MEET OUR

TEACHERS

ALEX CAPLINGER

200hr RYT (GIVE Yoga)

Alex first discovered yoga in her early twenties while on a mission to experience life to the fullest.

  • After years of wandering the earth wearing many different hats: property appraiser, professional baker, slam poet, bartender, festie kid, raver, and wellness camp counselor, Alex recognized that yoga was the one constant in her life that kept her grounded and true to herself. In the summer of 2020 Alex completed her 200 hour yoga teacher training at GIVE Yoga with teachers Nicole Klasa and Angela Bompiani. She credits these teachers and the GIVE community for encouraging her to be her most authentic self and lead from the heart.

    Alex’s teaching style is powerful and challenging yet grounded and intentional. She believes that a physically challenging yoga practice can be a gateway to deep personal transformation. Alex empowers her students to play with new poses and transitions to bring them into the possibility of the present moment. Her classes celebrate the joys and difficulties of the human experience, and she draws on her own personal experiences and blunders as inspiration for her teaching. When not in the yoga studio, Alex is the Director of Operations for Pangaea Productions 360, a music festival production company. While this commitment often requires her to travel for extended periods of time, when she’s on the road, she’s always dreaming of coming home to AYA Yoga.

MARLA ARANDA

200hr RTY (GIVE Yoga), Reiki Level 2 Practitioner, 50hr Pranayama with Linda Oshins

Marla's yoga story began in the midst of a major life transition. She quit her thriving corporate career and left Baltimore, a city she loved, to return ‘home’ to Columbus.

  • After moving back and slowing down (just a little) Marla dove deeper into her yoga practice. A practice that sought to bring her back to herself and let her vulnerability peek through. Her physical practice led to an awakening of internal awareness that allowed her a new perspective on emotion. Through her practice she learned how her emotions could be transmuted, held, or simply observed in the present moment. Marla received her 200hr RYT from GIVE Yoga with teachers Nicole Klasa and Angela Bompiani. She completed a 50hr Pranayama training with Linda Oshinsis and is Reiki 2 attuned. The practice she cultivated provides her the space to tap into her inner magic and gain deeper access to inner healing. Marla empowers her students to tap into their own magic and learn how to support themselves both on their mats and in their daily life. Her intuitive practice will guide you into a meditative state through pranayama, and challenge your mind & body through asana. Marla leans on her personal learnings to create a nurturing environment where you are free to explore the depths of yourself, no matter where you are today.

JESSICA ZITESMAN

500hr RYT (GIVE Yoga)

Jess found yoga in her late teens, feeling lost and tetherless. Yoga provided a space to seek quiet in a time of mental chaos.

  • Not only did it create a sanctuary for her mind, but her practice became a beautiful tool for healing her physical body after nearly a decade of competitive cheerleading. The practices of self acceptance and self awareness have been pivotal in her yoga journey. She empowers her students to step onto their mats and honor whatever emotions they brought with them, whether it be energy of sadness she invites you to tailor your practice to support the space you are in. Creating intentional and nurturing flows that culminate a slow juicy practice, she welcomes you out of your wandering mind and into your present body. Jess received 500 hours of training from GIVE Yoga, learning from teachers Leah Westwater, Nicole Klasa and Angela Bompiani. They taught her that in order to discover all that there is to learn you must first drop what you think you know and step into a beginner's mind. Be a student of everything, a master of nothing. This notion led her to a place of freedom within her practice, her teachings and her life. In recent years Jess has found herself in a profound amount of grief, much like the rest of the world. Her experience with grief has encouraged her to grow more gentle with herself and to live as her most authentic self. She hopes to help others meet their own grief and wander into awareness and healing.

JOSH HERSHEY

200hr RYT (Yoga on High)

Josh has been practicing yoga for 10+ years, first practicing at music festivals when classes would be held in the mornings, but it took some time for his practice to become a regular part of his life.

  • During a period of injury, he realized how yoga could be used as a means for recovery and from being sedentary. He realized how beneficial the practice was for body and mind regulation and following recovery his practice became consistent. After years of a regular home practice he wanted to deepen his understanding of yoga. Josh completed his 200hr certification at Yoga on High in the summer of 2020, and currently is working towards his 500hr certification with Jason Crandell. Josh believes in fostering strength, breath regulation, and alignment to create a solid foundation for movement. He describes his style as a blend between subtle and dynamic. He enjoys teaching to a diverse demographic and helping people to feel confident moving in their body, and in a way that’s authentic to them. Follow him on instagram @the_limber_jack to get to know him better on and off the mat!

NICOLE KLASA

500ERYT/YACEP Baptiste Institute, 500ERYT/YACEP through Kia Miller at Radiant Body Yoga, 200RTY through Tami Schneider at Cleveland Yoga

Nicole’s relationship with yoga began as a casual flirtation in high school, only to deepen into a profound connection during her college years while navigating the tumultuous waters of grief, loss and life’s changes.

  • She quickly learned this movement practice was different from the others she’d been involved in because it wasn’t just about the movement, the shapes, the time, or the trophy- the exterior. It served as her coping mechanism, a mirror and a sturdy ground through many trials in life and she eventually listened to the call to embody and share the freedom, openness, coping and clarity the practice continues to provide her today.

    Olivia earned her 200hr certificate in Goa, India in 2019 and has been teaching since February 2019.

OLIVIA DUNN 

200-hr ERYT (Upaya Yoga)

Olivia found Yoga after she left her dance school in her early teen years.

  • Yoga became Nicole’s sanctuary, a place where she found solace, healing and a newfound sense of empowerment, emerging with a deep appreciation for the transformative power of yoga.

