​Meet our team of Yoga Instructors

Mary has always led an active lifestyle, though moving back to the States after four years Overseas to begin Middle School in Yorktown, VA, was a bit of a culture shock. Throughout the following years, Mary could not quite seem to find her niche and bounced from recreational sport to sport, until finally during her Freshman Year of high school she took up Tae Kwon Do and long distance running. After obtaining her Black Belt and logging hundreds of miles, Mary decided that the physiology and even psychology behind exercise and well-being was just too alluring to ignore, and before long, she was enrolled at VCU in Richmond, VA, in order to earn her B.S. in Exercise Science and Minor in Psychology. In 2006 while still at VCU, Mary was certified as a Personal Trainer and Yoga instructor and has been training clients and teaching classes ever since.
Prior to and upon graduation in 2009, Mary has served in various commercial, corporate, private and even medical wellness facilities, training individuals from all walks of life; at-risk youth, individuals recovering from injuries and even teaching yoga classes geared towards endurance athletes. Her passion, however, is working with clients to maintain physical and emotional balance and well-being.
​With her background in yoga and her own personal experience with running, backpacking, and climbing, Mary’s expertise revolves around functional training – for everyone. Mary works with clients to pinpoint muscular imbalances and helps them to develop more body awareness – because to Mary, developing body awareness and strength geared towards functional movement is essential to avoiding injury and staying fit. Mary was also recently certified as a Lifestyle Educator through FirstLine Therapy, and works with clients wishing to make lifestyle changes through engaging in healthier eating and increased physical activity.
Certifications

RYT - 200
B.S. Exercise Science, Virginia Commonwealth University, August 2009
TRX (Total Body Resistance Exercise) Group and Private Instructor Certification, September 2012
R.I.P.P.E.D (Resistance, Intervals, Power, Plyometric, Endurance, and Diet), May 2012
FirstLine Therapy Lifestyle Educator, March 2012
ACE Personal Trainer Certification, December 2009
AFPA Personal Trainer Certification, March 2006
Adult and Child AED/CPR and First Aid,  December 2011 
MadDogg Indoor Cycling Certification, November 2010
YogaFit Level 1 Certification, June 2007
BootyBarre Certification,  February 2015

Becky is a retired educator who taught elementary education and special education preK-high school, worked as a building level administrator, and ultimately became a teacher educator.  As a consultant trainer for ETS, she trained teachers and administrators in 43 of the 50 states.  Being married to a career Navy man allowed her the experience of living and traveling many places across the U.S. and Europe and provided her with a tremendous awareness and appreciation for diversity and multiculturalism.  She has been a Yorktown resident for the past 30 years.  

Becky discovered the benefits of Yoga several years ago as she was searching for relief from chronic back pain.  She quickly found that yoga is much more than contorting the body into poses – it is a way of life blending mind, body, and spirit.  She completed her 200-hour training at ZYA in Newport News and has recently completed the YogaWarriorsInternational™ training, hoping to take her Yoga practice to a higher level working with wounded warriors and caretakers.  Becky adapts her classes to meet the needs of her students, focusing on helping students find their center and improve their strength, flexibility, and balance.  

Martine has a passion: restoring physical and mental balance to all her students through therapeutic yoga exercises led by a warm and caring instructor.  Since her earliest years growing up in France, Martine has always enjoyed sports (aerobics, tennis, Jazzercise, and fifteen years of yoga), but when her daughter was diagnosed with cancer, she found her calling.  As her daughter slowly recovered, Martine was drawn to therapeutic yoga, taking her 200 hour yoga certification at the Glenmore Yoga and Wellness Center in Richmond, focusing on a gentle yoga designed for students recovering from illness, surgery or other health considerations.  Martine adapts her classes to ensure that all of her students can safely practice poses that develop strength, increase range of motion, and enhance self-esteem and wellbeing.  Martine strives to ensure that all her students leave her class stronger, both physically and emotionally.  

