MEET THE INSTRUCTORS

CHERYL MOSS | L.M.F.T., E-RYT 200

Cheryl Moss M.A. LMFT, has been immersed in the Los Angeles Yoga community for 22 years and has owned GODA YOGA for ten years. She is a licensed therapist with 22 years of counseling experience. Cheryl's vision for GODA is rooted in creating loving community and providing an oasis for yoga practice within an active, often stressful, urban lifestyle. She is dedicated to offering gifted, inspired and knowledgeable instructors to GODA's students and is devoted to providing a safe and joyful yoga practice to students at any level. Her own teaching style is a blending of flexibility, intelligence and strength while encouraging students to deepen the relationship to their authentic self. Her classes are dynamic and mindful. Cheryl is happy to provide a non-corporate, intimate studio experience where teachers know who you are, and give lots of personal attention. GODA is proud to be an integral part of Culver City's downtown community and is celebrating its 12 year anniversary this year.

Cheryl has been teaching hatha yoga for ten years having completed both the foundation and advanced level teacher trainings with Ana Forrest. She has also completed Erich Schiffman's teacher training; other strong teaching influences are Catherine MacNamara, Heather Tiddens and Shiva Rae.

CLAUDIA FUCIGNA | E-RYT 200

Teaching since 1999, Claudia Fucigna began her studies of yoga while receiving a BA from NYU. She went on to India to study and earn her certification from the Benares School of Yoga. While in India, she practiced sri K Patthabhi Jois' system of Ashtanga in Mysore and worked for a shelter home in New Delhi, India where she taught yoga to street children. In the US she continued her studies with Dharma Mittra, David Swenson, Richard Freeman, and Jivamukti, eventually leading to her certification through Sonic Yoga and Karma Kids Yoga in New York. She has brought the benefits of yoga to multiple settings from Equinox Gyms to studios in Tokyo, Japan, nationwide retreats, public schools, children with disabilities and shelter homes. She is honored to continue the tradition of inspiring students to finding joyfulness, compassion and health through the medium of yoga.

GILLIAN BRECKER | E-RYT 200

Gillian's favorite moment in the studio is when everyone sighs together. That music of stress relief is the gift of teaching. In her classes, you will investigate self-awareness with guided breath work, creative sequencing, and a sense of humor. She believes that from a mindful approach to the body, students can expand beyond their perceived limits. In her own experience (both in teacher training with Ana Forrest, as well as the many workshops and classes that feed her current growth), she has found that a firm foundation and attention to form allow for a greater sense of who she is along with a fierce curiosity about the very nature of that being. She proceeds fro knowing that being human is a complicated, wondrous affair, and encourages students to bring their whole self into the room for exploration, healing, and playing.

JULES HOGAN | E-RYT 200

Jules Hogan brings a strong foundation of play and creativity to her teaching of both children and adults. Emphasizing individual attention, she easily accommodates a variety of levels and ages in all of her classes. Each week she incorporates a self-study 'svadhyaya' into her classes so her students can continue their yogic journey 'off the mat'. Jules' Adult Yoga Teacher Trainings included both a 200-hour RYT and 500-hour RYT through Black Dog Yoga as well as many workshops. A trained actress, former nanny and performing arts teacher, her extensive experience with children informs her highly original, UPDOGS and DOWNDOGS kids yoga program. Jules has completed The Radiant Child and Mini Yogi's Teacher Trainings and now teaches her own UPDOGdowndogYOGA Teacher Training to aspiring kids yoga instructors.

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KAREN KAZANCI

Karen has always had a strong passion for working with children, whether in the conventional classroom, the environment, or a yoga setting. She practices an approach of teaching that fosters creativity, imagination, curiosity, and individuality in her students. Karen believes that children are more responsive when the classroom is lively, high energy, and fun. By drawing on her experience in the environmental field, team building, yoga, and dance, Karen creates a trusting, engaging, and creative atmosphere where kids feel comfortable to be themselves, while learning to be part of a larger community. Karen completed her 200 hr. certification through the White Lotus Foundation under the guidance of Ganga White and Tracey Rich. She completed her Kids Yoga training through Rainbow Kids Yoga and Mini Yogis.

