Alise Beccaria
Alise Beccaria DAc is a Doctor of Acupuncture originally from NY. She is the Owner of Elemental Acupuncture and Wellness located here in Wake Forest, which is also where she resides.
As an athlete growing up, Alise was exposed to yoga as an effective cross training tool. While training for the NYC marathon she became an avid yoga student and her passion for the practice expanded. It was not until after earning her Acupuncture degree she realized her love of teaching.
She weaves her Chinese Medicine theory into each class focusing on alignment, mindfulness and connecting the body and spirit.
Dr. Beccaria is a certified RYT® 2002 Yoga Instructor through Yoga Alliance, she maintains certifications in Yoga for Cancer Patients and Yoga for Athletes and is currently working towards her 500-Hour Yoga Medicine Certification. She is passionate about inviting yoga to all walks of life. In her free time, she enjoys walking with her dog Liam and giving back to the community.
As an athlete growing up, Alise was exposed to yoga as an effective cross training tool. While training for the NYC marathon she became an avid yoga student and her passion for the practice expanded. It was not until after earning her Acupuncture degree she realized her love of teaching.
She weaves her Chinese Medicine theory into each class focusing on alignment, mindfulness and connecting the body and spirit.
Dr. Beccaria is a certified RYT® 2002 Yoga Instructor through Yoga Alliance, she maintains certifications in Yoga for Cancer Patients and Yoga for Athletes and is currently working towards her 500-Hour Yoga Medicine Certification. She is passionate about inviting yoga to all walks of life. In her free time, she enjoys walking with her dog Liam and giving back to the community.
Jana Burkhardt
Jana's love for yoga began at an early age when it was a tool to improve her figure skating career. Fourteen years later after hanging up her boots, she played golf competitively at Catawba College, in Salisbury, NC. Post-college she enjoys running half-marathons with her canine running buddy, Sadie.
Jana is a RYT- 200 certified instructor. Yoga for athletes and sharing yoga with new practitioners is a passion. In addition to teaching yoga, she is a middle school science and math teacher at Rolesville Middle School.
Jana is a RYT- 200 certified instructor. Yoga for athletes and sharing yoga with new practitioners is a passion. In addition to teaching yoga, she is a middle school science and math teacher at Rolesville Middle School.
Beth Casey
Beth has been in the fitness industry for 20 years. Before this time she was a middle school teacher. During her time in the fitness world she has taught a variety of group fitness classes, managed two group fitness programs and has been a personal trainer and running coach. She discovered yoga in 2001 and it quickly became a big part of her life. After several years of practice and training, she received her RYT-200 in 2012. Since 2012 her yoga practice and training has grown to include yoga as therapy. She is also a certified as a Yoga For Warriors instructor working with our veterans and others that may find yoga to help with PTSD or other trauma and mental health issues. She aspires for those taking her classes to feel successful and well-balanced in mind, body and spirit!
Beth is an avid runner and cyclist and loves to spend time with her husband, two sons, and two dogs.
Favorite Buddha quote: “The mind is everything. What you think, you become.”
Beth is an avid runner and cyclist and loves to spend time with her husband, two sons, and two dogs.
Favorite Buddha quote: “The mind is everything. What you think, you become.”
Clarissa Coley
Clarissa Coley is a wife and mom of two beautiful daughters. Her love of yoga began when she became a stay at home mom after having her second daughter. Her second daughter was born two months early and after a long NICU stay finally came home. Clarissa had spent the previous ten years as an elementary school teacher and was now at home with a toddler and fussy baby. She was needing something to ground her and root her in the present moments. She YouTubed a yoga class and her yoga journey began. ‘Come as you are’ is the mindset she had that first day and has continued with that mindset to this day. The comfort and peace of knowing yoga meets you where you are in that moment is the heart behind her practice. Six years after starting her at home practice, she completed her 200 hour teacher training and began teaching yoga right away. Since 2018, Clarissa not only became a certified yoga teacher but also became certified in spin, TRX, TRX yoga, and yoga shred. Clarissa and her family just moved to Wake Forest in April 2022 after living in Utah for 15 years. She is loving exploring this new home and is excited to get plugged in to the community here.
Michele Doiron
Michele’s journey with yoga began early in 2007 with a basic weekly practice, which then grew into a passion. Exploring more classes with different teachers opened diverse avenues with every teacher having their own style and delivery. Her first Vinyasa class was the hook. She soon realized that “the body moved like a song” in flow classes. That passion turned into a desire to not only deepen her own practice, but to get her certification and teach others. She received her RYT 200 certification in June, 2010 from Ann Richardson’s Studio Bamboo Institute of Yoga in Virginia Beach, and her RYT 500 certification in December, 2013 from Kathy Donnelly’s Yoga Center of Columbia. In addition, she got certified through Ann Hunt of Evolve Yoga & Wellness in California, MD to become a Certified Pranassage Practitioner. She teaches all types of classes, but her true love is Vinyasa combined with fun music that allows students to experience their practice inside and out, allowing a calming effect while having fun and challenging the body. “Teaching others is equally as rewarding as my own practice on the mat. Yoga brings to me a sense of pause in my life, a reminder to slow down and breathe, and a feeling of satisfaction knowing I am always challenging my body and mind. What a gift this practice is!”
