Meet Our Team

Peter is a Bay Area native who has made a life of exploring movement and philosophy. For over a decade he has worked as a personal trainer, a yoga teacher and a Pilates instructor. With a background in wrestling, a MA in philosophy and a practice of meditation, Peter brings a unique touch to his classes and teachings. Peter's classes strike a balance between flexibility and strength, requiring a little of both. You can expect classes that are challenging yet informative on how to move and progress in your own personal practice. Above all Peter wants you to have fun, be relaxed yet driven and to play with the practice of yoga.

peterbartesch.com

John began practicing Ashtanga in the '90's and was quickly taken with the depth, challenge, and continuously evolving nature of it. Traditional Ashtanga is the root vinyasa practice. Its design offers an experience of balance and counterbalance, a pranayama practice in motion and, at its essence, a moving meditation. It is truly a practice of releasing Samskara: unwinding the conditioned patterns of movement, thought, emotion, and spirit that we often find ourselves bound in.

John is authorized by the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute of Mysore, India where he has made 5 extended trips over the years. He has been teaching consistently since 1995 and continues to study many forms of yoga, philosophy, and the movement and understanding of the physical body. The gift of teaching for John is supporting each person's experience of practice, and facilitating the depth, transformation, and healing power that yoga has to offer.

Jennifer is a Reiki healer, teacher, intuitive & spiritual empowerment coach. Her work focuses on helping you connect to a deeper sense of yourself so you may show up fully in the world. She leads workshops and events throughout the Bay Area and beyond.

Learn more about Jennifer at https://www.jenniferbrinn.com

Michelle Nayeli Bouvier, B.S., E-RYT, C-IAYT, is an interdisciplinary embodiment expert & creator of the Kutilaa School of Embodied Resilience. With over 25 years of teaching experience, Michelle is a bodymind specialist, certified yoga therapist and teacher trainer, Ayurveda educator, GYROTONIC® trainer, devoted student of the Axis Syllabus, ecologist & social activist.

Rooted in cutting-edge merging of modern research and timeless wisdom, Michelle’s work goes beyond modality to work with principles of Nature that resource our bodymind and nervous system, optimize physical vitality, and unlock flow states, movement freedom, optimal performance and overall longevity.

Jen has been practicing yoga for over three decades and teaching yoga in the Bay Area since 2004. She has had the opportunity to study with many wonderful teachers and has completed over 500 hours of teacher training with Yoga Works, Yoga Tree, and Spirit Rock Meditation Center. Jen wholeheartedly believes in the power of yoga and encourages her students to find ease in the present moment and to meet whatever arises with kindness. When not practicing yoga, you can find Jen outside, at the beach or on the trails with her dogs, traversing the paths of motherhood and midlife in Marin County, California.

Monique is an Ashtanga Vinyasa and Pranayama instructor with a deep commitment to the teachings of Yoga.

Shaped by her studies with Eddie Stern, Kia Naddermier, Kest Yoga, and Yvonne Kingsley, she offers a grounded practice that is both strong and challenging, emphasizing steadiness in the body and the quality of breath.

Her classes are intentional, fluid, and thoughtfully curated with music that supports the rhythm of the practice. They invite deep physical strength, mobility, and self-awareness, guiding students toward a deeper sense of embodiment and a more rooted connection within. Learn more at www.moniquecamargo.com

She is also part of the Metta Team as the Director of Events.

Robyn is a long time fitness expert and  teacher since 1986 in San Diego, Central Coast and San Francisco. Yoga bloomed for her in 2012. Her classes are musically charged and nurturing with a strong emphasis on alignment strength and breath and are held in the intention to create a container of compassion for whatever shows up on the mat. Her hope is through guided, dynamic movement and yoga postures , students will navigate their pathways toward joy and self connection.

Robyn earned her B.S. degree in Kinesiology and minor in Psychology in 1993 and holds certifications combined with 500 hours in American Council of Exercise and American College of Sports Medicine, Keiser Cycle and CPR Certified. She went through Advanced Yoga Teacher Trainings with Lesley Desaulniers, which she is very grateful for.

Teaching and practicing is her safe haven for a peaceful, spiritual, and ritualistic lifestyle where she shares her authentic self with her students. She loves sharing stories of how her yoga practice connects her relationships with community, friends. her husband, and three grown boys (young men).

Ashley has been practicing yoga for over a decade, with the last three years spent training under Aerial Yoga Play founder Jen Healy. Now stepping into her role as an AYP instructor, Ashley is passionate about the practice’s therapeutic, fun, and ever-evolving nature. Her focus is on calming the mind, healing the body, and encouraging self-discovery through movement.

As a new San Francisco resident in 2011, Allison discovered yoga after years of long distance road races and USTA tennis. This new practice of "taking it to the mat" resonated as an important reset from injuries and the fast pace of corporate e-commerce sales. It was a strong compliment to years of conscious breathing, meditation, chakra, lunar/astrology and Buddist teachings.