For the past 12 years, Karen has worked with children from the ages of 2 through 17 in various settings. She began her teaching career working for non-profit environmental education organizations in Southern and Northern California, teaching students about their local environment and habitat conservation. After Karen received her M.A. in education from the University of California Santa Cruz, she went on to teach 3rd grade for LAUSD in Watts for 2 years and most recently has worked for a charter school in the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles for 3 years.

KATE DUYN CARIATI | E-RYT 200

Kate Duyn Cariati has taught in some of the most prominent yoga studios in New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Prior to teaching yoga, Kate was a modern dancer but fell deeply in love with the practice at Laughing Lotus New York, where she completed her first teacher training. In 2007, Kate assisted in the opening of the Laughing Lotus San Francisco. There, she served as a mentor and has continued to be an integral part of the Laughing Lotus 200hr Teacher Training program.

Since relocating to Los Angeles she has taught the Prenatal Yoga module of James Brown’s YogaPoser Teacher Training, and led the Pure Yoga 200hr Teacher Training at Equinox with Claudia Fucigna. Kate currently teaches 13 classes per week, leads specialized workshops ranging from Arm-balancing/Inversions to Chakra Immersions, and hosts local and international retreats.

Kate is a teacher of teachers, a source of inspiration to those who want to share their passion for yoga. Her classes are known for their creative but intelligent sequencing, free flow acro-athleticism and soulfulness. Kate has a knack for guiding students to new depths while maintaining a sense of humor. She seamlessly weaves yoga philosophy, mantra, pranayama, meditation and movement through asana. Last but certainly not least, she is the proud mother of her baby boy, Vincent Henry.

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KIYOMI TAKAHASHI | E-RYT 500

Kiyomi Takahashi, Vinyasa and Kundalini Yoga teacher, was introduced to yoga just as another form of exercise in the beginning of 2001 to release stress from the high pace of a corporate job. Growing up as an athlete in Japan, Kiyomi excelled as a runner, running half- and full marathons in LA. She then got into surfing, and eventually shifted her interest into yoga, but her yoga practice quickly turned into something much deeper and eventually led her to study the science and philosophy of yoga in depth, completed 500hr teacher training with Annie Carpenter, which led her to the path of sharing the beautiful teaching of Yoga. She then continued her study and became certified as a Level 1 Yoga Therapist and a KRI certified Kundalini Yoga Teacher. Kiyomi has also completed her prenatal teacher training at Yoga Works to serve better for whomever is present in her class. Her style of teaching is a smartly sequenced Vinyasa with precise instruction as well as Kundalini Yoga and Meditation in a supportive light-hearted atmosphere. Yoga is helping Kiyomi to stay connected to her authentic self and living her life with purpose, ans she is committed to uplift and elevate others.

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LESLIE PORTER | E-RYT 200

Leslie Porter is a certified Yoga and Pilates instructor. Her classes, workshops, and retreats are compassionate, supportive, healing, wise, deep, playful, relaxing, invigorating, sweaty, stress reducing, and community building with an emphasis on integrity and awareness in safe physical alignment. Her expertise with emotional trauma, spiritual/energy work, injuries, and stress reduction extends to the patients of physical therapy, psychology, and acupuncture professionals. Teaching is one of Leslie's favorite things to do and she would love to share it with you.

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LISA ANN GOLD

Instructing yoga since 1995, Lisa Ann Gold is inspired by nature and people and brings patient humor to the art of introspection. Lisa Ann’s classes are a compassionate space allowing students to cultivate curiosity as they expand within life and learn to walk into each new experience of delight or conflict with grace, strength and marvel. Lisa Ann's strongest yoga influences range from Ana Forrest, Mark Witwell, Angela Farmer and Victor Van Kooten. As an ayurvedic practitioner and body worker she is influenced by the common sense system of Ayurveda as taught by John Holmstrom. Additionally, Movement educator Eric Franklin is bringing a new facet of ideas to her love of yoga and expression. Lisa Ann is so pleased to be part of Goda Yoga’s Teacher group.

