Our Team
Urban Balance features experienced and dedicated yoga, Pilates, meditation instructors, massage therapists and registered dietitians, all of whom have graduated from the best schools and training programs. They have extensive experience customizing each class to serve employees of all levels and abilities. Within every type of office setting, our team understands how to adjust their styles to match company cultures and ensure classes flow efficiently and effectively.
Rebecca Schefstrom
Rebecca Schefstrom is the founder and CEO of Urban Balance. For over 20 years, Rebecca has been an energetic contributor to the wellness industry as a yoga and Pilates teacher and an entrepreneur.
An experienced movement teacher with 1000+ hours of training and study across the two disciplines, Rebecca has led yoga and Pilates classes for industry-leading corporate clients and taught in top-tier health club and hospital settings including Nike, Providence, Legacy Health, and Multnomah Athletic Club.
Rebecca leads local and international retreats and speaks publicly on topics related to workplace wellness.
Diana Hulet
Diana has been steeped in the yoga tradition for over three decades and has been teaching yoga and yoga philosophy since 2004. Her teaching style is an ongoing synthesis of Hatha and vinyasa yoga, breathwork, and meditation and Diana’s classes will often include teachings from yoga philosophy and other contemplative traditions. While she has been influenced by many luminaries and mentors, Diana has always seen life as her greatest teacher and inspires her students to do the same.
Diana holds a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies from Oregon State where she focused on the intersection between worldviews, sustainability, and environmental ethics. She is deeply inspired by the natural world, and when outside the studio, she spends her time writing about nature or hiking a Pacific Northwest trail with her favorite canine.
Heather Shaw
Since 1998, Heather Shaw has been a student of yoga and meditation, steeped in the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as Western psychotherapy and neuroscience. Embodied practice is at the root of Heather’s offerings, which are influenced by her unique background in dance/choreography, combined with nearly two decades of yoga teaching experience, all underpinned by dedicated scholarship in both dharmic philosophy and contemplative psychotherapy. In addition to teaching yoga, she is a contemplative coach, offering personal meditation instruction and mentorship for individuals looking to deepen their personal practice. To learn more about Heather, visit www.heathershaw-heartmind.com
Curtis Smith
Curtis Smith is a former school leader and educator with over ten years experience in New York City Public Schools. Throughout his tenure, he began as a special education teacher and went on to co-found one of the top-rated public middle schools in Brooklyn, New York. There he designed the mindfulness curriculum that’s infused into the foundation of the school’s mission and culture. The success and notable impact of the program led to his current work with school districts across the world. He serves as Mindfulness Consultant for Barack Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance in New York and Connecticut to create and facilitate district-wide workshops and mindfulness training. Later in his career, Curtis took the leap to evolve his work towards social entrepreneurship, and he founded Moment of Mindfulness LLC; a methodology and company providing evidence based mindfulness tools and mental health education using music, movement, and meditation to schools and companies across the world.
Becca King
Becca found yoga by accident when a friend lent her a mat for class at 24 hr. Fitness. After trying the class she thought “well, I guess I’m going to be doing THIS for the rest of my life!.” Her teaching path began in 2012 when she completed Living Yoga’s Trauma Informed Yoga Teacher Training and started bringing yoga into recovery centers and schools for troubled youth. In 2013 she completed Ana Forrest’s 225 hr teacher training. Becca was inspired by her first Forrest teacher- Angelina Vasile and Forrest yoga’s challenging and therapeutic approach and clear understanding of bio-mechanics. She followed this training with the year-long Forrest Yoga Mentorship with Brian Campbell, one of Ana Forrest’s original Forrest Yoga Guardians. A firm believer that to be in integrity as a teacher one must continue to practice, empower and educate oneself, she recently finished the Yoga Bodyworkers Teacher Training with Jambo Truong and Brian Campbell.
Becca excels working with a spectrum of students from the “time experienced” to athletes and those working with injuries and eating disorders. Becca gets jazzed about discovering and working with Torque-physical, mental and emotional, both in herself and in her students. It’s just as important that you notice you are gripping your toes and throwing your knees and hips out of alignment as it is that you notice your internal dialogue is negative and not helping you!
Outside of yoga, Becca enjoys riding motorcycles, nerding out on sci-fi and exploring the beautiful nature of the Pacific Northwest-when she has time!
Sidney Carthell
Sidney Carthell is a Yoga Alliance RYT 500 who has spent years teaching aerial, wall, flow and restorative yoga to all populations. He has a strong background in martial arts and group fitness instruction as well as personal training with certifications through NASM. He currently teaches aerial yoga, wall and flow yoga, Nikidokai MMA for teens and adults, and heads a general fitness program for youth. Sidney’s practice runs the gamut from gentle to intense. In his personal practice he enjoys inversions, balancing, strength and conditioning, recovery and meditation. As a father, homemaker, gardener, and critter keeper, Sidney feels connected with the world around him and looks forward to sharing his practice with joy and devotion to the growth of his students.
