Our Instructors | Embrace Yoga Studio

	Amy Baker, Co-Founder, RYT Amy came to yoga in the year of 1999 while residing in Cleveland, Ohio. She was in search of something to help her clear the cobwebs of nonsense from her very cluttered and chaotic mind. So began the journey. Amy has practiced off and on since then, always finding her way back to yoga. Primarily, for the wonderful benefits it offers both physically and mentally. Life is always easier managed and much more peaceful for her while she is practicing yoga. She loves it for so many reasons! The people whom she has been surrounded by while living in Fayetteville have helped her to open her heart and her mind to expand this experience even further. Amy opens her heart to share with others what she has learned from her many experiences on and off the mat. Amy looks forward to helping others find the same physical benefits and peace of mind that yoga has offered her.
	Alexis Chieffet, CYT Alexis has always known the importance of maintaining and listening to your “instrument” from her many years of working on cruise ships as a singer and dancer. She embarked on her yoga journey in 2007 after being sidelined for a few years before and after her back surgery in 2002. She turned to yoga to compliment her traditional weight training workout and discovered all that yoga offered both physically and mentally. Her classes have an emphasis on strengthening and lengthening and honoring our bodies at whatever level they are at in the present moment.
	Kasmin Davis, RYT Bio coming soon!
	Galen Duffy, RYT Galen believes an active body and an active mind lead to health and happiness! She approaches health and fitness from a holistic perspective, focusing on the link between physical and mental health, and the connection between breath and movement. Her yoga emphasizes awareness and respect for the body, and focuses on strong foundations and personal challenge as tools for physical and mental growth. In addition to yoga, she teaches aerobics and classical ballet. Galen’s free time generally involves books, dogs, food, family, and adventure.
	Christy Gaines, RYT, MPH Christy Gaines began studying yoga in the 90′s by watching Rodney Yee yoga tapes. Her serious yoga study began when she moved back to Fayetteville in 2001 and went to Om Yoga Studio. She has also practiced gymnastics and various martial arts. She suffered head, shoulder and jaw injuries while serving in the army and this has led to her interest in helping other students with injuries and chronic medical problems. When not practicing and teaching yoga Christy teaches 6th grade science, tries to train her dogs to be obedient (ha!), reads, and enjoys the time she spends with her friends and family. She is really excited about Embrace!
	Melissa Gilbert Melissa was introduced to pilates through her training as a ballet dancer and has studied the Stott method of pilates for the past two years including mat, reformer and Injuries and Special Populations training. She is drawn to Stott because of its ability to help rehabilitate injuries and modify for all types of people. She draws inspiration from the people in her classes and is constantly amazed at the visible progress in muscle tone, strength and flexibility of those that she teaches. Her mat classes vary from the essential level to challenging and are specially designed to use the core abdominal muscles to their maximum potential in several different planes of movement. No matter what your experience level in pilates is, please come and join her for a total body workout.
	Katherine Huynh, Co-Founder, RYT Katherine discovered yoga in 2000. She experimented with the practice as a means to relieve stress from a job in the software industry. Life’s ups and downs always brought her back to the yoga mat to find strength, peace and clarity. Inspired to deepen her practice, Katherine completed her 200- hour teaching certification through Seaside Yoga . She has been teaching since 2007 and is working towards her 500 hour Advanced studies at Asheville Yoga Center and continues to pursue a deeper knowledge of all yoga disciplines. Katherine’s teaching style is a blend of Flow, Yin, Core Strength Vinyasa, and Restorative yoga. Her classes encourage integrity, mindfulness and fun through creative sequencing and yoga philosophy. Her hope is to bring a sense of discovery and calm to students through teaching yoga in an accessible and light-hearted way.
	Nicole Jones, CYT Bio coming soon!
	Cassie Kasza, RYT Cassie started her yoga practice watching various yoga dvd’s almost 10 years ago. She attended her first real yoga class in 2006; she immediately fell in love! In 2008 she completed her 200 hour teaching certification through Seaside yoga and she has been sharing her passion ever since. She strives to create a warm and welcoming environment for all of her students. Cassie enjoys being a student and learning about different types of yoga. She also enjoys photography, playing with her dogs and spending time with her husband.
	Samantha Savard, CYT Samantha turned to yoga in 2007 during a difficult deployment. She thought it would be a fun way to keep busy while her husband was overseas. Her practice started as a mere physical challenge, but quickly turned into something so much more. She found herself to be more patient, more compassionate, more open-minded, and more joyful. Yoga quickly became a regular part of her everyday routine. After about a year, Samantha began her journey to become a YogaFit instructor. She has since earned her YogaFit Teacher Training Certification at the 200 hour level. She has specialized training in Anatomy & Alignment, Seniors Yoga, Yoga for Kids, and Prenatal/Postpartum Yoga. Samantha is also a doTERRA Essential Oils Educator and BodyTalk Practitioner. She enjoys spending time with her husband, working out, playing with her two dogs, and anything outdoors. She is passionate about yoga, holistic living, and overall health and wellness.
	Sandra Sierra, E-RYT Sandra has been an avid yoga practitioner for over 12 years. Founder and former owner of Yoga Sensations, in Stamford, Connecticut, she comes to Embrace with an open heart, a love of yoga, a fabulous sense of humor, and a yearning to inspire her students to be guided from within. Sandra has studied with Don and Amba Stapleton, Rodnee Yee, John Friend, Baron Baptiste, and holds a special place in her heart for her Guru, Erich Schiffmann.
	Dauphine Sisk, OTD, OTR/L License #6074, CYT Ms. Dauphine has studied the development of typical and special needs children since 1994. She truly loves working with infants and toddlers in addition helping their caregivers better understand their child’s developmental needs.
	Mary Ann Warren, RYT Self realization and radiant health brought Mary Ann to another level of yoga in 2006. Practicing Hatha Yoga for 11 years, inspired her to acquire her certification through the NC School of Yoga. In addition to her 200 hr certification, she is also certified in Prenatal and Yin Yoga. Becoming an instructor has allowed Mary Ann to connect both mentally and physically with the beautiful people that she is surrounded by.