Debbie Stevens

I've taught yoga since 1988 while working full time as a Social Worker.  I was certified to teach yoga through Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, MA in 1992. In 1998 I opened The Yoga Center, a central space to practice yoga. Now I attend to my passion of yoga by teaching full time at The Yoga Center as well as in the Health and Human Performance Department at Roanoke College, for Seniors at Elm Park Estates, and at Hollins University.

I am a 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) with the Yoga Alliance, a certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy practitioner, certified Cardiac Yoga instructor, and a member of Kripalu Teachers Association and Integral Yoga Teachers Association. My style is gentle yet thorough, as well as eclectic, blending the compassion of Kripalu with ViniYoga flows and meditative elements of Yin Yoga.

I am available for private yoga sessions as well as Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy individual sessions. I teach all levels of Yoga as well as Yin and Power Yoga.

I like reading and writing poetry, looking at other's art and creating my own as well, walking along the river and snuggling with my cat.

Maggie Boyes

Margaret (Maggie) Boyes has always had the desire to teach a physical fitness class and after taking many aerobics and high-intensity classes, decided that yoga would be the most beneficial course of study for her because of the value it brings to her emotionally, physically and mentally.

She has been practicing yoga for more than four years. She has a 200-hour Hatha Yoga teaching certificate and is a member of the Yoga Alliance, the organization overseeing the practice of yoga. Her background and experience are in journalism, media relations, marketing and public relations. She was born in the Caribbean, grew up in Pennsylvania and relocated to Roanoke when she married. Every once in a while you may catch her island accent during her yoga instruction.

Maggie currently co-teaches Restorative Yoga with Debbie.
 

Karen Ughetta

Karen teaches Yoga 1 classes with an emphasis on how to experience Yoga "from the inside out". She is an RYT200 level instructor and her teaching comes from an Anusara background with extended study in Yoga therapeutics. Anusara literally means 'flowing with Grace' and Anusara Yoga is a heart-oriented style of hatha yoga that focuses on optimal body alignment. Karen's classes teach you overall postural alignment, hip alignment and shoulder alignment. You will increase your own body awareness and experience yoga in a new way!

Karen's 1st career as an IBM executive, although thoroughly challenging and exciting intellectually, left her searching for physical and spiritual balance, which she discovered through Anusara Yoga and now shares as part of her classes.

Lori Gonzalez

With a background in Physical Therapy working as licensed Physical Therapist Assistant since 1993, Lori also holds a BS in Occupational Education. She has taught happy Back Pilates, Yoga for Everyone, Beginner's Yoga, Children's Yoga and A Taste of Yoga at The Yoga Center as well as a Beginners Yoga Class at Anthem Insurance Company, and therapeutic yoga at Back To Basics Physical therapy Clinic. Since 2006 Lori has continually taught yoga classes at Our Lady of Nazareth Catholic Church.

Lori received her Hatha Yoga teacher certification after completing a 200 hour training course with Anna Pittman in Blacksburg, VA in 2004. She is also certified through the International Weightlifting Association to teach Pilates. Lori has attended a Teachers Intensive class in Vinyasa Flow with Shiva Rea and is certified as a Vinyasa Flow Instructor through the Asheville Yoga Center in NC.

Her personal journey on the Yoga path began with an introduction in the early 70's while attending progressive Catholic grade school and has been influenced by her love for dance and an appreciation for a healthy and active lifestyle. She is grateful to be a Yoga teacher.

Virginia Balserak

Many moons ago there was a girl who was an Occupational Therapist but who dreamed of teaching yoga.   After lots of years of being a yoga student, she finally went to teacher training and emerged to teach yoga.   She has been teaching for nearly 4 years.   She particularly likes the part of teaching where the students adjust their body alignment and get steady in the postures.   Goals of teaching are to stretch and strengthen her students and give them better posture.   It makes life so much easier, she thought.  Although there is still much to learn, the road to perfection is never complete.   She is still changing and getting better.  

Stacy Preston

Stacy is a recent Roanoke College graduate with a degree in Heath and Human Performance, with an emphasis in Exercise Science. She is ACE certified and has been teaching Zumba and Pilates for a year. Stacy is a student of Pilates teacher Rennie Rauch.

She coaches Andrew Lewis Middle School cheerleading, and plans to attend Occupational Therapy school in the future. Stacy works at Lewis Gale Medical Center as an OT tech. She enjoys hiking and playing with her uPggle and Boxer.

Visit Stacy at Zumba.com or on Facebook!

We are excited to have Stacy join us in our new space!