Leadership

Sara Harding

Director

Sara Harding, a Traverse City native and uber doer, has been leading various dynamic organizations for over 20 years. Sara has led the media company Spirituality & Health Media, Yen Yoga & Fitness, FIM Group, and Utopia Foundation and curated and organized TEDx Traverse City. Currently, Sara is working with various organizations in a consulting role as a part-time Chief Operating Officer. Sara's passion for the community is shared in current board positions with Traverse Connect and TART Trails.

Jennifer Evans

Yoga, Fitness
Leadership Team

For Jennifer, yoga at first was just a curiosity and potential workout, yet for some reason she just kept going and the yoga was doing something really good for her. Yoga comes to people uniquely and affects everyone differently, yet the outcome seems to be linear, yoga feeds your soul and invites inner peace. After years of practice teaching seemed like a natural progression, first studying Ashtanga in Thailand for a 200 hr RYT, traveling all over the world studying under many teachers and settling in India studying Bhakti for her 500 hr RYT. Jennifer teaches a classic combination of Ashtanga and Bhakti, this will create a powerful practice that stems from within your true essence! Believe in the practice that in time all will come.

Becky Kalajian

Yoga, Fitness, Mobility, Leadership Team

Becky Kalajian, E-YRT 500, FRCms
Since 2014, Becky has worked with thousands of clients to help them awaken to the power of their own breath, movement and mindfulness. By blending evidence-based mobility techniques and the ancient teachings of yoga, her classes help foster her students’ natural balance, strength and flexibility.
In addition to studying under Janet Stone for her 500-level teacher training certification, Becky is also a certified mobility specialist in Functional Range Conditioning ®, a method that strengthens joint function, improves athletic performance and deepens balance/body control mechanisms.
Along with easy-to-follow direction with the application of good mechanical alignment, students also learn about the teachings of yoga, which were developed to help people live richer, more meaningful lives. Each class is thoughtfully constructed around the student’s own inner journey toward healing and empowerment.
In 2015, she launched Yoga in the Vines, integrating summertime al fresco yoga with wine tasting at wineries on Old Mission and Leelanau peninsulas in Traverse City. Yoga in the Vines is now a TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice winner, has been featured in the book, “100 Things to Do in Traverse City Before You Die,” and was spotlighted on WOODTV’s “Eight West” show.
Outside of the studio – where she is part of the leadership team – Becky is a freelance writer who lives in Traverse City with her husband Jim and two dogs. Her outside interests include reading, skate-skiing, mountain biking, running and being with her family.

Leslie Simionescu

Yoga
Leadership Team

Leslie has been practicing Yoga since her teens. She first came to Yen Yoga as a student in October 2011 and immediately felt at home. Leslie became a 200 hour Yoga Teacher through Yen Yoga and Fitness with Jennifer Lintvedt in Traverse City Michigan. Leslie is now a 500 hour advanced teacher through Janet Stone Yoga at Esalen Institute in Big Sur California and is currently completing 1000 hours of studies. Leslie had the honor of traveling to India learning more about the culture and attending an Ayurvedic Village with a group of 50 in December 2023.
Leslie is trained in Bhakti yoga which is the yoga of devotion, mantra, chanting and sound. Leslie brings meditation through crystal bowls sound and intention.
Leslie is the lead trainer co-creator for the Inspired Life Teacher training program focusing on the 8 Limbs of Yoga and how to live Yoga on and off the mat. Leslie also leads workshops teaching the Eight Limb Path of Yoga and the Hot 26 Asana Yoga Series.
Leslie is inspired by Nature and created a Stand Up Paddle Board and Yoga Teacher Training led on the beautiful waters of Northern Michigan. She is also a Continued Education Provider through Yoga Alliance and has been part of the Mentorship Program for many years.
She teaches to connect and inspire others to have self acceptance, moving through their bodies feeling every emotion energetically, spiritually, and mentally. Leslie believes Yoga is much more than the Asana, it is a way to live a life full of the ingredients we need to be present in our lives and serve others.

