Meet our people!
Certified with 200-500 hours of base-training and education, many of our teachers specialize in unique styles and traditions of yoga. Our aim is to provide the best variety,
quality, and consistency for your yoga practice, teacher trainings, and coaching experience.
Certified with 200-500 hours of base-training and education, many of our teachers specialize in unique styles and traditions of yoga. Our aim is to provide the best variety,
quality, and consistency for your yoga practice, teacher trainings, and coaching experience.
Stephanie A.
studio Owner, RYT500, YACEP + coach, Yoga Therapist in-training Students describe Steph's classes as "peacefully intense". As a certified trauma-informed teacher and Yoga Therapist in-training, Steph brings mindful integration of deep philosophy and autonomy into every style of practice she leads. You will leave her classes feeling present and aware of your mind and body as a whole, working in harmony toward peace and contentment. Steph is a Certified Professional Coach with McLaren Coaching and is passionate about walking alongside others in creating a life of intention and purpose. You can schedule a 1:1 session with Steph here. Steph leads Wednesday 5pm Gentle Yin, 6:30pm Power Flow classes, and Friday 11am Chair Yoga, and various workshops and special events. As a Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider (YACEP) Steph co-leads our 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training, starting in April 2025 which is open to everyone! See full details here. |
TARA
Studio Owner, RYT200 + Sound Healer, Restore + Yin YOGA, VITA COACH Tara's classes leave you feeling blissful and relaxed into a sense of wholeness. Her sound baths are like lullabies; gentle and soothing. We are so excited to welcome Tara as a new co-owner to the studio in 2025! Tara brings a grounded energy to her Sunday 9am Restore Class, and Friday 5pm Breathwork + Meditation practices. She leads seasonal Cacao and Sound Bath ceremonies for the Spring and Autumn Equinox:
Tara is a certified VITA Coach and is passionate about supporting all bodies in feeling a sense of healing and return to Self. At home she finds joy in nature among the oak trees, and spending time with her grandchildren. |
WHITNEY
studio Manager RYT500, SUP YOGA, Plant Medicine Whitney's classes are energizing and strong with an athletic approach to yoga movement. You will leave feeling challenged, playful, and fully embodied with focus and intention to be present. Whitney has specialty certifications in Trauma-Informed Plant Medicine, Therapeutic Yoga, and SUP yoga. Whitney is our in-studio manager and coordinates our workshops, guest educators, and plans special events with our town. She leads 5pm Power Flow on Tuesdays and Thursdays. When she's not on the mat you can find her hiking with her corgi-mix Fritz or traveling with her hubby to EDM shows. |
LORI
ryt200 Lori brings the aloha vibes with beautiful Hawaiian music and song to her Tuesday 9am Gentle Yoga class. When she's not on the mat you can find her golfing, camping, hula dancing, or volunteering for local animal shelters. |
SAMMY
ERYT200 Sammy's classes are dancelike and smooth, with dynamic flow and movements that are strong and engaging throughout the whole body. As a former professional ballet dancer and Pilates teacher she incorporates anatomical range to her upbeat Power Flow class 9am Monday and Friday mornings. She also leads Group Mat Pilates on Wednesdays at 8am in our Wellness Classroom. Sammy has studied with Jason Crandell and Diana Vitantonio, and has a heart for student-focused teaching that energizes and inspires. |
VALERIE
RYT500 Val's classes are gentle and supported with lots of props. You will leave feeling deeply rested and calm. Val leads our Thursday 6:30pm Gentle yoga class and guides with a pace of practice that is compassionate and healing. Off the mat she enjoys hiking, gardening, spending time with her husband and pets, traveling, and is a wine & food enthusiast. |
JILL
ryt500 Jill is a mindful and engaging alignment-based yoga teacher, bringing subtle activation of muscles and energy into her classes. You will leave feeling refreshed and motivated! Jill leads our 9am Gentle Yoga on Thursdays and 9am Slow Flow on Saturdays. Off mat she enjoys walking and hiking, cooking, journaling, reading and spending time with her family. |
Aubrie
RYT200 + Birth Yoga Aubrie's classes are nurturing and compassionate, with attention to the healing aspects of movement and meditation. She leads a mindful 6am Slow Flow on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and guides our Wednesday 11am Chair. She also holds specialty certification in Birth Wisdom Yoga and Yin Yoga. She is a mom of 6 and owner of Penryn Pastures farm with a beautiful event barn where we collaborate for events and gatherings. |
Mari
ryt200 + Prenatal Yoga Mari is an Accessible Yoga Ambassador who believes in the power of mindfulness, exploration, and expression. Her classes are gentle, friendly, and incorporate a lot of props. She teaches 11am Saturday Beginner Basics weekly and our Prenatal Series on revolving Saturdays at 9am. In addition to teaching art and yoga, Mari loves to bake, garden, hike and spend time with her family at the river, lake or ocean. |
SANDY B.
ryt200 + Yoga for Breast Cancer Sandy leads our Wednesday 11am Chair Yoga with a welcoming and inclusive energy that truly lives into our philosophy of "Yoga for every body". She teaches from real-life experience with functional movements that support joint health and integration into every day life. Sandy was a registered nurse for 35 years and worked mainly in Women’s Health. She is involved with her faith community, also certified in YogaDevotion and Yoga Nidra. She believes that yoga can offer peace and acceptance to our world one class at a time. |
Michelle
ERYT-200, yin + restore Michelle's classes are strong and activating, fully immersed in the traditional style of each class she leads. She guides Monday Gentle Yin at 5pm and Slow Flow at 6:30pm, as well as Seasonal Yoga Nidra and Sound Bath workshops. Michelle is certified in Yoga Nidra from the Himalayan Institute Method, has studied with Stacy Whittingham and Gena Foreman, as well as advanced yoga training from Embodied Yoga with Karen Miscall-Bannon. Her Yin training includes education from Paul Grilley and James Kapicka, as well as Restorative Yoga teaching from Judith Lasater. Michelle possesses dual Masters Degrees in Organizational Management and Public Health, and currently runs a company serving people with disabilities. She is also a Certified Group Instructor through the American Fitness Association of America. |
Stephanie B.
