in 2012. She also has a 200 hour certification from Yogaworks. She believes in yoga as a way to connect not only with ourselves but others. Through a core belief that yoga practiced safely, can be accessed by everyone, and can change lives for the better; her classes are designed to fit every body.
Ali W
Classes: Candlelight Yoga
Alicca began practicing yoga around 9 years ago. Coming from an athletic background, her main attraction to it was for the physical benefits. As her practice grew and developed she became more interested in what else yoga had to offer. Alicca completed her 200 hr teacher training with Boston Yoga School at O Yoga in Syracuse in 2015. From this program, Alicca obtained a wealth of knowledge on proper breathing, alignment and the mental benefits of yoga that she now incorporates into her classes. Her teaching style is caring and informative, focusing highly on structural alignment in each pose to ensure the safety of her students. Her classes are well balanced, offering both challenging and relaxing aspects that are suitable for both the beginner and more advanced student.
Debbie
Classes: Gentle Yoga
Debbie Fenton is a certified yoga instructor and a 2006 graduate of Francois Raoult’s ETT (Essential Teacher Training) program at Open Sky in Rochester, NY.
She completed an eight-week MBSR (Meditation Based Stress Reduction) course which focuses on the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn to use meditation as a tool to reduce stress and pain.
As a massage therapist for 23 years, Debbie has a vast knowledge of anatomy and biomechanics. Debbie combines all these learnings and experiences to provide an introspective, nurturing, supportive and peaceful yoga experience.
Alli M
Classes: Slow Flow Vinyasa
Alli has been practicing yoga for over 20 years ago, first enjoying it as a supplement to athletics before discovering its many benefits both on and off the mat. Through years of an on-again, off-again practice, she began to realize that she consistently came back to yoga during times of stress and uncertainty and found herself feeling more grounded, centered, and focused.
Prompted by her desire to see more diverse body types represented in yoga and wellness, Alli received her 200 hour Hatha yoga teacher certification in January 2021. Her style of teaching reflects her passion for mindfulness and finding joy in movement, with a strong emphasis on variations for all levels and bodies. She is currently working on her certification to teach Vipassana meditation, with expected completion in summer 2022.
Off the mat, Alli stays busy as a mom, wife, and product marketer in the software industry. She enjoys traveling, camping, and hiking with her husband, son, and rescue dog.
Tammy
Classes: Active Vinyasa Flow
Tammy found yoga over 20 years ago initially as a way to remain active, but quickly found that the practice began to benefit her life in many ways. Tammy continued to practice different styles through the years, but felt particularly drawn to vinyasa yoga, and in 2006 she completed her 200 -hour yoga teacher training.
Tammy wishes to help people discover the many ways that they can benefit from yoga, both on and off the mat. Her classes are active, but accessible to students of all levels, with modifications and options to meet the participant where they are. She loves to add a variety of poses and sequences to keep her classes active, but fun and playful at the same time. Tammy has also been certified in Foundations of Mindfulness, which she will weave into class as well. Her classes aim to engage the full body and bring balance that will supplement all of the other ways in which we move daily. Off the mat, Tammy is an Accountant and a busy mom of two boys.
Susan
Classes: Vinyasa Flow, Active Flow
Susan has been practicing yoga for 25 years. She began her journey with Mysore Ashtanga in San Francisco. It literally changed the trajectory of her life. The rigorous, repetitive practice was perfect for "getting her out of her head". It was her dedicated practice for years. When she relocated to Los Angeles, the home of Hot yoga (formerly Bikram), she dove into this practice which engulfed her with new enlightenment, heightened awareness, and glorious puddles of sweat. Having access to top instructors without even knowing their value, her identity with yoga surfaced, leading her to deeper levels of mind/body/spirit connection and a curiosity for precise alignment and technique.
Having moved to Rochester, she formally studied with Aimee Senise Connors completing her RYT 500 training. With Aimee she learned historical yogic philosophy, anatomical and biomechanical alignment, and weaves this knowledge into her Vinyasa flows with focus on interoceptive and proprioceptive levels of awareness.
Susan has been teaching Vinyasa flow and gentle yoga in studio, gym and private settings since 2016.
Annie
Classes: Slow Flow Vinyasa
Annie has been practicing yoga for almost two decades, and has taught yoga for athletes, adolescents, beginners, and postpartum moms- in gyms, studios, and on paddle boards! She appreciates how yoga, through the practice of “yolking” together mind, body, breath, and spirit, illuminates a path of mindfulness through the waves of life.