Yoga

Taea Alandt

Yoga

Taea Janelle Alandt has been practicing yoga off and on since 2017. First introduced to the practice by a friend who took her to a class at Yen, she did not find a love for Yoga until 2019 when she began practicing the Hot 26 series. What started as a method to feel good in her body, in late 2022, yoga became something far greater for Taea.
In order to transform her approaches to life and find healthier coping mechanisms, she began practicing yoga daily at home, following Yoga With Adriene. After a year of vigorous yoga practices at home, her hunger to learn more about the ancient practice grew. She embarked on a journey of the Inspired Life Teacher Training at Yen Yoga and Fitness in 2024 and it has transformed her life, both on and off the mat.
From the beautiful community she encountered in the studio, to the mantras, chanting and ethical practices of yoga, she is aspiring to learn and share as much as she can both as a teacher and human being.
Outside of Yoga, Taea enjoys being out in nature, cooking food at the Little Traverse Inn, studying Astrology and Human Design, creating art and is in the process of completing her Associates degree in Science and Arts at NMC.

Bethany has sustained a decades long commitment to movement and helping others find joy in their bodies. She started her career as a professional dancer, and found yoga at the age of 19 to balance the demands of a physically active career. During this time she also worked as a personal trainer. After 10 years, Bethany moved on from dance but continued to practice yoga on a regular basis.
Bethany started running in her 30's, and pursued several trail races over the course of 5 years--from half-marathons to a 250km ultra-marathon that took her across the country of Mongolia for 7 days. In between, she ran races in Bhutan, India, Australia, and at home in Michigan.
Through it all, yoga has been the constant go-to for Bethany to reset her body and find balance. After completing the Inspired Life 200 hour training at Yen in 2024, she is most excited to help yoga students gain confidence in movement while finding their strength on and off the mat. Bethany maintains a dedicated meditation practice, and often weaves mindfulness principles into each class.
When not at home in Traverse City, Bethany leads small-group adventures to remote places around the world--exploring nature, culture, & spirituality.

Bethany Betzler

Yoga

Jamie Bell

Yoga

Jamie is a Midwestern gal who is passionate about maintaining simplicity in her life, through the the continual practice of mindfulness. She understands that the work that one does on the mat flows into all aspects of life. Jamie serves as a teacher who reminds us to surrender expectations, and that we are continually in the process of change. She has devoted her life to giving back through service projects and her passion for the nonprofit world.
Jamie began teaching in 2011 after completing her training with Karina Mirsky of Sangha Yoga, and she is schooled in the teachings of Rod Stryker's Para Yoga. Additionally, she is has spent many hours studying with Boulder based Yogi, Shannon Paige.

Amy Belovich

Yoga

Amy graduated from the Yen Yoga & Fitness 200 hour teacher training in 2012 led by Jenny Lintvedt ERYT 500 and Heidi Dietrich ERYT 500.

Fitness, Yoga

Mollee Fishaw

Mollee recently moved to traverse city in 2021 from the Detroit area. She is a NASM-certified personal trainer and NASM-certified women’s fitness specialist.

She has been training since 2014 and loves to create a space where everyone feels safe, welcome, and ready to have fun; a space that you know when you leave, you leave better than when you came in.
She loves to help others create a positive relationship with movement and see the many mental benefits that are also achieved in addition to the physical benefits. My approach is to create Mindfulness by addressing negative thought patterns and limiting beliefs that often clutter our minds, to create a belief in oneself and one’s body. To her, fitness in all its forms encompasses mind, body, and spirit.

