OUR INSTRUCTORS
Suzanne Bonefas
I am on a lifelong learning adventure, and teaching is one of my favorite ways to learn and grow. I strive to teach classes that combine mental, physical, and spiritual health with the joy of connecting both internally and externally. Students inspire me to show up with my whole self and to continue to refine how I teach and communicate.
I have training in Yin yoga, meditation, and children’s yoga, and certification in trauma-informed yoga practices, and I strive to combine all these styles and mindsets in my classes.
LaShell Carter
I was introduced to yoga in 2011. After my first class, I felt something in my heart that
I can not put into words. As I continued to practice, I knew this was something I wanted to have a deeper understanding about and possibly one day share with others.
I attended Teacher Training in August 2011 with Sacred Art Yoga.
Yoga is an amazing physical practice but it goes way beyond that for me and so many others. Practicing yoga has taught me to be patient with myself and others, it’s taught me to be present, it’s taught me to breathe! Every day we are inhaling and exhaling but since it’s an automatic function, it’s done without intention. Yoga has taught me to take the time to breathe, to go inward, to live on purpose…with intention. As a Holistic Health Coach, I love teaching classes that focus on the entire body: mind, body and spirit. I encourage you to feel into your body, create ease in the mind and soothe the spirit with each breath. It is my joy to share my heart and my practice with you.
Amanda Marchand
Hi! My name is Amanda Marchand and I am a 200 hour experienced yoga teacher. I am certified in the Baptiste Power Vinyasa and will be getting my 300 hours next year making me a 500 hour experienced yoga instructor. I am also certified in SUP yoga and teach kids classes, as well as chair yoga.
I am a mom of two awesome boys both 17 and 4 years old whom keep me very busy and on my toes. I got married last May to my husband whom shares yoga as a passion as well. Our house is filled with yoga, meditation, guitars, music, dinosaurs and LOVE!
I am a retired Montessori teacher and assistant director of a school for 11 years. I began to feel burnt out in the classroom so I took a huge leap of faith and quit the classroom and went to teach yoga full time. It was one of the scariest decision I have had to make, but looking back, it was the best decision I have ever made.
Allison Cisler
Allison fell in love with yoga about 6 years ago. She loves how yoga can simultaneously challenge the body while calming the mind.
Allison is a firm believer that yoga is for Every Body. In fact, she believes that the benefits of yoga increase as you age. Allison loves the diversity that yoga offers and it's ability to meet different client needs.
Allison lives in Katy Texas with her family and her dog "Rizzo".
Susan Merida
My name is Susan Merida. I began my journey through yoga years ago for health reasons, work and accompanied by episodes of anxiety and stress. I found yoga the way to find myself. With a background in the health field as a pediatric dentist, my body suffered all the stress with injuries to my back and hands. Yoga was key to my recovery physically and mentally.
I certified as a teacher 200 hours of yoga in 2017, plus I study about the behavior of brain, 2019. I finished my neurolinguistic programming certification, currently 2020, I finished the 300 hours of teacher yoga alliance.
I am happily married, the mother of 2 and my Mayan beagle dog. I've been teaching since 2018 and my favorite pose is warrior in all its variations.
I like to be a servant of breaking mental schemes, that the new generations practice, and to help the contemporaries to age healthily. Yoga is magical and I love to accompany my students in their self study and enjoy the movements of their body combined with their breathing.
Besides yoga, I enjoy good food, exploring options in my green and sustainable lifestyle for the planet, meeting with my family and friends, traveling and reading. I like being a student, so I keep my practice and always learn. I practice a philosophy of life on the mat but more importantly off the mat.
Ashley Schmidt
Yoga has not saved me. It has taught me how to save myself. In December 2010, I suffered the loss of my first baby. As a coping mechanism, I began to exercise regularly, but at that time, my goal was to control my body because I felt that it had betrayed me. Though my newfound fitness did help me become stronger physically, it did nothing for the emotional and mental wounds I’d suffered. Mental and emotional patterns rose to the surface, and anxiety and depression prevented me from being able to ignore the destructive internal dialogue I was constantly feeding myself. I would not say that the miscarriage, and period of fertility treatment that followed, was a blessing in disguise, but I would say that it was a catalyst, like most traumas and tragedies in our life, that helped me begin to heal myself and move closer to the Divine.
