Allison Davis

RYT 200

Allison is the studio manager of Radiance Yoga. She is a devoted student of yoga who has witnessed the power of yoga to transform the body, mind, and spirit. She received her 200hr RYT from Beloved Yoga and currently specializes in flow yoga and children’s yoga. Allison has studied with Shakta Kaur Khalsa, founder of the Radiant Child Yoga Program, and has over 200 hours of volunteer service teaching children in Tibet and Cambodia.

She has a Bachelor Degree in Art History from the University of Maryland and a certification in Graphic Design. In addition to her yoga practice she has a personal study practice that includes psychology, spirituality, and personal development.

Annie Scheppach

M.S. & Certified Holistic Health Counselor

Annie experimented with yoga for the first time nearly nine years ago. Squeezing in a class now and then at the gym on lunch hours, she began to notice subtle changes, such as less muscle tension and pain. Then she took a Svaroopa Yoga class at the beach.  While lying supported on blankets she thought, “I’m not doing anything; how can this be doing me any good”…and then the class was over and she glimpsed for the first time into the “bliss of her own being”. 

What a realization that the answers, the healing, and the gifts were not in the doing but the being. It was easy to decide to take Svaroopa style yoga teacher training at the Master Yoga Academy in LaJolla, California with Rama Birch. Since 2000 she has taught in California and Northern Virginia.

Annie loves inspiring her students softly and gently to open to the healing and transformation that they may be consciously or unconsciously seeking.  Annie supports her students in releasing life long habits, such as competition and self judgment that no longer serve them. In 2005 she also was certified as a Stillpoint Life Healing Coach and graduated as a Holistic Health Educator/Counselor from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.  

In addition to the Wednesday evening yoga practice, Annie is also offering holistic health counseling for individuals and small groups.

Brigitte O'Ryan Pollio

RYT 200                                               

Brigitte was introduced to yoga at an early age by her father who used to do headstands and sun salutations in the backyard.    Her own yoga practice slowly emerged in her early twenties when she experimented with different styles of yoga.   From that time on, yoga took a more prominent role in her life as she discovered how it brought strength, balance, and an overall sense of  well-being into her life. 

In 2006, Brigitte completed her 200 yoga teacher training and has been teaching and practicing yoga to both adults and children ever since.  Brigitte’s classes are vinyasa-based and encourage students to build both inner calm and physical strength through awareness of breath and body.   In addition to teaching yoga, Brigitte also holds a master’s degree in Museum Education and enjoys practicing yoga with her husband and 2 children. 

Colby Cooper

RYT 200                                               

Colby was first turned on to yoga in 2003 after years of rigorous training in classical ballet. Yoga proved to be a natural transition from dance, but offered stress relief and a powerful integration of body and mind that she had never experienced before.  

Colby’s passion for movement inspires her vinyasa flow classes that incorporate fluid sequencing, rejuvenating breath work and grooving dance elements. She is also an avid live music fan and peppers her playlists with an eclectic mix of rock, funk, reggae and electronic dance tunes. 

Colby received her 200hr RYT with Don and Amba Stapleton at the Nosara Yoga Institute in Costa Rica. She holds a Bachelors degree in Communication from Wake Forest University and worked in marketing and event planning in a previous life. Colby lives in Alexandria with her husband, cat and dog.

Delia Sullivan
RYT 200

Delia began practicing yoga 10 years ago.  She mainly practiced a vinyasa style yoga and was amazed by the transformation in her mind and body.  She began teaching teen girls the art of yoga and became passionate about sharing yoga as a way to expanding ones life, one pose at a time!  She believes yoga is a tool that everyone can use in their lives.  An insatiable student, Delia seeks opportunities to study with teachers from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, both locally and in her travels.

She is trained as a teen yoga teacher with Christy Brock of Yoga4teens, Laguna Beach, CA.  The last four years she has taught private classes in her home, corporate setting, elementary school and workshop/retreat setting in Guatemala.  She continues to deepen her understanding of yoga through meditation, independent study, and personal practice. Delia creates a light-hearted environment in which students explore a mindful practice, physical challenges and encourages compassion through self-acceptance. Delia is a native of Alexandria and lives with her husband and three children 18, 14, and 10.  In addition to teaching yoga, Delia is a photographer specializing in children’s portraits, art and travel photography. www.deliasullivanphoto.com

Jodi Kanauer Darlage

RTY 200

Jodi first discovered yoga in college in 1997, but it was not until recovering from an injury while training for a triathlon did she come to truly appreciate the infinite mind/body healing benefits of yoga. jodi has found that her practice melts away the stresses of daily life and nurtures the spirit & soul. she initially practiced bikram yoga for several years before passionately discovering vinyasa flow in 2006.

Jodi encourages students to hit the pause button of the mind to luxuriously discover playfulness in their practice while connecting to the inner child within – permitting oneself to take life & self a little less seriously. she infuses creativity into her classes and guides students on a fluid & energetic voyage with focus on the breath & alignment. Her musical choices in class reflect an upbeat speckled mix of world, rock, jazz, reggae, alternative, blues & hip-hop.

