Roots & River Instructors

Machelle brings 30 years of experience as a yoga instructor, massage therapist, childbirth educator, and lecturer. She holds a Master’s Degree in Mythology and Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and has completed a 300-hour advanced yoga teacher training in Yoga Psychology.

Her teaching style is therapeutic and integrative, weaving together Yin, Gentle, and Vinyasa styles of yoga with modern scientific research on tissue rehabilitation, traditional medicines, and psychology. Machelle is committed to meeting each student where they are, honoring their unique abilities and anatomical structure. This whole-person approach helps students experience the bodymind connection both somatically and intellectually.

In addition to leading classes, she offers yoga teacher trainings, CEUs, and personal immersion programs in Yin Yoga, Comparative Anatomy, the Science and Psychology of Chinese Meridian Theory, and more. Across her work, she blends storytelling, archetypes, poetry, neuroscience, psychology, and Five Element Meridian Theory to create a grounded yet creative path for self-discovery and growth.

Machelle leads weekly Gentle Joint Care, Vinyasa, and Yin Yoga practices. Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for classes or events or teacher trainings with Machelle

Kathryn Bovino is a Certified Life Balance Yoga Therapy Instructor, Licensed Behavior Analyst, Reiki Master, and Psychology Professor with a passion for helping others cultivate resilience, well-being, and joy. She discovered yoga and mindfulness as a college student in 2000, and their profound impact inspired her to share these practices with others. In 2008, she completed her yoga teacher certification and has been guiding students ever since. Over the years, Kathryn has taught in a variety of settings including yoga studios, college classrooms, therapeutic clinics, vineyards, and retreat centers. She also integrates yoga and mindfulness into her ACTivation coaching program, where she supports individuals in building lives rooted in meaning, presence, and authenticity.

Kathryn’s classes combine gentle, accessible movement with mindfulness, meditation, and optional energy healing to nurture the whole person in body, mind, and spirit. Welcoming to all levels, her teaching emphasizes stress relief, self-compassion, and connection, creating a space for students to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with their inner light and magic.

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class with Kathryn

Judy first connected with the practice of Yoga while looking for ways to reunite and reconnect with her body, mind and spirit after retiring from 20+ years of service as a U.S. Army Medical Service Corps Officer in 2012. She experienced years of chronic nervous system dysregulation, illness and pain. Yoga became an integral part of Judy’s holistic healing practices over the past decade to help her to transform into a more resilient and vibrant person.

As a 200+ hour trauma informed yoga instructor, Judy approaches teaching yoga with compassionate awareness. Holding supportive space for nervous system regulation, flexibility and reset has been a focus for her yoga instruction, energy medicine practices and retreats. She finds joy in her continued exploration of advanced yoga practices that have been focused toward the subtle energy systems of the body, restorative practices, and supporting veteran/first responder and the boarder community needs.

Judy leads weekly Gentle Yoga and occasional special events/series - Visit our Schedule

Carrie Dennison has been immersing herself in these practices and teachings of Restorative Yoga since 2015. Carrie has discovered the importance of self-care to bring attention to the busy parts of life to find a slower pace and more moments of peace.  In sharing the practice of Restorative Yoga and pranayama as a tool for activating the parasympathetic nervous system (rest/digest/bond), there is an innate ability to decrease stress and anxiety and live a more full life. Carrie’s credentials include Yogamour Trauma-Informed Yoga Training, Rest for All Restorative Yoga with Tara Lemerise, Reiki Master Training with Irene Glasse and Yin Yoga  Certification with Machelle Lee.

Carrie leads monthly Full Moon Gatherings found here: workshops and speciality series, and is on our Roots & River sub-list. Visit our Schedule

Kelly Garcia, RYT 200, RYT 500 - Yoga Instructor

Kelly’s journey into yoga and movement began after a back injury reshaped her relationship with her body. Where movement once felt like a means to an end, healing invited a slower, more attuned approach. She found her way into yoga, Ayurveda, dance, and somatic practices rooted in strength, longevity, and inner connection.

She completed both her 200-hour and 300-hour Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Trainings and continues to study with master teachers from around the world. Kelly is deeply passionate about the body-mind connection and the wisdom that lives within both.

In her teaching, Kelly loves exploring how what we practice on the mat ripples into how we live and move through the world. Her classes are intentional, detail-oriented, and focused on how asana supports the body and nervous system.