Quinn Shuff
Quinn is a yoga teacher whose focus is on anatomy and curiosity. She believes that the body knows best and will tell us what we need to know. Her classes help us learn to listen. Her teaching style is designed to be accessible and satisfying for all skill levels. In her experience, yoga is a tool for learning how to thrive in the surprises and subtleties of life, and she loves sharing that experience with her students. In addition to yoga, Quinn is a Level II Reiki practitioner, Tarot reader, and is getting pretty good at baking sourdough. When she’s not teaching or practicing, you can find her enjoying nature, reading non-fiction or hanging out with her husband and their tiny cat, Fiona.
Learn more about Quinn at openawarenessyoga.com
Emma Johnson
Emma’s lifelong commitment to the exploration of movement has led to a mind-body practice that emphasizes breath awareness as a means to release stress and create inner (and outer) balance. Emma received her Yoga Teacher Certification and Advanced Yoga Training at White Lotus Foundation in Santa Barbara, Comprehensive Pilates Certification from BASI, and Certification in BarreWorks from YogaWorks in San Francisco. While raising four daughters, Emma earned an M.F.A. from the University of Iowa’s Nonfiction Writing Program in 2009. Past undertakings also include serving as artistic director for several dance companies, attending RI School of Design, and working with homeless teens. Her essays have appeared in Southeast Review, Drunken Boat, Two Hawks Quarterly, Iowa Review, and in an anthology–Reinventing Identities in Second Language Writing–published by NCTE. Since founding Writing My Way Back Home—A Writers’ Workshop for Veterans, Emma has also conducted writing workshops at University of Iowa, Eastern Kentucky University, the Writer’s Place in Kansas City, and for military children with parents serving overseas.
Monika Gold
Monika began practicing yoga to help prevent running injuries. Realizing the health benefits, she fell in love with regular yoga practice and pursued the RYT500 yoga teacher accreditation with Yoga Medicine. Over the years, Monika added therapeutic work, somatic movement, and Pilates to her teaching practice. Her greatest reward is seeing clients tap into their breath, find ease in proper body alignment, and move with awareness—simple principles that make all the difference between discomfort or injury and comfort and well-being.
At her home studio in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland, OR she offers small group and private sessions tailored to client-specific needs. Monika also teaches classes at studios throughout Portland that range from active athletic flow to one-on-one therapeutic practice.
Lizzy Gamberdella
Lizzy’s journey began when her parents took her to her first yoga class in Minnesota in the late 1980’s with claims that it would make her “feel better.” Yoga instantly resonated within her and thus began a lifelong practice in yoga asana and pranayama. This led her to an in-depth study of yoga philosophy and practices, and equally importantly, to living a life of persistent practice.
As a special education teacher and parent of three children, the eldest having special needs, Lizzy found herself immersed in the world of severe non-verbal autism. Life as a mother and teacher was consumed with the pursuit to understand and support her son with autism and his sisters growing up in its shadows. She was first led to study Ayurvedic Medicine at Mount Madonna Institute, College of Ayurveda in Watsonville, California in 2007 and is now a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and RYT500.
With a teaching career that spans over two decades, a lifetime of yoga practice and formal training in yoga and Ayurveda, Reiki Master Level training and an immeasurable passion for healing, Lizzy combines her unique experiences to bring a holistic approach to health. These experiences form the foundation from which she aims to guide others toward personal healing.
Maddie Adams
Maddie is a certified yoga therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapists and is also certified at the 500-hour level with Yoga Alliance. Her yoga journey started more than 20 years ago, and she has been teaching since 2011.
She is passionate about the multidimensional healing that yoga can offer. Her classes area combination on Ayurveda, seasonal wisdom, and traditional yoga philosophy and weave these elements together with chanting, mindfulness, breath, and Yoga Nidra
Erin Hennessy
Erin has been immersed in yoga practices for nearly three decades & has been teaching for 15+ years. Her journey within these practices formally began at 12 years old & has only become more treasured to her over time. Erin has trained with world renowned teachers in various forms of yoga, spiritual/mystic studies, mindfulness and embodiment practices, myofascial release, Aquastretch Therapy, neurolinguistic programming, and more. She loves to geek out on neuroscience, psychology, holistic wellness, nature, art, and these topics often find their way into her offerings.
Whether in workshops, group classes, or private lessons, Erin provides a safe space to slow down to remember your intrinsic wisdom, rhythm, & flow. A balance between suggested movements & time to explore your body’s need for stillness, unwinding, wiggles, etc. is offered for your practice. She creates opportunities for you to explore more space in your body, mind, & being with breath, curiosity, imagination, & invitations to return to a sense of awe at the wonder You and your phenomenal form are in each moment. Erin looks forward to providing you with tools you can use on and off your mat to return to your Self, tune into your breath, and regulate your nervous system in this wild and wonderful world we get to explore together. You can find more information about Erin on Instagram @Exploreblissyoga
Annie Rosen
Annie has practiced yoga for over two decades and holds an ERYT 500 certification with the Yoga Alliance. Over the past 12 years Annie has taught everything from aerial yoga to chair yoga, but finds her passion lies with guiding functional and accessible yoga. Annie’s classes are comprised of dynamic movement and equally dynamic stillness. Her cues are invitations towards compassion, awareness, breath, and mobility. She strives for sequencing that emphasizes the spaces between effort and thought. As a professional storyteller and clown, Annie weaves yoga philosophy and supported science into each practice, while also being funny. Annie hopes her teaching supports students in being present for their very own life and in being as big as they really are in the world.