In addition to completing her 200-hour vinyasa training at tranquil space, Jodi has a children’s yoga teacher training certification through karma kids yoga & a pre-natal certification with Shiva Rea. she is grateful to her many teachers and fellow yoginis & yogis who have heartened & inspired her yoga journey.

Jolene Ryan

RYT 200

Jolene found yoga while living in New York City.  Yoga provided the balance and grounding needed to offset the busy city lifestyle, a severe back injury and a professional career characterized by competition, ego and stress. Having found balance and grounding in her own life and having a college and career background in teaching, Jolene is now motivated to share and teach the benefits of yoga and a healthy lifestyle with others. Jolene has been practicing yoga for over 8 years with a vinyasa foundation and brings this energy to the variety of classes she teaches. 

Jolene focuses on developing positive energy and her classes are structured around unwinding, relaxation and rejuvenation of the body, mind and soul.  Jolene's favorite posture is Hanuman, a posture that lends itself to surrendering and letting go. 

Jolene is a Registered Yoga Alliance teacher with 200 hours teacher training from Pure Prana Yoga Studio and 60 hours prenatal teacher training from Golden Bridge Yoga Center in Los Angeles. She has studied with many leading yoga teachers: Beryl Bender Birch, Shiva Rea, Doug Swenson, Ana Forrest, Gurmukh, Cyndi Lee, Sarah Powers and Tias Little enabling her to draw her own interdisciplinary approach when she teaches.  Jolene is also a Certified Holistic Health Counselor, she graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City building on her B.S. in Exercise and Sports Science.  

Kehar Kaur

RYT 200  

Kehar Kaur/Joanna knew she was going to teach yoga since she started practicing Hatha yoga in 2000, but knew she had to find the right style that suited her.  In the summer of 2006, a blessed case of tendonitis in her wrists led her to Kundalini Yoga, and she's been a devoted student ever since. A classically-trained singer with a degree in Vocal performance and life-long performer, she discovered through yoga and meditation that our ability to create is our ability to heal. 

In her teaching practice, she creates a strong and safe environment for self-discovery and healing.  Through her continued personal sadhana of yoga and music, she strives to keep experiencing and healing herself so that she can share the power of personal transformation with others.  

Kehar Kaur is very thankful for all her teachers over the years, and for the global sangat of yogis from all different traditions who are healing the planet.   She completed her Level One training in Herndon, VA with Darshan Kaur Khalsa.

Marilyn Hyde

RYT 200  

Marilyn Hyde loves all kinds of yoga and has been practicing one form or another for many years. But it was during a class taught by Masuda Mohamadi that she became smitten with Kundalini yoga, and following several years of lessons, she undertook the 200-hour Kundalini teachers’ training with Gurudass Kaur and Gurudass Singh in Washington DC.

Marilyn is also a licensed acupuncturist (www.marilynhydeacupuncture.com). Her office is in Old Town. She enjoys the experience of yoga from the perspective of anatomy, acupuncture meridians and energy centers. She enjoys hard work through asana, mantra and meditation and is inspired to lead classes that are invigorating yet appropriate for people at all levels.

Masuda Mohamadi

RYT 200

Masuda is the founder and director of Radiance yoga studio.  She is grateful to have the opportunity to open a yoga studio in Old Town, Alexandria and teach full time.  In her classes, Masuda creates a warm and inviting space for students to relax, laugh, expand their awareness, discover their power, and connect with their creative essence.  Masuda has found yoga to be a powerful tool in experiencing peace, healing, and transformation.

Masuda discovered Kundalini yoga while teaching writing and outdoor living skills at the Mountain Institute in West Virginia in 2002.  She fell in love with the practice and finished her teacher training with Darshan Yoga Studio in 2004.  She also completed her pregnancy-teacher training at Golden Bridge yoga center in New York.  Masuda has studied with Gurumukh Kaur Khalsa in New Mexico and Guru Dev in Italy. Yogi Bhajan, master of Kundalini yoga gave her the spiritual name, Sat Meher Kaur, which means "True Blessing and True Compassion."

Masuda holds a Master's degree in creative writing and a Bachelor's degree in philosophy, both from George Mason University.  She has been published in the Washington Post Magazine and featured in National Geographic Magazine.

Michelle Kelsey Mitchell

M.S. RYT 500  

Michelle completed her 200-hour Holistic Teacher Training at Pure Prana yoga studio in Alexandria, Virginia.  She also completed Manju Jois’ Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training (www.manjujois.com) and the Radiant Child Yoga Program with Shakta Kaur Khalsa (www.childrensyoga.com).  Her eclectic training helps her appreciate yoga in both its traditional and modern forms for practitioners of all ages. 

