Yoga Teacher Training Graduates: 2009

Anastasija Katcyna

Anastasija Katcyna immigrated to the U.S. seven years ago. Her time in the U.S. has been one of deep introspection and personal development. Along the way she decided to acquire a BS degree in Nutrition science. The process of learning and the approach of healthy lifestyle initiated the yoga journey. Through yoga, she found physical, spiritual and emotional nourishment and received her 200 hour yoga certification with Laurel Hodory in the fall of 2009. As a Dietician, she seeks to craft therapeutic approach involving both yoga, nutrition and preventative medicine. Her teaching style is an exploration of the body and mind, both physical and spiritual at once. Anastasija strives to incorporate Power Yoga, Anusara alignment, Kundalini yoga and Asian philosophy into the teaching. She is inspired by the words of St. Francis of Assisi: “The one who you are looking for is who is looking.” Strengthen your health—practice yoga; feel happy.

Angel Delong

Angel Delong’s career in the practice and instruction of Yoga has spanned approximately 14 years. She was initially self-taught utilizing videos and television specialists such as Rodney Yee, Karen Voight, Steve Ross and many others. While continuing her training, she pursued her quest for an instructor who could provide the direction and insights necessary for her to develop a more effective level of Yoga standards. This began when she received 2 fitness related Yoga Instructor Certification in 2006 & 2008. As she continued her venture and struggle for a higher instruction, she was able to attained her goal in 2009 while under the tutelage of Laurel Hodory. Angel completed a 200 hour RYT course which is nationally recognized by the Yoga Alliance, thus achieving her certification in Ashtanga & Hatha Yoga.

During the past 10 years, Angel has practiced as a personal trainer. She has experienced an array of clientèle ranging in age from five to 85. Because of her awareness of how clients experienced a low level of flexibility in mind and body, her involvement and training in Yoga has allowed her to assist her clientèle in accomplishing greater personal goals. She has been extremely motivated in sharing her insights and personal discovers via the venue of Yoga. Her motto, “No matter where you are on your journey of life, you are never to young or old to begin Yoga,” is also her personal conviction shared through her current practice. Her life goal is allowing others to realize their personal strength from within.

Ashley Thorndike

Ashley Thorndike began studying Asthanga yoga in Charlottesville,Virginia in 2001. She completed her 200-hour teacher training in the Asthanga and Hatha traditions with Laurel Hodory in November 2009. Ashley holds a B.F.A. in modern dance, a M.Ed. in counseling, and is currently completing a Ph.D. in dance studies. She has taught dance and related movement forms for 10 years in multiple locations. After teaching three semesters of Ashtanga-based courses in the Ohio State University Department of Dance, Ashley’s approach to yoga has shifted to a creative vinyasa class designed to provide opportunities for students to experience physical and emotional strength and flexibility though an emphasis on depth of practice, alignment, and edge.

Bethany Pearce

Bethany Pearce discovered yoga in the late 90’s when she was attempting to heal her body, mind and spirit from the abuses of almost 20 years of competitive and professional figure skating. She found yoga to be a transformational practice for her body and spirit. It became a way for her to stay in the present moment grounded and open to her true self. She received her Bachelors of Fine Art degree from The Columbus College of Art and Design and continued to study yoga through the years.

To take her yoga journey to the next level, Bethany enrolled in the Yoga Teacher Training, 200 hr. program of study with Laurel Hodory, graduating in the fall of 2009. Bethany hopes to be an inspiration to her students, to help them open to their inner light and to find happiness, as this is the gift yoga has brought to her.

Bethany lives in the Upper Arlington area with her beloved partner, Eric and her 10-year-old son and his growing pet collection. In her time away from yoga she works as a visual display designer and artist. She loves to travel and to spend time with family and friends.

Cindy Heyer

Cindy Heyer has been practicing yoga for 6 years. During that time, Cindy has found yoga to be a transformative and healing practice. Cindy practiced Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga until recently when she began to explore Iyengar yoga in order to better understand alignment. Cindy has attended workshops with Tim Miller and Matty Ezraty. Cindy has been teaching her coworkers at Nationwide Insurance for the last six months. Cindy received her 200 hour RYT in 2009 after completing a teacher training program with Laurel Hodory. Cindy tries to help her students come to know themselves more fully throughtheir yoga practice. Cindy also attends seminary at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio and loves discussing theology. Cindy also loves spending time with her two children ages 9 and 11.

