Meet our amazing teachers

As a fresh transplant to the Triangle, Aaron is eager to grow new roots in the community. He first tried yoga as a holistic alternative to surgery, but soon found the greatest benefit was a quieter mind. When there was a sign for yoga, Aaron was there, curious and open to what this tradition had to teach. After several years of practicing and a couple of trainings, Aaron met his teacher, Todd Geiser, the originator of Yogastha Sadhana – a modern-day Raja Vinyasa method. With countless and continuous hours of one-on-one guidance, Aaron holds authorization to share Yogastha with others seeking transformation in their lives.

Through contemplations and meditations on the Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, and Upanishads, Aaron strives to bring these timeless lessons to life in every class. Infused with Sanskrit, anatomical cues, purposeful modifications, and heartfelt encouragement, his classes offer something for every practitioner, regardless of age or experience. While it might take a few classes to get familiar with the sequencing of Yogastha, Aaron assures everyone will find some
benefits for their yoga journey.

Alex is a curious explorer, deepening their relationship with yoga, their body, and their spirit, after integrating lessons from several years within the field of social work. Alex is excited about the opportunity yoga offers us to connect with the subtle, the spacious, and the mystical. They are also deeply inspired by the natural world and love infusing nature’s wisdom into their teachings. They hope to share creative sequencing that invites students to feel all of their dimensions, and to experiment and play with their embodied self-expression. Alex is passionate about cultivating space where students feel rooted, held, and accepted, so they feel more able to imagine and dream beyond the edges of what they thought was possible. When they are not practicing yoga, you might find them reading tarot, immersing themself in the art of mediumship, walking in the woods, or connecting with their loved ones. 

Anna has been practicing yoga regularly for the past 15 years and has found immense benefit in not only the physical

aspects of the practice, but also the mental. She primarily appreciates yoga as an avenue towards mindfulness,

encouraging herself and her students to find pleasure and balance in the present moment through yoga’s physical

asanas.

She completed her first 200-hour teacher training at the Andean School of Yoga in Peru, and her second right here in

Durham at Yoga Off East. When she’s not practicing yoga you can find her working at a residential design studio or

spending time with her family and friends — ideally outside or over a lovingly prepared home-cooked meal.

Hi! I'm Audrey, RYT 200hr, Level 1 Reiki, and founder of L4 Yoga and Retreats. I am a lifelong learner leading with empathy and gratitude. I've been practicing yoga for over a decade and teaching for two years in both

community classes and at the downtown Raleigh Poyner YMCA. I've been doing "the work" for years and like to incorporate lessons that resonate with

me to the larger community.

Global healing starts with you, whether that's physically, emotionally, mentally or some beautiful combination of the three. I believe my purpose, my dharma is to help others feel calm, and I share this through the practice of yoga. No 

matter where you are in your journey, you've come to the right place to press pause.

 Brigid (she/they) is a former personal trainer and fitness instructor who found a more loving and healing connection to her body and mind through yoga, and never looked back. She completed her 200 hr RYT yoga training at Kala Yoga in Brooklyn, NY, and has received specialty restorative yoga training from Abhaya Yoga in Brooklyn, NY. She is also an accredited Thai Bodywork practitioner. Brigid aims to create a class space where each student can feel safe to explore how their body feels and what sort of challenge, play, relaxation, or release it may be craving in that moment. Brigid believes that all people and bodies are wonderfully unique, and aims to make her yoga classes an inclusive, trauma-informed, non-judgemental space where everyone can honor and celebrate their needs, hopefully while having fun, finding some peace, and maybe meeting a neighbor! Her class style focuses on building a connection between breath and movement, allowing students to lose themselves in a rhythmic flow while tuning into their body's alignment in each posture. Expect most of her classes to start with meditation and breathwork, include a warm up focused on strength and alignment, ramping up to a breath-to-movement sequence, and ending with some cozy restorative postures that will guide the mind and body towards deep relaxation and healing. Brigid offers hands-on assists to support sustainable alignment in standing postures, and to provide comforting touch that invites gentle release in more restorative poses. 