Allison completed the 200-hour YTT at Metta Yoga in 2023, a 40 Hour Yin Yoga training and a 30 Hour Restorative Yoga at Point Reyes Yoga.   She is currently completing Restorative, Hatha and Nidra certifications with The School of Living Yoga Studio. She is passionate about bringing a holistic fun approach to keeping it "real" and "slowing it down" in Yin/Restorative practices.

Outside of working with fintechs and daily yoga practice, you can find Allison on the trails, creek or oceanfront  with North, her canine son!

Gillian first found yoga after years of competitive sports and dance left her with knee injuries. The resulting change of pace provided much-needed clarity, allowing her to look within for contentment instead of without for validation. This path of presence and self-love led her to pursue her passion - creating a space welcoming all yogis to the practice, regardless of age, shape, or size. Through a combination of challenging and unique flows, her classes get you out of your head and into your body. The goal is to leave worries at the door and plant seeds of positive thought to carry throughout the day.

You can find her online at https://theaverageyogi.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/theaverageyogi, and sharing photos of her life, passions, and her friend’s corgi, Edward, on Instagram @gconfair

Jordan is a seeker. She has worked in the fashion industry, humanitarian aid, wellness and climate — launching companies from ground up, running strategy, creating an economic development fund, co-founding a tech company and developing framework for organizations and communities.

Jordan’s path has led her to explore self inquiry, contemplation and the Mystery, acting as a bridge builder between the inner and outer world. She has been teaching for 12 years, exploring physical alignment as well as subtle body awareness. Her belief is that individual healing is the vehicle for economical, environmental and social transformation.

Through her work, she is committed to moving current and currency in the direction of peace.

Jeremy Falk, E-RYT 500, embodies over 16 years of experience and over 1,000 hours of training in movement sciences, meditation, and positive psychology.  He began his foundational yoga studies while living in an ashram in India and completed advanced training with world-renowned teachers Jason Crandell, Stephanie Snyder, and Janet Stone. Over the years he’s been recognized as an Ambassador for Lululemon, Fitbit, and Yoga Journal as well as the Head of Yoga for Tempo. 

Jeremy teaches an embodied and soulful vinyasa that combines intelligent sequencing and practical philosophy with humor and heart.   His classes offer a challenging, cathartic, and meditative experience that is grounded in ancient wisdom and evolved with a playful spirit. You'll enjoy chanting, sweating, and laughing all while discovering the depths of strength, focus, and resilience within you.

Nimisha Gandhi is a devoted practitioner with decades of experience in supporting others on their healing journeys through practices like Yoga Nidra, energy medicine, breathwork, natural therapeutics, and Ayurveda. With a gentle approach, she helps individuals find inner peace and balance, particularly through the healing power of Yoga Nidra. In her practice, Moon Cycle Nutrition Nimisha combines functional medicine and Ayurvedic principles to create personalized wellness plans that nurture hormonal and gut health while embracing the mind, body, and spirit. Nimisha is the keeper of Moon Cycle Circles, a monthly gathering for women to reclaim the sacred feminine. Nimisha’s work is rooted in both research and intuition, always guided by the heart. @mooncyclenutrition 

Marina is a life-long Bay Area resident, yogini mama and lover of all that is wild. Her slow moving vinyasa classes are alignment-rich, creative, and meant to honor and celebrate each students unique body landscape and relationship to yoga. Her teachings integrate elements of strength training, follow seasonality and include various meditation, mudra and pranayama techniques. Her major influences have been Rod Stryker, Bryan Kest and most prominently, Abby Tucker. Before Marina became of student of yoga, she received her BA in Ethnic Studies from UC Berkeley, where she cemented her ongoing passion for equity & social justice. Her day to day life is spent mostly at home rearranging furniture for fun, adventuring through local woodlands & lakes, mountain biking, gardening & smashing the patriarchy. Join her in enlivening your senses through yoga, travel, connection, knowledge and play!

Courtney teaches a power yoga class that is both playful and spiritual. She has been influenced by the spiritual teachings of Jivamukti yoga and the powerful and dynamic sequencing of Baptiste Yoga and SF's Stephanie Snyder. Courtney’s class will challenge you - yet leave you feeling grounded, inspired and reconnected.

She believes the connection of good music and movement open the body and to clear the mind. Her classes are truly “flowing” utilizing good music and sacred texts to illuminate aspects of the spiritual journey in a hectic world.

Though her sequencing is designed to strengthen and tone body and mind and is sure to take you to your edge - her ultimate goal is to put those practicing at ease and encourage them to try new things. 

courtneyharrisyoga.com

Carla brings a sense of empowerment and fun, both physical and energetic, to every class. Through intention, humor, asana and pranayama, her goal is to have every student leave class feeling longer, leaner, refreshed and renewed, physically and energetically. Her style of teaching focuses on precise instruction that underscores the important relationship between alignment, breath, fluid movement and strength building. She puts an emphasis on thoughtful sequencing and pace, giving students a vigorous, strong physical practice and a deeper internal connection. Carla's classes are physically and mentally challenging, however she always works to meet you where you are each day. She delivers each class in English and Sanskrit with an original playlists of music ranging from hip-hop, pop and deep house to jazz, Alt and Chanting. She incorporates demonstrations when needed and hands on adjustments. Her goal is to create a space for expression, enthusiasm, fun, sweat, reflection and renewal.

