I love when people are smiling and having fun!  I love to work hard!  I love my job! I love people.  I love meeting new people and hearing their stories!

I started yoga as a requirement for college, to take a course outside of school.  My teacher was a woman named Bhumi.  Then I did Ashtanga because it was an amazing workout.  But I fell in love at Cleveland yoga, with Tami Schneider. 

And now, hard to imagine, I am much less of a control freak!  I feel myself softening…slowly.  I love to move and have a hard time sitting still and thinking still. This practice settles my mind. 

I love vinyasa.  I began teaching because I felt I had to share this amazing gift of yoga.  My training began with a degree in exercise physiology and teaching many types of fitness, from running to step aerobics to personal training.  I even ran a corporate fitness center. 

When I found Baron Baptiste in 2003, it was full on Baron for the next 4 years.  This includes 5 weeklong trainings, many weekend workshops and various other trips to Boston to study with him there.  Jonny Kest is my main teacher, continuing my love of vinyasa and teaching me how to love.   Lama Marut, is my philosophy teacher, teaches my how to be happy everyday in my life and reminds me what’s important—service to others. 

I have also studied with Shiva Rae, Saul David Raye, Sharon Gannon & David Life, Bryan Kest, Cindy Lee, Geshe Michael Roach and Christy McNally (who teach -Tibetan Heart Yoga and Ayurveda). 

I am trying to change and save the world, one person at time!  I really love teaching teachers to teach.  And just like that fish story, I feel yoga can reach more people by teaching teachers. 

I offer “no fun, no yoga”, meaning if it’s not fun, it’s not yoga.  Really, you never know what you are going to get.  People come to my class to get their butts kicked, have fun and remind themselves of the priorities in life.  A class can be hardcore, playful, fun, serious, flowing, upbeat, silly, with lots of music and still honor yoga.  I take this practice seriously.  We have fun, work hard, and then relax.

I am from Ohio and have wanted to move to California since I was 20.  I knew I was meant to be here.  I love the sun and water. 

I was a pharmaceutical sales rep for 7 years.  Every day before work, I wanted to cry because I knew it was not right for me.  Now, I am so much happier.

Outside of Zuda, I run, hike and snowboard and love to travel and see new things.  My guilty pleasure is drinking wine.  Try as I may to give it up, Pinot Meunier  always wins.  It makes me giggle more. 

I have Henry the Labradoodle.  We walk or run everyday at the river.  I love nature and must be in it at least once a day.  It grounds me, seeing the animals and water.  I even run in the rain. 

Teaching yoga and running yoga studios is the best life ever!