Deana has been practicing yoga since starting college. She completed her teacher training in 2015 at the Wilmington Yoga Center, and has been teaching yoga since then. She has additional training in strength-oriented modalities and Pilates. She hopes to cultivate an experience where mind, body, and soul can be unified, via the physical asana and cultivated breath. Her classes are intentional and light-hearted. For Deana, yoga is a time to work through the tensions in our daily lives, create community, and have fun discovering the strength of our bodies and minds. 

Jill (she/her) took her first yoga class while pregnant, and hasn’t stepped off of her mat since. After practicing for over ten years, she decided that she needed more yoga in her life.  One yoga training led to another and just like that, she is a RYT-500 with Yoga Alliance.  She is continually learning about the body, mind, and spirit.  A deep interest of hers is the intersection between science and yoga. Ideas written in ancient texts come full circle as their tools are supported by modern research.  Expect classes to sprinkle in many variations and options, with the focus always returning to your own self as the expert.  Jill holds space for you to explore your body, feel into your personal appropriate alignment, and to pause from your daily life to become aware of your thoughts. She believes that being aware of yourself is imperative in order to be aware of others and the world around you.  “If we want yoga, we can not run from what it truly means to practice yoga. If we can breathe, we can do yoga.  If we can feel, we can represent liberation. And when we breathe together, we get a little more free.” Susanna Barkataki. 

While living in Los Angeles in 2007, I hiked past a free yoga class in the park every day for months. Finally, my curiosity led me to try it out, and after a few classes, I was hooked for life. During this time, I was going through some difficult life changes, and yoga taught me how to connect to my authentic self. I came through with a profound appreciation for the power of the practice. Inspired by this power and the desire to facilitate this process for others, I began my 200-hour teacher training in 2009 at Yogaworks and completed an apprenticeship through Yogaworks to reach my 500-hour certification in 2013. I taught classes in the Los Angeles area until March 2019, when I moved to North Carolina with my husband and 3-year-old son.

My classes offer a safe, balanced asana practice that emphasizes proper alignment. I encourage my students to find that they can exceed their own expectations by connecting to their breath. I lead classes with compassion, guiding students toward self-awareness. I believe that through linking movement with breath the mind is cleared, and we are open to connect to our true nature.

Kate is a classically trained ballet dancer and a certified barre and mat pilates instructor with fifteen years of teaching experience in dance and exercise. After graduating from the pre professional dance program at San Francisco’s City Ballet School in 2007, Kate moved on to dance professionally in contemporary dance troupes, touring musical theater productions, and as an independent artist all over California. Alongside her career as a performer Kate worked to develop dance programs for several prestigious performing arts schools in the Bay Area introducing the students to classical technique in ballet and barre. When she moved to Brooklyn, NY in 2016 she continued her teaching career as a barre instructor and in 2020 her class was rated the #6 "Best Barre Class" to take in NYC by ClassPass.com. In 2021 Kate received her certification in mat pilates from “Lila Core” and spent the last three years teaching mat pilates and strength & conditioning classes at various yoga and pilates studios all over New York City. 

Kate’s long standing passion for movement runs deep. Her goal in each class is to help guide her students towards finding that magical connection you feel when breath, technique, and strength join forces to build a full and satisfying physical practice. She is thrilled to be a part of the Recess Yoga community and can’t wait to see you on the mat! 

Kyle believes that living life is about filling the time and space between stillness and movement. The movement choices you make can create freedom, release, expression and magic! Let’s find that together on the mat. 

Kyle found his way to leading others in movement by way of the stage. Involved in professional theater and performing in musicals since the age of 6, Kyle found a lifelong zeal for expressing himself through voice and movement. Upon entering the High School Theater Department at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Kyle discovered his passion for fitness through a daily practice of T'ai Chi Ch'uan, pilates, yoga and dance which he continued for 5 years during his further training at the California Institute of the Arts. 

Kyle’s full-time work is in the wellness space and you can find him leading science-driven, music-fueled, high-intensity pilates, strength, cardio and yoga classes in every corner of the triangle.  It’s his goal to fill every moment of his class experience with fun, panache and sass. You show up and we’ll show out! 

