Teacher Information
In September
1999, the newly organized Yoga Alliance®
established a national Yoga Teachers' Registry
to recognize and promote teachers with
training that meet minimum training standards.
Teachers who meet these standards are eligible
to register as "RYT®"s (Registered Yoga
Teachers).
In 2005, in
conjunction with enhanced revised standards
for registration, they began recognizing and
registering teachers with significant teaching
experience in addition to training
(Experienced Registered Yoga Teachers, or "E-RYT®"s).
These teachers
are trained to the highest standard
recommended by the National Yoga Alliance for
RYT certification. Each teacher must have
spent 200 hours of training working in
classroom environments on asana, philosophy,
anatomy, physiology and mentoring with senior
instructors.
To define,
maintain, and support the commitment to
training and education of Pilates instructors,
the Pilates Method Alliance® was formed in
2000 as the international professional
organization for the Pilates method of
exercise. Members are required to participate
in ongoing training, and must provide
documentation to remain in good standing. The
PMA® has set guidelines and recommendations
for teacher training programs, and has
established the first National Certification
Exam for the Pilates method.
Malaurie
Barber – Yoga Alliance Registered Teacher;
Forrest Yoga Certified Teacher, Kundalini
and Khalsa Way Pregnancy certified Teacher;
Energy Healer and Certified Massage
Therapist.
Malaurie was raised in
Paris, France and was introduced at a very
young age to meditation, eastern philosophy
and healing. She moved to the United States
15 years ago and lived in Maryland for 10
years before moving to California 5 years
ago.
She earned her Hatha
Yoga certification by studying with Ana
Forrest 7 years ago and went on shortly
after to study Kundalini and Pregnancy Yoga
with Gurmukh. Malaurie also works as a
massage therapist and specializes in Cranio
sacral Therapy, Energy Work and Sport
Massage.
Malaurie's style of yoga
is a blend between Forrest Yoga and Vinyasa
flow yoga. She puts a strong emphasizes on
the breath and body alignment while
incorporating meditation and awareness of
the body in every pose.
Malaurie's thoughts on
yoga: "Before I found yoga I was sleep
walking through life. Yoga woke me up, gave
me back my breath and awareness of my own
body. I became mind, body and soul instead
of being an empty shell running trough life
living only in the past and the future. I
became able to be in the present and
experience the moment. It is what I hope to
bring to my students in every class I teach;
an awareness and ability to remain present
as they move from one pose to another, to
experience their breath and quiet their
minds."
JeeJee Carter, RYT –
Yoga Alliance Registered Teacher; YogaEd
Certified Instructor, SilverAge Yoga Certified
Instructor
JeeJee was born and raised
in South Korea, and came to the USA in 1969.
Her career(s) before Yoga included Optical
Inspection, Quality Engineering, and
Cosmetology. She began practicing yoga every
day in 2003 at Yoga Works in Mission Viejo and
it has transformed her life. Her love of yoga
motivated her to become a yoga teacher, and
she graduated from the Yoga Works Teacher
Training Program in Costa Mesa, CA in June of
2006.
She continues to pursue
her passion for yoga by furthering her studies
in YogaEd for children (K-8 Curriculum),
SilverAgeYoga (a geriatric, science – based
yoga training), Teaching the Blind @ Vista,
California Community Outreach Programs by (SAYCO)
as well as completing her certification for
Mat Pilates Instruction. She has taught in
several locations throughout South Orange
County including Yoga Works, Yogaworks @Work,
and the US Marines and their families at Camp
Pendleton.
Jee teaches a variety of classes that range
from Ashtanga, lyengar, Viniyoga, Vinyasa Flow
Yoga as well as Mat Pilates.
JeeJee's Thoughts on
Yoga: She believes that by teaching and
emphasizing the therapeutic use of Yoga as a
means to heal injuries, she can help others
improve their lives.