Emily Rose

At the young age of three, Emily Rose began taking ballet lessons at ‘The Marjorie Jones School of Dance’ in Columbus, Ohio. As the years progressed, and Emily’s exposure to different movement forms increased, she started feeling the drive to continue her education in modern dance. Emily attended the ‘Interlochen Arts Camp’ in Michigan to study modern dance and improvisation; it was there that she began taking a Bikram inspired yoga class taught by a member of the dance faculty. Emily graduated from Hope College in Holland, MI with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Minor in Dance. While studying with the Hope Dance Department Emily developed her dance technique skills with teachers who had danced with Alvin Nikolais, Pilobolus, and the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. Emily was greatly influenced by these teachers and began investing herself in learning Contact Improvisation, Capoeira, dance composition, and even Qigong. Beginning in the summer of 2008 Emily regularly began attending yoga classes at Grow Yoga in Grandview,OH and found great comfort thanks to the help of her teachers: Zoe Rabinowitz, Abby Dorn, Marie Burson, Tyler Reed, Sally Roberts, and Laurel Hodory. In November 2009 Emily completed her 200 hour RYT Yoga Teacher certification with Laurel Hodory.

Jennifer Gleichauf

Jennifer Gleichauf began studying yoga in 1999 through videos at home, and local and resort classes. Her interest has increased ever since. Yoga was integral to her recovery from back surgery in 2006. After a full recovery, her practice continued to grow, and she received her 200-hour RYT certification in 2009 in hatha and ashtanga yoga with Laurel Hodory. In addition to teaching yoga, Jennifer loves teaching young children music and how to grow in faith, and she enjoys volunteering with MRDD adults. Her nurturing spirit, soothing voice and comforting touch are an asset to her teaching. Jennifer encourages her students to accept where they are, and inspires them to grow in body, mind and spirit.

Keisa Lee

Keisa Lee has been practicing yoga intermittently for 10 years. It wasn’t until after losing 100 pounds through intense physical workouts, about three years ago, that she dedicated herself to yoga more fully. She found yoga to be a wonderful healing way of staying in great physical and mental shape. Yoga helped Keisa through out her pregnancy in 2007 tremendously and after giving birth she knew that she wanted to further her experiences with yoga into teaching others. She enrolled in Laurel Hodory’s 200 hour teacher training program in 2009 and would describe her experience as a beautiful journey of understanding herself in ways she had never experienced before. Off of the yoga mat Keisa enjoys spending time with her wonderfully supportive husband, Mike and 2 year old son , Zaeden. Keisa hopes to help her students on their own journeys of self discovery and is excited to embrace what the universe has in store for her next.

Maggie Egbert

Maggie Egbert went to her first yoga class in 2003 when she was searching for ways to deal with stress. What she discovered was not only was yoga calming on the mind but also challenging physical workout. Maggie has enjoyed practicing with many different teachers and styles of yoga and through those influences has developed a style of class that focuses on self reflection instead of competition and classes that have laughter and music and offer a vigorous physical workout. Maggie received her certification in 2009. Maggie lives in Upper Arlington with her husband Charlie they enjoy the adventures of traveling and when at home enjoy playing with their two dogs Max and Zoe.

Patti Petrella

Patti Petrella has 33 years experience as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, and has been a yoga teacher since 2002. As a past fitness center owner, she has over a thousand hours experience in teaching Yoga, and she presently teaches at The Wellness Community, for cancer survivors, as well as privately scheduled classes.

Patti has immersed herself in Yoga teachings and has been lucky enough to have trained recently with Yoga master, Laurel Hodory, in Hatha, Ashtanga and Anusara Yoga, receiving her certification through the Yoga Alliance.

Her certifications in Pilates, Focus on Healing, Personal Training and a Reiki, as well as special training on how yoga can be used to restore cancer patients, further enriches her ability to create a nurturing and safe environment in her classes.

Yoga has been the foundation for Patti’s own personal spiritual practice believing that yoga can help us all achieve peace, happiness and physical well-being, and through this path we can experience ananda (bliss).

“I am a strong believer in focusing on positive energy and compassion as I encourage each student to find their own uniqueness, through a sense of lightheartedness and awareness.”