 Lauren Rosenberg is a Yoga & Meditation Teacher (E-RYT 200, YACEP) and Reiki Master who also holds a full-time role working in the tech industry. She discovered yoga in 2012 while residing in California, which eventually led her to completing yoga teacher training in 2017 with Janet Stone. Lauren considers herself a life-long student and continues to take workshops and continuing education courses with Janet Stone, Jason Crandell, Tiffany Cruikshank, and Alexandria Crow. Lauren has over 1,200 hours of teaching experience and over 400 hours of continuing education hours. She is currently working towards completing her 500hour training with Yoga Medicine (Tiffany Cruikshank).

Lauren’s practices blend awareness to the breath while creating space in the body and intuitively moving with the ebb and flow of the practice, which can be carried off the mat and into the real world. Her vinyasa classes are typically slower paced and restorative, helping students return back to a parasympathetic state. Her focus is to make yoga inclusive for all who show up to her classes. 

Lily is a competitively trained dancer who turned to yoga as a way to explore movement without the constraints of following ‘perfect’ techniques, alignment, and aesthetics. She received her 200-hour certification from Carolina Yoga Company in 2024, which came long overdue after many years of refining her practice and discovering how yoga compliments the nature of dance. Lily has a passion for strength-based movement and incorporates her creative arts background—spanning dance, theater, and creative writing—into her teaching. She uses this artistic foundation to inspire and empower her students, encouraging them to express themselves freely on the mat. Beyond the studio, Lily works in the Pediatric Nutrition Department at Duke Hospital and will begin a Master’s in Nutrition Science in Fall 2025 to become a Registered Dietitian. Her passion for nutrition fuels her yoga practice and shapes her holistic approach to movement, allowing her to guide students toward not just physical strength, but mental and emotional well-being as well.

Matt (E-RYT 200) began his path in yoga by way of group fitness. He completed his Yoga Teacher Training with LifeTime Fitness in 2013 where he also taught several strength and Vinyasa Flow classes each week. During his career as a middle school teacher, he introduced his students to yoga and cultivated that into teaching three daily yoga classes as electives during the school day. Matt’s philosophy centers around the idea that yoga is for everyone, regardless of body type, age, fitness level, or any other perceived barrier. He is excited to bring his unique twist on Vinyasa based classes to Recess and invites all to come breathe, move, and play.

Rebecca is a RYT500 yoga teacher. She took her first yoga class in 2016  and has been in love with the practice ever since. Her daily practice is a vital part of her life. Helping her navigate whatever life has to offer and replenish her energetically and physically.

Rebecca's classes invite students to be compassionate and curious about their bodies through movement and breath. Her classes are designed to move the student inward, helping students recharge themselves so when they go back out into the busy world they are replenished. 

Rebecca finds inspiration from The Upanishads, The Bhagavad Gita, The Sutras of Patanjali, Nature and the Human Body.  Her main yoga teachers are Caroline Wybar, Lori Hernandez and Tiffany Cruikshank. This year she completed 100hr Yoga Nidra Training and a 14hr Lymphatics Yoga Training. Currently she is in a 1000hr YTT for Therapeutic Yoga. 

"All this is full. All that is full. From fullness, fullness comes. When fullness is taken from fullness, fullness still remains. OM shanti, shanti, shanti "- Isha Upanishad Invocation  

Sarah completed her 200 hr certification under Claudia Chambers at Respira Yoga in Raleigh, North Carolina. Her yoga journey began as a form of trauma recovery, and through it she fund healing, community, and a powerful connection to the practice and philosophy of yoga. Sarah’s   classes are breath and energy based, and  she facilitates healing, release, and deep relaxation while exploring the mind-body connection, and the subtle shifts in our inner sensory world. 

Susannah Simpson started practicing yoga as a teenager with a yearning for physical exercise that included a spiritual element. She completed her 200-hour teacher training through the Sivananda Center in 2012, and since then has been facilitating yoga, improvisational movement, interdisciplinary creative workshops, and restorative circles and meditations. A multidisciplinary artist, performer and poet, she approaches facilitation from an anchor of fluidity, expansiveness, curiosity, and play. She is guided by the desire to support people tuning into their sensations more deeply, and exploring the messages therein as venues for healing, greater self-understanding, acceptance, and pleasure. With a deep belief in every body’s inherent sacredness, she seeks to re-activate a remembrance of our magic and vast potentialities. 