Carla has studied and practiced many styles of yoga over the last 20 years, including, Bikram, Ashtanga, Hatha, Power, Jivamukti and Iyengar. She recently returned to Marin County (home) after three years teaching in Tokyo.

Sara has been a student of yoga since 2000 and has 500+ hours of training (ERYT-500). Based in San Francisco and Marin, Sara is known for leading fun, strong, and intelligent Vinyasa flow classes (Forest and Iyengar influenced). She draws from her dance background, as a former ballet and modern dancer at the elite level, to create intelligently sequenced classes that gracefully synchronize breath, posture, and alignment. Through these key elements, students are supported to explore each pose in depth in order to encounter their full, transformative potential. Sara challenges and playfully invites her students to wake up to their most authentic selves.

July’s classes focus on moving the body with the breath in a way that nourishes and supports each individual. July pays attention to proper alignment and helps you feel into each pose so as to create the muscle memory of the repetitive shapes of seemingly different postures. Her class is at times challenging yet always fulfilling, and she would love your company on the mat!

Growing up with dance, gymnastics and a variety of sports, July has always been drawn to movement. She began yoga nearly 20 years ago while in graduate school. Yoga provided clarity and connection in breath, body and mind and has continued to do so ever since. Over the years, July's personal practice has evolved from a fiery flow with dripping sweat, to nurturing prenatal, to rejuvenating postnatal, and lately into a breath based moving meditation of connectedness. July received her 200-hour teaching credential in 2014 from Yoga Tree and continues to study with renowned teachers locally and nationwide.

July can be reached at www.julyjohnsonyoga.com

Jenn teaches heart-centered vinyasa yoga. Jenn's classes weave together somatic meditation, pranayama, warming asana, cooling restorative, and — always — rich, shared silence. She completed her yoga training with Jaya Yoga School and Peaceful School of Yoga, both in the infinitely beautiful Columbia River Gorge. Beyond lineage and formality, it is from each student, each session, and each self-practice that she continues to learn.

As a certified instructor with over a decade of experience, Christa is deeply committed to empowering the practice of others. Teaching yoga is not just her passion but her purpose—an opportunity to inspire others to uncover their inner strength and limitless potential. Christa’s personal practice of over 15 years fuels her teaching, creating transformative and uplifting experiences for every student she guides. Christa has taught a wide range of styles over the years—from “advanced pretzel making” to “rest and restore”—and she especially loves backbends and arm balances! Her classes are lighthearted and welcoming, designed to challenge and restore, all set to an intentionally curated playlist that enhances the vibe and supports your journey on the mat.

Michele has 25 years experience as a Yoga Instructor E-RYT, Yoga Therapist and Teacher Trainer. Her technical background encompasses intensive study and deep understanding in Yoga Asana, Anatomy, Yoga Therapeutics, Functional Body Movement, Neuromuscular Re-Patterning, Psychology, Philosophy and more. Influenced by many traditions especially Iyengar, Ashtanga, Restorative, Yin, Therapeutics, her classes are infused with alignment precision, anatomical understanding, safe modifications, breath awareness, positive psychology and philosophical insight. The cadence of her instruction blends longer holds, core focus, and meditative vinyasa flow, continually linking breath with movement. Verbal adjustments help you understand your own body and offer a true experience of the pose. She aspires to weave in more than the physical aspects of Yoga with her specially crafted multi-dimensional approach offering a holistic experience where one feels better in body, mind and spirit. Athletes of all kinds come to Michele for optimal health and recovery to endure their sport. Michele also collaborates with medical professionals to help in injury prevention and management. Michele is a teacher’s teacher and she has been training other teachers for over 13 years.

Ulrike’s classes challenge students to fully commit to being on the mat and staying present in the moment. Her sequences are carefully planned, infused with yoga philosophy as well as specific alignment cues to keep students engaged and safe. Ulrike aims for a mix of challenging flows, engaging students physically while encouraging them to move with wisdom and in unison with the breath. Her goal is to have students leave class energized, centered, grounded and with new found body awareness.

Ulrike’s own Yoga journey began in 2006 when she was training to run her first Marathon. At the time, Yoga was just a way to cross train to stay injury free. Over the years however, the realization of the substantial physical and mental benefits motivated her to intensify her practice. In 2020 she completed her 200 hour Yoga Teacher training through Yogaworks with Christy Brown and in February 2022, she received her 50 Hour Insight Yoga Teacher Training Certification with Sarah Powers. Ulrike considers herself a lifelong student, continues to practice daily and participates in ongoing training courses. When not on the mat, you can find Ulrike hiking the many trails in the Bay Area and beyond. You can find her online at ulikhikeandyoga.com.

In Hannah's classes, you're invited to connect to your true self on the mat. Through breath and intuitive movement, you'll practice shedding external attachments and experience a deep connection to Self. With a focus on safe alignment, Hannah encourages yogis to experiment with new depths, lean into challenges, and practice gentle observation with whatever comes up. You can expect creative flows and sensuous vibes from her classes.