Sarah Bauman

Sarah Bauman first started practicing yoga in 2005 because it was a physical activity that her injured knee could tolerate. She started yoga as a rehab for her physical injuries and it turned into a rehab for her life off the mat. She found she was taking steps towards a healthier more balanced lifestyle. It was a nice surprise that yoga gave her space, time, and a repertoire to explore self-awareness, self-care, and karmas. Sarah began with an alignment based anusara yoga practice, then moved to a faster paced Ashtanga, with a splash of meditative yin. After completing her 200-hour yoga teacher training in hatha and ashtanga yoga, with Laurel Hodory in 2009, she hopes to provide students their own safe space and time to explore physical movements, philosophies, and fun.

Susan Melsop

Susan Melsop was first introduced to yoga as a young child, watching her mother do head stands (sirshasana) in the middle of the living room. Her own yoga practice stems from her studies of Eastern philosophy, specifically the teachings of Buddhism. “To be interested in the way the mind works, is to be interested in Buddhism”. For her, yoga is a practice of synchronizing the thoughts of the mind, with the actions of the body to nourish and enlighten the spirit. The yoga studio is a place to practice this synchronicity in order to take this wisdom onto the streets and into the everyday.

In the fall of 2009, Susan completed the 200-Hour Yoga Alliance Certification under the tutelage of Laurel Hodory. Susan has participated in yoga workshops with Shiva Rea, Seane Corn and Larry Schultz. Her practice involves both Hatha and Ashtanga traditions. She aspires to teach with compassion, humility and humor, and to promote the psychological and physical benefits of yoga.

Tammie Gortner

Tammie Gortner began practicing yoga three years ago when she moved to an apartment one block away from It’s Yoga. Yoga transformed her physically and had profound affects in other areas of her life. In the fall of 2008, Tammie left her job as a science editor to travel for a four months in Nepal and India. While in India, she spent time at Sivananda and Vivekananda yoga ashrams, where she was immersed in a daily schedule of yoga practice and philosophy. Though she thoroughly enjoyed her experiences abroad, she was craving more in-depth instruction and a more flexible approach to yoga. From an Internet Cafe in India, Tammie applied to a 200 hour yoga teacher training program with Laurel Hodory and completed her training in the fall of 2009 upon returning from her travels. She is looking forward to introducing new students to yoga and showing them that yoga can be accessible to everyone.

Terri Rosen

Terri Rosen has been practicing yoga since 1999. As a lifelong ballet dancer, yoga was a natural continuation of her movement studies, especially with relation to flexibility and balance. Terri’s passion for physical fitness eventually led her to pursue certifications in teaching self defense and fitness. In 2008, Terri received her level 1 certification as a CrossFit instructor as well as becoming certified to teach Krav Maga by the United States Krav Maga Association. In 2009, Terri completed her 200-hour Yoga Alliance certification in hatha and vinyasa yoga with Laurel Hodory. Terri now strives to use yoga as a tool to introduce balance, harmony and physical health into the lives of her fitness and self defense students.

Tina Crosa

Tina Crosa, RYT200, has been practicing yoga for 11 years and teaching since 2003. She has studied with Seane Corn, Todd Norian, and recently received her certification in hatha and Ashtanga yoga with Laurel Hodory. Tina’s yoga teaching philosophy is one that goes deeper than the physical realm. She believes that the yoga practice and postures are tools that take the yogi to a deeper state to find the true self within. Yet the journey that Tina takes her students on in the classroom is one that is light and fun. Each yoga posture is an instrument forflexibility, strength, and and building of heat in the body, as well as an opportunity for self-discovery and awareness for that given moment. Students leave Tina’s class with a mixture of physcial and emotional well-being. Tina lives with her husband and two children in Dublin, Ohio where she enjoys gardening, reading, and cheering her boys on at soccer.

Yu Xiao

Yu Xiao hails from China and holds a BA in the Department of Choreography at Beijing Dance Academy, and MFA degree in choreography in the Department of Dance at the Ohio State University. Yu began to practice yoga in 2005 with different yoga teachers both in China and the United States. She developed her passion for yoga when she turned to the practice as an alternative health treatment to heal her hip injury, and a physical practice to keep her strength, flexibility and balance other than dance classes. Yu is received her 200-hour teacher with Laurel Hodory in the fall of 2009. With her knowledge and background from various dance techniques, Tai Chi, Chinese dance, improvisation and choreography, Yu is delighted that yoga introduced her to another movement arts and living style—a balance of body, mind, and soul. She is hoping to share her experiences of movement arts, her love of yoga, her benefit from yoga and her thought about yoga with others. She hopes her classes will bring students strength and flexibility, joy and challenge, peace and enthusiast. Yu lives in Columbus with her husband, and is expecting her first child.