Carly Rickard
Carly Rickard is registered with Yoga Alliance at the 200hr level. After taking her first yoga class in 2005 she was hooked. Soon after, she completed her 220hr teacher training at the Wilmington Yoga Center. Her intention is to help others find the inner peace, strength and confidence that yoga has brought her.She truly enjoys sharing her love of yoga and music with her students through her vinyasa based classes. In her classes you will be encouraged to challenge yourself, listen to your own body and have FUN! She believes that every body, no matter what size, age or gender can enjoy the practice of yoga. Truly grateful for her family and friends, Carly would also like to thank her beautiful yoga teachers, Kristin Cooper-Gulak and Larry Hobbs for their continued inspiration.
Donna Gardner
Donna Gardner has been practicing yoga and Insight Meditation for over 20 years and is an experienced teacher. She holds a Masters Degree in Dance from New York University, and is an ACE certified personal trainer. In addition, she attended the Graduate School of Social Work at Boston University and recently completed Level I certification in Thai Yoga Bodywork. Whether you are new to practice, returning to it, or enjoying an ongoing practice, please join Donna for classes in which you will receive personal attention to your specific needs and abilities.
Elizabeth Cramond
Elizabeth was first introduced to yoga by her uncle at age 16 while spending a summer in Italy with her mother. Upon arrival back to the states, Elizabeth and her mother began practicing together. A former competitive swimmer through the collegiate level, Elizabeth enjoyed the non-competitive aspect of her yoga practice, and found that it brought balance to her life. Her mother was also her inspiration for becoming a yoga teacher. Elizabeth is a graduate of the University of NC-Wilmington, with a double major in International Business and Spanish. She completed the 200- hour teacher training program at the Wilmington Yoga Center in 2007. She also served as an assistant in 220- hour program in 2008. Elizabeth has also had opportunities to study with Shiva Rea and Kathryn Budhig. Elizabeth hopes to inspire her students to find the beautiful balance of strength, flexibility, and sense of humor in their practice.
Heather Lilly 500RYT
Heather Lilly (goes by”Lilly”) received her 500hr ISHTA Yoga certification in2003. After teaching over a 1000hrs of group classes, private sessions, and yoga festivals in NYC, Pennsylvania, and Raleigh she joined the Wilmington Yoga Center family in December of 2009. Lilly comes with a background in dance, movement, and theatre that all inform her teaching. Lilly was drawn to yoga after September 11. Her journey began in the aftermath of a tragic event as an act of service to self; however the path has taken her to a place of peace, joy, and desire to serve others. Her intention is to spread this spirit of yoga as service to help inspire healing throughout the world. Lilly is incredibly grateful to the many wonderful teachers with whom she has had the privilege to study.
Heather Metzler
As a Special Education teacher for many years, Heather started looking for a way to alleviate stress and create a healthier lifestyle for herself. She took her first yoga class 13 years ago at a local gym, and was soon in love with the way it made her feel. She found the Wilmington Yoga Center where she started to deepen her practice through the love and teachings of Kristin, Larry and Donna. After the birth of her first daughter in 2006 she took the Prenatal Teacher Training offered at WYC, followed shortly after with the Kunga Vinyasa Teacher Training. In 2009 during her second pregnancy, she completed the 220 hour Kunga Yoga Teacher Training. She feels blessed to have her family and students in her life everyday, which she contributes to her growth as an individual and as a teacher. She is currently working towards her 500 hour certification, to deepen her practice and experiences while serving others in her classes.
Heather Wilson
Heather Wilson Heather Wilson first discovered yoga through the pages of a tattered guidebook she found at a second-hand bookshop in high school. She attended her first yoga class in 1994 as a student at UNC-Chapel Hill and was immediately hooked. She credits yoga and meditation for getting her through life’s challenges. An advocate for women and a DONA-trained doula, she teaches pre and post-natal yoga at the Wilmington Yoga Center. She received her yoga teacher training at Seaside Yoga and the Asheville Yoga Center. When she’s not at the Wilmington Yoga Center, Heather can be found at the Cameron Art Museum, where she writes grants and fundraises for the museum.
Holler Brown
Holler Brown has been studying meditation and yoga off and on since 1975. In 2002 he received his 200 hour teaching certification from Yoga Alliance and since then has been following the eight-limbed path and honing his own personal practice. “I didn’t teach a lot in the beginning; I felt like I needed to learn more about my own practice before I had something of value to offer other students. That took me a while but now that I’m teaching regularly it feels good, it feels right.”
Over the last ten years Holler has studied with many teachers, among them David Swenson, David Life, Sharron Gannon and Annie Pace. Since the mid 1980″s he has been a vegan and he passionately believes that ahimsa, or the non-harming of other beings, is the very essence of yoga. His classes are typically level 2-3 but he likes to count and move through the asanas slowly, emphasizing always the importance of breath control and going inside the self. “Yoga is over 4000 years old. Practicing literally alters your brain chemistry, it changes the way you think and feel about yourself in the world and in relation to others in it. Yoga transforms you completely, body, mind and spirit.”