Peggy Hall, RYT –
Certified Yoga Instructor, ACE Personal
Trainer, Certified Nutritional Therapist &
creator of "Yoga for Surfers" DVD series
Peggy Hall is an avid surfer and popular yoga
instructor who holds a certificate in Yoga
Studies from UCI Extension and also completed
her certificate in advanced teacher training
with Shiva Rea. Known for her enthusiastic and
inspiring teaching approach, Peggy has a very
clear style of instruction that makes the most
demanding poses accessible to all. She put her
passions together and created the acclaimed
'Yoga for Surfers'
instructional DVD series in which her
natural gift for teaching shines through. She
loves introducing yoga to new students,
helping them understand that yoga is more than
just the physical postures. A published writer
of dozens of articles about health and
wellness, Peggy is also certified by the
American Council on Exercise (ACE) as both a
personal trainer and a Weight and Lifestyle
Management Consultant. She is also a certified
nutritional therapist and lectures on Bhoj
Yoga, or the yoga of eating, an ancient
practice of sacred nutrition that helps bring
peace and nourishment with every bite.
Peggy has been practicing yoga for over ten
years and teaches her own eclectic blend of
hatha yoga, integrating elements of Iyengar®
alignment, Ashtanga flow, Kundalini
spirituality and yoga therapy.
Peggy’s Thoughts on Yoga: "Yoga is
really about integrating all of the various
aspects of our being -- the physical, mental,
emotional and spiritual," she says. "Through
the breath, we learn to stay calm and focused
in any situation and to experience life more
fully, allowing the very essence of our being
to shine through!"
Amy Harper, RYT – Yoga
Alliance Registered Teacher, YogaEd Certified
Instructor, Yoga4Teens Certified Instructor,
CPR Certified
Amy began studying yoga
ten years ago after fracturing her spine in a
water sport accident. Her physical therapist
introduced her to yoga as a way to build
strength, flexibility, and promote healing.
During her recovery she began the healing
process through restorative yoga. What became
clear to her was that yoga was much more than
stretching…it was a way to heal the body, mind
and spirit, which was what she needed at that
time. In 2002, she became a certified yoga
instructor through Yogamotion in Park City,
Utah. She currently teaches yoga for several
companies in the area, as well as at a drug
and alcohol rehabilitation center in San Juan
Capistrano. Amy lives in Foothill Ranch with
her son Simon, her daughter Julia and their
dog Stella.
Amy's teaching style
incorporates a variety of disciplines. She
incorporates the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar
which focuses on precise structure and
support. She also uses the traditions of
Anusara® which blends grace, alignment and
energized movement into her classes while
incorporating Viniyoga practices which teaches
how to honor the person not the pose. As a
student furthers their practice, she links
postures creating a similar flow to the
traditions of Ashtanga and Vinyasa. She enjoys
including people of all ages and abilities
helping to inspire students to connect with
their true essence and potential.
Amy's Thoughts on Yoga:
"Yoga, for me, is about finding balance, and
developing a relationship with yourself while
learning your strengths and realizing your
full potential so you can share the peace and
harmony with others in your life. Yoga is a
blessing for me and has become a true passion
in my life. My hope is to pass along the magic
of yoga - letting the breath, asana, and your
individual practice speak to you."
Angie Knight –
International Sivananda Certified Yoga
Instructor (1989); Iyengar®Teacher Training
with Karen O’Bannon (1998); Anatomy and Yoga
at Yoga Works (2005)
Angie started practicing yoga in South Africa
in 1970. Her yoga Guru encouraged her to teach
and that became her goal when coming to
California in 1987. In 1989 Angie completed
her Yoga Teaching Certificate with the
Sivananda Center in Grass Valley, CA. With 18
years of experience in teaching many yoga
classes of different levels, in and around
Southern California, Angie continually works
to deepen her knowledge of yoga by regularly
participating in workshops and classes. She
especially enjoys courses such as The Yin and
Yang of Yoga, Emotional Yoga and Yoga for the
Feet and continues to take yoga and pilates
classes.
Angie’s classes range from
Gentle Yoga (geared towards seniors but
beneficial to all who enjoy a gentle
approach), to Beginners and Intermediate
students.
Angie’s Thoughts on
Yoga: "Watching
people come into class stressed and watching
the stress just melt away, or seeing a
beginner develop over the weeks and months
into an accomplished yoga practitioner. Now
that's job satisfaction! I have heard some
students say: 'If it wasn't for yoga, I would
be dead!' Yoga continues to teach me balance
in everyday life, balance on every level."
Diane
McAdoo -
AFAA Group Instructor, PMA member, Pilates
Allegro Reformer Instructor, Pilates Evolved
A New Jersey native, Diane
started taking dance classes at the age of 5.