It was during that time that I began to really delve into the spiritual symbolism of events that occur in our lives and finding a positive purpose in trauma, tragedy, and grief. Finally, I found yoga. Yoga connected my physical need for movement to my spiritual search for meaning. It helped me to slow down, breathe, focus and most of all be gentle with myself. I began to learn to honor my body, nourish it, and give gratitude for the things it could do for me without judgement or expectation.
What I hope to bring my students is a sense of their innate worth and of the unceasing, unconditional love that flows to them. I hope to help them tap into that worthiness and love so that not only can they heal from any hardship life has brought them, but also so that they can begin to see hardships as gifts that can lead us, if we so choose, to our highest divine potential.
Wilma Van Oostendorp
Wilma van Oostendorp was born and raised in the Netherlands. She graduated with a degree in cosmetology and taught cosmetology at several institutes as well as working with dermatologists when she met her husband Dirk in Zwolle, her hometown, and started a family. With two little girls they made the move to England, followed two years later by the move to Katy, Texas with two girls and a little boy. The family expanded with another girl and boy and have been living in Katy for over 20 years.
Although most of Wilma’s time was spent at the schools as room mom and PTA board member when the children were enrolled in KISD, there was always time for exercise, whether this was Aerobics, the gym, Yoga (through DVDs at home) or running.
In November 2017, Wilma was introduced to Yoga. It quickly became important to take classes everyday and find not only the physical side of Yoga practice, but also the spiritual elements. All this prompted her to start her teacher training, attend many workshops.Being given the opportunity to teach the Yoga Strengthening and Conditioning class is exciting. I can take elements from all different fitness routines and exercises and combine them in a fun, active, invigorating and strengthening, yet yoga-based workout.
practiced yoga casually over the past 10 years, but in January 2018 I decided to dedicate my time to learning more of what yoga has to offer. The Yoga Teacher Training that Carrie offers was the perfect opportunity for that. I have seen the physical strengths gained through my practice, but what I find most important is the emotional growth that yoga has provided for me. I have learned how to handle daily obstacles with calm and ease. I have grown spiritually through those moments of meditation. Fitness has always been a passion of mine, and by incorporating more yoga into my routine. I feel I am able to offer clients so much more now. Whatever your reason is for stepping on your mat, I encourage everyone to explore the benefits that yoga has to offer.
Jess Geevarghese
Jess believes we are all teachers. When one person learns, we all learn. When one person grows, the universe grows. Yoga has been deeply transformative for her, physically and emotionally, and is thrilled to share her knowledge and learn from her students. She trained at ISHTA Yoga in NYC where she completed the 200-hour teacher training, the advanced 300-hour certification and restorative certification.
She has also trained privately with master teachers in meditation and reiki.
Jess is grateful for the extraordinary teachers in her life who continually remind her that every moment is a moment of potential transformation.
Jess recently moved from New York City. In addition to her RYT-500, Jess holds an MSW and MBA from Washington University in St. Louis.
Sylvia Valerio
Sylvia Valerio (spiritual name “Charan”) wears many hats – from IT Professional to wife, mother and grandmother. But her passion is Kundalini Yoga and Meditation. After many years of searching for self-healing, by practicing various forms of yoga, meditation and energy-related healing modalities, she found the technology of Kundalini Yoga is what works for her. Sylvia’s mission is to help others find what she found – deep healing on all levels, stress reduction, peace, and a better quality of life. Having begun her own yoga practice later in life, she feels that yoga can be practiced at any age and flexibility level and wants to share the many benefits with others. Her specialty is gentle yoga with inspiring music, meditation and relaxation using the healing sounds of the gong and crystal bowls. She received her 200-hour certification through the Kundalini Research Institute and Yoga Alliance and was honored with the 2014 International Kundalini Yoga Teacher’s Association Recognition Award.