Naomi Cole

Yoga

Naomi Cole RYT 500, E-RYT 200, RPYT, YACEP through Yoga Alliance, Priestess of Women’s Spirituality, Birth, Postpartum, Sacred fertility Doula, and Reiki attuned.
Trained in Kundalini yoga for 500 hours with Yoga Farm Ithaca, New York. Trained in Hatha yoga for 200 hours with Yen Yoga & Fitness of Traverse City, Michigan.
90-hour Prenatal yoga trained and certified with Mama Tree school of yoga. Prenatal yoga teacher training at Yoga Tree, San Francisco, California.
She is empowering women in their births through prenatal yoga. Yoga is a beautiful way to prepare the mind, body, and spirit for the many transitions of birth.
25-hour Postnatal yoga trained and certified with Toronto Yoga Mamas school of yoga, Toronto, Canada. 20-hour Pelvic Floor training, Leslie Howard Yoga, Emeryville, California, 2022.
Naomi began her journey of teaching yoga in 2012 and had been practicing yoga for over 20 years.
Naomi’s essence for holding space evolves from her love for yoga. She believes yoga restores our lives and heals the mind, body, and soul. With her vast experience teaching, designing, and leading yoga and meditation for groups, individuals, schools, and retreats. Naomi guides you through a sacred spiritual connection and lunar wisdom.

Jennifer Evans

Yoga, Fitness, Leadership

For Jennifer, yoga at first was just a curiosity and potential workout, yet for some reason she just kept going and the yoga was doing something really good for her. Yoga comes to people uniquely and effectives everyone differently, yet the outcome seems to be linear, yoga feeds your soul and invites inner peace. After years of practice teaching seemed like a natural progression, first studying Ashtanga in Thailand for a 200 hr RYT, traveling all over the world studying under many teachers and settling in India studying Bhakti for her 500 hr RYT. Jennifer teaches a classic combination of Ashtanga and Bhakti, this will create a powerful practice that stems from within your true essence! Believe in the practice that in time all will come.

Josh Hartman

Yoga

Josh’s yoga journey began while living on the road when he traveled in a tiny camper visiting studios all over the country. Josh was drawn to the slower practices like yin, gentle, and hot yoga. He took as many classes as he could and soon discovered the life-changing power of yoga. Josh was amazed how a little yoga and meditation each morning could have such a positive impact on his life. He saw tremendous improvements in his mobility, strength, and confidence. Josh wanted to share yoga’s amazing benefits with others and so he earned his RYT-200 certification in Santa Cruz, California. Shortly after, Josh moved to Traverse City. “The best move I ever made.” He is grateful to live in Northern Michigan and to be a part of the Yen Yoga community. Josh continues to grow his practice. He earned his hot yoga, yin yoga, and SUP yoga teaching certifications. He now enjoys sharing this transformative practice with his students. When he’s not on the mat, you can find Josh unicycling downtown or out at the dunes exploring.

Becky Kalajian

Yoga, Fitness, Mobility, Leadership

Becky Kalajian, E-YRT 200, FRCms
Since 2014, Becky has worked with thousands of clients to help them awaken to the power of their own breath, movement and mindfulness. By blending evidence-based mobility techniques and the ancient teachings of yoga, her classes help foster her students’ natural balance, strength and flexibility.
In addition to studying under Janet Stone for her 500-level teacher training certification, Becky is also a certified mobility specialist in Functional Range Conditioning ®, a method that strengthens joint function, improves athletic performance and deepens balance/body control mechanisms.
Along with easy-to-follow direction with the application of good mechanical alignment, students also learn about the teachings of yoga, which were developed to help people live richer, more meaningful lives. Each class is thoughtfully constructed around the student’s own inner journey toward healing and empowerment.
In 2015, she launched Yoga in the Vines, integrating summertime al fresco yoga with wine tasting at wineries on Old Mission and Leelanau peninsulas in Traverse City. Yoga in the Vines is now a TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice winner, has been featured in the book, “100 Things to Do in Traverse City Before You Die,” and was spotlighted on WOODTV’s “Eight West” show.
Outside of the studio – where she is part of the leadership team – Becky is a freelance writer who lives in Traverse City with her husband Jim and two dogs. Her outside interests include reading, skate-skiing, mountain biking, running and being with her family.

