Ramona Atanacio (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher. She first began a daily practice in law school to support her busy and active lifestyle. Ramona’s love for the practice grew as she learned that the study of yoga, and the discovery of the mind and body, was limitless. This led her to deepen her study of yoga through an initial teacher training program and Ashtanga yoga, which eventually led to Iyengar Yoga. She has found Iyengar Yoga to bring a much greater awareness and focus to her practice and life.
Ramona likes to teach an Iyengar Yoga class that is approachable, invigorating, and fun, while also blending therapeutic and restorative elements of yoga. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking Indian food in an Instant Pot and learning new dance moves.
Sandy Carmellini (she/her)is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher. She is also a certified Yoga Therapist (c-IAYT), a Craniosacral Therapist, E-RYT500 (Yoga Alliance), Reiki II and aromatherapy practitioner. She has been teaching yoga since 1998 and is the owner/director of Brentwood Yoga Center since 2008. Sandy is a committed volunteer, and currently serves as an executive board member of the National Iyengar Yoga Association (IYNAUS). She was a devoted student and assistant to Donald Moyer until he retired. Sandy has studied with Sri HS Arun since 2009 and has traveled to India several times to deepen her devotion to yoga under his guidance. She has spent time in Pune studying with the Iyengar family. Her current teachers in the U.S. are Heather Haxo Phillips and Michael Lucey. When she’s not on the mat, Sandy loves spending time with her family, hiking with her husband, cooking and eating vegan food, playing with her cats and studying essential oils. She firmly believes that a healthy lifestyle, including yoga and connection to community brings balance to the body, mind, and spirit.
May Mei Chong (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher (CIYT). She has been an avid student of Iyengar Yoga since 2000 and is fascinated by the connection between the mind and body. The practice has brought “balance” and much joy to many aspects of her life. In her teaching, she aims to introduce and educate her students on the benefits of an Iyengar yoga practice. So they may walk out of class equipped with a sense of newness and information. Additionally, she strongly believes that the restorative aspects of a yoga practice is as beneficial as an active yoga practice and strives to promote this. She is also a graduate of the 500-hour Advanced Studies/Teacher Training Program at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco and a certified Advanced Relax & Renew® Restorative Yoga teacher. May Mei loves all things ocean. In her free time, when she is not practicing yoga, you can find her scuba diving among the kelp forests of Monterey Bay.
Anneke Faas (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher and Certified Yoga Therapist (c-IAYT). She became a devoted practitioner at the age of 14, and a yoga teacher in college. Yoga continues to support her through many stages of life. Anneke has a knack for relating yoga to everyday living – using it as a tool to bring balance and meaning to students’ lives. As a teacher, Anneke has a warm presence and directs her classes with ease and careful focus. Beginners love Anneke’s fun classes! Her love of yoga philosophy and chanting shines through in her work with intermediate classes. She also offers expertise to pregnant and post-natal mothers. Anneke loves being in nature with her family. You will find her camping in the mountains with her children, or playing in the ocean during her free time.
Ana Frenes (she/her) is a recent graduate of the Adeline Yoga Sadhana Studies program. She finds practicing Iyengar Yoga to be a life-changing experience. She is inspired by the Iyengar family legacy and those who have studied with them. As a modern dancer/choreographer for over 30 years, she loves the attention to body alignment and the many possibilities in approaching movement while in the poses that Iyengar Yoga provides.
Ana decided to become a yoga instructor after introducing it to her high school dance students. She saw how it transformed them and remains passionate about teaching yoga to diverse populations. She is a certified ChildLight Yoga4Classrooms teacher and holds an MA in Arts Education. She has taught yoga to hundreds of K12 students in Stockton Unified School District. Ana previously instructed yoga at the Stockton Yoga Center, CAL Berkeley Lair of the Bear family camps and San Joaquin Delta College. She presently teaches at Tree of Life Yoga in Emeryville. She plans to become a certified Iyengar Yoga instructor and continue her studies with her mentor Heather Haxo Phillips. Ana finds joy in spending time with her 8 year old grandson while gardening, tap dancing and riding scooters.
Rebecca Haralabatos (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher and Certified Yoga Therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapists. She has honed her skills leading beginner, mixed level and gentle yoga classes for the past 7 years and enjoys helping students in classes or one-on-one in private sessions with low back, knee, neck and shoulder pain and other common conditions. With her background as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist with a practice grounded in the Hakomi method, a mindfulness-centered, somatic psychotherapy, Rebecca supports people in learning how to slow reactivity, tune into the wisdom of their bodies and become more present in their lives to gradually transform anxiety, depression and challenging inter and intra-relational dynamics. Rebecca’s journey both personally and professionally is to support herself and others in attuning to intuition, discovering support and meaning in community and finding alignment for true, vibrant, healthy self-expression.
