Amy completed her 200-RYT teacher training at Liberation Yoga in Los Angeles in 2014 and began teaching a year later at a women’s prison outside Compton, CA and at Venice Family Clinic. These opportunities defined her perspective and teaching in yoga as holistic – or heavily balanced physically, mentally and (sometimes) spiritually – to promote peace of mind and well-being “from the inside out.”

Amy also completed specialized instruction as follows: Yoga, Mindfulness and Social Change 100-hour certificate from LMU, Prison Yoga Project, Uprising Yoga, and Street Yoga trauma-informed teacher trainings, Accessible Bodies training with Canadian-based instructor Dianne Bondy, and Off the Mat Into the World’s Advanced Leadership training in global social development. She has developed ongoing programs and taught regular asana and meditation classes at a women’s jail in Lynwood, CA, and at the Irma Colen Center of Venice Family Clinic in Culver City, CA.

Svetlana Parquette, E-RYT, LMT was first introduced to Yoga in 1991 at Kazan State University in Kazan, Russia. Upon her relocation to the United States, she continued her training at the Fitness Resource Association in Needham, MA; while still developing and conducting private Ha Tha Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, and Couples Yoga classes at the various locations beginning in 2006. Svetlana completed her 200 hours of RYT training in 2008, as well as completing the Silver Sneakers Senior program training and E-RYT 200 with Yoga Alliance. In addition, Svetlana completed 500 hours of training at Sacred Rivers Yoga School in Glastonbury, CT in 2013. Later on she has obtained further education through additional coursework in Yoga tailored for the seniors, children, and families.

She has extensive knowledge in Chakra and Stress Relief Yoga, Pilates, and Zumba. To provide a well-rounded Mind, Body, Spirit program, Svetlana additionally trained in Tai Chi for Beginners, and QiGong with Supreme Science Qigong Foundation, as well as Reiki.

Svetlana established the Melody Motion Yoga and Wellness Studio in Deep River, CT, and used her training and experience to provide a variety of classes from 2008 through 2013. Upon her relocation to Port Charlotte, FL in 2013, she applied her experience and skills in Personal Training and Fitness in running the Curves franchise between 2013 and 2017. It was an excellent opportunity for Svetlana to interact with the local community, and to provide a well-balanced program to the clients to further better their health.

As always fascinated by the complexity of the human Mind, Body and Spirit Svetlana attended the Florida Massage Academy in Fort Myers, FL to further her understanding of the body’s ability to heal. She is currently integrating various modalities in to her health & wellness program which includes teaching Yoga, Qigong and offering CST, MPS scar reduction, Reiki as well as Massage sessions.

Svetlana is the mother of two daughters, and an energetic grandson, who is a constant inspiration for her Family Yoga program. She is locally well-known for her gentle spirit and methods of instruction.

Taina Rodriguez-Berardi is an educator and researcher in her second-year of graduate school in the Yoga Studies Master of Arts program at Loyola Marymount University. Focused on exploring the dynamics of health-wellness culture and social justice movements in modern yoga communities, Taina endeavors that her academic work facilitates greater diversity, inclusivity and equitable opportunity in wellness and scholastic spaces.

As an accessible yoga teacher, Taina integrates yoga philosophy and embodiment practices, health science and cultural studies to create educational curriculum for people of all ages, sizes, shapes, abilities and backgrounds. With more than 500-hours of yoga and social justice focused training and education, Taina guest lectures at universities, teaches workshops, group classes and mentors students and conscious businesses with 1:1 support. For more information: www.HelloHolaNamaste.com

With a background in education and public service, Jelisa’s various roles are aimed at helping humanity grow. She has worked in the non-profit sector as a community organizer and event planner, and most recently as an international wellness retreat coordinator. While serving as Community Liaison in Springfield, MA and for the Board of Education in NYC, Jelisa gained experience working with diverse demographics to reach a common goal.

In 2015, Jelisa’s life took a turn for the best. It was in St. Thomas where she found her first yoga teacher and embarked on a journey of transformation. After completing her 200-hour teacher training and four years of traveling the world, she learned that yoga and meditation are best when integrated into daily life, off the mat or cushion. Whether she is practicing daily meditation, yoga, Reiki or leading a retreat, Jelisa leads with curiosity and an open heart.

Jenn is a yoga instructor who received over 200 hours of yoga training and, since then, has taught for just over two years. She has a passion for the power yoga has in helping people cope with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other psychological issues. She also values the impact yoga poses (also known as asana) can have on improving the health of the physical body. As a busy mom and wife, Jenn loves teaching people that yoga is not only something to be done in a studio. The power of yoga can be embraced at home for the purpose of self-care and also as a parenting tool to help children work through their challenging feelings.

Avery just completed her 200hr teacher training with In Yoga Collective. She has been practicing Yoga and Meditation for three years to reduce stress, have a safe place to turn to, and use the asana practice as a way to cross train for her ballet training. Avery was pursuing a professional ballet career with The School of Pennsylvania Ballet Trainee program for two years (2017-2018). Avery has a love, and passion for working with children and adults all of whom have special needs. For nine years she has been a volunteer with the Milford Recreation Departments Little Wing Adaptive Ballet Company in Milford CT. She has helped produce, direct, and choreograph their version of The Nutcracker and enrich their lives through the love of dance, classical ballet technique, music and the joys of artistic impression. For her Heart project for the yoga teacher training she did a Yoga class with her adaptive friends. Avery is eager to dive deeper into the world of Yoga, and to teach and learn more through her students and fellow yoga collective teachers!

Francesca Michelle Gold, Clinical Yoga Therapist, E-RYT 500 x 2, holds a BA in Psychology from a Catholic East Coast University, and is completing her Master's Thesis on optimum health and preventive care at Loyola Marymount University. She’s been teaching professionally through her own company, namenah.com, since 2011. With a rich history as an anti-sweatshop, workers' rights, and human rights activist, as well as in her personal life battling addiction, mental wellness challenges like severe depression, anxiety, PTSD, and more, she works in solidarity with all to birth new ways of relating. She’s competed five times at the national roller figure skating championships and recently traveled solo in India for 7 months. The best way to heal is to bravely go to the root: begin now, where you are, and with what you have.

Evelyn Aragon lives in Miami, Florida. She has been practicing yoga on and off since she was 18 years old. Evelyn works for a construction law firm in Miami and has been there for 10 years. Law wasn’t something Evelyn signed up for but one thing she always knew she loved was Yoga and being creative.

Through yoga and mediation, Evelyn has been able to deal with anxiety. At age 29 Evelyn decided to learn more about yoga and now is a certified yoga teacher.

Evelyn would like to bring everything she learned and incorporate it into her classes. In the future she will be offering small classes about anxiety and how yoga and meditation has helped her overcome many fears.

Grace Ludwig is a recent graduate from Loyola Marymount University’s Masters in Yoga Studies, where she completed research on Yoga philosophy and Yoga’s role in the environmental crisis. Grace is a Yoga teacher (RYT-200), Yoga Therapist, reiki healer, intuitive, and environmental advocate and aims at cultivating healing spaces through which all sentient beings can benefit. She currently lives in Marin County, California and in her spare time enjoys company with her sister and her dog, as well as creating art and music.