As a teacher and a human, Hannah values inclusivity and intentionality. She loves sharing the practice of yoga with beginners & advanced yogis alike, always amazed by its ability to present itself as a unique gift to each person.

As a yoga teacher and integrative therapist, Leia is interested in tending the internal landscape of soma, psyche, and spirit. Leia is inspired by the connection between psychology, Eastern philosophy, somatic movement modalities, yoga, mindfulness, creativity, and spirituality. Deeply touched by this path and its supportive nature of looking inward, Leia offers the practices of slow flow vinyasa, SATYA, and restorative yoga for the health and wellness of all beings.

Trained as a Fashion Photographer and currently a freelance Lighting Director based in New York City, Kevin first stepped onto the mat in 2010 after a casual invitation from one of his assistants during an assignment. What ensued after that first trial week at YogaWorks NYC has been a liberating and enlightening journey that he hopes to share with others. Encouraged by his teachers to deepen his practice through teacher training, Kevin completed his 500TT @ YogaWorks NYC. His interest in Iyengar and restorative practices lead to teacher trainings in Adaptive Yoga with Jillian Pransky E-RYT/IAYT and later assisting her on multiple teacher trainings. Further training includes: Veteran’s Yoga Project / Mindful Resilience for Trauma Recovery Level 1, Jill Miller/ The Roll Model Method – the Science of Rolling and other studies.

Hy Long is a Marin-based yoga teacher, Nada Yoga Sound Bath guide, and spiritual practitioner who invites students to experience yoga as a homecoming - a return to wholeness where breath, body, and spirit move as one. His classes are grounded, invigorating, and creatively sequenced - blending soulful stillness, breath-driven movement, and a soft-focused intensity that meets you at your edge.

Hy’s Sound Baths weave crystal bowls, gong, and rhythmic sound through the vibrational pathways of Nada Yoga, guiding students from the Ahata Nada to the Anahata Nada - into deeper states of clarity, presence, and inner peace. 

His studies includes a 200hr YogaWorks TT (Joan Hyman & Carmen Fitzgibbon), a 200hr Ananda Vinyasa TT (Lesley Desaulniers) and a 300hr YogaWorks TT (Michele Klink), along with Kirtan Camp (Jai Uttal), Sound Bath Level I + II Certification (Jamie Bechtold & Robert Lee), and Reiki Level II Certification (Sophie Demitra).Follow him on instagram: @hy.long.life

Vanessa Lyons, RYT-500, M. Ed, is a reinvented classroom teacher, an avid traveler, and a lover of all things outdoors. As an athlete and a team member, she makes sure mindful movement is practiced in a sustainable way and has practiced that way for more than 20 years. Her teaching style is influenced by her ashtanga roots with Larry Shultz, Founder of It’s Yoga and Rocket Yoga, and her practice with Jasmine Tarkeshi, Founder of The Laughing Lotus and The Lotus Flow. Most recently she mentored a 300 hour training with Lesley Desaulniers. Her current teachings reflect the wisdom of her teachers and an alignment based vinyasa practice. When Vanessa is not teaching yoga, she is in the garden or otherwise enjoying time outside with friends (furry and human) and family.

Charlene is inspired by her passion to teach and nurture others. Her classes flow with breath and with an emphasis on safe alignment. With love and compassion she eases her students into a mind-body connection, helping them find a quieter state of mind and therefore a deeper sense of relaxation.

She has been blessed to train with some amazing teachers. Her certifications include 500RYT with Yogaworks mentors Erika Trice and Eka Ekong, 200RYT with Ana Forrest, Yin Yoga with Sarah Powers, Restorative Yoga I & II with Judith Hanson Lasater, Yoga Alliance Chair Yoga with Lakshmi Voelker and Ayurveda Wellness Counselor with James Bailey.

Mary Machado began her yoga journey in 2009 and she began teaching in 2012. She completed her 500 hour TT with Yogaworks in San Francisco. She has additional certifications in Yin Yoga, Vinyasa Flow, Iyengar and Yoga Philosophy. She considers herself a lifelong student of Yoga and continues to practice consistently. Her classes are thoughtfully sequenced with focus on alignment and breath integration. She strives to deliver the opportunity for each student to have a deeply satisfying experience to “go inside” and reveal their own inner light and strength. She has also completed the Energy Medicine training with the Four Winds Society, and Sound Healing Tra

Early in life, Amy learned the value of determination, perseverance, and adaptability through her love for gymnastics. Those values informed the foundation on which she built her career in corporate America. But her success in that arena came at a cost to her health. She was not attuned to the powerful connection between mind, body, and spiritual health. Amy truly believes life has a way of course-correcting when you’re on the wrong path. Her health led to yoga and yoga shifted her world on its axis.

Amy completed her 200-hour teacher training with Metta Yoga in 2023 to share the benefits of yoga with others, to expand our beautiful community, and to help others bring mindful moments to their day and life. In Amy's classes, you will focus on breathing and find length in your body, and her goal is to help you leave class full of grace and compassion.