Originally from Mexico, Kelly brings a vibrant presence, a rich cultural lens, and—according to her students—a delightful accent. (She likes to give students a heads-up about her accent in case it takes a moment to adjust!) Her hope is to share the tools, insights, and devotion passed down from her teachers and to inspire a more curious and empowered relationship with self.

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class with Kelly

Leigh George, Pilates Instructor

Leigh is a professional ballet dancer and Cecchetti certified member ballet teacher that discovered the strengthening powers of Yoga, Pilates and barre after an Ehlers Danlos Syndrome diagnosis at age 17. While enjoying the wonderful strengthening benefits of these workouts, she noticed the lack of accessibility in these classes that she, and those like her, may need to be successful. With the extra at-home time during COVID-19, she decided to develop a virtual barre workout class and a virtual ballet class for those who may need extra modifications.

Leigh brings an upbeat environment to her barre classes along with a full rounded approach to flexibility, stability, and balance. Her classes have plenty of modifications to ensure that everyone is able to be successful in fitness!

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class with Leigh.

Mallory first came to yoga as a way to support her body—seeking injury prevention and flexibility during her years as a high school and college athlete. What began as a physical practice quickly grew into something much deeper. She fell in love not only with the movement (asana), but also with the spiritual, philosophical, and mental aspects of yoga.

Her curiosity and passion led her to complete her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at Studio Sabija in West Chester, Pennsylvania, where she learned to guide students with clear, intentional verbal cues and a strong respect for the roots of yogic tradition.

In her teaching, Mallory seeks to expand the common perception of yoga beyond the physical, emphasizing its connection to breath, mind, and spirit. She enjoys integrating Sanskrit, pranayama (breathwork), and authentic yogic principles into her classes.

Mallory has experienced firsthand the transformative power of mindfulness and gratitude, and she hopes to hold space for others to discover that shift in their own lives. In her classes, students can expect a welcoming atmosphere filled with compassion, encouragement, and kindness. She teaches with the belief that yoga looks different for everyone—but can be made accessible to all.

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class with Mallory

Lauren and Suzanne are certified guides with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT). Both are also trained in Wilderness First Aid. Suzanne is an Angel Reiki Master and certified Sound Practitioner. They collaborate to create peaceful and restorative experiences within nature through sensory immersions which opens space for participants to connect to their inner wisdom. You can learn more about Lauren and Suzanne at their website - Imagine Well Being.

Lauren and Suzanne lead Outdoor Enrichment workshops - learn more about their upcoming events at our Workshops/Event page. Lauren is also a sub at R&R.

Tara Lemerise is known for offering clear and helpful instruction to students at all levels in a relevant and relatable way. Tara believes there is nothing to "fix" with yoga. Instead, there are only more opportunities to understand and be more fully present to our separate and together experiences of being embodied. From handstands to savasana and everything in between, she teaches the time-honored philosophy and practice of yoga in an accessible and joyful way.

Registered with Yoga Alliance at E-RYT-200/RYT-500, Tara has been teaching yoga philosophy, movement, and meditation since 2005. She teaches a thriving and welcoming online yoga community with students from all over the US. You will also find her leading in-person Restorative Yoga weekend retreats and workshops, teacher training, and continuing education programs for yoga teachers.

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class, special events or teacher training with Tara

Kristina discovered yoga in 1998 after a long career in dance, seeking a practice that would support both strength and flexibility. Drawn to Vinyasa yoga, she earned her 200-hour certification through Downward Dog and later completed advanced studies at the Kripalu Center, where she received her 500-hour certification.

Kristina holds ERYT-500 and YACEP designations through Yoga Alliance and is also certified in Trauma-Informed Yoga and Aerial Yoga Level 2. Since 2005, she has taught classes, workshops, and teacher trainings in Frederick, while continuing her studies in pranayama, meditation, and yogic practices through time spent in ashrams across the U.S.

Known for her thoughtful and adaptable teaching style, Kristina offers classes that support a wide range of students and experiences. She lives on a farm in Boonsboro with her husband, daughter, dogs, and chickens, drawing continual inspiration from the wisdom and rhythms of nature.

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class with Kristina

Jaclyn found yoga in 2014. Her pursuit for health and wellness led her to yoga. What she found in her yoga explorations is that one is welcome as they are. She felt free to show up just as she was and would still be welcomed. This level of acceptance and the foundational teachings of yoga captivated Jaclyn and inspired her practice and her desire to share yoga with others. Jaclyn completed the 200-hour yoga teacher training through Life’sWork Yoga and her 200-hour meditation teacher training through the Radiance Sutras school. Her intention as an instructor is to create a safe and compassionate space for yogis to have an authentic experience, to “come as you are.” In practice with Jaclyn, one can expect asana exploration, linking movement with breath, and mindful observation of the body’s sensations.