Christine Griggs was born and raised in France. She traveled the world with her husband John and their three children before settling down in Virginia in 1998. She is a multilingual translator and has used her skills throughout her travels to volunteer with refugees, work as a foreign languages teacher, a Virginia Court interpreter and a freelance translator. When she discovered yoga in 2006, she found the universal language that would help her on her mission: to empower others to find the magic within them and share it with the world. Her trainings include Yoga Fit, the Swami Satchidananda Integral 200-hour training, and Rolf Gates' 500-hour Advanced Vinyasa training. She learned Vipassana meditation at the Theraveda Buddhist temple of Wat Pasantidhamma. She is an ERYT-500, YACEP Yoga teacher and is constantly sharpening her skills with trainings and independent studies.  She is passionate about the Truth of Yoga and has developed those 3 Core beliefs: Yoga is much more than a physical exercise, it is a practice of wholeness. In her classes, you will be guided into awareness and transformation of all the parts of your being. We don't just practice yoga on the mat, we take it into our lives. It is very important to her to teach her students practical skills that they can USE in their everyday lives ANYONE can do Yoga. She is very passionate about making yoga available to everyone and designed her Chair Yoga classes for that purpose. All her classes reflect and integrate those 3 core beliefs: they are inspirational and provide a safe caring environment, as well as a mindful rejuvenating practice interwoven with yogic principles that empower her students to live the lives they are meant to live. She teaches yoga classes and workshops in her community in Virginia, as well as during her travels. She is a founding faculty member of Zenya Yoga Academy, where she has been training hundreds of teachers since 2011. Her specialties are Vinyasa, Yin and Chair Yoga. She also specializes in Yoga Fundamentals, Yoga Nidra, Chakras philosophy, Methodology of Yoga, Class Sequencing, Mindfulness and Meditation, Lifestyle and Ethical principles of Yoga and Buddhism and how to incorporate them into our lives. She is the author of Yoga with a French Twist; a Journey through the Chakras. Within hours of being live, it was a  #1 New Amazon Release! She is still traveling the world, enjoys running, hiking, reading, writing, talking and learning about spirituality, spending time with friends and family, watching British shows, sitting in her meditation garden listening to the sounds of nature. She also deeply believes in Spiritual Activism, taking care of our environment, protecting animals and fighting for justice for our children and those who don't have a voice. Follow your heart! 

Jessica was born and raised in Northern Virginia. Some might call her the sensitive artist type. Before having children, she was a Graphic Designer & Print CS Rep. She and her husband moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2003, where they started a family. Striving to be the best, she quit working to concentrate on giving her family all of her time and energy. Even with a busy family, she tried to be physically active when she could.
Jessica took her first Yoga class in the mid-90s and has practiced on & off since then. If not Yoga, she tried to be active in other ways, like working out at home and meeting friends at the gym. After living in PA for almost 13 years, she moved back to Virginia, but now on the southern coast, which is awesome because she loves
the ocean.
She still loves to take care of her family & home, but her daughters are growing up and she wanted to find a new purpose, outside of her home. She went to Yoga class to help with the stress of trying to figure things out. Little did she know, that Yoga was her new purpose! She wanted, even needed, more than what a gym Yoga class could give her. Fate stepped in and now she is proud to say she is a Yoga Instructor. Being able to help herself and others is very fulfilling to her. She wants to be her best self, for her, for her family, and for everyone else in her life. Yoga is teaching her the tools to be herself and to be happy. She is dedicated to teach and show you how Yoga can bring happiness and tranquility into your life.
When Jessica is not spending time with friends and family, being a softball- and dance-mom, or practicing Yoga, she is being “crafty”. She loves to make homemade cards, fun home décor, and scrapbooking her family’s fun and active life. – Namaste!

Born in Fife, Scotland, Frances has traveled and lived overseas for many years throughout her career with the British Government.  More than 25 years ago in Scotland, Frances attempted her first yoga class in order to find an alternative exercise option from running outside in the rain.  Upon recognizing the challenge of a yoga practice, and the various limitations she experienced (touch my toes - is that a joke?  Hold a Downward Facing Dog?  I don’t think so!) a newly humbled, and inspired Frances began to seek as much knowledge for her own personal yoga practice as possible.
Upon moving to Washington D.C. where she met and married her husband.  They were fortunate enough to move every two years with her husband’s military service, this gave her the opportunity to try out different styles of yoga, from the East Coast to the West Coast.  They eventually settled into Southern VA, this granted her the opportunity to take the next step and enroll in the RYT-200 Teacher Training at Zenya Yoga Academy.  Then followed on with the RYT-300 Teacher Training.  Finding a love of Yin Yoga, Frances has taken 150hrs

Training with Biff Mithoefer.  
Frances finds herself drawn to Vinyasa Flow, Yin, Yoga Nidra, and Chair Yoga.  Constantly evolving, incorporating meditation and Yoga Nidra into the class allows everyone to find Joy in their practice.   Her motto - forever a student of yoga, on and off of the mat, you can take your practice with you wherever you go - at home, in a studio, or just sitting outside in quiet meditation.

Kim was born and raised in Yorktown, VA and now resides in Poquoson, VA with her husband. She grew up dancing (ballet, tap, jazz, and many more styles) and has always had a passion for movement. So when Kim attended her first yoga class in college, it was a natural fit. She continued to develop her personal yoga practice throughout college and graduated from Liberty University with a degree in accounting in 2013. Seeking to deepen her practice and find balance in both her career and lifestyle, Kim began her yoga teacher training in 2016 and became a RYT-200 Yoga Instructor in 2017. After years of nurturing a passion for yoga, meditation and mindfulness, Kim is eager to share this passion with the community in her hometown. Kim enjoys teaching Vinyasa style yoga classes that focus on both building strength and clearing stress. She believes that a yoga class should generate positive energy and cultivate a strong connection between the mind, body, and spirit.

