Teachers Bio

Meet The Teachers

Mindy Leventhal

Introducing myself to you and sharing my experience of Yoga with you is my pleasure. I have been practicing Hatha Yoga since 1993 and received my 200 hour teaching certification from a Yoga Alliance approved school called Namaste' Yoga in Royal Oak, Michigan in July of 2002. My background is Hatha Yoga, with Flow, Restorative, Healthy Backs, Core, and Yin as the variety of classes I enjoy guiding students through. Shortly after my Yoga Shala (school) was finished, I opened a small intimate studio in my home in the Detroit suburb of West Bloomfield where I held classes each week. Moving to Florida was a dream, a Southerner raised in Tennessee, raising a family in Michigan, and now residing in beautiful surroundings enjoyed everyday. Owning Simply Yoga is such a pleasure, a passion and a learning experience all combined! I feel blessed to be a part of such a wonderful community of friends. Yoga helped to change my life in so many wonderful directions that the privilege of owning a studio and teaching is truly a gift. I am thrilled to be able to live my passions and dreams and share these sweet gifts with all. I would like to share the following quote with you , as it holds my blessed life in thought, "let the beauty of what you love be what you do."-Rumi

Christine Papera

Christine has been a student and teacher at Simply Yoga for many years. Her generous administrative Karma Yoga contributions are numerous not only as an assistant to the studio but to all whom she willingly helps.

Yoga became a part of Christine’s life in 2002. With a very supportive family, friends and peers she has taken her Yoga to the next level, instructing. She considers it an honor to share the ananda (bliss) of Yoga with others. Come join her in her continuing Yoga journey.

Clay Goldstein

My teaching career actually began many years ago when I received my Bachelors degree in Education from the University of Miami. From there, I began to develop a strong interest in health, physical fitness and nutrition, which guided me towards the kind of work I love, helping people live richer, fuller lives. I became a certified fitness instructor in 1984 and enjoyed teaching all level of aerobics as well as nutritional counseling. My natural inclination towards holistic living led me to yoga, and I have been practicing regularly since 2000. After experiencing all the positives changes yoga produced in my body, mind, and spirit, I knew this was the direction my life would take. Becoming a certified yoga instructor and teaching yoga to others has been one of the most satisfying and rewarding experiences of my life. I teach a traditional style of Hatha yoga, with emphasis on breath, helping students not only to improve their strength, flexibility, and balance but to work their way into poses that maximize feeling while providing space for mental and emotional transformation.

Edwin Joiner

Edwin discovered Yoga 16 years ago during a transitional time in his life. His study and practice of yoga began with Judy Spears of Athens, Ga. The practice, coupled with the study of Yoga, helped him to find an inner joy & peace never known to him before. His path then led him to Yogaville in Virginia. There, while on a ten-day silent retreat, completely submerged in Yoga and its teaching, he met Swami Satchidananda. This experience created within him the desire to teach and share the gift of yoga. The next stop was Mexico where he immersed himself in teachers training under the guidance of Swami Ramananda. Edwin had found his calling and subsequently the love of his life; Stacey. Keeping with the Yogic tradition of Karmic Yoga, Edwin volunteers to teach Yoga and raise funds for the Achievement Centers for Children & Families in Delray Beach and continually donates his services to raise funds for Kids in Distress.

Joy Moates-Homan

My own yoga journey began about 10 years ago as a complement to my running. With twenty years in fitness as a personal trainer and fitness instructor, I was amazed at how yoga changed my mind and spirit as much as it did my body. My passion is to share this beauty of yoga with everyone! After completing my RYT 200 hour yoga teacher training, I am so excited to teach at Simply Yoga. Yoga is an intimate practice. Through yoga, we develop an intimate relationship with our body, mind, and spirit. The beauty of yoga is that it can be whatever you need at the moment. Yoga will meet you where you are. My goal as a teacher is to encourage and guide students to find their own sweet spot of yoga. Yoga has taught me to taste the moment. My desire is to help others find the joy of yoga and life... both on and off the mat. With yoga, we can change the world. By nurturing ourselves with breath, movement, and meditation, we can then go out into the world with love for Mother Earth and all her inhabitants. Please join me as we taste this moment of our lives. Namaste'

Julie Murphy

The Yoga style I teach is for beginner and intermediate students and can be as challenging as you wish, while always respecting the fundamentals of alignment and avoiding injury. I have studied Ashtanga, Iyengar, and Anusara Yoga and I incorporate all of my Yoga experience into my classes; teaching with humility, kindness, patience and humor. It’s an honor for me to help Yoga practitioners understand and appreciate their bodies, while also accepting their limitations and accomplishments with grace. Most of all, I aspire to help students tap into the abundant Joy waiting for them through regular Yoga practice.The 200-hour Yoga Register Teacher certification forms the basis of my teaching. My happy discovery of Anusara Yoga has encouraged me to celebrate life through this heart-oriented practice, and I am working towards Anusara-inspired Yoga teaching. Quiet the mind. Abandon the ego. Open the Heart.