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class with Jaclyn

Rick Reid has been interested in fitness since his mid-thirties when he began running 10K races. His endurance grew, allowing him to complete his first marathon at age 38. He eventually developed osteoarthritis in both knees.  It was then that he began working out in a gym to maintain cardio health while increasing total body strength through weight training. He studied under fitness professionals and took professional trainings in the years that followed. Shortly after retiring in 2015, he earned his certification as a professional personal trainer and has been leading private and group classes ever since. 

Rick brings in humor and accessibility in the way he trains individuals of all ages, from teens to folks in their 90s.  He creates a balanced approach to strength trainings, flexibility, balance, and cardio health. He modifies his routines based on the age, physical condition, and health needs of each individuals. His students report benefits in relief of pain, increased strength, balance and range of motion, as well as improvements in blood pressure and overall sense of physical and emotional well being. 

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class with Rick

Sabrina is a compassionate Yoga Teacher, Sound Healer, and Usui Holy Fire Reiki Master dedicated to supporting holistic well-being through breath, movement, rest, and energy work. She weaves subtle energy practices into all her offerings and has specialized training in Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga, as well as Therapeutic, Gentle, and Restorative practices that support healing and transformation.

Her own journey began during a period of depression and anxiety, when yoga offered her a more loving connection with her body and mind. The grounding, uplifting effects of the practice inspired her to deepen her studies and help others experience the same sense of balance and empowerment. She later completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training, along with additional study in Prenatal/Fertility Yoga and Thera-Yoga at Life’sWork Yoga in Frederick, MD. Sabrina teaches with a gentle, accessible, and compassionate approach, honoring the unique story each student carries. She remains devoted to continual learning and to lovingly serving her community.

Sabrina leads regular Sound Baths found here: workshops and speciality series, and is on our Roots & River sub-list. Visit our Schedule

Ashley has been a dedicated student of yoga since 2005, and has been teaching since 2017. She was first drawn to yoga seeking relief from chronic pain, an experience that continues to motivate her passion for sharing yoga that is supportive to all bodies.

Trained primarily in the T.K.V. Desikachar and Bishnu Ghosh yoga lineages, Ashley offers mindful slow flow with keen focus on breath and form. She studied Biological Sciences as an undergraduate at Virginia Tech and behavioral health as a graduate student at William and Mary.

Ashley has taken advanced trainings and has special interest in accessible yoga, yoga for chronic illness and hypermobility, yoga for pelvic floor health, yoga history and philosophy, strength training, and meditation. Her teaching emphasizes nervous system regulation through breath work and gentle practices that encourage softness, self-awareness, and ease. 

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class with Ashley

Jeanna is a Frederick native and has dedicated her life to the art and therapeutic nature of movement as a performing artist and somatic facilitator. Jeanna received her 240YTT from Yogamour’s Trauma Informed Social Justice Yoga Teacher Training, is certified in Functional Awareness, and holds her B.F.A in Dance. She is passionate about her work with children, building a space for inclusivity, empowerment, integration, and discovery. Her teaching approach is centered around the awareness of one’s dynamic alignment to help improve the body’s accessibility, mobility, resilience and overall wellbeing. In her free time, Jeanna loves traveling, being in nature, dabbling in all things arts & crafts and is a proud mom to her rescue turtle, Tye. She's super thrilled to be a part of the Roots & River community!

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class with Jeanna

Barbara Scott, RYT 200 - Yoga Instructor

Barbara has been teaching yoga since earning her certification from the Anahata Center for Yoga and Wellness in 2006. Her classes emphasize slow, intentional movement guided by the breath, often incorporating gentle meditation and mindful pauses to foster presence, awareness, and inner balance.

She enjoys working with beginners, as well as anyone seeking a more grounded and mindful approach to practice. With a focus on alignment, breathwork, and body awareness, Barbara helps students build a strong foundation on the mat while encouraging them to move with greater ease and confidence. Her teaching style is warm, supportive, and accessible, creating a welcoming environment where students can explore their practice at their own pace. Barbara believes yoga is not only a physical practice, but also a tool for cultivating resilience, clarity, and calm in everyday life. Through mindful movement and conscious breathing, she invites students to reconnect with themselves and carry that sense of balance and well-being beyond the studio.