Alexis is an RYT 500, personal trainer, and group fitness instructor with additional training and certificates in trauma-sensitive yoga and mind-body addiction recovery coaching.  She discovered the benefits of yoga through her own journey toward wellness and self-acceptance and finds joy in sharing what she continues to learn with others.  When not teaching or training, Alexis can be found living her yoga with her husband on their small farm where they raise milk goats, heritage turkeys, and a bunch of crazy chickens. 

Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Nancy settled into Hampton Roads in 1994 with her husband and two sons. She discovered yoga in 2008 after two years of physical therapy due to a back injury from a car accident. She quickly realized the many benefits of yoga for the body, mind, and spirit. Yoga was the answer to her life-long interest of being health conscious and physically active but not competitive. Her interest evolved from practicing locally to exploring yoga techniques in studios worldwide while traveling with her husband, always packing her mat wherever the destination. Nancy's passion and belief in yoga shines 100% and her energy comes from teaching yoga and being of service to others by making a difference in others’ lives. 
 Accomplishing 200- and 300-hour yoga certification, Nancy also is certified to teach child, prenatal, and senior yoga as well as tai chi. She is certified in Silver Sneakers, which is a free health benefit for those 65+ with insurance. Her most recent certification is for Parkinson's through the Brian Grant Foundation. Always remaining humble on the yogic path, Nancy is invested in learning more about the ancient practice knowing what light of knowledge she soaks in, she radiates out to others. 
"Inspiring yourself through the yoga physical practice and the emotional link is a human connection we all seek. We're using our bodies and breath to find the common ground of the human language of love and compassion for ourselves as well as others, and nothing is lost in translation. By the end of class, something is different. We're no longer strangers. We see that despite any differences that we're just the same." - by Robert Schware, Huffingpost. 
Nancy likes to meditate, listen to Kirtan music, connect with nature, and travel. Along with staying active with yoga classes and workshops, she is on the York County Senior Board and stays busy with her family.  

Tai chi for Arthritis Certified

Josie is a new mom originally from Richmond, VA that enjoys jigsaw puzzles, 70 degree weather, and watching her daughter grow. Josie works full time for the Virginia Air National Guard and also serves as a guardsman. She currently owns Holistic Tea LLC which provides holistic living products and is the market manager for the Open Field Market, a new local small business market located in Newport News, VA.  In 2016, Josie began her personal yoga journey while attending Christopher Newport University and serving in the Virginia Air National Guard. To deepen her practice she decided to go into a training program in 2020 through Aura Wellness Center. Through Aura Wellness Center she became a Hatha Yoga Teacher and received her credentials by Yoga Alliance. While deployed in Saudi Arabia, she taught various yoga classes between three military branches. Later she taught the online class titled "Claim your space", to encourage individuals to take time out for themselves and explore yoga. She believes that yoga is more than just stretching, it is a journey to yoke the mind, body, and soul. It is by these principles that Josie commits her practice, and is a strong advocate of holistic living. Cultivating a safe, open, and educating environment is how she develops her classes equipping students to define their own personal journey.  Certifications & Trainings 200 RYT- Yoga Alliance CPR/AED- American Red Cross 250 hr. Hatha Yoga Teacher Training- Aura Wellness Center 80 hr. Meditation Certification (In Progress)- Aura Wellness Center

Agatha was born in California but moved with her parents back to Switzerland as a toddler. She spent the rest of her childhood in Switzerland where she earned a business degree. Later she moved back to the states where she married her husband, a naval officer. While in the USA she earned her nursing degree which she has kept active. Being married to the military meant thirteen moves, but she and her husband still managed to raise three children.

An avid runner since childhood, Agatha ran her first half-marathon while living in Germany. All of the years of running finally caught up with her and she suffered numerous injuries which helped her to finally discover yoga. She is passionate about her practice because she saw first-hand what a great difference it has made in her life. Agatha is a  certified RYT 200 Teacher from Zenya Yoga Academy in Newport News and she is also certified in Chair Yoga, Meditation and CPR certified through the Red Cross. 