Throughout her childhood, she practiced
ballet, tap and jazz through Linda Jandoli, a
former member of the famous New York City
Rockettes.
In 2007, she moved to
Huntington Beach, CA where she started to take
an interest in yoga. She stayed involved with
yoga for a few years when she met her husband,
who was very involved with Pilates. She
started practicing with him and started to
notice the changes in her body. Pilates
improved her strength, flexibility and
concentration.
After seeing these
changes, she decided to pursue her passion and
decided to become a certified Pilates
instructor. She has been teaching for two
years and continues to educate herself in the
Pilates Method through practice, seminars and
workshops.
MiMi Lopez-Steele, RYT
– Yoga Alliance Registered Teacher; 230-Hour
Certified Yoga Instructor and Certified
Prenatal/Postnatal Yoga Instructor,
Stephanie Keach’s Asheville Yoga Center;
Certified Infant Massage Instructor, IAIM
With a passion for babies, birth, yoga, and
massage, in 1998 MiMi began a beautiful
journey in which she has been blessed to
live these passions. In 1999 MiMi received a
certification for Swedish, Deep Tissue and
Nuat Thai Massage from Capelli School of
Massage in Atlanta, Georgia. In the same
year, she continued her education with an
additional certification for Pregnancy
Massage through Carole Osborne-Sheets. She
enjoyed the next six years specializing in
Pregnancy Massage and assisting women
through labor, birth and postpartum as a
labor assistant.
In 2005, she graduated Stephanie Keach's
230-hour Yoga Teacher Training Program of
Asheville Yoga Center, Asheville, N.C. A
Certified Yoga Instructor, MiMi is
registered with the National Yoga Alliance
at the 200 hour level. In October of 2005,
she was certified through Stephanie Keach as
a Prenatal/Postnatal Yoga Instructor. After
moving from Atlanta to California, in 2006
she received certification through IAIM as a
Certified Infant Massage Instructor. She,
currently, continues her education through
various yoga classes and workshops and
studies with Josh Borella Senior Certified
Anusara Instructor.
With a beautiful family and three children
of her own, MiMi is able to draw upon her
own life’s experiences to share the beauty
and wisdom of pregnancy, birth and
postpartum allowing her to connect deeply
with her students. She specializes in
Pregnancy, Birth and Postpartum Yoga and
Massage Therapy. Currently teaching Yoga
Flow, Pregnancy Yoga and Mommy & Me Classes
in Orange County, California.
MiMi's thoughts on Yoga: "Yoga is
truth in its deepest form. Providing us the
opportunity to connect deeply with our own
true essence. We are all beings of love,
peace and compassion in our natural state.
When we are able to be still, to connect
with this essence, we are able to connect
with an abundant force of love that reminds
us of this truth."
Kinga Night, PMA –
Certified Pilates Mat and Pilates Reformer
Instructor
Kinga was born in Budapest, Hungary, and
quickly found her passion in sports. At 11
years old she began competing as a rhythmic
gymnast internationally. While attending a
high school for professional athletes, Kinga
also began a career in dance, and held feature
roles in numerous theatrical productions,
including CATS.
She majored in Rhythmic Gymnastics at the
University of Physical Education in Budapest,
and coached her own rhythmic gymnastics team
before leaving for the United States in 1990
to further her education and career.
Upon arrival in New York,
she immediately auditioned and received a
dance scholarship to the renowned STEPS studio
in NYC. Her performing career eventually led
to appearances on stage and television in more
than 30 countries.
In 1998, now making Orange County, California
her home, she returned to physical fitness.
She became a member of AFAA, and taught
numerous fitness formats before falling in
love with Pilates. Kinga was accepted for the
Pilates Certification program at Aline
Studios, a studio that specializes in
personalized, one-on-one training. She has
been teaching Pilates full-time since 2002.
Kinga's Pilate Mat classes
emphasize proper breathing and correct body
alignment while focusing on purposeful
movement patterns increasing your awareness of
how your body moves and feels. Quality over
quantity of movement prevails, giving you
maximum power and efficiency.
Fay Pastel, RYT – Yoga
Alliance Registered Teacher, Yogafit Teacher
Certification, Erich Schiffmann Certified Yoga
Instructor, YogaWorks Iyengar® Teacher
Training (48 hours), Yogaworks Teacher
training (multi- formats - 150 hours), A.C.E. Personal trainer and A.C.E.