Annie completed her 200-hour Yoga training with Aimee Senise Conners and Joan Nichols in 2015, and the Mindful Educators course for classroom teachers in 2017. As a high school English teacher for ten years, Annie enjoyed creating rich learning opportunities and encouraging students to take healthy risks to empower themselves. She was an active member of her district Wellness Committee and led after-school “Mindful Mondays” to equip staff and students alike with mindfulness strategies. After having her daughter in 2021, Annie stepped away from the classroom and now works part-time at the library!
Her goal as a yoga instructor is to cultivate wellness in the community by promoting equitable access to wellness resources and offering space to practice and reflect on the role our own wellness plays in the wellness of all. Moving the body in order to still the fluctuations of the mind is a powerful step towards creating meaningful connections inside and out. She believes that the more attuned we are to our bodies, the more full and whole our life becomes. She is passionate about helping empower individuals in mind, body, voice, and spirit, and sees yoga as an opportunity to nurture this inner power. It’s a privilege to practice together!
Lauren
Classes: Yin Yoga
Holistic medicine and natural modalities of healing have always been something Lauren has been passionate about. Currently working as a registered nurse, she strives to incorporate these interests into her work as a healer. To Lauren, yoga is a means to find presence and connectedness to both oneself and others.
In her current practice, Lauren enjoys weaving in yogic philosophy and anatomy into her classes, while imbuing them with a sense of creative freedom.
Outside of the studio, you can find Lauren buying cosmetically-challenged vegetables from the farmer's market, reading three books at a time very slowly, or supporting the robust local businesses in Rochester. And, she is on an endless quest to find the perfect Caesar salad.
Anita
Classes: Slow Flow Vinyasa and Hatha Yoga
Originally from Fairport, Anita began her life adventures first as a classical ballet dancer at age 14. After a serious knee injury early on that sidelined a promising career, she fell into an acting career that took her all over the country where she got to work with Meryl Streep, wore Marilyn Monroe’s white dress, and toured with Debbie Reynolds among other fun stuff!
As a natural extension of her ballet training, Anita has taught dance, fitness, Pilates, and yoga. The focus and spiritual nature of yoga connected so closely with her dance experience that she got hooked and became Yoga Alliance certified in 2003. The thing she probably loves most about yoga is its transformative power - the power it has had in not only changing her life and mind but helping to turn a light on in others..
Anita loves being outside, spending time with excellent people, making stuff, and most of all, her three fur monster pups; Emma, Lily and Daisy Bug. She returned to Fairport a few years ago with her husband, Bob, because it is simply the best place in the world.
Linda S
Classes: Restorative Yoga
My journey to teach yoga was not inspired by my love of taking classes for so many years. Yoga teacher training found me as I was searching for a purpose outside of a wonderful 37+ year career as a Radiologic Technologist. Patient care and connection has always been my passion and with that, led me to a conversation with a patient whose daughter just completed a 200 hr teacher training. Within a week I was signed up for a journey I had no idea would connect so much of who I am as a person to what I can give to others.
During that training I was introduced to Restorative Yoga which then led me to a 30 hour teacher training with Judith Lasater at The Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in 2019. Now with learning Yin, I’m able to bring all of this to my classes.
Teaching has become my purpose. I’m a big advocate for movement, stillness, silence and changing the preconceived notion that one can not do yoga. Yoga is about making shapes in our bodies which builds strength then flexibility.
Outside of the studio you can find me hiking weekly, reading daily and traveling anytime I can.
Julia
Classes: Mat Pilates
Julia is a native Rochesterian who lived in NYC for five years before coming back to her roots. She has been a Fitness Instructor for 4+ years as a Lead Instructor at Spoke Cycle and Fitness and Pilates Instructor at The Reformery. She also loves to host outdoor & indoor class popups as the 'Fitness Chemist' as well! She finds Pilates to be the perfect balance of strength, core, and mobility with the challenging and low-impact workouts. Her biggest goal as an instructor is to make sure you feel better when you leave the studio than you did coming in and she'll be your biggest hype girl.
Sophia
Classes: Slow Flow Vinyasa
Sophia is a Rochester native and was raised in Pittsford, NY. She was introduced to yoga in 2019 during her senior year of college at the University of Vermont, and became committed to understanding all aspects of the practice when the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020. It was during this time she decided to step back from seeking a career in the communications industry and discover her passion for mindful movement and meditation.
