meet our teachers
NOTE: "RYT" is a designation given by the Yoga Alliance, meaning "Registered Yoga Teacher." These teachers meet certain rigorous standards of 200 or 500 hours of training. An "eRYT" is an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher, one who has been teaching at least two years and a minimum of 1000 hours since becoming registered at the 200-hour level (eRYT200), or at least four years and a minimum of 2000 hours since becoming registered at the 500-hour level (eRYT500).
Guilherme Alves
Guilherme Dias Alves (also known as William here on Oahu), was born and raised in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. After working four years as a partner and instructor at the prestigious First Brazilian University of Yôga, he moved to Oahu to introduce the tradition of Swásthya Yôga to Hawaii. He has studied with Master DeRose (founder of the First Brazilian University of Yôga, and the International University of Yôga, with schools in Portugal and Argentina), Master Carlos Cardoso, Master Sergio Santos, and many well-respected yoga teachers and specialized authorities. Among his students you will find those with a wide range of occupations and interests: athletes, intellectuals, artists, doctors and lawyers. One of the things he loves about teaching yoga is that it develops happy, cheerful people with open minds. You can read more about Swásthya Yôga under Class Descriptions.
Alanna Budge, RYT
Born and raised in Homer, Alaska, Alanna Budge, was surrounded by diversity both in her environment and the people of Alaska. She was drawn to yoga as a way to find her place and meet the challenges of nature and the loss of a parent. She began a regular practice of traditional Hatha and Vinyasa from the few teachers in her small hometown. After graduating from high school she decided to follow her passion and learn various styles of yoga. Alanna proceeded to complete a teacher training with Eddie Modestini and Nicki Doane on Maui, where she established a foundation in Iyengar. She then studied Power Vinyasa with Lisa Black, who owns a Baron Baptiste-affliated studio in Seattle. There she completed a teacher training with Shiva Rea as well. Alanna completed the training at Yoga Hawaii to gain a background in Ashtanga. Since then she has completed another teacher training with Shiva Rea and further studies in Power Vinyasa with Lisa Black. Alanna is also a certified Emotional Memory Release Therapist. She is presently enrolled in the Massage Therapy program at Kapiolani Community College. She enjoys running, studying nutrition, Ayurveda, anatomy and physiology and strives to be a blessing to those she meets on her journey.
Brynne Caleda, RYT
Brynne Caleda is a certified Yoga Ed instructor and is in her last semester of graduate school at the University of Hawaii, Manoa in the Department of Educational Foundations. Through her research, she has had the opportunity to implement a yoga curriculum into Jarrett Middle School’s after-school curriculum with great success. With a love for children and yoga, Brynne continues to attend Yoga for Kid’s trainings and teaches yoga for kids’ classes in the hopes of helping kids throughout Hawaii find inner peace through the practice and philosophies of yoga.
Krishna Chatterjee, RYT
Krishna Chatterjee, despite his very Indian name and heritage, has been raised a local boy from Kailua, Oahu. A graduate in Business and French from the University of Hawaii-Manoa, Krishna has spent the past 8 years as the Corporate Training & Development Manager for Jamba Juice in Hawaii before departing in May to embark on a new career path in yoga. With an athletic background that includes surfing, paddling the Molokai channel, marathons, open-ocean swim races, and Ironmans in New Zealand and Arizona, Krishna has found that yoga has stripped him of alot of ego and desire for competition and on a quest inward to discover more humility and kindness. Ashtanga has been a total gift! Krishna started yoga under Patrick Creelman in Vancouver, Canada and has completed a vinyasa intensive with Core Power Yoga in Boulder, Colorado. He is also humbled to have recently graduated from Yoga Hawaii's 200-hour teacher training in the summer of 2007. Krishna and his wife, Taryn are the proud parents of Lucy, their 1 year old 90 lb. American Bulldog puppy.
Laura Dunn, RYT
Laura Dunn has been practicing Ashtanga yoga since 2002. She has studied under the tutelage of Sri K Pattabhi Jois during his 2004 world tour and with his grandson, Sharath Rangaswamy, during his 2005 tour and at his shala in Mysore, India in 2006. Laura has also studied sanskrit for 3 years with Rama Nath Sharma with the hopes of building some understanding of yoga philosophy and practice. Laura still considers herself to be a student more than a teacher and continues to study ashtanga and sacred yoga scriptures in order to transmit knowledge appropriately.