Over the last ten years Holler has studied with many teachers, among them David Swenson, David Life, Sharron Gannon and Annie Pace. Since the mid 1980″s he has been a vegan and he passionately believes that ahimsa, or the non-harming of other beings, is the very essence of yoga. His classes are typically level 2-3 but he likes to count and move through the asanas slowly, emphasizing always the importance of breath control and going inside the self. “Yoga is over 4000 years old. Practicing literally alters your brain chemistry, it changes the way you think and feel about yourself in the world and in relation to others in it. Yoga transforms you completely, body, mind and spirit.”
Jamie Annette
Jamie is a certified mat pilates instructor and finished the 200 hour Kunga Yoga Teacher Training in 2010 through Wilmington Yoga Center. She’s always had an interest in health and wellness and feels fortunate to be able to share this with others through teaching. She strongly believes in the principle of “listening to your body.” Jamie hopes to encourage others to bring balance, energy and peace to their lives through the practice of pilates and yoga. Jamie loves to hang out at the beach with her husband and three dogs. Hiking, camping, and traveling are some other activities that Jamie enjoys. She hopes to one day travel to Australia for an unforgettable adventure.
Katie Serino 500RYT
Katie Serino, 500ERYT Katie Serino is an experienced registered 500hr Yoga Alliance teacher. She holds certifications in Kunga Yoga, Pilates, ACSM personal training, Silver Age Yoga and a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science. She began practicing yoga in 2000 and received her 220-hr certification from The Wilmington Yoga Center in 2004. While traveling and living in Southern California, she completed her 500-hr certification with trainings in Advanced Forrest Yoga(Santa Monica), Anusara(Carlsbad, CA), Iyengar(San Diego, Bali), Ashtanga Yoga(San Diego), Vinyasa Yoga(San Diego), Anatomy and Physiology(San Diego) and Therapeutic Yoga(San Diego). She has worked privately with Brittney Spears, taught yoga at Rancho La Puerta, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Bali and Australia. Her primary teaching influences include Kristin Cooper, Ana Forrest, Gerhard Gessner, Carolina Vivas, Tias Little, Gurumukh, and many many more amazing students, teachers and friends from around the world. Yoga is Katie’s passion. She believes it is what keeps her balanced and helps her grow more and more each day. Her inspiration is the people she meets along her path that teach her lessons, touch her heart, and come into her life for a moment or a lifetime. Katie enjoys living close to the ocean, seeing new places, and meeting new people. Visit her site at yogakatie.wordpress.com
Kristin Cooper, 500E-RYT
Kristin Cooper ERYT500, is a registered 500hr Yoga Alliance teacher trainer. She began teaching full time in 1999, and training yoga teachers in 2003. Kristin is the founder and director of The Wilmington Yoga Center, Kunga Journeys Global Service Retreats & The 200/500hr Kunga Yoga School. Kunga Yoga is an open, service-based yoga practice that encourages students to integrate the service theme of the month off the mat, and all Kunga Yoga teachers teach free classes to needed populations and donate 5% of their proceeds from teaching to the Kunga Fund which supports underserved communities locally and globally. Kristin travels as a teaching assistant and percussionist for renowned yoga teacher Shiva Rea and is mentor for students in Shiva’s Prana Flow trainings. Kristin is the creator of Rhythmic Flow Yoga w/the Kunga Drummers, leading workshops fusing yoga and live music since 2000.Her personal practice has been inspired and guided by an extraordinary group of teachers to whom she is extremely grateful, including: Shiva Rea, Sharon Gannon, David Life, Bryan Kest, Jack Kornfield, Teresa Spanos, Beryll Berch, Gurumukh, Donna Gardner, and her loving family. She travels around the globe annually, guest teaching for various teacher trainings, and offering workshop and international retreats with her percussionist husband, Loren Gulak. Their greatest joy is fundraising and leading Kunga Journeys service retreats each year at orphanages in developing countries-all while having FUN! Travel teaching schedule can be found at www.kristinyoga.com
Larry Hobbs
Larry Hobbs,200 ERYT Since 2001 Larry has dedicated his life to the study and teaching of yoga, giving up a career of 32 years at the local DuPont plant to begin a full time teaching lifestyle in 2002. Larry’s path has lead him to study with Shri K. Pattabhi Jois, also known as Guruji, founder of Ashtanga yoga. Larry has also studied with Pattabhi’s grandson Sharath Rangaswamy in Mysore India. To further his studies Larry makes yearly visits to Crestone CO at Shakti Sharanam and studies with his US Ashtanga teacher Annie Pace, one of the few female Ashtanga teachers in the world certified by Guruji. Other notable and certified teachers with whom Larry has studied are Tim Miller, David Garrigues, Richard Freeman, and Kino Macgregor. There are so many more non-Ashtangi’s with whom Larry has studied including Dharma Mittra, and he thanks them all for what they have given him through their knowledge and dedication of what it means to be a yogi. Larrry’s true love is Ashtanga Yoga. His hope is to one day be authorized by KPJAYI in Mysore India, by showing his dedication, character, and true yogic lifestyle. Through yearly visits back to Mysore, Larry continues his Ashtanga training with his Guru’s guidance and Sharath’s.