Steffan Kasula

Yoga

Steffan’s commitment to yoga began as an effort to alleviate the stress of work and improve mental health. Inspired by his own experience and spirituality, he took Yen Yoga’s 200 hour Inspired Life Teacher Training, equipping himself to give back to the community and share the gift of yoga.
His personal focus on breathwork and introspective self-study has influenced his life both on and off the mat. Outside the yoga space, Steffan is a digital marketing consultant working remotely in Traverse City. His interests span hiking, mountain biking, traveling and quality time with friends and family.

Nickie Matters

Yoga

Nickie is a dedicated nurse and passionate yoga teacher devoted to guiding others on a journey of self-discovery and inner harmony. With over 20 years of experience in both nursing and yoga, she emphasizes holistic well-being and the healing power of self-care in her classes. Her approach combines compassion and creativity, inviting practitioners to explore their true selves and cultivate unconditional love. Nickie holds a Master’s of Science in Nursing and is currently pursuing a 500 RYT.

Mary Macey

Yoga

Mary began her yoga journey in 1994 when she took her first yoga class. After every class she found she had energy that lasted for hours, a calm mind, and an overall sense of peace in her being. She has been practicing yoga ever since. Seeking to deepen her practice, she underwent a 200 hour Registered Yoga Teacher training in 2019 at Body Language in Commerce Township with Andrea von Behren and Alan Haras. Since then, she has been certified in Yoga Nidra and SUP yoga, she is also a Reiki Level II practitioner.
She is passionate about sharing the yoga teachings with others in a warm and welcoming environment that encourages exploration of your body and breath, with an emphasis on self-care and compassion.
Mary has had the pleasure of attending various conferences and workshops with Seane Corn, Erich Schiffman, and Janet Stone. She is passionate about guiding her students toward peace, strength and balance through their yoga practice.
Her classes seamlessly integrate yoga philosophy with physical movement, making them perfect for those wanting to incorporate mindfulness into their practice. With a keen focus on alignment, breath awareness, and meditation, Mary's slow and mindful flow classes offer a variety of modifications and props to support your practice. Come join her on the mat, and discover the transformative power of yoga for yourself.

Beka McGill

Coming soon!

Yoga

Tarah Pillay

Tarah discovered herself on a yoga mat when she was seeking a healthy outlet to help manage burnout in 2016. She has been practicing since and chose to deepen her personal practice by completing her 200hr YTT through Yen Yoga & Fitness. She deeply connected with the teachings and philosophy over the course of the training and felt compelled to share upon completion of the training. Tarah found that she made a connection between her mind and body through yoga unlike ever before. She feels that yoga has changed the way she moves through life.
Tarah’s background also includes working as a mental health professional. She holds a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and feels that it compliments her role as an instructor. Tarah also owned and operated a plant-based restaurant where she shared her love of creating delicious eats that were also good for the mind, body and soul. She feels that she naturally resonates with the slower practices of yoga where she can encourage students to slow down and connect with their mind, body and breath.
Tarah has completed additional training with influential teachers, Janet Stone, Jason Crandell and Bernie Clark.
When Tarah is not teaching, you may see her walking her three dogs, diving into a new book, cooking and creating plant-based eats or exploring the world with her husband.

Rebecca RaNKIN

Yoga

Rebecca Rankin, E-RYT 500, YACEP

In San Francisco in 2003, Rebecca began her yoga journey seeking relief from the high-pressure demands of her architecture career. What started as a personal practice soon revealed itself as a deep calling.

Rebecca completed her 500 Hour Ghosh Lineage Hot Yoga teacher training in 2006, then deepened her studies in additional modalities, including a 300 Hour training with Jason Crandell and specialized Female Health Yoga training with Tiffany Cruikshank.

For nearly two decades, Rebecca has dedicated herself to teaching yoga full-time, owning and managing studios across the country and abroad. She has co-led teacher trainings and guides transformative retreats in beautiful corners of the world, creating containers for deep healing and spiritual awakening.

Rebecca deepens her work through women's circles and retreats, creating sacred containers where women can journey back home to themselves, reconnect with their inner wisdom, and live in alignment with their heart. Through her podcast and app, Women's Moon Wisdom, she extends this invitation to women everywhere as a gentle entry point to begin this transformative journey.