Group Fitness Trainer, Irvine Valley College
Certified Fitness Trainer
Fay is a native New Yorker, who has been a
southern Cal girl for 27 years. Dance and
performing for people has been a joyful "high"
for her since she was a child. Her dance
background covers Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern,
Ballroom, African, and Hip-Hop. Fay took her
first yoga class 35 years ago, and was hooked.
Like other high -energy people, she enjoys the
way yoga balances and soothes her soul, while
satisfying her quest for self-discovery. Fay
has been teaching yoga throughout Southern
California for over 7 years to special
populations such as senior centers, college
campuses, and drug/alcohol Rehab women
centers.
Fay's style of teaching is
an eclectic vinyasa style that caters to
children, seniors, and those suffering from
injuries or chronic issues.
Fay's Thoughts on Yoga:
"Working with special populations is the
greatest reward in itself. Working in a
community outreach setting will be a
heart-warming and exciting opportunity to
exchange ideas, and love of yoga."
Marcie Peters - White
Lotus Certified Yoga Instructor, Certified
Physical Fitness and Personal Trainer, CPR
Certified
A Seattle native, Marcie has been practicing
yoga since 1997. She had previously been an
aerobics instructor, but the high impact
activities were taking their toll. She was
immediately addicted to the unique
combination of healing and restorative yet
physically intensive practice that yoga
represents, and was inspired to share her
passion with others. Marcie received her
teaching certification from Ganga White and
Tracy Rich of the White Lotus Yoga
Foundation in Santa Barbara, CA. Marcie's
primary style is vinyasa flow, although she
has experience with Ashtanga and Bikram.
Marcie believes that yoga has something for
everyone, and that anyone can benefit from
yoga, regardless of age, flexibility, or
physical ability. Marcie's teaching
emphasizes the importance of being in tune
with and listening to your body, recognizing
that it's not about how a pose looks but
rather how it feels, knowing that everyone
is different and the journey is
never-ending, the possibilities limitless.
Taking time to practice yoga represents the
ability to reconnect with yourself and your
body on a deeper level than other forms of
exercise. At the same time, you do receive
the benefits physical exercise creates -
strength, flexibility, endurance, body
awareness, muscle tone, and weight
management.
Marcie's Thoughts on Yoga: "Yoga is
continually changing my life, supporting and
strengthening my continual evolution of
self. I am very grateful for its place in my
world. What started out as a way to exercise
and nurture my body in a gentle and
supportive yet intense, fulfilling, and
all-encompassing way (so different from
previous 'no pain, no gain' attitudes), has
become so much more than merely a physical
practice. Yoga embodies psychology that
starts on the outside, with the body, and
ends up affecting the whole entity. Once you
are in touch with your body, a new world
opens up, lessons learned on the mat that
can be taken off the mat. Through the
practice of yoga, I have learned to
appreciate my body for the way it supports
my movements, becoming stronger every day. I
have learned how to create a sense of bliss,
the innate peace that comes with
strengthening the mind/body connection,
celebrating each new discovery. I can become
centered and reconnected; I am thoroughly
addicted to the feelings yoga inspires and
nurtures: awareness, serenity, renewed
homeostasis, acceptance of self and others,
peacefulness, strength and confidence, being
in the moment, the sense that we are all
connected to something bigger than
ourselves, something meaningful and true. It
feels like rediscovering a part of myself
that had been misplaced or discarded, now
returned to be cherished that much more."
Kelley
Peviani, RYT – University of California,
Irvine-BA and MA in Education; Certified
Yoga Instructor through Yogafit, Infusion
Yoga, NESTA Sport Yoga, and Certified
Physical Fitness and Personal Trainer
Kelley
Peviani discovered yoga twelve years ago and
immediately knew that this was something
that she had been missing in her life. Like
many others, she initially began taking yoga
purely for the physical benefits. However,
very soon she realized that yoga is so much
more than just physical exercise. Kelley
attributes yoga with transforming her life
physically, mentally and spiritually.