Sophia enjoys the dichotomy between working in data research and analytics as her day job and being a yoga instructor with interests in gentle yoga and vinyasa. If she’s not behind her computer or on her mat, you’ll find her working on her new passion project: landscaping her backyard with her boyfriend and their rescue, Caesar.
A fun fact about Sophia is she spends her weekends every summer spending time with and taking care of her great aunt near Skaneateles, NY.
Amelia
Classes: Mat Pilates
Amelia grew up as a dancer with a passion for fitness and wellness. She started taking Pilates classes in 2022 and when the opportunity came to become an instructor she couldn’t say no! She is now certified in Mat and Reformer Pilates, and teaches at The Reformery and Yoga 170. Amelia likes to keep her classes flowy (with optional yet spice), offering options to make Mat Pilates accessible for everyone!
Megan
Classes: Active Vinyasa Flow
Megan is a 200hr RYT and has been practicing yoga for over 15 years! Her first experience with yoga started back in her college dorm as a way to move her body while calming her mind during study sessions. In 2021 Megan received her yoga teaching certification as a way to find a deeper connection to her yoga practice. Since then, Megan has taught in-person studio classes, mid-hike yoga sessions, and more. Megan’s classes focus on breathwork and pairing movement to music. Megan’s classes are great for yogis of all levels. Her goal is for everyone to find their own zen and flow, overcome any challenges they face, and take what they need from each class.
When Megan is not on the mat you can find her frequenting local coffee shops, running her consulting business, spending time with her cat, Mina, and enjoying the beautiful Upstate NY.
Jordan
Classes: Active Vinyasa Flow, Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga
Jordan has been drawn to the practice of embodiment and movement since 2017 when she first began her yoga journey. With a dance and yoga background, Jordan loves integrating rhythm, breath, and fun into each class. Jordan is also fascinated by philosophy, space, and astronomy. After her original degree in finance, she endeavored to return to school to pursue a degree in physics & astronomy, which she is working on now. Jordan is also passionate about music as she is a singer-songwriter. Her passion lies in connecting all 3 - yoga, science/philosophy, and art. Her goal is for students to feel a deeper connection to self and meaning in life. She also emphasizes belonging and community building after every class as connection is an important value of hers.
Fun facts about Jordan are that she lived in LA for 2.5 years where she did her teacher training, taught English in South Korea from 2013-2015, is Reiki II certified, and has two black cats named Mr. Hawking and Cassini.
Extended family
Kaitlyn
Kaitlyn is a Yoga Therapist who specializes in chronic pain relief, stress-reduction, and postpartum anxiety. Teaching since 2014, her classes emphasize alignment and strength paired with body-awareness.
She hopes to let participants connect more deeply with what their bodies are experiencing breath to breath on their yoga mats so they can take that into their lives.
Linda L
Linda is a 200hr RYT with Yoga Alliance and is a certified Meditation teacher, holding various certifications in yoga and meditation.
Linda is an art educator and artist who has been practicing yoga on and off since high school. She returned to yoga after a long period away to help reduce stress, anxiety and increase flexibility.
Linda has taught at a number of yoga studios in Rochester and also teaches outdoor yoga at the Memorial Art Gallery and other local venues. She provides a warm, welcoming environment and offers gentle hands on assists to guide alignment.
Angelina
Angelina has had a love for movement and music since she began dancing at 4 years old. After studying Childhood Education, Dance and Theater at SUNY Geneseo, she dove into teaching fitness classes. You can find her on the mat teaching PiYo, and she also teaches Turbo Kick, Cycling, Pilates, HIIT, Barre, and Stretch classes. Off the mat, she is a second grade teacher and loves spending time with her 1 and 3 year old.
Believing that fitness should be fun, Angelina strives to create an energetic, motivating space to help people find a balance between their health, fitness and mindfulness.
Molly
Molly began practicing yoga in the early ‘90’s and founded & owned Molly’s Yoga Corner from June of 2000 to September of 2019. As a long distance runner and triathlete, she originally found yoga as a means to help restore her ailing body. Little did she know at the time what this would mean to her and the yoga community of Rochester.
She is incredibly experienced and loved by her students; and over the years she developed her Hatha based experience into her own unique classes. She calls her yoga classes ‘Grassroots Yoga’ because she teaches from the roots of the ancient practice and also a fundamental style of yoga. As she says “You will not find any fancy posses or bells & whistles at my classes; rather just the traditional style of yoga.”
Molly welcomes everyone to her classes, whether you are a total beginner or very experienced and her goal is provide everyone with an opportunity to feel anew and renewed.