Throughout my time in undergrad, I worked as a fitness instructor and dabbled in teaching Pilates and yoga-type classes at the university. I found that these classes gave students an opportunity to put down their phones, put down their worries about assignments and due dates, and take the time to connect with themselves and the community of students around them. I knew that I was also stressed, overworked, and overwhelmed before stepping into the studio. By the end of the class, I would always be reminded of the benefits of yoga and would love seeing the refreshed expressions on students’ faces as they left. I would joke that I had never regretted taking or teaching a yoga class!

When I went through my 200-hour teacher training in Texas in 2019, I also spent a couple of months job shadowing at an Eating Disorder Clinic to be a Dietitian. I’ve always been interested in helping others not just with physical health, but mental and emotional health as they are all significantly interconnected. These experiences led me to shift the way I taught fitness to others, and it shifted the way I used fitness in my own life. I learned that the benefits of yoga permeate beyond looking a certain way, and that working out for the joy of working out always feels better than working out as a punishment.  

Yoga is a great way to take care of the physical body and challenge the muscles through each asana. Yoga also has the benefit of challenging the mind to be still, to reconnect the body and mind through breath, and to express gratitude. I teach yoga to help students find this connection between the mind and body, and hopefully, walk away from class feeling stronger, lighter, and proud of themselves and their bodies. 

In addition to teaching yoga, I also work as a Registered Dietitian and love helping people improve their health through their diets! I recently graduated with my master’s degree in nutrition from UW-Madison and I live with my fiancé and my Australian Shepherd, Blue, in Madison.  We love to go on hikes, get ice cream, and try new recipes in the kitchen!