Meet Our Highly Qualified Instructors

Vanessa, Certified Anusara Instructor and E-RYT500 and co-founder of the Ashland Yoga Center where she has taught classes and workshops for 11 years. She also holds a teacher certification from the Iyengar Institute of San Francisco and continues to evolve her teaching from the universal source of yoga in herself, her students and other teachers. Vanessa’s classes combine vinyasa flow and sustained poses with a focus on core strength and integration of breath, alignment and presence in students of all levels. She is passionate about the power of Anusara principles applied and explored in the context of opening the heart to the flow of “Shri”, the irrepressible beauty and creative energy of life. Private practice or therapeutic sessions are available.

Phone: 541-301-0177 or
E-Mail Vanessa

Marion has been teaching yoga since 1987, and is one of the founders of the Ashland Yoga Center.  She is a graduate of the Advanced Studies Teacher Training Program at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco.  Marion’s style is gentle and flowing.  She emphasizes going deeper into the poses by letting go of tension.

Phone: (541) 488-4448 or
E-mail Marion

Melissa is an experienced yoga teacher for over 10 years locally and beyond, and a devoted student to her own training for over 16 years. Certified yoga teacher and minister trained in multiple yoga viewpoints of Vinyasa, Alignment based transformational Flow, Meditation, and Energy body healing arts. Melissa's emphasis is approaching the physical based asana practice with grace and honesty, not forgetting we are more than our physical body as we unfold into awareness through the Yogic arts science aligning heart mind and body. "The yogic arts offer us an incredible abundance of skillful methods that create a navigational system for understanding, I honor all my incredible teachers for passing on this lineage that is so practical and useful for enriching our lives." Private and semi privates available.
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Kristin spent 2 years in Mysore, India, studying Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and yoga philosophy and pranayama with Dr. Shankaranarayana. She has been teaching yoga since 1987 and leads teacher trainings and workshops nationally. Kristin joins AYC from Richard Freeman's Yoga Workshop in Boulder, CO, where she taught from 1998 - 2003. Kristin brings her joy in life and deep understanding of the body's innate intelligence to her teaching. Private sessions available.

Phone: (541)  535-1022 or
E-mail Kristin

Vrnda has been exploring yoga since the 1970s & was certified in 1988 in the Sivananda style, trained in the Iyengar style w/Geeta Iyengar & senior teachers, & completed an Anusara Training in 2002. Both a student and teacher of focused, purposeful living, she creates sacred space for deep personal exploration, making possible the transformation and increased self awareness that yoga offers. She inspires students to explore their potential, while respecting individual capacity. Vrnda is also a certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist, Hakomi therapist and a Relax and Renew Trainer. She is available for private sessions and children’s classes.

Phone: (541) 552-0108 or
E-mail Vrinda

Lizz helps her students celebrate the present moment and connect to their inner teacher. Her style is focused, yet light and open-hearted. Classes emphasize ease, strength, flexibility and precision riding on the flow of breath. Lizz is a certified Integrative Yoga therapist and a dancer with extensive training in massage and body centered counseling; she has practiced, studied and taught yoga for over 20 years.

Phone: (541) 482-6858 or
E-mail Lizz

Nora has had an unwavering Love and devotion to Yoga ever since she began practicing 10 years ago. She completed the 300 hr. Yoga Alliance Certification Program at the Santa Barbara Yoga Center where she taught for two years before moving to Ashland. Some of the world renowned teachers she trained with include Erich Schiffman, Sarah Powers, Paul Grilley and Cheri Clampett. Her Level 1 class focuses on breath, intention and core alignment in order to develop a solid foundation. As a certified Therapeutic Yoga Instructor her gentle approach in the Restorative Practice focuses on healing, self-discovery and the pure joy of being in the present moment. Her intention as an instructor is to assist in creating balance and harmony in relationship to yourself, others, your life and the world around you. Private Sessions Available

Phone: (541) 482-8870 or
E-Mail Nora

Lindagrace, RYT has actively practiced, studied and taught classical hatha yoga since completing her teacher training in Kriya Yoga in 1995 (the Yoga Connection, Tucson, AZ). Continuing education in the Iyengar and Anusara traditions combine with studies in tai chi and chi gong to create her gentle, inclusive teaching style. She values deep breathing, good alignment, strengthening and experiencing joy as a result of a well rounded practice. She is skilled in teaching gentle/ restorative yoga, and loves to work with seniors and practitioners of all ages and levels.

Paige is a certified Kripalu yoga instructor who began exploring yoga while traveling in India ten years ago. She has spent time living in ashram settings in the U. S. where she has been able to immerse herself in yogic teachings, and has studied extensively with Yoganand Michael Carol, a masterful yogi with a thorough understanding of the deeper practices. Paige's classes offer an exploration of asana and pranayama with the intent to cultivate the balance of sensitivity and strength, enabling growth in body, mind and spirit. Students will be encouraged to challenge themselves, but always in a compassionate, non-competitive way. Private sessions available.

