The Team

Amanda is an enthusiastic, fun-loving yogi with a passion for movement, science, and human anatomy. Amanda grew up immersed in the world of dance and competitive gymnastics and first started exploring yoga in college when her body began feeling the strain from years of pushing it to extremes. She fell in love first with the physical experience of the practice, then also with the peace available through the mental and spiritual aspects of the practice. With 10+ years of practice and transformation, she would say she’s a yogi for life!

In class with Amanda, show up exactly as you are and expect to have fun! Be willing to challenge your typical comfort zone while exploring your own movement and breath. In her own yoga practice, Amanda likes to get out of her head and into her body, soothing her soul to the rhythm of breath with movement.

Amanda completed her 200-HR training at Toledo Yoga in 2019 and continued on to complete certifications in Yin, MYP Yoga for Athletes, and Sculpt.

Cindy began practicing yoga because it brought her a sense of peace and calm away from the busyness of life. Over the years her passion for yoga grew. When she read the description of the teacher training program at Toledo Yoga she knew that she was meant to complete the program.

When participating in one of Cindy’s yoga classes you can expect that the poses will be broken down to make yoga possible for all bodies. Her classes will challenge you physically and open your mind to try new things both on and off the mat.

Cindy has spent over 25 years working as an Occupational Therapist in various rehabilitation settings.  In addition to the Toledo Yoga 200-Hour Training, she has completed training in Yin, essential oils, Yoga for Athletes and Sculpt.  Outside of yoga she is married, has three adult children and enjoys traveling with her family.

Emily has been consistently practicing yoga for 20 years. She believes in the power of movement and loves sharing the profound impact a yoga community and practice can have on someone. When taking Emily's class, you can expect to be challenged physically with postures, focusing on the present moment through breathwork and ultimately feeling free and having fun. Emily's hope is for students to leave her class feeling lighter and empowered. Emily is a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant and has been practicing in various settings for more than ten years. She completed her 200-HR training in 2018 and Sculpt training in the spring of 2022.

Kenzi is passionate about connection, community, and growth. She views yoga as the manifestation of these values. Connection to her mind, body, and the Toledo Yoga Community brings her to the mat and the studio. She has practiced yoga since college; however, her yoga practice deepened during the pandemic. She found that yoga paired with meditation gave her peace and recentered her. It was through this renewed practice that her perspective shifted, and she saw the value of mindfulness as a way of being. In her classes, Kenzi creates a space for community and adventure, and she gives students opportunities to connect to their mind and body. She encourages you to let go and be here now. You’ll leave Kenzi’s class feeling empowered and feeling the strength of the Toledo Yoga Community. Kenzi completed her 200-Hour teacher training at Toledo Yoga in the fall of 2021. Kenzi has continued her yoga journey through Sculpt Training and is working toward her 300-Hour certification. If Kenzi is not in the studio, you can find her getting coffee at a local shop, taking care of her plants, or spending quality time with her family and friends.

If one were to describe Lori in a single word it would be unforgettable. The light she brings to people’s lives, as well as the mat, remains unique in the community.

Lori’s teaching takes her students beyond their comfort zone into a place of vitality, power, and freedom. She says, “I teach to transform and empower my students!” Leaving them with the desire to further explore possibilities on and off their mat.

Lori is an E-RYT – 200 and RYT 500. She completed her first 200-Hour at Yoga on High in Columbus, Ohio. Lori completed her 500-Hour Teacher Training in December 2021 through Toledo Yoga. She also has certifications in Restorative Yoga, Yin Yoga, and Yoga for Athletes.

Lori’s vision is a community of people who live to radically shift their lives to experience a new way of being.

Shannon first attended a yoga class at an invitation from a friend. What happened next was the development of a practice which quickly began to transform her life, both mentally and physically. Yoga helped transform her connection to herself – I am strong, beautiful and joy.

Shannon's vinyasa is a challenging, energetic sequence, where students fluidly move from one pose to the next, while connecting their breath to their movements. Strength, flexibility and balance are incorporated into each class.

Shannon completed the Toledo Yoga 200 Hour Teacher Training. In addition to yoga, Shannon has run more than 20 half marathons and is certified for BARRE instruction. She is passionate about literacy, serving as a Trustee on the Evergreen Community Library Board.

Brent was a wrestler progressing into a cage fighter who turned into a yogi. Sound like a logical progression? In Brent’s mind it was. All three of these platforms allows one to physically discover what is changeable and what isn’t yoga’s path has far less injuries and that is progress.

Brent’s classes typically start with a short meditation then transitions into 3 different flow sequences and ends in a long rewarded savasana. The heat is high, the tunes are cool, and the vibe is euphoric. As you move through class your breath will become steadier, your body will become stronger and your mind will become free.

Out of the room you can usually find Brent playing obscure musical instruments, feeding chickens, and occasionally couch surfing somewhere here on Earth.

Alyson discovered yoga in 2015 while searching for relief from years of chronic back pain. She quickly fell in love with not only the way yoga made her body feel (no more back pain!) but also the way it could quiet her mind. She strongly believes yoga changes lives and loves sharing the practice with those around her.

While teaching her classes, she encourages students to completely let go on the mat and be fully present throughout their practice. You can expect to challenge your body while connecting to your breath and mind.

When she’s not in the studio, Alyson is spending time with her husband, cooking, baking, and finding new ways to connect with her family and friends.

Clara has been a yoga student since she was 14, establishing a personal love of the practice first before discovering how much she loves teaching it, too. In 2011 Clara completed her 200-hour teacher training with Lotus Yoga in Toledo. Beyond the physical aspect, though, Clara likes to apply breath work and self-awareness cultivated from a healthy yoga practice to her other life passions, including running, lifting, cycling, cooking, and writing.