Tessa Joseph-Nicholas has been practicing yoga and movement since 1998. She is RYT200 certified, has completed teacher training workshops with her longtime ashtanga inspirations David Swenson and Beryl Bender Birch, and has studied yoga, Pilates, Gyrotonic, and bodyweight fitness with too many wonderful teachers to count. Tessa now works to apply her training in more classical forms to an accessible, healthy, playful vinyasa practice. Her classes may take a variety of forms, but her goal is always to cultivate joy, build energetic balance, and encourage healthy exploration of the possibilities. She considers teaching an honor and a privilege, so when she's off the mat, she also professes at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Tom Sowders, PHD, is first a student of yoga and second a sharer of it. He took his first class in 1994 and has been sharing yoga as an instructor since 2018. Tom earned his YTT 200 with Claudia Chambers-Conty at Y Respira Yoga in Raleigh, NC. Tom's style of yoga is informed by hatha yoga, ashtanga, and meditation. A major goal for Tom is to train the mind to be fully present on and off the mat in order to experience the joy that comes flooding once you remove the old layers of familiarity from the way you see the world. Can you tap into the power of your inner child in order to see your practice (and the world) with fresh eyes? That's what he wants to find out. Tom brings a background in studying poetry and music to his practice and teaching.

Zac is a 200-hour certified yoga teacher with a deep passion for the connection between movement, breath, and recovery. His yoga journey began as part of his own healing process—both physically and mentally—leading him to explore the profound impact of breathwork, meditation, and Yin yoga in cultivating strength, resilience, and balance.

After spending 15 years in the Bay Area, Zac recently returned to his hometown of Carrboro/Chapel Hill, bringing with him a love for movement in all forms. His classes are rooted in an understanding of physiology, emphasizing yoga as a tool for strength, recovery, and healing. He believes that Yin yoga, breathwork, and meditation don’t always get the attention they deserve, yet they are some of the most powerful practices for deep restoration, nervous system regulation, and overall well-being.

When he’s not on the mat, Zac loves spending time with family, skateboarding—whether for fun or teaching lessons—or getting creative in the kitchen, cooking whole-food, anti-inflammatory vegan meals. He’s always looking for new ways to move, connect, and stay present in the world around him.

 Hanna started practicing yoga when she was in high school. After practicing for several years, she decided to try a yoga sculpt class and loved it. Since then, she has complemented her vinyasa yoga practice with yoga sculpt classes. She completed her yoga sculpt training in 2025 at Corepower Yoga. She aims to create a fun and welcoming environment during class. Hanna’s classes are designed for all levels, helping students try something new and enjoy the time on their mat. 

 Hi! I’m Eva, a 50-hour Certified Yoga Sculpt Instructor. I am also a full time UNC undergraduate student! I am passionate about setting an intention for class and coming back to that while
strengthening your muscles and mind. I hope my class brings you some joy to add to your day and you leave feeling stronger and happier than when you walked in. 

 Hi! I’m Jess, and I recently completed my 50hr yoga sculpt teacher training through Corepower Yoga in Chapel Hill. I began practicing yoga at Corepower last October and immediately fell in love with the practice, especially vinyasa flow and yoga sculpt, and the supportive community I met through yoga. I decided to become a teacher to share my love for yoga sculpt with others and to spread joy through music, movement, and sweat! Yoga sculpt is fun, energetic, challenging, and rewarding, and I’m so excited to bring this format to Recess! 

Over the past decade, Diamond (she/her) has explored several paths of yoga, leading to her completion of a 200-hour in-person Hatha/Raja Yoga & Meditation teacher training in Durham, NC in 2024. Her training follows the lineages of Sri Dharma Mittra and Thich Nhat Hanh, with a focus on mindfulness, meditation, and inclusivity.

In class, Diamond weaves together breathwork, mindfulness, and elements of play to create a grounded yet uplifting experience. Her teaching style is gentle and empowering, encouraging students to listen to their bodies, honor their needs, and explore the practice at their own pace. She believes yoga is a powerful tool for managing everyday stress and deepening self-awareness, both on and off the mat.

Diamond brings warmth, curiosity, and care to every class, creating a space where students of all backgrounds feel welcome. Off the mat, she works in hospitality as a restaurant manager in downtown Durham and enjoys exploring local food, nature, and live music. Whether you’re brand new or returning to the mat, Diamond invites you to join her in a practice rooted in presence, curiosity, and self-discovery.