Phone: (413) 250-2392 or
E-Mail Paige

Krista has had a lifelong passion for the movement and healing arts. She was first introduced to Eastern philosophy, mysticism and various practices of meditation at an ashram in India at the age of twelve. Inspired by seeing her mother's Ashtanga yoga practice, she began practicing hatha yoga in 1989. Her yoga practice has been nurtured and guided by many wonderful teachers branching from the Sri T. Krishnamacharya lineage. Krista has completed four teacher training courses (Rod Stryker, Ana Forrest, John Friend and The Center for Yoga, L.A.). She has been teaching yoga since 1998. Krista is gifted at teaching all levels of students, from those just beginning yoga to advanced practitioners. She is known for her passionate, insightful and transformative teaching.

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Sheryl Grunde has been teaching yoga for the last 10 years, and has a diverse background including a foundation in Iyengar yoga, certification as an Ananda Yoga instructor, and continuing practice and study in vinyasa and Anusara yoga.  She loves to breathe, has a keen eye for alignment, and is a natural teacher with a gift for description.  Sheryl is also a Thai Massage therapist with an office in Ashland. Since 2002, when she was first pregnant, Sheryl has been passionate about sharing yoga with women transitioning into motherhood.  She teaches prenatal yoga and "Baby Yoga," for postpartum moms and babies, works as a doula at the Ashland Community Hospital, and offers pregnancy massage.

Phone: (541) 951-7474 or
E-Mail Sheryl
Website: www.honoringthemother.com

Wendy has studied healing in many different forms. She began her study of the body and the energy systems in 1996. In 1997 she began her Mastery training in self awareness and emotional responsibility, which she continues to study and teach today. Her desire to bring her physical body into her spiritual practice lead her to the discovery and study of yoga in 1999. Her Yoga training includes the study of Ayurveda, Hatha/Vinyasa Yoga, Therapeutic Yoga, Pranayama, and the Subtle Body. Wendy is also a Certified Kids Yoga Teacher.
As a yoga teacher, she combines and honors the wisdom from all her forms of study.
Wendy’s classes are focused on connection with the total Self, using breath and inner focus. Students are encouraged to become aware of the emotional and mental limitations that hold us back, to discover the great freedom, strength and joy in the asana practice and ultimately in our lives.

Kids Classes
As an early childhood educator of almost 20 years Wendy finds yoga an incredible tool for kids. In her classes children discover balance, concentration, cooperative skills, strength, inner focus, ways to speed up and most importantly how to slow down. Children also have journals and some time for art.

Phone: 541-512-1940 or
E-Mail Wendy

Ineke Warmerdam (RYT) is a certified Kripalu Yoga Teacher who has been practicing for over twelve years. Yoga has supported her in the process of finding physical wellbeing and peace within. She has also studied with Judith Lasater and is a certified Relax and Renew Teacher. Ineke’s classes are joyful, with a calm and meditative atmosphere. She gently guides her students into explorations of breath, body and mind, and balance between challenge and relaxation, building strength and increasing flexibility. She is available for private sessions.

Mona Therese Winston, E-RYT 500
Mona is originally from Copenhagen, Denmark and she moved to the United
States of America in 2005. Mona has always found the body fascinating, not
only physically, but also mentally and spiritually. Her many years as a
therapist and teacher of Yoga, Body Work, Massage, Reflexology and Reiki
Healing have given her a profound insight into the mind/body connection.
Mona is trained in the lineage of Krishnamacharya, and focuses on
Pranayama, Meditation and Vinyasa Yoga, which means "breath synchronized
movements." Mona teaches Yoga nationally and internationally and she is a
part of the team at the Vajra Pani Teachers Training.


Phone: (541) 499-5064 or
Website: http://www.theresewinston.com/

Joshua Master, Joshua's mom was his first inspiration for practice as she shared reading out loud from a beginning Bikram Yoga book, visualization and active stretching. Since 2000 he has studied Hatha Yoga with Denise Elzea in Rogue River, OR and while living in Boulder, CO in 2003 – 2004, studied Ashtanga (classical eight limbs of yoga) with Major Lawrence who, like Denise, is a traditional Shivananda teacher. He also studied Anusara Yoga with Ulla Lundgren, Certfied Ansuara Instructor in Bend, OR. His class combines basic Hatha / Ashtanga warm ups and flowing movement sequences; pacing and variations of poses are tailored to the needs and level of practice of the students. Energize, have fun and connect with community!

Joshua and his wife Jessica run Masters Touch Healing Arts, practicing massage therapy locally. Call for more information or to talk directly with the teacher:
Phone: (541) 497-0313