Rebecca “Sunny” Sunshine
Rebecca “Sunny” Sunshine (MSc, E-RYT, YACEP) is sunny by name and sunny by vibe. For her and many others, yoga is a reference point. A return to center. A practice where she can cultivate awareness, gather strength, share her love, and live with intention. She’s trained with teachers all around the globe and has lived and breathed the path of integral yoga. Whether she’s working with private clients, hosting workshops, leading retreats, or guiding group classes, one thing is clear: her thermal updrafts of love and light defy gravity around every turn. The proof is in the pudding: go to one of Sunny’s yoga classes or just hang around her for long enough (not long) and before you know it you’ll feel more compassion and have a brighter take on life. Her personal practice is also influenced by Body-mind centering, Feldenkrais, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zen Buddhism, Stoic philosophy, developmental movement therapy, dance, and poetry.
Phoebe Schiff
Phoebe Schiff is a yoga teacher, corporate wellness professional, speaker, and writer. She is fascinated by life and is in perpetual awe and study of the human experience. Phoebe blends her background of marketing and business with her passion for wellness by offering strategies, tools, and perspectives on well-being that are accessible, digestible, and approachable for all. Phoebe is originally from the suburbs of Washington D.C., and spent the bulk of her twenties in Southern California. She now proudly calls the Pacific Northwest home and resides in Portland. When she’s not working, she’s likely practicing yoga, getting adventurous in the kitchen, connecting with friends and family, or blasting her mind open listening to philosophy books and podcasts.
Jennifer Rand
Jen Rand is an RYT500 who completed both her 200- and 300-hour trainings in classical Ashtanga Yoga at Mount Madonna. She is experienced in teaching students of all ages both in-person and online and works with students in Ayurvedic and Yoga trainings at Mount Madonna. Her yoga practice is deeply influenced by her studies of Ayurveda, which allows her to offer options and modifications to help students tailor their practice to what they need. She is currently pursuing her studies in Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy. In addition to practicing yoga, she enjoys gardening, cooking, hiking with her dog, and spending time with her husband and cat.
Maria Moraga
Maria is originally from Chile, she moved to Florida in 2012 where she lived until moving to California in 2022. Maria has been practicing yoga since 2000 and starting teaching in 2010. As a yoga teacher, she guides students through a methodical and safe class, so they may practice yoga for a long time! Maria deeply believes that we must honor the mind, body and spirit to enlighten our self-awareness in order to live the best life we can! Maria just finished her 300-hour training in May of 2023, and she is ready to share the knowledge that she received.
Michelle Ann Collins
Michelle Ann Collins is a certified mindfulness meditation teacher, yoga therapist, grief educator, and wellness coach with over a decade of experience in corporate education. Specializing in the integration of mindfulness and holistic practices into the workplace, Michelle helps organizations foster resilience, emotional intelligence, and a thriving work culture. Her corporate programs are tailored to support leaders and teams in managing stress, improving focus, and enhancing overall well-being through mindfulness, yoga therapy, and wellness coaching. In addition to her mindfulness expertise, Michelle’s background in grief education allows her to guide employees through the emotional complexities of loss, offering compassionate support and tools for emotional recovery. Her approach is rooted in creating balance, both mentally and physically, while empowering individuals to lead with empathy and clarity. A sought-after speaker and workshop facilitator, Michelle is passionate about helping organizations build compassionate, resilient teams capable of navigating today’s fast-paced and often stressful work environment.
Briley Jozwiak
Briley is a fully certified STOTT Pilates instructor who teaches private and group classes at Pacific NW Pilates. Formerly a professional ballet dancer working for elite companies such as Atlanta Ballet and Nevada Ballet Theatre, Briley returned to the Pacific Northwest in 2015 to pursue other forms of dance. She has been working with contemporary dance company, Push/FOLD ever since.
As a dancer, Pilates has always been a cross-training tool to increase her body awareness, power, and strength. She utilizes her background in dance and athleticism to expand her clients’ awareness of their own bodies, helping them achieve efficient movement patterns. Briley believes the mind-body connection practiced in Pilates can be transferred over into every aspect of life. She encourages her clients to work internally offering creative imagery and tactile cueing. Her classes heavily focus on stabilizing the pelvis combining matwork and standing work.
Sarah Laks
Sarah Laks first became certified in the Pilates method in 2000 from the Ellie Herman Studio in San Francisco. Her background in modern dance, her love and belief in the importance of movement for a healthy life, and the influence and encouragement of her mother, a physical therapist, led her to pursue a career in teaching movement.
Sarah took her skills north to Portland, and for five years, she taught Pilates and became certified in the GYROTONIC ® EXPANSION SYSTEM before heading back down the coast to Los Angeles. There she lived and taught for 9 years, with the majority of it as manager of the Pilates department of Equinox Beverly Hills. While in LA, she also became certified in the GYROTONER ® and got a second comprehensive Pilates certification through Balanced Body.
In the summer of 2019, Sarah and her family moved back to Portland where she has continued to hone her teaching skills, getting a third GYROTONIC ® certification on the Jump Stretch Board, and growing her own virtual teaching business.