Personally, her yoga practice has taught her to fully experience patience, love, joy and appreciation of life’s journey.  She has a Master’s in Counseling & Human services, and an undergraduate degree in Sports Medicine with a minor in Sports Psychology.

Michelle is also the co-founder of Yokid, a non-profit organization that enables students to foster self-awareness through regular instruction in yoga and meditation in the Northern Virginia and Washington DC area.  For more information about Yokid please visit Yokid.org

Michelle Volberg

RYT 200  

Michelle was introduced to Yoga as a teen; at Unity Woods Yoga Center in Washington D.C. Here, the seed of yoga was planted. Michelle continued to study yoga and other movement modalities in DC, New York, and Paris. After discovering vinyasa yoga at Cindy Lee's OM yoga studio,  Michelle found a yoga practice that cultivated balance and stillness in the stress and fast pace of her city life. Her practice deepened after her return to Washington to attend grad school. 

Michelle completed her 200 hour interdisciplinary yoga teacher training at the Nosara Yoga Institute in Costa Rica, under the tutelage of directors Don and Amba Stapleton.  Michelle values the subtle nuances of each thread of the yoga family, and has consequently studied with a variety of teachers from different yogic traditions.  Michelle credits the wise guides she has encountered in life to encourage her growth on and off the mat, and is inspired each day by all the wonderful people she has encountered through yoga.   Michelle’s creative flow classes tap into the tempo of the students, encouraging them to discover the internal wisdom of the body through yoga, pranayama, and meditation. 

Natalia Arbelaez 

RYT 200

Wanting to find a retreat away from the buzz of a hectic city lifestyle and a career as a broker, Natalia flirted with the idea of Yoga at different times. It wasn’t until she came across the Atmananda Yoga Sequence (a combination of Ashtanga, Hatha and Iyengar yoga styles) 3 years ago in South America, that she committed herself to a daily practice, enjoying the peace, energy and overall awareness that she had been looking for.

Natalia felt compelled to share with others the many great benefits of Yoga that she continues to experience. She trained as a Yoga instructor by the founder of the Atmananda Yoga Sequence, John T. in New York City. She volunteers some of her time by bringing Yoga to local area school teachers.

Sat Kartar Singh

Sat Kartar is a dynamic, patient, and inspiring teacher who has been sharing the technology of Kundalini Yoga and the 3HO lifestyle for over 30 years. Born in the 50’s and influenced by the events of the 60’s and early 70’s, Sat Kartar met Yogi Bhajan, Master of Kundalini Yoga in 1974. Immediately inspired by this funny, loving, and blunt teacher, that we lovingly referred to as Yogi Ji, Sat Kartar began to study with The Master. This included living in Ashrams along the east coast of the United States  for over a decade and traveling to courses & workshops given by Yogi Bhajan throughout his lifetime.

Kundalini Yoga teacher training did not exist in its current form until late in the 1980’s. A student of Yogi Bhajan’s was directed to start teaching as soon as The Master felt that he or she was ready. Yogi Bhajan always told us that he came to America to train teachers not to collect students.  Sat Kartar began teaching Kundalini Yoga in 1975 and became KRI Certified through a testing process created for those who taught in the early years of 3HO. Over the years, he has shared the teachings of Kundalini Yoga with hundreds of people of all walks of life. He has taught in Ashrams, Health Clubs, Jails, Community Centers, Colleges, and Universities as well as Churches, High Schools, and the Federal Government locations.

Sat Kartar brings to his teaching all of the aspects he has lived and practiced for many years. This includes Yogic diet & lifestyle, yoga for men, yoga for women, the yoga of relationships and marriage, Naad Yoga- the yoga of mantra and sound as well as the vast teachings of Kundalini Kriyas  & Meditations. He also holds certification in NLP ( neuro-linguistic programming) and  BioSync, a yogic neuromuscular therapy which is a type of physical & energetic  bodywork. 

Daniel Hickman

E-RYT

Daniel Hickman is a nationally certified yoga instructor-educator at the 500-hour level with the Yoga Alliance and is a faculty member at the Nosara Yoga Institute in Costa Rica where he co-teaches the Interdisciplinary Yoga Teacher Trainings. 

Darshan  (Life Coach)

Darshan Kaur Khalsa is a personal life coach, having graduated from Coach U, a worldwide leader in coach training. She is also a certified Kundalini Yoga teacher. For over 30 years she has been supporting people in their well-being & personal growth through her wisdom, practical tips, and her gentle but strong heart.

Darshan Kaur Khalsa 

Darshan Kaur Khalsa studied directly with Yogi Bhajan since 1972. He said of her “She came here as a teacher to elevate people. She has a powerful prayer to bring out the God in everyone.” Darshan Kaur is KRI Certified as a teacher and lead teacher trainer and is registered with the Yoga Alliance at the 500 hour level. She has taught over 15,000 hours of yoga classes since 1973. She has been on the faculty of Northern Virigia Communicty College teaching yoga and mediation for 20 years.