Cain is an expert in the science and practice of Tai-Chi. First educated as a teenager in Washington D.C. at the Great River Taoist Center under Scott Rodell, he later moved to the Republic of China to study under Master Wang Yan-Nian at the National Tai-Chi Ch’uan Association. Yentzer lived in the Republic of China for 15 years where established his school Inner Court Tai-Ji. He returned in recent years to teach Tai-Chi to Americans. His greatest pleasure is helping others find true healing and inner peace.

Cain leads Tai Chi series - learn more about the upcoming sessions at our Workshops/Event page.

Roots & River Subs

Gina Divico, RYT 200 - Yoga Instructor

Gina is a yoga teacher with a thoughtful, anatomy-informed approach to movement. Her yoga journey began in 2014 as an at-home practice rooted in curiosity and exploration, eventually leading her to formal training and teaching. She completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at Roots & River Yoga in Brunswick, MD, studying under Machelle Lee and Julia Skaarup, and later continued her education with a 30-hour Yin Yoga training.

Whether gentle or actively focused, Gina’s classes are prop-friendly and adaptable, with an emphasis on meeting students where they are and assisting them to find shapes that feel supportive and sustainable in their bodies. Her intention is to create classes that are approachable, intentional, and supportive, while offering practical tools students can carry off the mat—from simple breathing techniques to everyday movement and mobility practices.

Elaine has been practicing yoga for over 30 years and began teaching in 2015. She completed a
200-hour Teacher Training Program with Jala Yoga in Shepherdstown, WV. She has received further training in Yin and Trauma Informed Yoga. In 2024 she completed a 300-hour Advanced Teacher Training Program offered by Christa Mastrangelo Joyce with a focus on cultivating curiosity, adaptability, and engagement in the practice of yoga. She is an ambassador for the Accessible Yoga Community, a resource for offering yoga to marginalized individuals and communities. She offers both group and private yoga classes in Maryland and West Virginia

Elaine enjoys offering yoga to all students - beginners, as well as more seasoned practitioners. Her classes encourage students to be mindful, curious and playful. Poses will be adapted to meet the needs of everyone. She believes that the best yoga practice is one that can be safely sustained and evolves with you, as you grow and change. When not in the yoga studio, Elaine enjoys family time with kids and grandkids, hiking, camping, traveling, and wine tasting. She lives in Keedysville, MD with her husband, Craig. 

Melissa is a Trauma Informed RYT 500 yoga teacher with advanced training in asana, pranayama, meditation, Ayurveda, and the chakra system. With a background in psychology, she integrates the science of the nervous system with the philosophies of yoga to support holistic well-being and balance.

Her teaching style is grounded in accessibility, mindfulness, and nervous system wellness. She creates inclusive spaces for self-exploration and reconnection through trauma-informed Vinyasa style and Yin practices that encourage grounding, regulation, and ease.

Inspired by the deeply restorative experience of her first vinyasa class, Melissa is passionate about sharing the full depth of yoga by offering practical tools for managing stress, nurturing resilience, and returning to a sense of wholeness both on and off the mat.

Jen Solomon, RYT 200 - Yoga Instructor

Jen first connected with yoga during her freshman year at Frederick Community College, about a year after her fifth heart surgery as a congenital heart defect patient. Drawn to the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual benefits of the practice, she deepened her connection to yoga over the years and completed her teacher training in 2017 at Eternal Health Yoga in Louisville, Kentucky. With a professional background in mental health, Jen has integrated yoga into her work as an expressive therapist, facilitating yoga groups for teens in residential treatment and adults in inpatient psychiatric care.

In 2019, Jen underwent her sixth heart surgery and credits her yoga practice with supporting her recovery, inspiring her to complete Cardiac Yoga Teacher Training with Mala Cunningham, PhD, in 2022. She enjoys teaching hatha and gentle hatha yoga with an emphasis on meditation and pranayama, creating a compassionate and welcoming space for students of all backgrounds. Outside of yoga, Jen enjoys Fair Trade advocacy, creative writing, Jin Shin Jyutsu, and spending time in nature with her rabbit, Elwood, and her green-cheek conure, Suri.

When one soul is set ablaze by truth, the whole universe ignites, and for an instant light reaches every corner, cave and crevasse. When the heart remembers what it is, joined in vastness by joy and suffering, both the future and the past dissolve like snowflakes on the tongue. There is nowhere to run, no reason to do anything bus rest in the cradles of the cosmos, rocked in the arms of emptiness, and held in the near embrace of love. ~Danna Faulds