Just as the linear nature of Pilates and the circular qualities of GYROTONIC ® complement each other and create a balanced body, Sarah’s experience teaching in boutique studios and in corporate fitness clubs, have helped make her a well-rounded teacher. She loves the challenge of working with people with physical limitations as well as those that are highly conditioned, and everyone in between. Whether in-person or virtually, Sarah loves to teach and loves finding new ways to keep her clients engaged and feeling their best!
Kacie Dart
Kacie is fascinated by how the human body works, and her passion is discovering how to help the body function at its best. Kacie discovered the transformative power of Pilates 5 years ago when she started her practice to manage her scoliosis. As her personal practice developed, Kacie fell in love with Pilates and the way that it gave her confidence, sense of self, stability and wellness. This personal growth influenced her to reassess how she wanted to make a positive impact on the world. She changed her career path to focus on helping others find the physical and mental strength that Pilates gave to her. Kacie became STOTT Pilates certified to influence others to discover their own confidence, wellness and body-mind connection.
When not on the mat Kacie enjoys exploring the Pacific Northwest with her dog Theo, playing disc golf, reading, and studying biomechanics. Kacie finds great joy in watching her clients transform from a place of pain, discomfort from sedentary lifestyles to a place of mobility, stability, and wellness. Her work inspires her to continue on her own path to wellness.
Jean Leavenworth
One of the original founders of Pacific NW Pilates, Jean now teaches clients at Stoke Pilates and at the MAC. She also works as an Instructor Trainer for STOTT PILATES certification courses and workshops around the world.
Formerly a modern dancer who trained with artists such as Hanya Holm, Erick Hawkins and Tandy Beal, Jean helped create the degree program in dance at Pomona College as an undergraduate. She received an M.S. in Kinesiology from Indiana University in 1988, and went on to pursue a PhD in Dance Education from New York University. Jean has also studied extensively with Australian physiotherapist, Greta Von Gavel, and has received training in Laban Movement Analysis, Alexander Technique and Body-Mind Centering Technique.
Jean was first introduced to pilates in 1992, while in New York, and fell in love with the way it made her body feel. She became a STOTT PILATES certified instructor in 1998, and an Instructor Trainer in 2000. Jean has taught in physical therapy clinics, health clubs and private studios throughout Portland and has taught overseas for STOTT PILATES in South Korea, Cyprus, Ireland, Iceland, Taiwan, Japan, India and Kuwait.
Trace Turville Konerko
One of Trace’s greatest joys is bringing taijiquan (t’ai chi ch’uan) and qigong to all ages and arenas of life. She has had the pleasure of teaching in many different centers, programs and universities over the past 20 years and feels so fortunate to be able to spread awareness of such a deep and healing tradition.
She first began her practice of The Yang Style Long Form of Taijiquan in 1992. As her interest in qigong, taiji, Daoism and Traditional Chinese Medicine grew, she continued to train with and draw inspiration from many renowned teachers and masters in the U.S. and in China.
Trace founded HeartMind T’ai Chi in 2013 as a way to create community and more opportunity for daily practice with a focus on highly personal instruction for individuals and groups. She is humbled and renewed everyday by this tradition and believes fully in its ability to bring us closer to ourselves, each other and the world around us.
Learn more about Trace at www.heartmind-taichi.com
Kristen Leadem
Kristen Leadem fell in love with ZUMBA® Fitness the moment she attended her first class in 2009. Inspired by how this fun dance fitness workout done to Latin and international rhythms is a fast, effective way to burn calories, increase endorphins and enhance mood, she thought it would be the perfect thing to help cope with the stress of working in Afghanistan, the grief of her father’s terminal illness and to combat her lifelong weight ‘issues’. The mind*body*spirit connection that Kristen experiences and encourages while engaging in Zumba® is the foundation of her approach to wellness.
Kristen officially launched her Zumba® career when she brought Zumba to Pokhara, Nepal in 2010. Since then, she has enjoyed teaching several classes per week to diverse populations while working internationally and upon returning to make Portland her home in 2014.
Kristen strives to make every class fun, inclusive and a challenge for all fitness levels so that you look forward to coming and leave motivated, inspired, and fueled to thrive in your dynamic life. Kristen helps people who shy away from gyms or group fitness class and “can’t dance” to find their rhythm and get a great workout and offers high energy, intensity for fitness fanatics alike. Her favorite phrase is, “Go at your own body’s fitness level and with how you are feeling today. Modify! Intensify! Do YOU”.
Kristen is trained in Zumba® specialty formats including: Toning, Gold, Gold Toning, Aqua, Sentao, and Kids + Kids Jr. She has a master’s degree in International Development and Nonprofit Management from the University of Oregon and extensive international work history in the fields of humanitarian assistance, education, health and disability. When she is not teaching Zumba®, Toning or Gold in community or corporate settings, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, being in nature, traveling and working with SATHI Nepal, a nonprofit she co-founded to support education in Nepal.