RYT-200 Stephanie is passionate about helping people feel connected to their bodies. What you can expect from her classes is an emphasis on core stability, creative functional movement that might feel like a dance, and a bit of sweat. She teaches the Power Flow on Wednesdays at 9am. Growing up as a competitive athlete, discipline and focus with spirited-play helped Stephanie feel strong and gain confidence growing up. She believes a little movement can go a long way -- one of the many reasons she loves yoga. Stephanie found yoga 16+ years ago and started teaching in 2013. In her everyday life, Stephanie is a play-at-home mama, caregiver, portrait and family photographer, and newbie beekeeper. |
Guest Teachers
Jeremiah
da rosa musician + sound healer Jeremiah partners with Santosha Yoga Collective for Seasonal Sound Baths and Specialty offerings. View Jeremiah's Linktree |
ERin
alexander Yoga therapist c-iayt LEAD TEACHER TRAINER Erin is a certified Yoga Therapist and the owner of All Souls Yoga Sanctuary in Auburn, CA. She teaches weekly Movement and Meditation classes at our studio, as well as specialty offerings seasonally. AllSoulsYoga.com |
James
Kapicka ERYT500, yacep + yin TEACHER trainer As an ERYT-500 and Thai massage certified, James is a certified YACEP and Yin Yoga Trainer, based out of Northern California. He seasonally visits Santosha and to provide specialty workshops and trainings centered around Yin Yoga and Thai Massage. In January, he'll be back for a special Partner Yin and Thai Massage offering with live music! Together we'll deepen energetic awareness through breath connection, partner Yin and Thai yoga massage. Bring your best friend, partner, or anyone you feel comfortable being side-by-side with. Mats will be set up next to each other so that you get lots of hands-on instruction. (Please register in two's.) **Space is Limited. Please sign up with your friend and include their name in the box at checkout.** To read more about James, his offerings, and his impact, visit YogaJames.com |
BONNIE WEEKS
yoga teacher + coach Bonnie is a Yoga Teacher to Yoga Teachers whose Flow School online reaches hundreds of folks all over the world each year. She is a coach and mentor to yoga teachers, and hosted her Flow School IRL at Santosha in May 2024 as a guest educator. BonnieWeeks.com From Bonnie: I love helping people own the hell out of their voice. Even as a kid, I remember admiring the audacity of people who were brave enough to share and passionate about what they were creating. My obsession with learning systems, asking boundary-pushing questions and innovating in new ways has collided with the yoga world. I’ve mentored hundreds of yoga teachers around the world to use their own embodied experience and authentic voice. It’s one of my favorite things to amplify people. Using my background in personal training, movement science, yoga, community building, leadership, and mindfulness, I support others to create lives they’re proud AF about. I have a fierce love for people, the way we give each other permission to live boldly, and how that expands our communities. Outside of this, I love to hang with my three teenagers, lift heavy weights, dance in the kitchen, and water my 87 plants. |
Jacquelynn Knoll
cam + sound healer Jacquelynn is a certified complimentary alternative medicine practitioner and sound healer with experience in Guided Meditation and Biofield Tuning. She brings her offerings to our Wellness Collective with special guest appearances seasonally. In January 2025 Jacquelynn brings her Wave School to Santosha Yoga with 5 weeks of brain-wave sound healing classes! 1:1 sessions and more at: WavesInMotion.co |
Patty Garcia
RYT200 + Kundalini RYT Patty is certified in the Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga (250-hr), Kundalini (200-hr), and is a studying Yoga Therapist (300-hr). Keep an eye out for her powerful workshops! Kundalini is the yoga of awareness and helps us find the expanded sense of Self in tune with our Shakti (personal power). As a teacher, Patty aims to create a space where all can come together and feel safe and loved. |
KELLY
ryt200 + Sound healer Kelly is a Bhakti, Vinyasa, and Yin teacher and Sound Healer. She is a rotation teacher on our schedule, and leads specialty workshops, sound baths, and trainings. |
BETH
RYT200 Beth completed her yoga teacher training in 2013 with Jim and Kate Coughlin in Pleasanton, CA. She is a rotation teacher on our schedule, so keep an eye out for her! She has been practicing yoga for over 25 years and loves the Iyengar style most because of its slower pace, attention to detail, and use of props to promote proper alignment and ease in every body. When she's not on the mat, you can find Beth spending time with family, her dog, preparing healthy delicious meals, and swimming. |
Kim
RYT-200 + mat pilates Kim is passionate about yoga and Pilates, and dedicated to fostering a supportive, judgement free, empowering environment for you to explore your practice and deepen your mind-body connection. Kim brings this to her Pilates class on Mondays at 10:30am in our Wellness Room. Kim's approach is very welcoming, with a compassionate and inclusive teaching style. She has a strong belief of self-care, taking the time to be on your mat and focusing on the most important part of the practice, breath. |