Rupali, eRYT500
Rupali (aka, Cheryl Embry) knew nothing about hatha yoga when she landed in a yoga ashram in 1985 at the recommendation of a friend. Immediately captivated, she stayed to study the yogic lifestyle and heal a back injury from her youth. Upon departing, she began teaching and eventually returned to Kripalu Center to earn her teaching certificate (1993) and later to assist in the training of other teachers (1994). She continues to study the major traditions of hatha yoga and advanced breathwork techniques, frequently in India with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, master of the Ashtanga Yoga tradition, and his grandson, Sharath Rangaswamy. She also draws from a background in the healing arts of Reiki and rebirthing, and directs the teacher training program at Yoga Hawaii.
Yoko Fleming, RYT
Yoko Fleming hails from Tokyo, Japan. She started studying yoga while working in the IT industry in her hometown. When she moved to Hawaii, she decided to take advantage of the relaxing lifestyle of these beautiful islands. Yoko is an accomplished runner; however, having completed two full marathons she has decided to devote herself to the study of yoga. Yoko brings her bilingual abilities and passion to Yoga Hawaii with the intention of continuing her own studies while assisting others to share in the beauty of Yoga. She has recently graduated from Yoga Hawaii's teacher training with an emphasis in Ashtanga Yoga.
Diane "Padma" Halford, RYT
Diane "Padma" Halford has been a Registered Nurse since 1986. Her love of yoga led her to become a Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance in the Ashtanga tradition in May 2004. She has completed the Certification for Yoga of the Heart ® Cardiac and Cancer Therapy taught by Nischala Joy Devi, director and creator of Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease and cofounder of the Commonweal Cancer Help Program. Her professional training includes Healing Touch Training and Hospice volunteer training. Diane is a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists.
Diane received her affectionate name "Padma" (which means "lotus flower") during her teacher training at Yoga Hawaii.
Tania Jo Ingrahm, RYT
Tania Jo Ingrahm a certified Kripalu Yoga teacher, was introduced to Kripalu yoga in 1988 by her Yoga Hawaii business partner, Rupali. The breathing and internal exploration of Kripalu Yoga proved to be a beneficial compliment to her years of competitive triathlon and coaching. Now focusing on Ashtanga Yoga and pranayama (breathplay) practice, she's known to be a "detail" person when sharing her passion for yoga and the wide-ranging benefits to body, mind and spirit with her students. Melding her study of life sciences, yoga and sports has given her a unique perspective on the body and its ability to adapt and change. She continues to be a student of yoga, learning from her teachers, as well as her students. She is codirector, along with Rupali, of Yoga Hawaii.
Lara Lasher
Lara Lasher has been teaching Vinyasa Yoga for five years and practicing for over 10 years. She was inspired to teach by the inner peace, vitality and skill of her 70-year-old yoga master, Raghavan, and studied with him in Santa Monica, CA for two years. She is passionate about teaching yoga because it develops harmony, tranquility and mindfulness within, and enhances the natural ability to radiate kindness, love and light. She received a Masters degree in Public Health from UCLA and moved to Hawaii to teach in paradise in 2003.
Debra Michels, RYT500
Debra Michels is a certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher (2004) and was also certified at the White Lotus Yoga Center in Santa Barbara in 1989. Debra brings wholehearted enthusiasm to her Iyengar-based yoga classes. Her focus is on cultivating self awareness, freedom of movement and developing a calm inner strength though yoga. She explains the "how to" of a yoga pose and correct alignment while encouraging and supporting you to work at your edge. With a wide range of experience in dance, movement, bodywork and healing, Debra's compassion gives a gentle quality to her detailed instructions.
Along with her yoga teaching, Debra has a healing practice in energy medicine and teaches at the Sacred Path Healing School. She has been certified with the Barbara Brennan School of Healing in 2003, as a Reiki Master in 1996, and is a Certified Massage Therapist since 1995. She helps others in personal transformation by working with the chakra system, balancing energy fields, and clearing both outer and inner spaces. She also works with individuals to create positive self images with "wardrobe feng shui."