Tracy Brown

I have been in the fitness/wellness field for over 20 years as a personal trainer working with people of all ages and fitness levels. I believe that being healthy and fit is a threefold endeavor involving mind, body and spirit. Not only must we work with our body to maintain health and fitness, we must also spend equal amounts of time nurturing our mind and spirit.

In early 2008, I attended an all-day intensive in Kundalini Yoga with Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, a renowned Kundalini Yoga teacher. I knew nothing about the practice yet from the moment the class started I felt a calling, both personally and professionally. I started my 200 hour teacher training a few months later under the superior guidance of Deva Kaur Khalsa in Coral Springs. I am grateful and blessed to be continuing my Level II trainings under her supervision as well.

For me, Kundalini Yoga IS the “union” of mind, body and spirit which inspires me to deepen my physical and spiritual practice on a daily basis. It is an honor for me to be teaching Kundalini Yoga and I look forward to sharing these incredible teachings with you. Sat Nam

Jessica Stiehm

Jessica is a passionate full-time teacher and practitioner of the yogic arts. Delving into the studies of yoga to deepen her own practice, she discovered the incredible desire to teach. Along with teaching and having a regular practice, Jessica is a certified Thai-Yoga therapist through the Vedic Conservatory, a singer, musician and artist. She believes in yoga being a very personalized experience, encouraging and supporting each student to have their own; paying close attention to breath and alignment, and also to everyone in her class. She brings a variety of styles into her teaching, using a vinyasa base (dynamic movement with breath,) and including "yin" (surrender & presence in opening postures) and pranayama (controlled breathing practices.) Her influences come from Anusara, Kripalu, Ashtanga, and Siddha yoga paths. Having love and appreciation for all the healing arts, she likes to incorporate thai-yoga and massage techniques into her assisting, giving her students plenty of hands-on attention. Jessica also plays the harmonium and sings mantra for various events, and enjoys bringing it into her classes to create a meditative, high-vibration ambience. Jessica holds various workshops on yoga asana, meditation, thai-yoga, partner thai-yoga, mantra, and vibrational healing in the Florida area. She hopes to make yoga available and accessible to anyone who desires it for themselves. Ultimately teaching that yoga is not something we do... It is a place we reside in.

Stacey Shupert

Stacey has been practicing yoga for over a decade. She received her first training and certification at the White Lotus Foundation in Santa Barbara, California studying under renowned instructors Ganga White and Tracy Rich. Stacey received her second certification with Yoga South in Boca Raton, Florida studying under the tutelage of James Kigar and Judy Weaver. She is diverse and teaches all levels of yoga from a Beginner Slow Flow to a high-energy Vinyasa/Power class. Her highly energetic and loving personality is reflected in her teaching style. Stacey teaches from her heart with the intention of each student leaving class feeling empowered, balanced, and invigorated; no matter what level practitioner.

Gina Zea

As with many, Gina's search for self-knowledge and peace led her to the practice of Yoga. Convinced of it's many benefits, she decided to study and share her knowledge by teaching. Through workshops, spiritual retreats and a strong personal practice, she continues to learn and connect. Gina's classes remind us of the beautiful miracle of the breath..."In savoring our breath, we find the meditative aspects of each posture with acceptance, patience and love". Christy Thorndill

Gary Tong

Gary Tong started his discipline over 30 years ago with Shaolin Kung Fu under the guidance of Grandmaster Alan Lee. He later discovered Tai Chi Chuan and Chi Kung (Qigong), studying with Dr John Wan-Yuin Chang of Baltimore, MD. He teaches not only the physical movements of Tai Chi Chuan, but also the adhering principles required for practicing and mastering the art. Gary taught Tai Chi and Chi Kung at the Baltimore 'Tai Chi Study Association" and to many others throughout the country. He's a member of “Healing Society" and “World Tai Chi and Qigong” Organizations, promoting global health and enlightenment, through the healing arts of Tao Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Kung (Qigong) and Meditation.Gary's vision is to share the knowledge and love of these healing arts and help in creating a harmonious society."The journey we are traveling is not geographical; it is the distance between our heart and mind. Conquering that distance, we shall find inner peace.”

