It is difficult to put into words the gifts that yoga has given me. My practice has spanned nearly two decades and in those two decades my life has changed dramatically; yoga has been there supporting me each step of the way.

I grew up a very intense competitive swimmer. By sixth grade, I was up at 4:30am to train before school, then again until late at night with running and weight training mixed in. I was lucky to be recruited by many NCAA Div I schools for college. I chose Penn State.

But years of training left their toll, physically and emotionally. By my twenties, I was a triathlete struggling with repetitive use injuries. My coach recommended I try yoga. I fell in love. I don’t think I knew at the time that something was missing in my life, but yoga filled it anyway. I poured myself into the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar and relished in the detailed alignment of the practice. What my coach didn’t know was that I had also spent years struggling with eating disorders and drug use and with yoga, I began the practice of Ahimsa, non-violence, towards myself.

After many years, I wandered into an Ashtanga Primary class and there I discovered the perfect practice for me. The athletic nature of the practice completed me in ways I couldn’t have imagined. For years, I resisted becoming a teacher because I was so protective of my practice, but eventually the desire to share the great joy that yoga brought into my life outweighed the fear of losing it, and after practicing for 14 years, I sought my certification with Yoga Alliance.

 In 2018, I felt called to expand my training to become a Certified Personal Trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine. I could say that this was out of my comfort zone, but I’d be lying. For an athlete like me, this felt like coming home. I’ve been a gym rat since I was twelve years old. I have always loved strength training and nutrition. I love to help people – especially women – feel strong and healthy. I am constantly saying to my students and clients, “You’re so much stronger than you think.” I’m proven right every day!

When I’m not on the mat or in the gym, I’m working as a web designer and doing my favorite thing in the world: spending time with my husband, Wayne, our two sons, Zach and Cole, our dog, Cinnamon, and our two kitties, Fidel Catstro and Meow Zedong.