Jennifer Derago
As a former field athlete, Jennifer sustained multiple injuries. She discovered Pilates during post-rehab and started doing it as a way to diversify her fitness routine while regaining core strength. Immediately she developed a passion for Pilates because of the physical and mental challenges that it provided. During her tenure in Portland, Oregon, she trained employees and athletes at Nike’s World Headquarters. Certified through STOTT Pilates her background includes other multiple trademark certifications that are based upon core movement.
Jennifer considers herself a forever student of the body and continues educating herself in this ever-changing fitness industry. She enjoys connecting with people and strives to challenge each student to discover new possibilities in their bodies. Her style and method of teaching incorporates movements that deliver results. She’s dedicated to creating an environment where everyone can move, connect with their bodies and have fun! When she’s not in Los Angeles you’ll find her training with her clients in Portland, Oregon and Manhattan, New York.
Linda Spaulding
Linda Spaulding works with organizations and businesses to focus on Safety and Wellbeing strategies. As CEO of HI-NRG, LLC she brings over 35-years experience including Aviation Safety, Corporate Wellness, and Group Exercise programs. Her expertise also includes an educational background from Oregon State University. Consisting of Exercise Science and Behavioral/Social Psychology. Linda brings a “HI-NRG” approach from her unique career experiences. These include Alaska Airlines, Multnomah Athletic Club, Oregon State Police Academy, and Portland Rose Festival.
Sara Rose Goldfried, NBC-HWC
Sara Rose is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, yoga instructor, and energy worker. She has spent the last 20 years dedicated to helping people find their path.
Her educational and professional experience have taught her the structure and form that is necessary to support clients as they move from point A to point B. But it is her personal experience that has prepared her to deeply connect and meet others exactly where they are.
In her practice, Sara Rose creates space so that the individuals she works with can explore what is meaningful to them and reclaim the life that they want to live.
With gratitude and joy, Sara Rose continues her studies and self-inquiry so that she can bring the very best to every client.
Learn more about Sara Rose at www.sararosewellness.com.
Hanna Morrell
Hanna was well-trained by the Financial Services industry, and ultimately left it with not only a small toolbox of brilliant mechanical financial tools, but also a deep frustration for the industry’s inability to address or even acknowledge that mechanics and facts are NOT enough.
From that small selection of tools an entire curriculum blossomed. Mechanical tools that are important, but only effective when married with the behavioral/emotional tools of disciplines like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychology, and behavioral economics. That marriage of concepts plus her experience of sitting down with almost 600 individuals and couples from all over the income spectrum means that she can offer tested tools and concepts that no one else can.
By addressing the emotional connection people have with money, Hanna has helped her clients change their habits and rituals with money, develop goals they can actually keep, and shape their futures in a way they didn’t think possible!
Rachel Lawrence, CFP®
Rachel Lawrence, CFP®, is passionate about money ideas that work in the real world for real people, using your core values and whole body intuition to guide financial decisions, tackling systemic issues in ways that are good for the world and our bottom lines, and like a true Enneagram 7, finding ways to have fun while doing it all. She’s poured more than 20 years of her life into personal financial planning and coaching: first learning everything about it from the ground up, then finding scalable ways via technology to bring it to those who need it most. When she’s not teaching about money, you can find her reading sci-fi, fantasy, or psychology books, skiing or hiking with her partner and kids, leading trips for small groups of women around the world, and fighting the patriarchy.
Ginger Hooven
Ginger (Kamalesh) Hooven has been teaching yoga for 20+ years and practicing Ayurveda for 10+ years. Her greatest joy comes from uniting these sister sciences as Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy, viewing yoga practices through the lens of Ayurveda. Ginger is an educator and serves as Provost of Mount Madonna Institute in Watsonville, CA. She has spent the last two years in Guatemala, teaching and sharing online.
Michele Stokes
Michele is the owner/operator of Gyre Bodyworks. She received her massage therapy license from East West College of the Healing Arts. She has been a massage therapist for over 24 years and has worked in a number of capacities including wellness clinics, spas, chiropractic offices, health clubs, private practice, and on-site chair massage.
She is well versed in a variety of massage techniques, including Swedish, Deep Tissue, Sports, Pregnancy, Trigger Point, Reflexology, Reiki, and Hot-Stone. Michele believes the most important aspect of therapeutic treatment is listening to and observing clients in order to anticipate individual needs and sensitivities. She also incorporates comfort, warmth, and aromatherapy into each massage treatment she performs.
Michele has also been teaching movement and fitness for over 20 years and has been specializing in yoga and Pilates for over 10 years. She has studied yoga at Holiday’s Health and Fitness, Yoga Bhoga, and Yoga Union, and currently holds certificates through Yogafit.
She studied Pilates while receiving her Dance degree. She is now a Certified Stott Pilates Mat and Reformer Trainer and includes the Pilates Reformer in her work with private clients. Michele’s Pilates training has included training with Stott Pilates Group Training, IWWA, and 24-Hour Fitness.
Michele is always hungry to continue her studies and learn new things. Her hobbies include being outdoors, hiking with her dog and reading as many books as she can manage.
Alexander Magnifique
Alexander Magnifique is a licensed massage therapist in the state of Oregon. He graduated from East West College of Healing Arts in 2016 with a focus in deep tissue, myofascial, and structural bodywork. Alex has always had an interest in Chinese herbal remedies and bodywork, leading to an apprenticeship with “Doc” Ron Rosen.