As an E-RYT 500, YACEP, Reiki Master, Sound Healing Practitioner, and Women's Holistic Wellness Coach, she offers a gentle yet powerful presence that invites you to remember who you truly are beneath it all.

Rebecca's intention is that your yoga practice becomes a journey home to your heart.

Lisa Peacock

Yoga

Lisa began the practice of yoga faithfully when her 4 children were young and life was very busy. Hot yoga proved to provide a refuge by cultivating steady calm through breath and focus. She became a student at Yen as soon as they opened in 2010 where through various creative class and practice challenges offered to students she was exposed to many forms of yoga and she fell in love with all of it!
Lisa completed Yen’s Teacher Training in the inaugural class with Jenny Lintvedt and Heidi Dietrich in 2012 and is a certified RYT 200 yoga teacher. She has since completed additional training in various forms of yoga and related subjects including vinyasa, pranayama, meditation, hot yoga, mobility, Ayurveda, and yin yoga. Lisa also brings a healthcare background to her teaching as a Nurse Practitioner. She holds Masters degrees in both Nursing and Public Health. She is drawn to all of the physical and mental health benefits that a regular yoga practice can bring – it has been a healing and restorative path for her and she finds joy in supporting others as they explore their own path to overall health. Her classes hold a friendly, inclusive space for all levels of yogis where she hopes they find the same kind of peace, fun, and growth that she has been able to find through yoga!

Katie Randazzo Erway

Yoga, Fitness

Katie Randazzo-Erway is an NASM-certified personal trainer, corrective exercise specialist and fitness nutrition specialist. She is also a E-RYT 200 yoga teacher, pregnancy and postpartum corrective exercise specialist, core and pelvic floor function coach as well as a TRX qualified instructor. Katie has been training since 2010 and teaching group classes at Yen Yoga since 2012.
Her philosophy for movement is simple: to train her students for the lives they live. Taking a mindful and holistic approach to fitness, wellness, yoga and health, Katie encourages each student to meet themselves where they are in each class, listen to their own body over everything else and to build on the foundations they have learned.
Katie brings education and excitement to each class she teaches. She makes it not only a place for a great workout or yoga class, but also a space to explore and discover your potential. Seeing her students’ progress and how much better they feel is what inspires Katie the most!

Julie Schwalm

Yoga

As a perpetual student of life, Julie has found a balanced existence between supporting health and wellbeing in her community, and freedom within herself. A Thai Yoga Practitioner since 2009 and Massage Therapist since 2003, she has substantial knowledge of the structure and function of the body, from the superficial muscular layer to the energetic systems. This knowledge is demonstrated in her teachings as a supportive connection with her students, allowing them growth through bodywork. In 2010 she received her 200 hour yoga certification from Sandra Carden at Union Yoga in Lake Leelanau, and completed her 500 hour certification in October of 2016. As a connected and dedicated student, her study of the science and philosophy of yoga is continuously evolving. She believes that yoga is an ongoing process, without limits and without an endpoint.
Julie is the sole proprietor of Thai Yoga Bodywork, LLC and the co-founder of Yoga on the Beach, a program offering donation based beach yoga in Grand Traverse and Leelanau County for the support of local environmental organizations. She is also a mom of two amazing young men, and an artist who uses many different mediums but is best known for her work with glass. She finds inspiration in everyday objects and events, often using her knowledge and appreciation of the human form to create pieces of art.
Julie was initially drawn to yoga as a way to find inner peace and connection with the Self. “With a full life like mine, my body is moving nonstop, I don’t need my mind to do the same. Yoga has helped to focus my mind, and to live and move with intention.” She loves teaching yoga and the opportunity it brings to guide a person to find the same stillness in their own busy lives as well as the awareness it cultivates on physical, emotional and spiritual levels. “If students will recognize just one thing about themselves or their body, the session will have a long-term impact.”