    As a devoted, disciplined and passionate teacher, Nicole holds two 500-ERYT + YACEP certifications and brings over a decade of experience, having shared teachings with thousands of students across the globe. Drawing inspiration from the rich traditions of hatha, power vinyasa, and kundalini yogas, her classes are a vibrant blend of physical postures, breathwork and meditation, designed to awaken the body, mind and spirit. Beyond daily classes, Nicole is passionate about training teachers, curating and sharing transformative retreats, programs, workshops and community experiences.

    Beyond the mat, Nicole is a traveler, pesca-flexa-terian, nature enthusiast, mama to two doggos, plant babies, and a new(ish) baby girl! She loves exploring, thrifting, writing, crafting, studying, learning, playing, anything that involves sunshine, and spending time with loved ones. For Nicole, yoga is not just a practice, but a potent life tool for self-discovery, self-empowerment, presence and vitality in everyday life.

ANASTASIJA KATCYNA

200 YTT, Katonah Yoga 200 YTT, Somatic Therapy and Breath-work Facilitation

Anastasija Katcyna is a multifaceted, trauma-informed yoga teacher.

  • Her work is inspired by Somatic Therapy approaches and Katonah Yoga material. After her Master’s Program in Public Health (Scotland, UK) she decided to leave a conventional viewpoint towards wellness. Her exposure to Dance & Movement Therapy motivated the study of well-being through the lens of Somatics, Polyvagal Theory, and Embodiment. Today, she continues to fortify her knowledge with the Somatic Experiencing method and intelligence of Yoga.

    "I am here to support your embodiment of becoming self."

BRADY MCCURDY

200hr YTT x2 (Baptiste and Barkan Method), and Baptiste Level 1

Brady is a former self proclaimed ‘meathead’ turned yogi. He discovered yoga while studying as a business student at Ohio State.

  • Within months, he left behind weightlifting and embraced yoga, immersing himself in books and teacher trainings (TT). In 2017, Brady completed his first TT with GIVE Yoga, led by Leah Westwater and Nicole Klasa, who remain among his favorite teachers. Instead of participating in his graduation ceremony, Brady embarked on a one-way journey to Southeast Asia to train with Baron Baptiste in his level one program. This experience propelled Brady into a dedicated yoga practice of his own. He later completed a 200-hour Vinyasa TT at Bluespot Yoga, guided by Staci McCool and Abra Goldman, both of whom greatly influenced his teaching style. Attending one of Brady's classes guarantees a dynamic, breath-focused, and physically challenging experience.

    Brady enjoys the company of close friends, indulging in stand-up comedy, playing pool, lifting weights, engaging in basketball and pickleball, and going for runs. His natural inclination is to find humor in any situation.

HEATHER CLARK

200hr RYT (Give Yoga), Breathwork and meditation certification (Academy of Breath)

Heather is moved by discovering the tools and techniques that guide us back home to our truest essence and support us in fully embracing this human experience.

  • Her teaching style is empowering and supportive, leading with her heart and encouraging students to deeply connect with their body and breath.

    She is passionate about the power of yoga, breathwork, meditation and self-inquiry, and how these practices give us the strength to open our hearts and minds, as well as connect more deeply with ourselves and others.

    Heather received her 200-hour RYT from GIVE Yoga in April 2019 and her breathwork & meditation certification in 2022 through the Academy of Breath.

SARAH TAYLOR

200 YTT (Yoga on High)

Sarah Taylor discovered yoga at summer camp in 2007, and she's been doing yoga ever since!

  • Her classes are dynamic and creative that meet students where they are. She has taught yoga in the Columbus community since 2018. Classically trained as a singer, she also integrates song into savasana. When Sarah is not teaching or practicing yoga, she likes to bake, travel the world, snuggle her cats, and go on long distance runs.

JOEY VIOLA

200hr RTY (GIVE Yoga)

Joey Viola is a 200 Hr trained yoga teacher and award winning singer-songwriter who uses his experience in music and movement to create flows designed to challenge and relax the body and the mind.

  • He resides in Clintonville and is passionate about cultivating community and belonging.

Gary Erickson

200 hour VYT (Columbus School of Yoga), Yoga Alliance Certified, Advanced Reiki Practicioner, CIP

Gary believes his life's purpose is to help people heal themselves.

  • To align himself with that intention, he completed 200 hour YTT, is an Advanced Reiki Practioner (working toward becoming a Master), Certified Intuition Practioner and a Whole Life Healing Life Coach with a special focus on healing trauma. Gary blends aspects of these different trainings into his classes with the objective of the students coming away with a full body "feel good" experience in body, mind and soul.

Taylor Steen

200Hr RYT (Selena Garefino)

Taylor is a creative and movement artist full of passion, life, and adventure.

  • Art and expression have always been a massive part of Taylor's life, and she loves nothing more than sharing the healing practices of art, expression, and yoga with others. At 16, she found yoga during a transformative wilderness therapy experience that led her to Montana for ten years. Through the deep study of yoga and philosophy, Taylor found the practices of pranayama, asana, and meditation as the missing link in her mental health journey as a teenager. Taylor has taught yoga for the past four years in various settings, including hot yoga studios, yoga in the jail, kids' yoga, and yoga for the elderly. Additionally, Taylor has worked with teens in the mental health field, introducing them to art and yoga as a means of healing. Taylor is pursuing her master's in counseling with the goal of expressive arts therapy. Taylor is also an aerialist, pole dance instructor, and metalsmith jeweler. When not at yoga, you can find her soaking up the sun in nature, creating in her studio, and dancing!

Alyson stickel

200Hr RYT (Josie Schweitzer)

Alyson Stickel is a certified Katonah Yoga® Teacher.

  • She seeks to create a sense of awareness and mindfulness in every class, taking time to embody the poses and movements through the use of imagination and breath while teaching in a communal way to spark insightful movement as well as personal well-being.