He loves spreading the message of health and wellness though his massage practice, empowering clients to continue feeling good, even after the massage is over. When he is not doing massage, he runs a no-cost after-school program and writes haiku.
Anna Horvitz
Anna first discovered the wondrous healing powers of massage therapy after sustaining a shoulder injury. Amazed by the improvements she felt after just a few sessions, she became curious about the healing arts. Before she knew it, she was in massage school, where she discovered a passion and talent for helping others recover from pain and injury. Today she practices in a variety of environments, including health clinics, special events, and workplaces, bringing healing touch to as many people as possible.
In addition to being a massage therapist, Anna is also a Reiki Master, an artist, and a musician. She loves nature, both urban and wild, and enjoys adventure. In her free time you can usually find her spending time outdoors with her dog and the neighborhood crows.
Leah Grace Barack
Leah Grace Barack, M.S. is a functional nutritionist with her master’s degree in Human Nutrition & Functional Medicine. From a young age Leah had always been interested in nutrition and health, and later turned this passion into a career after realizing the lack of awareness most people have about how food directly impacts health and wellbeing. A self-proclaimed foodie, she is adamant that good, healthy food does not have to sacrifice taste. Leah recognizes how difficult behavior changes are, and she is committed to educating, guiding, and motivating people to create sustainable lifestyle changes.
She is passionate about making healthy eating accessible to all, and has worked with Food Justice nonprofits and the Oregon Food Bank teaching cooking and nutrition classes to at-risk members of the community.
Leah is also the founder and owner of Grace Functional Nutrition, and offers one-on-one nutritional counseling, meal planning, and workshops.
Learn more at Leah’s website www.GraceFunctionalNutrition.com.
Lauren Chandler
Lauren has taught plant-forward cooking through businesses and nonprofits, in public venues, and to private clients for twenty-five years. She is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts but learned as much kitchen hopping around the globe and cooking in restaurants as she did in school. Lauren developed and taught culinary classes om the graduate level nutrition program at the National University of Natural Medicine from 2015 – 2020. Additionally, she is a recipe developer for food related businesses and volunteers for hunger relief organizations. Lauren’s cooking emphasizes seasonal whole foods and demonstrates that you don’t have to sacrifice flavor or fun to eat well.
Cassie Christopher
Cassie Christopher is a Registered Dietitian and emotional eating expert passionate about helping people eat with joy instead of eating to seek joy. She has a Master’s degree in Nutrition from Bastyr University and studied business at the University of Washington. She helps her clients via private nutritional counseling and worksite wellness initiatives to address the barriers to sustainable behavior change in order to create healthier and more joyful lives. A Pacific Northwest native, Cassie can’t help but love hiking with her family and good coffee. Learn more about Cassie at cassiechristopher.net
Frankie Leigh
Frankie Leigh is the Clinical Director and lead nutritionist at Radiate Wellness, a virtual Functional Nutrition practice that serves women and their families throughout the United States. She offers a woman-centered approach by identifying hidden stressors in gut and hormonal health. By uncovering the root cause, she is able to provide simple and elegant solutions to complex health conditions using individualized data and support. Before becoming a Functional Nutritionist, she was a yoga teacher for many years which greatly informs her teaching style, approachability and focus on mindfulness for stress reduction. She is currently completing her 500-hour yoga certification through Yoga Medicine. Frankie Leigh is a lover of all things food, movement and anatomy and loves hiking and traveling in her free time.
Frankie Leigh holds a BA in Women’s Studies with a minor in Social Work from the University of South Carolina. She is currently a graduate student at the University of Washington’s School of Public Health, pursuing a Masters of Health Administration with a focus on gender equity in healthcare.
Amanda Wikan
Amanda Wikan, MS, RDN utilizes digestive expertise and functional testing to help people get to the root cause of their IBS symptoms, so they can heal their gut, overcome food sensitivities, correct nutritional deficiencies, and improve metabolic health.
Amanda believes that…
• Understanding the root cause of your symptoms provides a roadmap to optimal health, making for a practical and multi-faceted approach to wellness.
• The body has a remarkable capacity to heal and thrive when provided with the support it needs.
• All health resides in the gut. Poor gut health is often the stumbling block that prevents someone from achieving their health goals. Gut health is foundational to wellness.
Brian (ānand) Darsie
ānand Darsie teaches yoga, meditation, and Pilates in Watsonville, California. He is on the faculty of Mount Madonna Institute and runs a small Pilates studio nestled underneath the redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains. His background as a professional vocalist helps him offer his students a unique perspective on how breath can bring the mind into focus before and during meditation or power the body through a challenging Pilates session. Join ānand in a variety of practices that will bring health and vitality to the body and breath, engage your sense of creativity and inner power, and leave you with a smile and a sense of accomplishment. ānand is an E-RYT 500 certified yoga instructor and educator. He teaches yoga and functional movement including Pilates.