Michele enjoys spending time with her husband, two sons, and dog. Being a true lover of all things sun, water, and sand, her favorite vacations are spent in tropical settings on the beach.
Michele enjoys spending time with her husband, two sons, and dog. Being a true lover of all things sun, water, and sand, her favorite vacations are spent in tropical settings on the beach.
Samantha Henderson
Born and raised on Long Island, but have settled my roots in beautiful North Carolina. I moved here in 2018 with my husband and our loveable dog Toby. We fell in love with this state because of the access to the mountains and the friendly air of North Carolinians. I am an adventure seeker, health food advocate, and a rookie gardener. My love for yoga stemmed from my desire to help others find a safe place on their mats to center and ground themselves. Outside of teaching yoga, I work for a start-up where I help support family farmers across the US.
Kirsten Larson
Kirsten has been teaching group fitness classes for 31 years. While she loves teaching a variety of classes, she is most passionate about teaching yoga. She fell in love with yoga about 20 years ago at a time when she had chronic pain from compressed discs in her lower back. Through her yoga practice she was able to find relief from the pain and from that point on was a true believer in the vast benefits of yoga. In 2002, she was certified through YogaFit. In 2017, she received her Yoga for Athletes certification with Sage Rountree, an internationally recognized in yoga for athletes. In 2018, she completed her 200 hour yoga certification with Carolina Yoga Company. Kirsten is grateful for the opportunity to teach yoga to people of all ages and abilities. Teaching yoga to athletes is of particular interest as she knows yoga is such an important component of an overall training program. Kirsten is a certified yoga, cycle and group fitness instructor.
Joey Marion
Joey is a North Carolina native growing up in the northwestern part of the state. He began his yogic path fourteen years ago studying with his dear friend and teacher Amy Johnson. He began teaching under her instruction and in 2015 made it official by completing his RYT-200. Joey enjoys all the practices of yoga for their ability to balance the mind, body, and spirit. His personal philosophy for practice involves tapping into childhood energy in which all things are possible and understanding that asana practice is a conversation with the body. When exploring the asanas, he feels we should play as children do and not get caught up in the pressures of pseudo perfection. Joey completed his RYT-500 in 2021 and is currently directing his energy toward Bhakti, the yoga of devotion. When not practicing yoga, Joey is a physical therapist, educator, and former dancer. He is currently working on his Ph.D. in Education at NCSU and loves teaching anatomy and physiology. In his spare time, he enjoys wine, pottery, and hiking. Joey is thrilled to be part of the Wake Forest and Unwined communities! ~ mā kashchid duḥkha bhāgbhavet ~
Donna Miller
Donna Miller had always been told that yoga would find her when the time was right. In the spring of 2015, Donna completed LifePower Yoga teacher training in Rochester Hills, MI. She became a registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and began her journey of connecting breath, body, and movement and sharing her passion with others! Donna believes that yoga will meet you where you are- it’s an endless practice and journey!
Donna finds joy in her yoga practice every day! She also enjoys running, weight training, kickboxing, and long walks in the sunshine! She is an ACE certified group fitness instructor and is dedicated to health and wellness for all!
When she's not on her yoga mat, you'll find Donna at the beach or out and about supporting small businesses! In fact, she puts her passion into action by organizing our monthly Sip & Shops!
Donna finds joy in her yoga practice every day! She also enjoys running, weight training, kickboxing, and long walks in the sunshine! She is an ACE certified group fitness instructor and is dedicated to health and wellness for all!
When she's not on her yoga mat, you'll find Donna at the beach or out and about supporting small businesses! In fact, she puts her passion into action by organizing our monthly Sip & Shops!
Katie Semon
Katie's passion for yoga started in 2017 after quickly realizing it was something she needed as an important part of her mental health routine. Wanting to share her passion for self care with others, she completed the 200HR Yoga Teacher Training at Midtown Yoga in 2020. She is a stay-at-home mom of two kids and has been married to her supportive husband since 2008. When Katie is not doing yoga, you can find her sharing essential oil tips or spending time around the pool with her friends and extended family.
Brooke Sessoms
Brooke has been practicing yoga for over a decade, but her passion for the practice began in 2014, through Lifepower’s Vinyasa Yoga. As a Mom of two young children, yoga became a vehicle to challenge her mind and body as well as ignite her soul. Through yoga and meditation, she found self-love and relief from anxiety. Brooke obtained her 200 HR YTT through Lifepower Yoga. She is trained Vinyasa, Ashtanga, and Yin. Her desire is to share her passion and inspire others to live yoga on and off the mat. "Just breathe and be present, that is yoga."