Karen Pagano

I teach an eclectic-style of yoga, combining classic poses with effective joint opening stretches, proper breathing, spiritual inspiration, and mental focus and relaxation. My students and I are on a search for the “delicious” in each moment. In 2003 and 2004, I flew from Florida every month to train at the Hatha Yoga Center in Seattle, Washington with the fabulous Ki McGraw and Bob Smith. In June of 2004, I continued my training with Ki and Bob at their yoga retreat in Bali, Indonesia. I earned a 200-hour Yoga Alliance Certification. While I favor sharing an Ananda (Hatha) style, I practice Astanga (Iyengar), Ashtanga (Power and Flow), Bikram (Hot), and Integral (Meditation and Pranayama) styles of yoga. Today, I feel inspired by Mary Oliver, “I would like to do whatever it is that presses the essence from the hour.” May the God in me see the God in you. Namaste John Pellicci

Jacqueline Pfeffer

Jacqueline started practicing yoga on the mat in 1998 in her last year at the Univeristy of Florida. From there her journey took her to Hawaii and California where she explored different styles of yoga with many different teachers. She found a deep love in Vinyasa. The connection of mind, body and spirit through breath awareness really resonated. Since 2008 she has studied with a few South Florida teachers and joins us with a 200 RYT and her 500 RYT pending. Jacqueline finds true joy in bringing yoga to your day and to your life. After practicing and guiding powerful flows (Vinyasa) for several years she is thrilled to slow down and be still with Yin. There is a sense of peace and serenity that is so present in the gentle movements and held asanas that invites you to just smile and be. It's AUMazing.

Michelle Tamblyn

Michelle is certified with Yoga Alliance as a RYT-200. She has a Bachelor's degree in English with an emphasis in creative writing from the University of Redlands in California. It was here that she was first introduced to yoga. She began a serious practice 7 years ago and graduated from the Anuttara teacher training in July 2011.She is also a Reiki Master and and Integrated Energy Therapy practitioner. She believes in incorporating different modalities to heal the body, mind, and spirit. Originally from NH, she loves the outdoors and also does nature photography. Her students say she has a very gentle and calming presence. She is passionate about yoga and the benefits each person can gain from practicing. Yoga has been an integral part of her own healing journey.

Elisa Buller

Elisa has been practicing yoga for over 10 years. She has traveled extensively and attended classes all over the world from the UK, to Egypt, Thailand, Costa Rica, and the Cayman Islands. Elisa finally settled in South Florida where she completed her 200 hour yoga teacher training at Anuttara Yoga Shala in Deerfield Beach. After slowly distancing herself from her stressful job as First Officer and on a large luxury yacht, Elisa now teaches yoga. Yachting allowed Elisa to lead an exciting way of life traveling and serving some of the wealthiest people that inhabit the planet. But seeing how excessive material wants and desires do not lead to happiness, she now enjoys a less hectic life now surrounded by friends and family. In a world that is sometimes difficult to understand, she finds that yoga brings peace and happiness into her life. An honors student with a degree in Biology, Elisa has always been fascinated by all kinds of wildlife and nature. Her other passion is to capture images of nature through the lens. She photographs and films both on land and underwater and loves all the beauty that surrounds us in nature.

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John Pellicci

John Pellicci is a graduate of a Yoga Alliance registered 200-hour yoga teacher training program with a focus on Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga. He teaches yoga full-time in several locations in Martin and Palm Beach counties. In addition to earning an undergraduate degree in Philosophy and working on a Masters Degree in Theology, John has spent the last twenty plus years sharpening his understanding of East-West studies. Currently, John teaches yoga philosophy in several yoga teacher training programs in South Florida at the 200 hour level and the 300 hour level. He also enjoys hosting weekly study groups and satsangs.

Greg Curtis

Greg is a registered yoga teacher and has practiced meditation and yoga for over 30 years. Greg provides powerful yet gentle support for most physical aches, pains and physiological conditions. He is a holistic therapist and has helped his clients for over 16 years. Greg is Licensed Acupuncture Physician: Certified Acupoint injection therapist; Licensed Massage Therapist in the state of Flordia. Trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine (4 years), Osteopathic Medicine (5 years), Mental Health Counseling (3 years) and advanced bodywork techniques such as applied Kinesiology (1 year). Combining strong medical knowledge with exceptional interpersonal skills providing his patients with the very best care.

Hariraj Kaur Khalsa

As a wife and mother of six children yoga, was a time “just for me” to connect with my truth It is a blessing and a gift to share my gifts with others.

Twelve years ago Hariraj became a fitness instructor and started teaching a yoga class at a church she attended. In 2006 she completed Massage School at Palm Beach Community College and began working at Hippocrates Health Institute in West Palm Beach. She received certifications in Aromatherapy, Reiki , Hot Stone and Shirodhara. Five years ago she moved to Tallahassee and completed a Hatha Yoga Teacher Training program with Leslie Hanks of Yoga Unlimited. Ayurvedic cooking, Pancha Karma, Ayurveda and Women’s Health, The Five Tastes were just a few of the many workshops she attended at Yoga Unlimited. When Hariraj began practicing Kundalini yoga in 2009 the experience was life changing; she took Sikh vows and changed her name . Hariraj completed Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training as taught by Yogi Bhajan in 2010 under ShaktaKaur.