Laurika Harris-Kaye (she/they) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher who began practicing Iyengar Yoga in 2015. She was immediately drawn to the positive mental, physical, and spiritual effects of the practice, including greater calm, stability, and flexibility. Laurika is grateful for the opportunity to share her knowledge and increase access to yoga for diverse communities.
Sarah Harvey (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher and Certified Yoga Therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapists (c-IAYT). She is a graduate of the 500-hour Advanced Studies/Teacher Training Program at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco. A long time member of the Iyengar Yoga community, she has studied and practiced yoga since 1991. She has been teaching classes and private yoga lessons throughout the Bay Area since 2002.
Sarah brings a light, humorous approach to her teaching, combined with direct, detailed instructions for each student. Although yoga is central to her life and key to her well-being, she is also an avid sports fan (Go A’s! Go Dubs!). Sarah lives in a small cottage in East Oakland with her two cats, and enjoys gardening and gourmet cooking.
Kimberley Healey (she/her) has been studying and practicing Iyengar Yoga for almost 30 years. She is a Certified Iyengar teacher and has taught in Oregon, Pennsylvania and New York. Her teaching is joyous, lively and informed by her academic background in literature and philosophy. She loves teaching teenagers and has brought Iyengar Yoga to high school students for the last few years. Recently, she returned to the East Bay and is thrilled to be in California after many years in Oregon. Kimberley is passionate about being upside down, reading books and dancing tango.
Kim Kolibri (she/her) has been a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher since 2003. She brings her whole heart and soul to the subject of YOG. As a teacher, Kim is well skilled to teach a broad age range (young to elderly), as well as those with mild to moderate therapeutic issues. In this phase of her teaching, Kim is inspired to share the foundational aspects of Iyengar Yoga – including pranayama, applied Samkhya Philosophy, and Mantra Sadhana – to all that want to learn.
Kim has studied with the Iyengar family many times. She is a spiritual pilgrim by nature and has traveled extensively in India, Nepal, and Tibet in search of whatever is meant to be revealed. She is a longtime devotee of Sri Ramakrishna and an avid student of all things Vedic including Sanskrit, Mantra Sadhana, Vedic Philosophy and Jyotish Astrology.
A long time member of the Iyengar Yoga community, Kim helped to spearhead the creation of the IYNAUS Archives and served as the Director of Archives for many years. She also managed the BKS Iyengar Yoga Center of San Diego for over 10 years. Surely serious about the subject, Kim is a friendly, playful, and encouraging teacher who loves to share the spark of Yoga in all possible ways.
Sandy Lamerson (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher, Ayurvedic Health Counselor and meditation practitioner. Sandy began her yoga and meditation practice in 2005. She trained and worked at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco since 2014. She is a graduate of Kerala Ayurveda Academy’s Ayurvedic Health Counselor program and is currently completing her Ayurvedic Practitioner level training.
Sandy has lived and practiced at Buddhist meditation centers in the US and Asia for many years. Her work with the wisdom and compassion practices offered through Buddhism inspires her deepest intention of waking up and transforming suffering – her own and others.
Sandy provides a welcoming environment for all to experience the benefits of yoga. Her knowledge of Ayurveda informs her approach and ability to offer practices tailored to the individual, time and season. As a new mother, Sandy also offers pre- and post-natal yoga support to parents.
Michael Lucey (he/him) is Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher. He stumbled into an Iyengar yoga class in 1982, while he was a student at Oxford University. Since then, he has been fascinated by how yoga can transform your relation to your body, mind, and breath and his classes aim to share that fascination with you. Michael is certified at the Senior Intermediate level; he has had the good fortune to study with many senior teachers from around the United States and Europe, and has also made 11 trips to Pune, India to study with the Iyengar family. His most recent trip was in December 2018. Michael is a professor of Comparative Literature and French at UC Berkeley, and enjoys playing jazz piano as well.
Inbal Meron (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher. She discovered Yoga during her studies for a degree in Plant Biology in 2005. Yoga awakened a deep yearning inside to not only understand life but to participate in it fully with deep presence, awareness, openness, and compassion. Since then, Inbal has been studying yoga and meditation in Israel, India and the U.S. She has an extensive background in the yoga industry, both on the administrative side and as a teacher.