Gail St. Denis, RYT
When asked about her feelings on yoga and being a teacher, Gail St. Denis replied: "Ashtanga Yoga spoke to me from the first sun salutation I ever did. At the time, I was in triathlon training with Tania as my coach. After an evening run, she led us through a few basic poses and I was hooked. It wasn't until several years later, after getting over the triathlon and marathon bugs, that I was able to focus more on yoga. I attended the teacher training in May 2004 to immerse myself more deeply. Being the poster child for inflexibility, teaching seemed out of the question. Because of my teachers' encouragement, I gave it a try. My limitations give me an understanding that not everyone can put their nose on their toes. I especially enjoy encouraging new students to see that yoga is for everyone, not just human pretzels. Yoga's constant admonition to "keeping breathing!" has helped me immensely through life's more difficult moments, and I hope to share that with others.
Jaime Schrack, RYT
Yoga has led Jaime on a wild adventure from her laid-back island life, halfway around the world to a bustling cosmopolitan city. Shortly after completing the Birkam Yoga teacher training in 2002, she was offered a job, a plane ticket and an apartment. Unable to turn it down, she found herself living in Hong Kong. This was her first big taste of what it meant to be “flowing with grace”...things just seemed to fall into place. She spent the next four and a half years teaching fulltime at Pure Yoga in Hong Kong. During this time she attended teacher trainings with Baron Baptiste (Power Vinyasa), Paul Grilley (Yin Yoga) and Anna Forrest (Forrest Yoga). It was also at this time that she began her study of Anusara Yoga under Patrick Creelman, which has heavily influenced her style of teaching. Jaime is currently studying Cranio Sacral Therapy, a practice that continues to heighten her sensitivity and awareness in her yoga and her daily life.
Brigitte Snyder, eRYT500
Brigitte's deep love of yoga began in 1990, first exploring the asanas to heal a lower back injury. She received training and guidance from several esteemed master yoga teachers while living in Los Angeles and went on to receive her teaching certification from the President of the Southern California Yoga Teacher?s Association. In 1999 she began studying with her mentor Rodney Yee, who ignited her passion for the nuances and poetry of the body. She continues her training with Rodney Yee by assisting him in his classes taught in his nationwide yoga conferences. In 2005, Brigitte had the privilege of studying with B.K.S. Iyengar in Estes Park, Colorado. Her years of training in a variety of styles allows her to share a unique expression of yoga which combines her love of the strength and fluidness of vinyasa with the precision and alignment shared by Iyengar. Brigitte takes you through the dance of yoga using asanas as a medium for discovering the bliss and joy within!!
Gretchen Valentin
Gretchen Valentin (Iyengar Yoga Teacher-in-Training) has been practicing yoga since 1999, and Iyengar Yoga in Hawaii since 2001. She enjoys sharing the wonderful benefits of yoga to people of all ages and abilities. Gretchen also holds a M.Ed. with a specialization in Early Childhood.
Sarah VanDeVanter
Sarah’s yoga practice began in the late 1980s when she was introduced to yoga at the prestigious Frog’s Athletic Club in Cardiff, California, where she worked as an aerobics instructor. Her journey then took her to Maui where she trained with senior Ashtanga teacher, David Williams. Guided by Tracy Keenon at Island Spirit Yoga Maui, Sarah broadened her perspective by studying Iyengar and Jivamukti yoga, eventually developing a strong “flow based” teaching style. Sarah believes that yoga is a constant evolution of mind, body and spirit. Her desire is to help others in the pursuit of balance, strength and harmony in their own personal yoga practice.
Katrina Yoder, RYT
Katrina Yoder started yoga at the young age of 16. Her initial motivations were for fitness, but it was the connection to the breath that made her stay. She completed her yoga teacher training at Yoga Hawaii in 2004. She has continued her yoga studies with Pattabhi Jois in India and on his world tours. She also spent time at Kripalu where she further defined her desire to work with movement. She is currently studying Kineseology at the University of Hawaii and plans to continue to Physical Therapy school.