NICOLE DOHERTY | E-RYT 500

Nicole Doherty is a 500-RYT Yoga Alliance Certified Teacher, who spent 11 years on an extensive spiritual inquiry and disciplined yoga practice that empowered her to overcome multiple traumas in her life. What Nicole discovered on this path to wholeness fuels her passion to inspire others to heal the emotional traumas and unconscious patterns that reside within us all. Committed to embodying her truth in service, Nicole encourages others to reach their highest potential with a contagious sense of humor and lightness of being.

Nicole’s unique style of yoga integrates the ancient wisdom of the yoga sutras, the sacred healing power of shamanism and the universal principals of the law of attraction to challenge her students in all the right ways. Her combination of intelligent sequencing, detailed alignment and invigorating breath work creates a deeply transformative and meditative vinyasa flow class, while her soulful voice completes every practice with the sacred beauty of mantra.

Nicole spent her life traveling internationally and has lived abroad in Australia, Nepal and Peru. Her innate ability to feel at one with every culture allows her to bond with all walks of life as she offers heart-centered yoga classes, shamanic workshops and deeply transformative retreats in exotic locations around the world.

Nicole holds a 200-RYT from It’s Yoga in Ashtanga Vinyasa Flow by Larry Schultz and a 500-RYT through YogaWorks under the tutelage of Joan Hyman and Jeanne Hieleman. Nicole is also the Marketing Manager for domestic and international YogaWorks teacher trainings. She teaches private clients as well as public classes at YogaWorks and Goda Yoga in Los Angeles.

Nicole is the yoga expert columnist for American Athlete Magazine. She also writes for a variety of health & wellness blogs, including her own at wellness.nicolepresents.com.

Nicole bows in humble gratitude to all of her teachers and ancestors.

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RAJA MICHELLE

I sincerely love yoga. It is a sweet way to touch the body, allowing it to restore and strengthen, while calming the mind and feeling such deep relaxation, release and acceptance. Yoga on it's truest level is a catalyst to deep awareness of the self. All my classes whether it's a beginner, active flow, or deep stretch class, all integrate the practice of awareness. Bringing the mind to this moment, using the body, breath, and movement as pointers to what exists beyond our thinking.

I received my first teacher training in 2004 followed by my second training in 2005 with the Living Yoga Program in Austin, Texas. I have taught for 4 years and have been practicing yoga for over 10 years. Come enjoy a practice back back to you.

RENNIE YABUKU

Rennie first started practicing yoga purely to exercise the physical body, but soon realized the connection of body, mind and soul through the yoga practice. “I got turned on to yoga because I loved the way I felt after class. It was such a great ‘workout’. But after a few years of practicing, I began to notice a profound change within. There was a stillness and quietness that emerged as I was breathing and moving deeper into each pose. I learned how to just ‘be’ and accept and appreciate the present moment.”

Rennie uses a combination of vinyasa flow, breath awareness and alignment of poses to create a challenging class that guides students to move deeper within their own practice.

Rennie has been practicing and studying yoga for more than 10 years. She began her journey at Bryan Kest’s Power Yoga Studio in Santa Monica. Since then, she has completed 500 hours of teacher training through Yogaworks, where she studied with Jeanne Heilman, Annie Carpenter and Lisa Walford.

SHAUNA ZEILIG

Shauna Zeilig is an Occupational Therapist and Yoga Teacher with over 14 years of experience working with children with special needs. With a certification in Yoga for the Special Child (the Sonia Sumar method) she has worked extensively in public and private schools in Los Angeles and New York City.   