Minna brings her heart to class blending yoga philosophy and spirituality with creative dynamic movement. Minna uses breath and movement to help you free up energy, create a clearer connection to self, and feel recharged. You’ll get a grounding dose of spirituality with a touch of humor. Dancing ballet for 12 years, practicing yoga since 2006, and attending Tisch school of the arts, Minna believes movement is healing. Minna’s teachers are: Anna Hughes, Erin Gilmore, Dana Damara, Leslie Gleser, Tanya Clark, and Kate Holcombe.

Fiona has been a student of yoga and meditation for over a decade, with 500+ hours of formal teacher training through YogaWorks. Inspired by her roots in ballet and modern dance, she brings a love for creative movement to her alignment-based classes. Through a combination of intuitive sequencing and attention to the breath, her classes offer an embodied experience that is playful, challenging, and grounded in practical wisdom. Students are encouraged to deepen their exploration of yoga and discover a practice that not only feels good, but that can bring clarity and meaning to their lives off the mat. Follow her on Instagram: @fionakayo

Being active has always been a core theme of Anne’s life. An athlete and dancer growing up, Anne embraced yoga later in life for the way it helped her slow down, focus and invite in more space through movement, stillness and deep breath work.

In 2015, Anne completed her 200 hour teacher training with Yo Yoga in Cape Town. She taught at various studios thereafter before returning to the US where she led several company yoga programs.

Anne’s vinyasa classes are welcoming, empowering, and playful, with equal parts heat and compassion. Her hope is to challenge each yogi to discover new ways of movement and strength in their bodies and minds.

Stephanie is one of those truly unique and gifted teachers who can make you laugh, make you sweat, make you think, and make you feel seen and cared for . . . all in one class” (student testimonial)

Her Ashtanga-inspired Vinyasa Flow classes are a fusion of seamless sequencing, carefully curated soulful playlists, humor and alignment instruction. She weaves wisdom from yogic scriptures into a dynamic and sometimes sweaty class that focuses on the breath as a pathway to steady the mind, open the heart and allow for an experience of clarity and inner calm. She radiates love and joy. You will leave class smiling with your inner light shining.

Her personal practice evolved into a pathway of service and teaching following life-altering events. Prior to that, she was a segment producer for The Today Show. Sincere devotion led her to earn a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology, to complete 1000 hours of Yoga Alliance Teacher Trainings, and to continue study with renowned psychologists and yoga scholars. Her most influential teachers are the co-founders of Jivamukti – Sharon Gannon and David Life, YogaWorks co-founder Maty Ezraty, and Steve Ross, a former monk of the Hindu tradition. After decades of study and practice, Stephanie ultimately calls LIFE her greatest teacher.

If you want to learn more about her, www.stephaniephelaninne

Phina is known for her unique sequencing and thoughtful use of music. Her creative classes bring students both invigoration and harmony. She is a lover of all things movement. With roots in modern dance, she offers alternative ways of inhabiting the body. Phina obtained her certification through YogaWorks, trained at RoCo Dance, and studied Yin Yoga at the Arhanta Ashram. Join Phina on the gratifying journey of her carefully crafted classes.

Rachel's loving presence, humility and warm heart will have you smiling on your mat as you breathe and connect to your own inner light. Her vinyasa classes flow using movement, breath and music to create space for challenging poses and inner calm. She hopes to help her students drop into their bodies through their breath as she leads them through the asanas to a deep Shavasana. Rachel lived in Varanasi, India for a year where she studied yoga, Hindi, Sanskrit, Buddhism and Fine Art painting. During her 15 year career in fashion design, yoga continually called her back to her mat to connect to her body and her own light through breath and movement. Rachel has completed a 700 hours of teacher training in the Jivamukti and Ashtanga Traditions. She feels blessed to have this ancient practice of yoga in the modern world and is grateful to her students and her teachers. You can find her online at rachelrossyoga.com and on Instagram @rachelrossyoga

Dana has been teaching both vinyasa and power yoga classes since 2018, but her love for yoga goes much further back than that. She attended classes with her mom on and off throughout her childhood, but really fell in love with it when living in NYC and needing to find respite from the fast paced lifestyle. She did her first 200 hour Vinyasa teacher training in Costa Rica in 2017, followed by another 200 hours of Power Yoga training at Karma Yoga SF in 2018.

Dana loves to teach a strong, sweaty, fiery class with unique transitions and a creative flow. She loves challenging her students, putting an emphasis on strength and alignment, and using the physical practice to calm the mind. Her wish is for her students to discover new and unique ways of movement while uncovering their inner strength and power. She stands by the simple phrase: If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.

Tovara is our studio director of Human Resources. She helps take care of our team!

Susan is a mother, lawyer, and cancer survivor. She loves reading, baking, gardening, and swimming in the open water. She received her 200-hour teaching certificate in 2018 under the guidance of Caroline Kelley, Matt Champoux, and Cora Wen. Her yoga style is slow, strong, and inward looking. She is grateful for the opportunity to share her practice with you. You can learn more about her at susansayloryoga.com.

