About Us

Laura McKinnon

Laura McKinnon: Mom, certified yoga teacher, and owner of Seaside Yoga Sanctuary. Laura began practicing yoga in 2000, after suffering from sport related injuries. Although it was her injuries that first brought her to the mat, she quickly found other benefits from the practice that helped bring a balance to her life and inspired her to teach. She firmly believes that yoga is for everyone; regardless of age or physical ability and that it is through yoga that we can all find health, wellness, and peace. After becoming certified to teach, her passion eventually led her to open Seaside Yoga – a place of community where practicing yogis can continue their journey, for those new to yoga to begin, and where the practice of yoga can be fostered from the start of life by supporting women in prenatal and post natal yoga, and continuing from toddlers to kids yoga.
As a new mom, she brings a new found joy and compassion to her practice and enthusiastically shares her love of yoga with her students. In her teaching she encourages students to openly explore themselves; bringing awareness to each moment and finding the connection within. She holds a special place in her practice and teaching for moms to be and those new to the practice. She teaches yoga for all levels, pre and post natal yoga, and yoga for beginners.
Laura received her 200 hour advanced studies and teacher training certificate from Yoga High Studio in Salinas, CA in 2006 and is a registered yoga teacher. Though she has studied a variety a of yoga styles, she is strongly influenced in the Iyengar tradition and continues to study with certified Iyengar instructors; continuing her education through various workshops and other training.

Candice Garrett

Candice's classes have evolved from her studies in Iyengar yoga and vinyasa flow. She has been blessed to study under many accomplished and inspiring teachers including Iyengar yoga with Kofi Busia, the pelvic floor and exercises with Leslie Howard and prenatal yoga with Robin Sale. She has a deep interest in the workings of the body; its anatomy and alignment and especially loves to work with people who have dealt with adversity, injury, pregnancy or limitation, for it is there that the magic of the practice happens. Expect for classes to be fun, lighthearted and challenging and also that your individual needs will be well taken care of. Candice teaches yoga, prenatal yoga and pelvic health. Her workshops can be found in CA, AZ and OR. She is registered with Yoga Alliance and holds certificates in hatha yoga and Whole Birth Prenatal Yoga and Support. A freelance writer, she recently authored, "Prenatal Yoga; Finding Movement in Fullness." For more information, please visit www.candicegarrettyoga.com.

Michelle Spencer

Michelle Spencer is a dedicated yoga practitioner with over 10 years experience. She is committed to growing in her ability to share her knowledge and experience of the body and mind through the teaching and practice of yoga. She is highly passionate about providing women in their childbearing years with the support and exposure to information they will need to make the best choices for the health of themselves and their families. Michelle's background and commitment to the practice and study of Anusara yoga with John Friend and many other gifted teachers, as well as extensive training in pre and post natal yoga and childbirth support and education with Collette Crawford has provided her with the tools needed to bring this information and guidance to the Monterey Pensinsula area. Most importantly, her commitment and love for her family and her practice of yoga shows in her enthusiastic, informed and empowering teaching style.

Shakuntla Chandra

Shakuntla Chandra has been practicing yoga for the last twenty years. She has taught in various schools and while visiting New Zealand. Shakuntala has trained under the Sivananda Yoga Vendanta Center in Fiji. There she had achieved spiritual peace and good health. She is happy to teach the proper asanas, pranayama, meditation, relaxation, and the chanting of mantras. Om Peace, Peace, Peace. Namaste.

Jacqueline Van Ness

Jacqueline Van Ness is a Certified Anat Baniel Method Practitioner who works with adults that experience pain, chronic pain and limitations in their movements, are recovering from surgery, Parkinson condition and more. Additionally she is certified in the ABM for Children mastery study. Jacqueline is also a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner.

Natalie Lott

Natalie Lott has been practicing yoga for seven years and completed 120 hours of teacher training with Mark Stephens in Santa Cruz. Her experience as an elementary school teacher has made her aware of the need to expose children to yoga at a young age. Kids face many challenges in school and our society to fit into a certain standard. Yoga gives them the opportunity to express themselves and release some of the stress placed upon them in today's world. Natalie has taught yoga to kids in schools, and at various studios in the area. She believes that through yoga kids can learn compassion and self-respect.