Leslie Simionescu

Yoga, Leadership

Leslie has been practicing Yoga since her teens. She first came to Yen Yoga as a student in October 2011 and immediately felt at home. Leslie became a 200 hour Yoga Teacher through Yen Yoga and Fitness with Jennifer Lintvedt in Traverse City Michigan. Leslie is now a 500 hour advanced teacher through Janet Stone Yoga at Esalen Institute in Big Sur California and is currently completing 1000 hours of studies. Leslie had the honor of traveling to India learning more about the culture and attending an Ayurvedic Village with a group of 50 in December 2023.
Leslie is trained in Bhakti yoga which is the yoga of devotion, mantra, chanting and sound. Leslie brings meditation through crystal bowls sound and intention.
Leslie is the lead trainer co-creator for the Inspired Life Teacher training program focusing on the 8 Limbs of Yoga and how to live Yoga on and off the mat. Leslie also leads workshops teaching the Eight Limb Path of Yoga and the Hot 26 Asana Yoga Series.
Leslie is inspired by Nature and created a Stand Up Paddle Board and Yoga Teacher Training led on the beautiful waters of Northern Michigan. She is also a Continued Education Provider through Yoga Alliance and has been part of the Mentorship Program for many years.
She teaches to connect and inspire others to have self acceptance, moving through their bodies feeling every emotion energetically, spiritually, and mentally. Leslie believes Yoga is much more than the Asana, it is a way to live a life full of the ingredients we need to be present in our lives and serve others.

Molly Whiting

Yoga, Fitness

Hughthir White

Yoga

Hughthir's study of Yoga began in Detroit the late 70's, where he completed a teacher training with the Integral Yoga Institute. Hughthir then went on to obtain a Dance Degree from the Naropa Institute and has choreographed and taught dance for the past thirty years.
Hughthir completed the 2014 teacher training through Yen Yoga & Fitness studying with Jenny Lintvedt, Heidi Dietrich and Kate Evans.
Hughthir continues to teach dance and intends to bridge his Yoga/Dance experience by forming a Contemplative Dance Practice, (combining meditation, yoga and dance) here in Traverse City.

Duncan White

Yoga

Duncan began practicing at Yen Yoga and Fitness in 2017. Initially he approached yoga as a tool to strengthen his core to help break a cycle of back pain episodes that began in his mid-40’s. He soon realized that the yogic way has positive implications for life beyond the yoga mat.
Duncan's interests span snow, earth, wheel and water-based activities. He also writes and plays music in local bands, and sometimes performs solo gigs. In 2024, Duncan earned his RYT 200 from Yen Yoga and Fitness. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Michigan State University and studied philosophy and anthropology extensively as an undergrad.

Ellen Whiting

Ellen Whiting is a Traverse City native and has been a yoga instructor for 12 years. She began teaching in Salt Lake City during college and has since taught vinyasa-style yoga and group fitness classes in Traverse City and Syracuse, New York. Her classes incorporate challenging sequences, core strengthening postures and fun, upbeat music. Her welcoming personality and genuine smile keep her students coming back!

Yoga, Fitness

Blair Yaroch

Yoga

Blair Yaroch, E- RYT 500
Blair teaches robust and active vinyasa flow classes that explore the relationship between developing strength to increase flexibility. She encourages her students to discover how committing to a path toward physical wellness can lead to a reduction in stress and a balanced mind. She considers yoga to be an invaluable tool for enriching your relationship with yourself as well as with the world around you.
Blair’s classes will incorporate alignment based cues that prioritize effective posturing as well as injury prevention. She meets her students where they are and instructs the use of breath and single pointed focus to uncover the potential of the body. Her classes will incorporate times of physical challenge as well as periods of restoration. She encourages her students to explore both with an open mind as both methods have value.
In addition to completing her 200 hour certification in 2020, Blair completed her advanced 300 hour certification with Jason Crandall in 2023. She continues to gain inspiration from the teachings of yoga and considers herself a lifelong student of the yogic tradition.