Certified through
Infusion Yoga, Yoga Fit, and Nesta Sport
Yoga, Kelley has been teaching in Southern
California since 2001. Kelley also studied
yoga and Eastern philosophy at the
University of California, Irvine. Kelley's
education includes BA in Social Science and
an MA in Education. She has experience
working with all ages and levels. She even
began daily yoga classes and an after-school
yoga club at her son's elementary school.
Kelley believes that everyone can benefit
from yoga regardless of fitness level or
age. Her nurturing, compassionate, and
individualized approach to teaching, makes
yoga non-intimidating and accessible to
everyone. Kelley believes that within each
individual, exists a tremendous amount of
potential, and so, she gently guides and
encourages her students to challenge
themselves on a personal level. First and
foremost, Kelley emphasizes awareness and
self-acceptance in one’s yoga practice.
Kelley's
Thoughts on Yoga: "Yoga is a life-long,
personal journey. It is a time to reconnect
and nurture one's self and to let go of
judgement, expectations, harm, and pain. You
do not need to be flexible, or strong, or
thin to practice yoga. Just be present,
relax, keep breathing and joyfully accept
yourself where you are. If you allow, yoga
can and will influence and inspire every
other area of your life. Live with
compassion towards yourself and others. That
is true yoga...Let the journey begin."
Ginger
Roberts - Artist, Medium & Energy Healer
Aware of her abilities at
an early age, Ginger has lived her life thus
far as an "old soul." Always being open to the
guidance of spirit, her journey has been
quietly sublime. Her current path began with
motherhood and her desire to be a hands-on mom
to her three amazing children. She saw her
passion for stones & jewelry making as a way
to supplement the family finances while
providing a motherly influence for her
children and began her company,
Clarifications.
As her children grew, Ginger's interests
expanded. More and more Ginger heeded the
wisdom of her guides, and through interests
and friendships she felt her horizons
expanding. She became fascinated with energy
healing and the use of pendulums. Delving into
the subjects, she began working with energy
using herself as a channel that would allow
spirit to move through her in order to
transmute the negative, bad or old energy into
a white healing light or good energy to heal
and comfort others. She realized during this
time that she could make pendulums as well.
Having used them, understood their
significance and the healing properties each
stone possesses and being a talented jewelry
maker with an "I can make that" gene, she once
again followed her inner guides and expanded
her repertoire.
Always hearing the call of spirit, she was
once again jolted into another realm, she
would later call home. During a medium
demonstration she was dragged to by a friend,
she witnessed first-hand her husband's father
coming through. Being able to see and hear
both sides, while the medium translated for
the rest of the crowd, left her with a
profound desire to learn more on the subject.
So with her eyes opened and her attention
focused she attended a class on the subject. A
class she says made her, as well as the
abilities she had possessed, at home. She knew
instantly that there was great purpose and a
place to be able to teach and heal with the
gifts she now began to truly understand. Since
then, she has continued on the path of wisdom
and has begun teaching. As always, she is
guided by the wisdom of the spirit guides and
takes each step as it comes.
Liesa Smith, RYT – Yoga Alliance Registered
Teacher, Erich Schiffmann Certified Yoga
Instructor, White Lotus Certified Yoga
Instructor
Liesa Smith began practicing yoga in 1999 to
enhance her martial arts background.
Benefiting from the balancing effects of yoga
she began her formal teacher training in 2001
with Erich Schiffman so she could share her
passion with others. Her education continued
with many work shops and retreats including
working with Patricia Walden and Gabriella
Giubilaro in Tuscany, Italy. Recently she
obtained certification through the highly
regarded White Lotus Foundation in Santa
Barbara, California with Ganga White and
Tracey Rich. Liesa is also a glass and
porcelain artist. Living in San Juan
Capistrano, California with her husband and
two beautiful teenage daughters, she loves
creating her unique art and spending time with
family and friends.
Combining creativity and compassion, Liesa
teaches with a heartfelt vinyasa flow style
embodying the principles of breath, strength,
and flexibility.
Liesa's Thoughts on Yoga: "I believe
yoga should be a joyful and grounding
practice, bringing balance to mind, body and
spirit."