Natalie strives to create an environment in which students are inspired to reach their full potential through yoga, encouraging the cultivation of self-acceptance for their bodies and appreciation of their inherent abilities. Natalie’s classes are a dynamic flow taught with a focus on alignment principles and mindfulness techniques. As a mother of two, Natalie finds the practice of yoga to be invaluable when trying to stay grounded and present through the ups and downs of parenting. Natalie continues to be inspired by her primary yoga teachers, Ana Forrest, Jane Austin, and Jason Crandell.

Lindsey is an experienced and passionate teacher with 16+ years of dedicated Yoga, including Advanced Teacher Training in Vinyasa, meditation, non-violent communication, and certified in breath work and sound healing. She’s committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for students of all levels. Her extensive training and deep understanding of Yoga philosophy enable her to guide students on a journey of self-discovery and inner peace, empowering them to unlock their full potential on and off the mat.

Elizabeth's yoga journey began when she was a teenager and stemmed from years of dancing, surfing, and running. She was fortunate to spend 6 months studying classical yoga in India in her twenties and dove into the practice of Vipassana meditation at this time as well. She completed a 200 hour Dharma Yoga Teacher Training in 2001and began teaching shortly after. Weaving the contemplative practices of her Buddhist background into her yoga classes is a unique offering that Elizabeth is continually deepening. Since her initial teacher training she has studied yoga therapy, yin, restorative, and prenatal yoga as well as completing her 500 hour certification through Spirit Rock's Meditation and Yoga Mindfulness Training in 2015. Her 18 years as a bodyworker also informs her teaching and personal practice along with her work with women as a birth doula and educator.

www.eshelhart.com

Hillary Skibell is a Bay Area yoga teacher, mentor, and transformational coach. She is known for her soulful and inspiring guidance that connects individuals to the deeper pulse and flow of life. Her classes offer a uplifting and challenging practice embraced with heart and spirit. She is based in Mill Valley, CA and teaches classes, workshops, and retreats both locally and abroad. She is a California girl with Texas roots and loves chocolate, coffee, and country music. It is her passion to guide you to a deeper experience of your power and brilliance as you uncover what is possible on the mat and in your life beyond.

Rob, a Native of Ohio and a 20 year resident of Denver, Colorado, has been practicing Yoga regularly since 2001 and has found it to be an endless resource for strength, resilience and self discovery. Realizing that yoga had saved him from a once daily reality of physical pain, stress and anger, he decided to expand his practice and began teaching. Initially completing a 200 hr. RYT in 2012 that was focused on power yoga, Rob has continued his training locally with Lesley Desaulniers and Allison Smith, exploring yoga that is heavily focused on alignment exploration and sustainability.

“Whether it’s your first class or you practice every day, my goal is to provide the space for you to find something new in the practice and in yourself.”

Apryl offers a practice that encourages more love in the world for Self and all humanity. Her classes invite community members of all ages to explore compassion, confidence, and strength through playful aerial movements and meditations designed to heal past injury and manifest future dreams. Apryl believes in a heart-mind-body connection, aerial movements rotate and rock our body in the same ways as when we were forged in our mama's womb. These movements reawaken and refresh cellular memory throughout the body, simultaneously awakening and refreshing our attitudes and emotions. Apryl designs her classes to align the body’s skeletal framework and strengthen it with long, flexible muscles and fascia, releasing the hips and opening the chest, exposing a vulnerable heart shining with purposeful direction. Apryl trained as an Aerial Yoga Play instructor with Jen Healy in 2015. Find out more about Apryl's techniques and offerings at www.SacredSkyYoga.com

Rebecca Urban, known in yoga circles as "Bex," has led yoga and Pilates classes since 2000. Certified through the Yoga Alliance and PMA, Bex’s approach focuses on bringing awareness to our breath as the essential link between mind, body, and movement. She emphasizes finding center, balancing the body from the inside out, and using the physical practice to forge a larger spiritual connection. Her positive energy inspires everyone she works with to show up, release, and build strength.

Bex leads classes with enthusiasm, warmth, and a gentle sense of humor. Her students attest to her authentic ability to bring them into the moment, and guide them to a place of focus and greater self-acceptance. She weaves sequences that are safe, creative, challenging and filled with reverence. Bex invites students to set their own intentions, making the practice uniquely their own. She brings spirit, love, and openness to her teaching with the ultimate goal of inspiring a devotion to movement and yoga and its many benefits in all her students.

Sarah's classes incorporate her appreciation for the spiritual aspects of yoga in a vinyasa-style flow. By providing attention to the fine details of asanas, Sarah helps students explore and achieve the benefits of a physical yoga practice. She includes intentional sequencing and original eclectic playlists in her classes for students to move their body with their breath and discover ease in their being.

Sarah was first drawn to the practice of yoga in 2002 to balance the demands of her career as a social worker in nonprofit management. Yoga was a place to set aside the stress in her profession and allowed her to reconnect with her center to move through challenging circumstances in life. She completed her first 300 hours of teacher training with Academy of Yoga Learning while living in Melbourne, Australia. After a hiatus from teaching to focus on her growing family with three children, Sarah recently received her 200-hour teacher certification from Metta Yoga.