Clara is a huge believer in the importance of a strong core, and you can expect to find plenty of new ways to incorporate core work in her flow classes. One of her favorite things about yoga is finding new ways to connect and flow between poses.

Beyond her 200-hour teacher training, Clara has attended training and seminars focused on core and arm strength and balance. When she travels for work or play, her favorite thing to do – and something she considers an essential part of being a good instructor – is to attend yoga classes from an unfamiliar teacher or studio, which sparks ideas and broadens her teaching horizons – plus, she gets a great stretch, too.

Gi sees Yoga as a way of life, a practice embodied both on and off the mat serving as a pathway to empowerment, transformation, and freedom. Yoga has provided her with clarity, balance, and the courage needed to fearlessly step up and into her purpose. It has inspired Gi to appreciate life more fully, approach herself and others with compassion and acceptance, and cultivate gratitude and joy as a way of being.

Gi’s teaching provides students with the freedom to explore, space to expand, and confidence to step into new possibilities. Whether getting upside down, trying something new, or embracing mindful silence, classes are intentionally themed to support personal growth and discovery while stretching students to their mental and physical edge. Classes are energized, playful, and mindfully infused with music to build a dynamic and invigorating flow leaving students feeling grounded, challenged, and complete with a fresh new perspective.

Gi believes the gift of yoga should be available for everyone, and passionately strives to increase access, opportunity, and inclusivity in classes, studios, trainings, and international yoga standards. She completed her 200-hour teacher training in Power Yoga through Toledo Yoga, where she is also pursuing her advanced 300-hour teacher certification. She has additional certifications in Yogalete and Yin Yoga, and currently serves as a Teacher Mentor with the Africa Yoga Project. She is grateful for the opportunity to inspire, while being inspired by, a powerful community sharing in the practice of yoga.

During recovery time from a running injury, Laura Kubiak first found yoga to be the perfect balance to her health and well-being. She views yoga as a lifestyle, not just an hour-long class. Her studies in education and ecology prepared her for several years experience as an environmental educator, where she also ties yoga principles into a traditional classroom. She loves to travel internationally to gain global understanding of the earth, its life and its people. Laura integrates her teaching and travel experiences to practice yoga that connects to the earth- its beautiful places and life, and also to value the present moment.

In Laura’s class, students can expect to experience yoga that is inspired by authentic eastern practice. Practices may include a combination of restorative experience, yoga nidra, meditation, and pranayama (breathing) practices. Her class will also focus on a connection to the earth- its beautiful places and life, and also to value the present moment.

Laura Kubiak earned her yoga teacher certification from Shrimath Yoga in India. She also has been trained by Danielle Mercer Yoga with focus in Yin Yoga.

Laurie Schoonmaker has been teaching group fitness classes since she was 16 years old (does anyone remember Elaine Powers?) She first stumbled into a yoga class back in 1997 just because it was made available at her gym. She was immediately hooked as it was the first time in a group class that she was not glancing at a clock to determine how much time was left. Her first yoga training was scheduled a week after her law school graduation with David Swenson for Ashtanga yoga.

In her classes, Laurie creates a space where students can come as they are and expect to be treated to a thoughtful experience that integrates body, mind, and spirit. Laurie enjoys teaching many modalities of yoga, including Yin Yoga and Yoga for Athletes. Laurie enjoys sharing these yoga experiences with athletes at the University of Toledo (her alma matter).

Laurie completed 200 hour yoga trainings with Yoga Lab Naples (2016) and with YogaFit in 2008. She has also taken trainings in Yoga for Athletes, Yin Yoga with Danielle Mercer, Nancy Nelson, and Bernie Clark. In addition to her yoga training, Laurie is a certified CrossFit (Levels 1 & 2) coach and sports nutrition specialist through Eat to Perform and Precision Nutrition.

Nada embarked on her journey of empowerment in 2018 after struggling with rigidity and digestion problems. Since then, she has been consistent with exercising for the first time in her life. Now, she loves helping people explore possibilities of growth and reaching their highest truest expression of themselves through the practice of yoga. Nada currently teaches flow where she starts off with a meditation that unites the mind and body followed by a mix of dynamic and restorative sequences that will loosen the stiffness in your muscles as it increases strength and flexibility. During her classes, Nada will encourage you to find your edge while respecting your boundaries and honoring your body as it is. Nada completed her 200-HR teacher training in Power yoga in 2021 and also has a developing passion for Acro-yoga, Yin-Yoga, and Hatha-Yoga and she likes to incorporate them into both her practice and teaching. Aside from her passion for movement, Nada teaches several languages and is always in search of a new language to learn. In her free time, she loves spending time outdoors with her family and exploring different parts of the world.

Taylor has been doing some form of yoga her entire life, before she even knew what yoga was! As a young girl she stretched daily with her sister and took ballet. In her teenage years she discovered yoga and recognized it would always be part of her life. Currently, she practices with her two young children, teaches private yoga sessions, and practices at Toledo Yoga!

When Taylor was 15 she became very ill. For many years her body was weak and unable to do the things it once could. This was when Taylor recognized the need for practicing yoga in every phase of life- not just when you’re healthy and energetic. As her health increased, so did her yoga practice. She understands that each body is different, and often each phase of life allows different levels of practice. Because of her personal experience, she wants to share the power you can find in your own body, regardless of health or fitness.

She completed the Toledo Yoga 200 hour Teacher Training and Kid’s Yoga Training in 2018. She has enhanced her techniques with many workshops, Thai massage, and anatomy training. Taylor is passionate about supporting others in their journey to greatness. In her classes you will be offered progressions, challenged, encouraged to listen to your body, and reminded of the importance of caring for yourself.