Denise
Snyder, RYT – Certified Yoga Instructor, ACE
Group Fitness Instructor
Denise, a native of
Northern California, now resides in the
Southern California area where she has been
practicing and teaching yoga for over five
years. She began her formal study at the White
Lotus Foundation in Santa Barbara, CA with
Guru Ganga White and Tracy Rich, studying
Vinyasa Flow. She has completed Erich
Schiffman's teacher training as well as Yoga
Works teacher training program with Lisa
Walford and Maty Ezraty. Denise has completed
a 40 hour Ashtanga teacher training with David
Swenson on the primary series. Denise holds
certification as a group fitness instructor
for A.C.E. (American Counsel of Exercise).
Denise imparts her own style of teaching
Vinyasa flow with emphasis on holistic yoga.
Lanette "Jane" Stewart - RYT, ACE Group
Fitness Certified, AFAA Group Fitness
Certified, AFAA Personal Trainer, NASM
Personal Trainer, NCSF Personal Trainer,
Balanced Body University Mat Certified
Jane was born and raised
in California. Her yoga journey began at the
age of 15 when her mother's best friend
dragged her to a community center yoga class.
A previous sufferer of "P.E. Syndrome" (the
fear of any exercise due to 7th grade P.E.
class trauma), she was doubtful, but after
only one class she was hooked. That was over a
decade ago, and her journey has only
continued. In 2005, she became an instructor,
teaching yoga and indoor cycling. Again, she
was asked to try something new, Pilates, and
was hooked immediately. In addition to
teaching Gentle, Beginner, Intermediate, and
Vinyasa styles of yoga, she also teaches Mat
and Reformer Pilates.
Jane's Thoughts on Yoga: I believe that
everything you need is already inside of you.
Yoga helps you get in touch with those things.
I love how you can come to a class, not really
knowing what you need (both for your body and
your mind) and leave with clarity. The
practice of yoga is not about goals, but
rather living in the moment. Knowing that you
always have a place to go where there is no
competition and no judgment is so comforting,
and I hope I can introduce this comfort to
everyone.
Gigi
Stybr - Certified Angel Therapy Practitioner
with Doreen Virtue, Ph.D. (California),
Reiki Master/Teacher (New Jersey), Certified
Reflexologist (New York)
Gigi was born and raised in Germany and
before moving to the U.S. with her husband,
lived in England, France and Belgium.
For many years Gigi
worked in the corporate world in New York in
the Entertainment industry. The NY Times
bestseller "Ask Your Angels" by Alma Daniel
led her to become a member of Alma's Angel
Meditation Group in Manhattan. Gigi's
eventual disenchantment with the corporate
world made her change her life completely.
She became a Certified Reflexologist and a
Reiki/Master Teacher. She took classes at
the New School for Social Research and at
the School of Practical Philosophy in New
York, trying to tie together the many
different threads of mind/body/soul
connection. But it was not until she moved
to California that Gigi became an Angel
Therapy Practitioner through Doreen Virtue,
Ph. D. Gigi finally found her calling. She
lives with her husband and her beautiful pet
dove "Delight" in Mission Viejo and loves to
give personal Angel readings and teach
workshops about our Heavenly Helpers.
Jane
Walker
Jane Walker is a Board Certified Holistic
Health Counselor (HHC), member of the
American Association of Drugless
Practitioners (AADP), and the Founder and
Director of Centered Body Centered Soul
holistic health counseling practice.
Her passion is helping people in today’s
fast paced world center their lives through
integrated health, nutrition, and lifestyle
choices.
Jane's extensive education includes the
Institute for Integrative Nutrition, NYC and
The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde
Park, NY. As a result of her training,
career and life experience she has the
unique ability to see the big picture, not
just the most obvious health concern. She
comes from a place of great strength and
compassion.
She is known for her holistic, whole food,
mind, body and soul approach to nutrition
and wellness, supporting clients on a
bio-individual basis.
Kuang Ju Wu
Kuang is the author of
The Tao of Modern Living, a self-help book
with practical exercises that helps readers to
get in touch with their true nature and
empower them in all areas of their life. The
topics include realizing your full potential,
cultivating internal energy and living in
accordance with the Tao.
Kuang Ju Wu is a modern Taoist Master who
studied and practiced for over 25 years with
various traditional and renowned Taoist,
Buddhist, and qigong masters in Asia. He was
formerly an investment banker on Wall Street
and currently is a business consultant in
Newport Beach and an executive and life coach.
Coaching many successful people, he teaches
how to integrate spiritual practice in one's
work and daily life.