Ruchi Murlidhar (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher (Level 2) and a certified Yoga Therapist (c-IAYT). She is graduate of the Advanced Studies/Teacher Training program of the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco. Ruchi began learning yoga in elementary school in India and tried various forms of yoga before focusing on Iyengar Yoga. She studies regularly with her mentor Elise Miller along with other senior teachers Lois Steinberg, Jito Yumibe and Victoria Austin who is also her pranayama teacher. She has also been fortunate to study in India at RIMYI with Geeta Iyengar. Ruchi completed the Yoga Vidya program with Heather Haxo Phillips and has a regular chanting practice. She is often found experimenting in the kitchen and enjoys California sunshine while hiking/biking with her two boys. She loves to volunteer at her kids school and in her community. Her vibrant personality and sense of humor make her classes playful and accessible for students of all ages.
Heather Haxo Phillips (she/her) is Director of Adeline Yoga and a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher at the Senior Intermediate level (Level 3). Among the highest certified Iyengar teachers in the East Bay, her additional certifications include: Certified Yoga Therapist (c-IAYT), Relax and Renew restorative yoga teacher and Yoga Alliance E-500 level instructor. She has specialized yoga therapy training which includes scoliosis, musculoskeletal injuries and pain management. One of her asana-related specialties is women’s health. Heather has a deep commitment to the ancient teachings which includes mantra sadhana (chanting) and Sanskrit, pranayama and yoga philosophy. You can expect to find aspects of this in all of Heather’s classes. Heather deepens her own practice by studying regularly with senior Iyengar teachers, Sanskrit and Vedic scholars, and the Iyengar family in Pune. Heather is past President of the Board of Directors for the Iyengar Yoga Association of Northern California and an active volunteer for the Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States. Heather is also an active part of the South Berkeley community including the Lorin Merchants Association (LBA).
Deborah Saliby (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga teacher, a Certified Yoga therapist and has been teaching Iyengar yoga for 40 years.
She began her yoga practice in 1977 during college to help alleviate stress and anxiety. A graduate of the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco (1982), she studies regularly with Senior teachers and attends Iyengar conventions.
Deborah’s classes are balanced and integrated, leaving students with greater energy, emotional stability and a renewed sense of well-being. Props are regularly used to support students’ access to postures safely and mindfully.
Her classes include inversions or variations of inversions, restorative postures, breath awareness and relaxation, all depending on the class level. She specializes in yoga for back care and yoga for pregnancy.
Deborah also teaches private sessions by appointment for those wanting specific therapeutic attention, i.e. back care, mobility issues, strength building, postural alignment, pain and stress relief, pregnancy, postpartum and menopause.
Deborah is also a hypnotherapist and hypnoBirthing instructor. She’s now retired from full-time Special Education teaching. When not practicing or teaching yoga, Deborah can be found on long walks in nature and visiting with family and friends.
Shari Ser (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher, a physical therapist and certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT). She has been practicing yoga for over 35 years along with working as a physical therapist throughout that time. She loves teaching yoga with students who may feel uncomfortable in faster paced yoga classes and need more personalized attention.
Shari is a certified trainer in Dr Loren Fishman’s Yoga for Osteoporosis method and teaches an ongoing Yoga for Healthy bones class at Adeline Yoga currently on zoom. Shari loves teaching anatomy classes for yoga students and teachers and believes we can deepen our practice and teaching of yoga through a good understanding of basic anatomy. She is a graduate of the Adeline Yoga Sadhana Studies Program. Her additional certifications include RYT 500, E-RYT, Shari is an avid believer of the practice and power of yoga throughout the years. She believes in its immense value in maintaining mobility, independence and equanimity as we all age.
Kelly Sobanski (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher at the Intermediate Junior III level and a c-IAYT certified Yoga Therapist. She has studied directly with BKS Iyengar, Geeta Iyengar and Abhijata Shridar including six months of study at the Iyengar Institute in Pune, India. Kelly has deep knowledge of Iyengar Yoga therapeutics and pain management, gleaned from her own practice and eight years assisting in Lois Steinberg’s therapy classes at Iyengar Yoga Champaign-Urbana and her time at the Iyengar Institute in Pune. Kelly has worked with many students with intricate and in-depth physical challenges. Kelly inspires practitioners at all levels to cultivate wisdom, intuition and luminance through the endless learning that yoga unveils. She is also a dedicated volunteer including past President of the Board of Directors for the Iyengar Yoga Association of the Mid-West.
Sachiko Nishizawa Willis (she/her) is a practitioner and certified Yoga Therapist (c-IAYT), with particular interest in therapeutic effects of the practice. She is drawn to Iyengar Yoga for its inclusivity, and its methodical cultivation of focus, intention and discipline using the body first as the tool. She is captivated by how this approach transforms and empowers one toward wellness on and beyond physical level, and aims to share her understanding and enthusiasm with students. Sachiko came from Japan to study theatre in the U.S., and worked in that field for 20 years.