Crystal Cyr is an RYT-200 level yoga teacher certified through Garden of Zen Yoga Studio in Yorktown, Virginia. She studies various styles of yoga including Vinyasa, Gentle Yoga, Chair Yoga, Yin Yoga, and Bhakti Yoga as well as Meditation and Ayurveda. Crystal started her yoga journey over a decade ago when a friend recommended, she do yoga to help alleviate knee pain from running marathons. As she grew stronger in her yoga practice and her knees felt better, she realized how healing yoga is for, the body, mind and soul. Crystal is now pain free and living her best life with her wonderful husband and four-year-old son in Newport News, Virginia. As a result, she decided to complete her RYT-200 level certification in January 2021. She believes yoga is for everyone and has experienced the healing power of yoga and meditation in her own body and life. Crystal is currently enrolled in her RYT-300 hour training to achieve her RYT-500 certification. Crystal finds it a joy and privilege to share the ancient practice of yoga, meditation and the yogic lifestyle with everyone she meets.

In 1978, Vicki took her first yoga class at the Los Angeles Center for Yoga. After more than 40 years, 4 children, and 20 years in the Air Force, she is still going to classes. The difference is that she is also teaching some of the classes. In 2012, she completed the initial 200 hour training. She wanted to introduce yoga to those who believe yoga is weird, only stretching, or only for those who are already flexible. She also completed her 500 hour training and a variety of classes for continuing education. Through YogaFit, she completed focused training for back problems, seniors, weight loss and people who are overweight. At Satchidananda Ashram, the Integral Yoga Academy, she completed 20 hours of LifeForce Yoga for depression and 30 hours of Yoga for Arthritis. She is an experienced teacher with well over 500 classes taught. She has been teaching a group of mostly retirees at Langley AFB twice a week for 6 years.
Vicki has brought her husband to yoga. They like to travel and try local studios wherever they go. They have tried Ashtangha yoga and plan to keep trying different types and different places. “Yoga has brought positive mental and physical changes to our lives. Where would I be without it? “

Susan started her yoga journey in 2009 when she went to an outdoor yoga class at the beach, in Long Beach, Ca. She had just left the field of public-school education where she spent thirteen years teaching middle school. It was under some coral trees on a cliff there at the beach, in Savasana, that it became clear that what she was meant to teach was yoga. In 2010, she found a registered Yoga Alliance School and by 2011 completed her 200-hour Hatha Yoga certification and in 2012 her 500-hour Hatha Yoga certification with Anahata Yoga and Wellness in California. In 2015, she finished her certificate in advanced gentle and senior yoga, chair yoga and therapeutic yoga with Yoga Vista Academy. Susan is a lifelong learner of the science of Yoga. She has come to realize from her own personal practice the depth of Yoga and how much she doesn’t know and her responsibility as a teacher to continue her education which as a Saraswati type she loves. In the 12 years of teaching Yoga, she has expanded her knowledge in anatomy, Yoga philosophy, Ayurveda, neuroscience, the nervous system, trauma, Poly Vagal Theory and meditation.  Susan is passionate about living her yoga as a lifestyle and teaching that the physical practice is only one part of an eight-part whole that leads to transformation and oneness. She teaches what she has learned from Yoga which is self-love, acceptance, compassion, contentment, empathy, self-empowerment, self-exploration, discovery, interoception, strength in body and mind and deeper connection to her higher-Self. Her newest mission is busting the myth of aging.  She has studied and practiced a variety of styles of Yoga over the years but has settled into teaching the styles she loves which is a heart and breath centered gentle Hatha, Restorative, Chair and Yoga Nidra. She is also a Reiki Master. For the last two years, she has been studying Gentle Somatic Yoga and Clinical Somatics for neuromuscular reeducation and pain relief. She is now in the process of certification in Gentle Somatic Yoga.  She lives in Newport News, VA and came here at the beginning of the pandemic from Long Beach, CA because all of her family is here on the East Coast. She has been teaching on Zoom for the last two years for a California Yoga studio and her private clients. She loves spending time with family as a mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She loves hiking and is looking forward to exploring the East Coast. She loves Bhakti Yoga and chanting and sound baths. Her sidekick is her long hair Chihuahua Sukha. She still loves an outdoor yoga practice.

Joe Charsagua is a retired military veteran who was exposed to yoga toward the end of his military career and was immediately attracted to its physical aspects as a way to complement his physical training regimen and provide alternative forms of physical fitness. Through his yoga practice, Joe enjoys a holistic approach to living and enjoys its many aspects to include meditation and yoga philosophy. In 2011, Joe became a registered yoga instructor through Zenya Yoga Academy and shortly after became a certified meditation teacher with the American Meditation Society. Joe is enthusiastic to share the gifts and benefits of yoga and meditation with others and help them progress along in their respective journey to improve themselves and better their lives.   OM Shanti   - Namaste“Yoga is a light, which once lit, will never dim.” This quote from B.K.S. Iyengar exemplifies how yoga can impact your life.   “Yoga is a light, which once lit, will never dim.” This quote from B.K.S. Iyengar exemplifies how yoga can impact your life.