Peter Walters is a Bay Area yoga teacher and devoted student of Life. He teaches an experiential, sweaty, music-infused, and celebratory Bhakti Flow Yoga practice.

With over a decade of teaching public classes in person and online, leading workshops, retreats, and global festivals, Peter is on a mission to help people become students of their own lives—to practice acceptance and kindness, to open their hearts, and strengthen their voices (and bodies!) so they may truly Begin Again for all beings.

In his former life, Peter was an EMT, tall ship sailor, fisherman, line cook, and social entrepreneur. When he's not teaching yoga, you can find him motorcycling on windy roads, reading in the sun, and going on hikes with his trusty companion, Sir Huckleberry Finn. www.peteryoga.com

Mirabai will offer strong Ashtanga based alignment focused Vinyasa flow classes with music. She is a dedicated yoga practitioner and teacher of over 20 years. Her eclectic training is rooted in Sivananda, Ashtanga, Integral Hatha, and Restorative (Iyengar) yoga traditions. Her Vinyasa classes are a fusion of these powerful lineages and every class is creative and catered to the students'needs that are present in the room and offer an array of grounding techniques, Sun Salutations, strong standing poses, balance postures, backbends, forward folds, twists, and closing meditations. She incorporates music and chanting, and is strongly rooted in the path of Bhakti yoga.

Danelle started her career as a personal trainer and Pilates instructor in 2007 and has been a pre and postnatal fitness coach for over 12 years. As a Corrective Exercise specialist, she brought a unique set of skills and knowledge to her work with Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Pelvic Floor PTs, and Massage Therapists to create a Pilates program that both supports and strengthens the body thru all stages of pregnancy and recovery. As a trauma informed movement coach, Danelle focuses her classes on resetting the nervous system, rebuilding the body’s awareness of movement patterns, and healing beyond superficial aches and pains of the body. Moving with curiosity and a deepening understanding of what feels appropriate and nourishing to one’s specific experience sets the foundation for a truly fulfilling relationship to body, soul, and movement.

Emily serves as the Director of Operations at Metta and Cloudbreak Yoga studios. Her yoga practice began in 2017 as a Power Yoga student as she arrived to Marin County. This led to the discovery of meditation and the healing powers of a diverse mindfulness practice through both movement and introspection. The next steps in her journey came in 2023 as she completed a 200-hour YTT at Metta Yoga and Sound Bath training. Helping others improve their mental health and find self-love through yoga is what informs and motivates her teaching. She loves teaching fiery flows, steady flows with asana holds, and meditation-based restorative yoga.

Marianne is a dedicated yoga instructor with a passion for mindfulness and healing. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health Education from California State University, Chico.

Ashley is our director of Metta Mama.

Meet yourself on the mat where you are at this very moment. This is a philosophy that deeply resonates with Ashley in both her practice and her teaching. In 2004, just out of college, she was initially attracted to the practice because of the handstands and splits, being a former competitive gymnast. Over the years, as she began to let the practice in, she realized the benefits of what she practiced on the mat, and the profound influence it had on her life off the mat. Ashley began teaching Vinyasa and Hatha classes in 2012, but found her true calling when she got pregnant with her daughter in 2016 and after studying under Kari Marble, started teaching prenatal and postnatal yoga. Passionate about guiding women through the transformative process of pregnancy and becoming a parent, Ashley teaches a strong, alignment based practice where mamas can connect more deeply to their own body through movement, breath, and mindfulness practices. Ashley strives to empower her students by teaching them about the changes that take place in their body during pregnancy and after giving birth. Now a mother of two, she knows the importance of creating a community of strong women that can support each other and she is honored to do that work at Metta Mama.

Chelsea's yoga classes are soulful, heart-opening, deeply introspective and awakening. Her classes include hatha, vinyasa, kundalini and free-flow influences that are set to really inspiring playlists that people often request afterwards. She's always delighted to share the spotify playlist so you can carry that yoga class feeling throughout your day. Yoga teaches us about the connection of all things, and reminds us that our thoughts, words and actions create ripples. When we practice surrendering and opening up our hearts, the world receives this peace. She completed her RYT-200 hour teacher training (Kula Collective) in 2017 and in 2022 she completed her perinatal certification (Bliss Baby Yoga). Learn more about Chelsea at www.cwyoga.com.

Elizabeth's yoga journey began when she was a teenager and stemmed from years of dancing, surfing, and running. She was fortunate to spend 6 months studying classical yoga in India in her twenties and dove into the practice of Vipassana meditation at this time as well. She completed a 200 hour Dharma Yoga Teacher Training in 2001and began teaching shortly after. Weaving the contemplative practices of her Buddhist background into her yoga classes is a unique offering that Elizabeth is continually deepening. Since her initial teacher training she has studied yoga therapy, yin, restorative, and prenatal yoga as well as completing her 500 hour certification through Spirit Rock's Meditation and Yoga Mindfulness Training in 2015. Her 18 years as a bodyworker also informs her teaching and personal practice along with her work with women as a birth doula and educator.

www.eshelhart.com

Coco McKenzi passionately supports Mothers and families. As a psychedelic guide, doula, and yoga and breathwork teacher, Coco has cultivated an authentically joyful way of living and leading others. Those who work with Coco consistently describe her presence as grounding, intuitive, and profoundly refreshing. She inspires bravery and helps women cultivate self-acceptance on this transformative journey of Mother and Family-hood. Coco regularly facilitates group experiences, private retreats, and community gatherings. Coco loves self-expression, cherishes time with her family, and finds deep meaning in those unexpected "aha moments", especially when experienced under a starry night sky. She looks forward to creating meaningful connections and sharing space with you and, hopefully, your family too.