Cara Busacker
Cara grew up in Central Oregon. She moved to Portland at an early age to pursue her formal dance training at Oregon Ballet Theater and continued her training at Pacific NW Ballet in Seattle. As a dancer in her teens, she discovered Pilates while rehabilitating from a knee injury. She found the full body/mind movement system to be truly beneficial in recovering from injuries but also in enhancing strength and coordination in everyday life. Cara believes that Pilates is a great foundation for movement of any kind. She loves bringing awareness to everyone’s individual body alignment in relationship to everyday movement patterns. Helping people find a connection to their core/trunk, while building strength and flexibility throughout the body, makes her happy. She also strives to make each class fun and approachable and knows that ANYONE can benefit and heal through movement.
Cara is PEAK Pilates certified in mat and apparatus equipment. She is also certified in MAMALATES, a mom and baby pre-natal and postpartum based program. Cara has taught Pilates mat/equipment, barre, yoga, chair yoga, dance and movement classes at studios throughout the Portland area for the past 10 + years. She enjoys dancing, music, yoga, traveling, hiking, swimming, laughing and relaxing in the beautiful NW with her family and friends. Cara is also an astrologer and energy/spiritual healing coach, which she incorporates in her daily life and movement practice. “Keep the body and energy fluid ” is Cara’s motto!
JoAnn ‘JoJo’ Santiago
Meet JoJo, a passionate and dedicated fitness instructor specializing in Cycling, Pilates, HIIT, Barre, Yin Yoga, and Flow Yoga. But her journey into fitness wasn’t always so bright. When she first started out, JoJo was far from the picture of health. Struggling with depression and the effects of under-eating, she decided to take control of her life—and what followed was nothing short of transformative.
Through the power of yoga and strength training, JoJo discovered a way to heal her body and mind. What she loves most about these practices is their simplicity—no fancy equipment needed, and they can be done anytime, anywhere. This freedom and accessibility completely changed her outlook, and now she’s on a mission to share that same joy and empowerment with others.
For JoJo, her students and members aren’t just participants in a class; they’re individuals with unique stories and goals. Helping someone find happiness, confidence, and strength through fitness is what truly fuels her. JoJo understands firsthand how being unhealthy can affect every area of life, and she’s committed to walking beside you on your journey.
If you’re ready to take the first step toward becoming your best self, JoJo is here to guide you, cheer you on, and celebrate every milestone along the way. Together, you’ll discover just how fun and rewarding fitness can be.
Leslie Moore
Leslie is an embodiment of passion, enthusiasm, and intention, infusing her eco-conscious, unique candles and experiences with the transformative power of aroma and affirmations. She believes the power of affirmation can help unlock the potential for personal growth and connect to our deepest needs and desires, on our way to living a calm, present, fulfilled and joyful life. Leslie
enjoys connecting with clients on a personal level, making the workshop meaningful and a delight.
Jim Anderson
Jim’s journey into massage therapy began with his passion for sports and recovering from the demands of competitions, events, and training. He has always been fascinated by how massage can expedite recovery from various sports and outdoor activities. Experiencing incredible results for himself and his clients inspired me to pursue this fulfilling career.
Jim’s practice revolves around rehabilitation, pain relief, and recovery using a range of modalities, including Deep Tissue, Trigger Point, Injury Repair, Swedish and Relaxation, and Myofascial Release
Jim advocates for regular massage as a maintenance practice, enabling people to continue enjoying the activities they love with less discomfort, improved flexibility, and enhanced overall health.
Jennifer Delich
Jennie Delich is a qigong instructor and educator who finds joy in inviting others to explore mindful movement. She believes ‘qigong is for everyone’ and sees the potential for this accessible practice to have profound effects. The mindful movement of qigong allows human beings to listen in and care for themselves, and in doing so, cultivate creative curiosity. This curiosity opens up a world of possibilities with the potential to deeply benefit the humans, critters, and natural world around them. Jennie is a Holden Qigong Certified Teacher and has an additional certificate in Qigong and the Chinese Five Elements from Mimi Kuo-Deemer. She holds an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and, before turning her sights to qigong, she nurtured a personal practice in belly dance and yoga. Harnessing her background in second language education and movement arts enables her to approach diverse groups with various interests, needs, and levels of practice. As a qigong instructor, she gently guides individuals to explore the physical, emotional, and mental aspects of practice while sensing into their shared space within the natural world. Beyond qigong, Jennie finds nourishment in nature and is likely to be clucking with her chickens, gardening, cooking up the fruits of her labor, or tending to trees and community in the Home Orchard Education Center.
Alison Bartish
Alison Bartish is a medicinal movement facilitator who understands that the body holds a wisdom deeper than words. With over 1,000 hours of yoga training, Alison bridges the gap between ancient wisdom and modern science, creating a unique therapeutic approach that speaks to both the head and the heart.
What sets Alison apart isn’t just her technical expertise—it’s her ability to hold space for the full spectrum of human experience. Currently pursuing her IAYT Yoga Therapy certification, Alison offers tools that transform self-discovery into self-empowerment, whether you’re navigating trauma, processing grief, or simply feeling lost. Her methodology combines traditional yoga therapy with authentic movement, art therapy, and parts work, creating a holistic pathway to healing that honors every person’s unique journey.
In Alison’s world, healing isn’t about fixing what’s broken, it’s about remembering what’s always been whole. Through mindfulness-based practices and nervous system regulation techniques, she guides her clients toward their own inner wisdom, helping them unlock their ‘main character energy’ and step fully into their power.