As a dedicated student of Anusara Yoga, she has been practicing yoga for 11 years. With a calm and steady approach she brings lighthearted enthusiasm to her classes.

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SHEA CUNNINGHAM

I'm thrilled to be the new teacher of Goda Yoga's pre-natal class! As a mom of two young children, I'm keenly aware of the importance of yoga as preparation not only for birth, but also for the journey into motherhood.

Since the year 2000, I have cultivated a regular yoga practice studying under master teachers of Iyengar, Anusara, Kundalini, Taoist, Forrest, and Viniyoga. While pregnant with my first child, I became a licensed Anusara-Inspired instructor and have been teaching basics, mixed-level, pre- and post-natal, and kids public and private yoga classes since 2005. The transformative experience of motherhood intensified the meaning of yoga in my daily life and strengthened my resolve to do my part to spread the joy of yoga to enable others to celebrate their own true blissful nature, and create a more mindful and compassionate society. Along with a focus on the breath and meditation, I have a particular passion for teaching alignment principles so that my students can enjoy a deeply therapeutic experience. I pour my heart into each class so that my students emerge more self aware and grounded yet uplifted and joyful.

Apart from my endeavor to forward wellness and sustainability at the personal level, I'm also passionate about advancing environmental, social and economic sustainability at both small and large levels of society. I have worked on sustainability-centered research, policy and program development since 1993. I hold a M.A. in planning and public policy and a professional certificate in global sustainability from UCLA.

STAR URMSTON | LAc

At each stage of my life, I am always learning more about how to balance health, fitness, relationships and work. For myself, as well as for my patients and students, I strive for health of the whole being: mental, emotional and physical.

I have over 15 years experience in the Healing Arts, as a bodyworker specializing in Craniosacral Unwinding, Energy Work, Pregnancy Massage, Shiatsu, Deep Tissue, and nearly a decade as a fully-licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist. I love to work with people of all ages. I embrace the diversity of academic science and the wisdom of the body. My experience spans these poles, from pre-medical study, followed by a Master’s Degree in Chinese Medicine, to in depth study of movement of vital energy in the body through Polarity, Craniosacral Work, Tai Chi, Qi Gong and Mindful Dance Movement. All that I have learned is synergistically applied in my unique approach to Traditional Chinese Medicine.

It is a great joy to share with you my Wellness Program! The Program includes individual clinical sessions, consultation work addressing a variety of wellness and medical issues, as well as dynamic group classes on a variety of health building topics.

You can get some really fun and foundational wellness tidbits that can make a big difference in your daily life.

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STEPHANIE PHELAN

Stephanie Phelan M. A. is a yoga practitioner for over 20 years and founder of Inner Light Shine, an integrative approach to mind/body healing. Stephanie is also a published author and a former producer for NBC's The Today Show

Following her distinguished career with NBC News, a series of life events transformed her personal yoga practice into a path of service and teaching. Stephanie's sincere devotion led her to a Masters Degree in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, five Yoga Teacher Trainings, and continuing study with renowned psychologists and yogi scholars.

Stephanie's challenging Vinyasa flow classes, set to upbeat contemporary music, are energetic, fun and heart opening for all levels of practitioners. Her compassionate teaching style focuses on movement aligned with breath. "We grow strong roots, flexible limbs, and allow for continuous sway. There is this steady opening of the heart. We accept life's ebb, and flow. The physical, and also the more esoteric practices of yoga are an amazing reflection of what you resist, fear, and judge. They also reveal what you surrender, crave, and love. When movement is aligned with breath, and when you gain awareness of the radical flexibility of your heart – you will experience ease, even peace. If we fully appreciated the miracle that is our lives, we'd be delirious all the time. I want our yoga practice, on and off the mat, to inspire radical beauty and unconditional love. I want our actions to align with that beauty, love, and with our innate joy. I want us to shine our light!"

Stephanie Phelan is also writing a book, "Surviving Enlightenment: An Urban Yogini's Guide on the Path of Paradox."