Kristen is a wanderlust yogi who feels lucky to have landed in Marin for this chapter of her family's life. She is an E-RYT 500 yoga teacher who has been teaching since 2012. She received her first training in Mysore, India in Ashtanga and her advanced Vinyasa training from Tranquil Space in Washington D.C. She's lived abroad for over 20 years of her life and has taught yoga from Afghanistan to Japan to Malaysia and many places in between.  She has hosted almost 10 retreats as well. 

Yoga has been a constant through many life transitions and she loves to share it with others. Her class is usually a strong vinyasa flow, weaving in yoga philosophy, longevity practices, and myofascial release. She loves playing in the balance of sthira/sukham or strength/softness and looks forward to being part of the metta community. She is a mother to 3 kids and a certified postpartum doula.

Find her on instagram at @kristenwadeyoga.

Marianne is a dedicated yoga instructor with a passion for mindfulness and healing. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health Education from California State University, Chico.

Natalie strives to create an environment in which students are inspired to reach their full potential through yoga, encouraging the cultivation of self-acceptance for their bodies and appreciation of their inherent abilities. Natalie’s classes are a dynamic flow taught with a focus on alignment principles and mindfulness techniques. As a mother of two, Natalie finds the practice of yoga to be invaluable when trying to stay grounded and present through the ups and downs of parenting. Natalie continues to be inspired by her primary yoga teachers, Ana Forrest, Jane Austin, and Jason Crandell.

Born in San Francisco, Patricia has always been passionate about leading women on their healing journey, providing a safe space to connect with their minds and body. With Yoga, we have the invitation to peel back the layers that are no longer needed and bring newer joys to the surface while extending kindness and compassion towards ourselves. Nurturing women is her soul’s work, and she feels grateful to be a part of this remarkable journey, helping to explore movement through the expansion of both receiving and letting go while finding your voice. Knowing we can start over, pivot, or shift anytime helps us find a more grounded state of mind. Since completing her 200-hour Teacher Training in 2017, Patricia has continued to expand her teaching practice, completing multiple pieces of training, including Trauma-Informed Yoga, Pre- Post Natal Yoga, and Children and Teens Yoga. She is a certified Energy Healer.

With a legal career taking her from Chicago, to New York, to Washington D.C., to San Francisco, Amy's yoga mat was her constant; a sacred space to find peace and ease. Amy completed her first yoga teacher training with Les Levanthal at Yoga Tree San Francisco in 2012. She was hooked - her mind, body and soul were lit on fire. In 2016, Amy's second 200-hour teacher training with Dana Damara was joyfully interrupted by the early birth of boy / girl twins. In 2017, Amy took a leap of faith and opened Metta Yoga studio in Corte Madera, CA to bring the type of yoga to Marin County that she wanted in her own neighborhood: a boutique and community-focused yoga studio offering both spiritually and physically invigorating classes. Amy firmly believes in the importance of yoga to balance our stressful lives. She enjoys a dynamic and graceful, yet challenging flow inspired from her background as a dancer, athlete, professional, and now, mother of three.

Carla brings a sense of empowerment and fun, both physical and energetic, to every class. Through intention, humor, asana and pranayama, her goal is to have every student leave class feeling longer, leaner, refreshed and renewed, physically and energetically. Her style of teaching focuses on precise instruction that underscores the important relationship between alignment, breath, fluid movement and strength building. She puts an emphasis on thoughtful sequencing and pace, giving students a vigorous, strong physical practice and a deeper internal connection. Carla's classes are physically and mentally challenging, however she always works to meet you where you are each day. She delivers each class in English and Sanskrit with an original playlists of music ranging from hip-hop, pop and deep house to jazz, Alt and Chanting. She incorporates demonstrations when needed and hands on adjustments. Her goal is to create a space for expression, enthusiasm, fun, sweat, reflection and renewal.

As a 20-year yoga practitioner and teacher for ten years, Temple’s mission is to offer a yoga and breath practice that will help her students reduce levels of stress, cultivate inner peace and create space for more joy in their lives. Her teaching is based on a blend of styles, including an alignment-based methodology and the mind-body-breath integration of Kripalu Yoga Center, where she did her teacher training. She joined the studio as a Co-owner in 2020. In addition to teaching, Temple has enjoyed having the opportunity to work with community members, teachers and students at all three studios. She has experienced first-hand the importance of practicing yoga for well-being and this inspires her to share the benefits of this practice with her students. Her classes move between smoothly flowing poses to build stamina and strength and end with more restorative poses to open and rebalance the body.