Jeannie Alcouloumre

I have been in love with yoga for more than 25 years. I love that yoga makes me feel wonderful without demanding that I achieve or excel. I love that yoga is source of nurturing of body and soul. I was trained as a teacher in an extensive program at the Yoga Room in Berekely. The faculty at the time of my training were master teachers influenced by BKS Iyengar including Donald Moyer, Rodney Yee and my mentor, Judith Lasater. I have more recently developed an appreciation for the gentle and therapeutic Viniyoga approach to my practice, inspired by Brian Dorfman and Barbara Tudhope. I have been teaching yoga since 1992. My Gentle Yoga class has been offered through CHOMP since 2003 and I have been sharing the teaching of Gentle Yoga at Wellsprings Yoga with Barbara Tudhope during the last year.

Jeannie Walker

Jeannie Walker is a dedicated Yoga practicioner with 9+ years experience. Ms. Walker is a 200 hour level Certified Yoga Teacher, Certified Chair Yoga Teacher and is currently completing a Restorative Yoga, Level I Teacher Certificate. She continues her Yoga education through frequenting workshops and studying under her mentor, Laura McKinnon. Ms. Walker's passion is to help human beings in re-connecting with their bodies, especially those individuals who have fear about physical limitations, doing yoga poses or feel as though there is not enough time to put self-care into their lives. Please join Jeannie on the journey of putting movement, breath and self-acceptance back into Your Life!

Michael Simpson

Michael is a very versatile yoga instructor with an emphasis in vinyasa flow style. Upon completing a 120-hour yoga teacher training course with Mark Stephens of Santa Cruz in August, 2008, she immediately embarked upon a career teaching yoga. Her initial teacher training under the supervision of Mark Stephens as well as completion of many additional teacher training workshops has provided Michael with a solid foundation as a yoga teacher. The physical and spiritual beauty of yoga promotes a lifestyle that is to be shared with others. Michael’s passion and deep connection to both the physical and spiritual benefits of yoga began as a student in 2003. She now carries that passion forward, sharing it with her students. Michael emphasizes the connection of breath, body and movement encouraging students to explore, discover and connect within.

Cathy Rivera

Cathy Rivera received her 200-hour yoga teacher certification through the yoga teacher training program at YogaYoga in Austin, TX, in 2008. Cathy was inspired by the personal benefits of yoga practice through good times, transitions, and recovery from knee and back surgeries. She committed to teacher training to better serve the individuals with movement disorders that she encountered over ten years as a board certified music therapist (MT-BC). Cathy now combines yoga movement and breath with movement and music in both her yoga classes and music therapy work. She has taught chair yoga classes at senior centers, support group meetings and assisted living facilities in Austin. Cathy now offers a chair yoga class specifically for individuals with challenges presented by Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, traumatic brain injury and other neurologic disorders. Her yoga teachers and students have shown her that making yoga accessible to those with special needs produces real gains in mobility, balance, strength and flexibility. And, because it is yoga and not just rehabilitation exercise, there is the invitation to peace and harmony of body, mind and spirit.

Amy Taketomo

Amy is now available at the studio to provide ayurvedic consultations. She holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in Chemistry from the University of California at Riverside and Irvine. A graduate of the College of Ayurveda at Mount Madonna Institute, with a Diploma and Certificate with high honors, she is an Ayurvedic practitioner and professional member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association. She is a Reiki Master in the lineage of Hawayo Takata and a student of Sri Baba Hari Dass. To contact Amy or schedule a consultation, call 831-801-7333 or email ataketomo@gmail.com

David Barth

David's long-standing interest in various modalities of bodywork led him to yoga in 1995. He began a dedicated practice of both at that time earning his massage practitioner certification and, more recently, his yoga teacher certification. David's first exposure to yoga practice was by way of private sessions with a student of Kali Ray with whom he studied for two years. David then became immersed in vinyasa and for an additional two years practiced with instructor, Diana Balesteri. It was at this time that he became dedicated to a life-long practice and for the last nine years David has practiced with Iyengar instructor, Kim Fujii. With encouragement from friends and fellow students, David eventually found his way to the Yoga Teacher Training/Advanced Studies at Yoga High Studio in Salinas, CA where he earned his certification. David's focus is to present the precise asanas of Iyengar with the breath work and flow of vinyasa.

Jessica Randall

Jessica Randall received her teacher training certification through YogaFit after practicing since 1998 and is close to completion of her 200hr. She has cultivated a fondness for vinyasa and the underlying philosophy that surrounds yoga. She finds that yoga effects all aspects of life from body health to stress management. Jessica's classes are geared towards centering through relaxation, gentle stretching and balancing asanas, with special attention given to the beginner. Her many years working with toddlers has inspired her to combine the joy of children, her unrelenting patience and love for yoga into creative classes for younger age groups.