GUEST TEACHERS
Deidra Demens (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher based in New York City. She was first introduced to Yoga in 2004 and is now certified at the Junior Intermediate 1 level. While studying at The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago Illinois, Deidra explored various styles of Yoga, movement and breathing exercises as creative ways of expression. Upon graduating, Deidra moved to New York to follow her dream of becoming a theatre artist. Between shows Deidra continued studying Yoga and began teaching in 2011. After taking her first Iyengar class, Deidra was amazed at how much she learned in just one class. “I needed a foundation for my practice and teaching, I found it in Iyengar Yoga. The instructions were clear and precise. My interest in Yoga was elevated. My practice transformed, and so my journey began.” – Deidra Demens Deidra graduated from the Iyengar Yoga Institute of New York and became a certified CIYT in 2017. She is on the teaching faculty at the New York Institute. Deidra’s approach to teaching is comprehensive and fun, her classes are dynamic and engaging. Through demonstration and detailed alignment Deidra seeks to both challenge and inspire her students. You can do some yoga poses with her in this youtube video.
Tiffany Goss (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher and is a graduate of the Sadhana Studies program at Adeline Yoga. Her teaching can be described as authentic and compassionate. Her first Iyengar yoga class in 2012 was held in a small living room by a friend. She knew then that Iyengar yoga was her path. She resonated with the precision in instructions and corrections. Also a bodyworker, Tiffany has a thorough understanding of the body and kinesiology. Tiffany’s goal is to make yoga accessible and safe for all body types. In her free time she likes to go hiking and plan her next travel destination.
Anna Lamb (she/Her) came to Iyengar Yoga through the Iyengar Yoga Center of Scottsdale in Arizona. It was there that she completed her 500 hour teacher education. She loved the method so much that she continued her studies and became a Level I CIYT. Anna has been doing yoga for more than 14 years with nine of them solely concentrated on BKS’ teachings. Anna also works in clinical nutrition and is the Store Manager for our Iyengar Yoga national organization (IYNAUS). She brings fun to her classes along with a knowing eye that sees what students need to deepen their knowledge of asana. In her spare time she loves to be in the kitchen baking bread or trying new recipes.
Sandy Moller (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher based in Gilroy, California.
Sandy is a yoga teacher and winemaker. As owner of Satori Cellars, Sandy offers outdoor yoga classes for the local community. Sandy can put almost anyone at ease—not just with her calming demeanor and positive attitude, but also by using yoga to quiet the mind.
When she isn’t practicing yoga, you can find Sandy working in her garden and playing with her four dogs.
Patti Martin (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher based in San Francisco. She is a warm, encouraging and upbeat teacher who inspires confidence in her students to explore their potentials. Patti is inclusive and respects differences in students; she patiently nurtures the physical and mental evolution that comes with the practice of yoga. Patti is inspired by every person working hard to be better. Her favorite poses are those that she finds difficult, but within reach—those that require focus, faith, dedication, and practice. Patti’s favorite yoga sutra is 1.33: Through cultivation of friendliness, compassion, joy and indifference to pleasure and pain, virtue and vice respectively, the consciousness becomes favorably disposed, serene and benevolent.ong psychotherapists, as well as the integration of yoga into traditional psychotherapy. Vincent’s classes cater to the needs and goals of students at various levels and challenge all to reach beyond their limits to evolve physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Francesca Nicosia (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher and Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT). She took her first Iyengar Yoga class in 2010 and is a graduate of Adeline Yoga’s two-year Sadhana Studies program. She has been practicing yoga since 1998 and teaching since 2005 after completing a teacher-training program while living at Shoshoni Yoga Retreat in Colorado. Francesca has a PhD in Medical Anthropology and is faculty at the Institute for Health & Aging at the University of California, San Francisco, and is a researcher and yoga therapist with the San Francisco VA Health Care System’s Integrative Health Service. A former member of the IYNAUS Research Committee, she now serves as a yoga therapy subject matter expert for the Veterans Health Administration. Her specialized training includes restorative yoga, yoga for sleep, pain management, musculoskeletal conditions including scoliosis, and other chronic health conditions. Francesca’s classes share the transformative power of yoga to find freedom within the body and mind for people of all ages and walks of life.
Gopika Womack-Freeman (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher. Gopika first came to yoga through her guru Swamini Turiyasangitananda – Alice Coltrane, who initiated her into the path of Bhakti yoga. She went on to study and practice Hatha yoga with Purusha Hicks while pursuing a career in Creative Dance and Education. Through the practice of Hatha yoga she learned about Mr. Iyengar; deeply moved by his life and approach, she continued to study and practice through Adeline Yoga’s Sadhana Studies Program. Gopika brings a joyful and open-hearted approach to her teaching, with a particular interest in sharing yoga with children.