Galen Torey Fairbanks
Galen believes that yoga should be accessible to all. Since 2014, she has taught yoga in studios, gyms, and outpatient facilities to students with disabilities, trauma survivors, and more; manages successful yoga studios; and graduated from a handful of yoga teacher trainings. She is a lifelong student with years of yoga, music, dance, and strength training that inform and influence her teaching. She shares shapes, breathing techniques, meditations, and philosophy with the intention that students walk away with tools to feel good in their bodies and calm in their minds.
Georgia Sanford
Having sustained several injuries as a dancer and former competitive horseback rider, Georgia came to Pilates as a means to rebalance and better understand their own body. Their teaching practice is firmly rooted in their study of the body through kinesthetic and somatic lens as well as their interest in investigating and making more accessible the healing power of movement.
Georgia received their Pilates mat and equipment certification under the tutelage of Kelly Kane at The Kane School of Core Integration in New York City. Continuing education credits include the KinectEd residency program, FAMI (Functional Anatomy for Movement and Injury) at Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, Kinesthetic Anatomy with Irene Dowd, Proprioception and Injury with Kuan Hui Chew, and Movement for Trauma with Jane Clapp. Georgia managed queer owned and operated Manifest Bodyworks in Brooklyn, NY, helping to create a space for LGBTQIA2S+ people to celebrate and connect to their bodies through movement.
Sessions and classes with Georgia aim to be a safer, encouraging, and supportive space for all bodies. They have taught people living through a wide array of chronic conditions, injuries, intentions, abilities and experience to help them to strengthen their bodies from the inside out. Compassion, curiosity, and a sense of humor are at the core of their teaching practice.
Christopher (Critter) Vespa
Driven by a belief in functional fitness, Critter advocates for a holistic approach to wellness, emphasizing strength, mobility, and adaptability for everyday life. His diverse athletic interests, including powerlifting, surfing, climbing, biking, snowboarding, yoga,
and martial arts, inspire his clients to explore new horizons and embrace a well-rounded fitness routine.
Through his NCCA accredited NASM certification, Critter offers personalized training programs that are both approachable and accessible, tailored to each individual’s needs and goals. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete seeking to enhance performance or a newcomer looking to embark on a fitness journey, Critter is dedicated to empowering you to achieve your full potential while fostering a balanced and fulfilling lifestyle.
Jabari Overstree
Jabari has been a personal trainer in Phoenix AZ for over 10 years. He works for a non-profit called Fulfillment in Training who focuses on providing holistic changes to communities in need. Jabari host free workouts every Tuesday and Thursdays to the communities in Phoenix Az.
Mercedes Brehmer -Bieker
Mercedes is originally from the Detroit, Michigan area but has called Portland home since the 1990s. She brings years of experience as both a Personal Fitness Trainer and Group Exercise Instructor, with a background in a wide range of fitness formats and modalities. Her true passions are dance fitness and strength training.
Outside of teaching, Mercedes is a proud mom of two kids and two lively dogs. She enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, traveling, reading voraciously, and creating all kinds of things.
Jessee Robinson
Jesse Robinson practices a mix of deep tissue and myofascial release in a slow and therapeutic approach to bodywork. This style helps greatly with long-standing issues or recent injuries that require a more detail focused.
Laura Li Fong Yee
Laura offers sound healing from a place of deep gratitude, drawing from her extensive background in breathwork, sound, yoga, and meditation. With a strong foundation in healthcare as a registered nurse since 2008, she brings a grounded, compassionate presence to every session. Laura has been a dedicated student of holistic wellness for nearly a decade, earning her 200-hour Kundalini Yoga certification in 2016 and continuing her journey with immersive trainings in gong, crystal bowls, and Yoga Nidra.
Her studies include Gong Immersion Training with Don Conreaux, Crystal Bowl Immersion with Shalom Mayberg, and Gong Yoga Nidra with Mehtab Benton. In 2024, she completed a 300-hour Sattva Yoga Training in India and is currently advancing her practice through a 100-hour Yoga Nidra Training with Michele Loew and certification as an Atma Buti Sound Healing Practitioner.
Laura values community, communication, connection, and inclusivity. She strives to create a healing experience that leaves participants feeling grounded, connected, and whole.
Tish Newby
Tish is a dedicated law enforcement professional by day and a cake-baking wizard by night. She’s a proud mother, wife, and passionate Trap Step Aerobics enthusiast. Following a health scare in 2023, her commitment to empowering women to take charge of their health grew even stronger. Whether she’s keeping the peace, perfecting a new frosting, or rallying others to prioritize wellness, Tish blends discipline with creativity. Fueled by family, fitness, and a sprinkle of purpose, she embraces every adventure both in and out of the kitchen.
Tessa May
Tessa May is an inspiring actress, dancer, and fierce cancer warrior based in Portland, OR. With a deep passion for her community, she devotes her time to building meaningful connections in the fitness world, believing that wellness is a shared journey. Tessa embodies resilience and strength, using her platform to uplift others and raise awareness about cancer. Whether on stage or in the gym, her vibrant spirit and dedication to wellness shine through, making her a true role model to those around her.