Lisa Manca

Lisa Manca became a yoga practitioner after finding the balance and clarity yoga lent to her life. After receiving her master's in Dance/Movement therapy, Ms. Manca trained to become a yoga teacher as part of her job as a rehabilitation therapist within the prison system. In addition to teaching yoga in a public forum, Ms. Manca taught yoga in both correctional facilities and psychiatric hospitals. Ms. Manca studied yoga with Mark Stephens and is working toward her 200 hour RYT. She continues to share her love of movement through the practice of yoga and through her continued dance training.

Deb Sandweiss

Deb Sandweiss has been practicing yoga for fifteen years. She appreciates that it nurtures both physical and mental well being. She has enjoyed her career as a public school teacher with experience in the classroom and in physical education. Her passion for education and physical activity, especially yoga, brought her to YogaKids, a program with a playful approach to teaching yoga that engages the mind and the body. Deb currently teaches at Carmel Middle School and finds that the tools kids learn through yoga benefit them in many aspects of their lives. Deb is also completing her training as a certified YogaKids instructor.

Blair Cronin

As a dancer growing up on the Monterey Peninsula, Blair has always found movement to be healing and therapeutic. Blair began taking Pilates classes when she was searching for a way to create a strong, flexible, and sculpted body. Pilates not only offered her those attributes, but also improved her dance technique and overall fitness conditioning. Pilates also offered enhanced body awareness, postural alignment, and a more focused mind. Blair has been teaching Pilates since 2005 and has trained with a myriad of clientele, from triathletes to hospital patients to teens. She is able to tailor each session for the individual needs and physical limitations of the client or group. With a Master’s degree in dance-based, expressive arts therapy and her extensive experience teaching all kinds of dance, Blair weaves together an integrated and challenging approach to Pilates. She has an encouraging and informative teaching style, and is enthusiastic to share her passion of Pilates with every Body.

Jennifer Kiatta, RYT

Jen has been teaching yoga and supporting families as a labor and postpartum doula since 2005. She completed a 200-hour Yoga Alliance certified program at the Yandara Yoga Institute in Baja, Mexico and has completed pre/postnatal yoga training at Yoga Works in New York City. Jen is continually inspired and fascinated by the positive effects a yoga practice has had on her life. She teaches both private and group Hatha yoga classes focusing on alignment, breath awareness and mindful intention. Jen brings a nurturing, carefree spirit to her classes while providing physical, emotional and informational support to promote a healthy practice and lifestyle. Jen is also a “Birthing from Within®” childbirth educator offering childbirth preparation classes for expectant parents. Please visit her website for more information www.jenniferkiatta.info.

Amba Dryg, RYT and MQT

Within Yoga I found my calling in Ashtanga Yoga because the rhythm of the Ujjayi breath matched the rhythm of my lifestyle. My inner discovery of Yoga has fostered my ability to stay present in the moment, accept all for what it is, and to let go of what has already happened. Yoga has directed me through my professional practice as a Medical Qigong Therapist by helping integrate the concepts of unity, balance, and interconnectedness of all things. I am truly blessed to be living what I love and teaching others the way I learned to find my true Self. Namaste
Training:Yoga Alliance Certification RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) -Greenpath Yoga- (200 hours) www.greenpathyoga.org
Qigong Level 3 Instructor and Workshop Facillitator through Supreme Science Qigong Foundation -Miami www.qirevolution.com
Medical Qigong Therapist working towards a Phd with Professor Jerry Alan Johnson, PhD, DTCM, DMQ (China), at the International Institute of Medical Qigong www.medicalqigong.org
Also a Holistic Health Minor and Psychology Major at SFSU on Hold while in Professor Johnsons last offered Phd training before Sifu Johnson retires
Instructors: Within Yoga Teachers Training- at the Brahmananda Ashram aka Yoga Society of San Francisco www.yssf.com : Greensufi Tariq Hamid- Clayton Horton (Green Path Yoga founder)- John Marino- Dr. Ram Karan Sharma- SWAMI KRIYANANDA (Howard Klein, M.A.) - Briksha Mahendra- Kiranavali Devi and Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati Udasina (Ramamurti S. Mishra, MD)
*Also Professional Jazz Singer under stage name Miss Henry Wig www.myspace.com/misshenrywig
** Highest Yoga practice of Parenting of two Angels Guadalupe and Margaret