“I believe the fruit of your practice is in the effort and you should always give 100% on that given day. And just showing up to practice is 90% because you made the effort. You will always be challenged in my classes but in a compassionate way. You may even laugh if you have the time.”
I wish to thank Kristin Cooper-Gulak and Loren Gulak of Wilmington Yoga Center for their trust my ability, and I am honored to have taught for them over the past years.”
“I believe the fruit of your practice is in the effort and you should always give 100% on that given day. And just showing up to practice is 90% because you made the effort. You will always be challenged in my classes but in a compassionate way. You may even laugh if you have the time.”
I wish to thank Kristin Cooper-Gulak and Loren Gulak of Wilmington Yoga Center for their trust my ability, and I am honored to have taught for them over the past years.”
Laura Golden
Laura graduated the year long Jivamukti Teacher Training course in May 2001. After graduation, Laura taught at the main center in New York City for several years. She also has been a guest teacher at the centers in Munich, Germany, and Charleston, SC. Laura founded and directed Avatar Yoga Retreats, leading yoga retreats all over the world, until leaving New York in 2006. Laura believes that yoga makes her lifer better in every way. “I teach it in hope that it will have the same effect on my students. A share the love kind of thing.” Laura enjoys traveling and has been traveling extensively for over 20 years. She has touched every continent except Antarctica and has sailed across the Atlantic Ocean 3 times and Pacific Ocean once.
Mary Barwick
Mary’s formal yoga training began at Kripalu Yoga Ashram where she briefly lived and studied Bodywork (1989). Next she obtained her license in Massage Therapy from the Florida School of Massage and Hydrotherapy in Gainesville Florida (1991). In 1994 she continued her studies and became a Phoenix Rising certified Yoga Therapist. She practiced massage and yoga therapy in Blowing Rock, North Carolina 1991-1995 and started the first Yoga program at Appalachian Statue University in Boone, NC. In 1997 Mary finished her post graduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and became a licensed Physical Therapist. Since 1997 Mary has settled in Wilmington where she continues to teach yoga, practice massage therapy, and works full time as a physical therapist in an outpatient orthopedic setting. In the past 10 years Mary has continued her education taking and teaching courses (yoga, anatomy, injury prevention, manual therapy skills) for both the local medical and yoga communities Her main focus recently has been integrating yoga as clinical tool to assist patients with therapy goals as well teaching yoga participants the importance of understanding basic anatomy / physiology and injury prevention.
Nancy Hayes 500RYT
Nancy Hayes, RYT Nancy is a certified and Yoga Alliance Registered yoga teacher at the 500 hour level (RYT) with over 25 years teaching experience. Since 1984, her primary focus of study has been in the Iyengar method. Nancy’s study of yoga is ongoing and includes teacher training with internationally known Yoga instructors throughout the country and includes course work at The Iyengar Institute of San Francisco, The Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, NY and Unity Woods Yoga, Bethesda, MD. Nancy combines a gentle approach to Yoga with more vigorous methods of practice for physical and mental harmony. Classes are tailored to meet the needs of individuals enrolled and suitable for men and women of all ages. Come prepared to: stretch, strengthen, smile and relax.
Noelle Whittington
Noelle Whittington, RYT Noelle is a Wilmington native with a background in classical dance. Her dance studies led her to the pursue other avenues of movement therapy. In college she began practicing Yoga as a reprieve from the strict discipline of dance and has been in love ever since. A graduate of the Nosara Yoga Institute in Costa Rica, Noelle continues to be a constant student of Anusara Yoga and Vinyasas Yoga. Noelle also maintains Pilates Mat and Reformer certifications. Noelle continues to incorporate Pilates principals into her classes like Core Power Yoga and private client sessions. In her teachings, whether it be one on one or in a group session, Noelle loves empowering her students through movement meditations. She encourages students to let go and “dance like nobody is watching”. She is grateful to be able to travel the world and to enhance her teachings by serving and experiencing other cultures. This serves as a reminder to her that we all share this earth and we honor ourselves by treating it and each other well.
Tara Blackburn
Tara attended her first yoga class in 2003 and immediately loved the feelings of relaxation and mental clarity she would have at the end of each savasana. This led her to the beautiful beaches of Nosara, Costa Rica where she received her 200 hour teaching certification with Don and Amba Stapleton. Tara returned to Wilmington focused on sharing and spreading the compassion and inner contentment that yoga brings to its practitioners. Inspired by Kristin Cooper Gulak and by the yoga community as a whole, Tara believes that being truly flexible means having an open heart and an adaptable mind as well as a limber body. “Like a tree, we have to find our roots, only then can we bend in the wind”
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