OUR TEACHERS
Passionate about teaching and fostering community, our instructors help you thrive on every level—physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Scott Williams, E-RYT 500, YACEP
Scott Williams has been teaching yoga since 2004 when he completed Miami University's yoga teacher training course. He is registered nationally with the Yoga Alliance through the 200-hour course offered by the Cincinnati Yoga School and 500-hour course offered by Eddie Modestini and Nicki Doane.
Scott teaches vinyasa (movement linked to breath) style yoga and has experience teaching classes from basic for beginners to challenging for advanced practitioners, and for all ages. Scott is also a faculty member at Tree of India School of Yoga.
Laurie Traveline Neyer began her journey with tai ji over 25 years ago when she began learning a Wu form and deepening her understanding and relationship with energy. She has studied and practiced many styles and forms of tai ji, and with many teachers over the years, the last ten with Master Chungliang Al Huang dancing his circle forms, and a short form known as Five Moving Forces along with Calligraphy and Philosophy.
Laurie has been sharing her tai ji teaching for almost twenty years in several establishments: Bally’s Fitness centers, Miami University Wellness programs, the Oxford Community Arts Center and in schools. She taught water tai ji in the pool at Miami University’s Recreational Sports Center for 13 years.
Lori Gloeckner, RYT 200
Lori has been practicing yoga for more than 20 years. She completed her 200-hour teacher training at Root Yoga in 2018 and has taught yoga locally since then. Lori enjoys teaching gentle and flow classes and introducing new people to the practice of yoga.
Lori graduated from Miami University and has been an educator since 1990 spending most of her career in the Talawanda School District teaching middle school math.
Lori enjoys pickleball, reading, baking, 80’s music and traveling with her husband, Don.
Laurie Traveline Neyer, Tai Ji Instructor
Laurie Traveline Neyer began her journey with tai ji over 25 years ago when she began learning a Wu form and deepening her understanding and relationship with energy. She has studied and practiced many styles and forms of tai ji, and with many teachers over the years, the last ten with Master Chungliang Al Huang dancing his circle forms, and a short form known as Five Moving Forces along with Calligraphy and Philosophy.
Laurie has been sharing her tai ji teaching for almost twenty years in several establishments: Bally’s Fitness centers, Miami University Wellness programs, the Oxford Community Arts Center and in schools. She taught water tai ji in the pool at Miami University’s Recreational Sports Center for 13 years.
Gail Hautau, RYT 200, Certified Longevity Coach, Qi Gong Teacher
Gail was born in Virginia, but moved to Ohio as a young child. She has been an Oxford resident ever since. Gail attended local schools and graduated from Miami University with a Masters Degree in Education. Gail taught in the public school system for 25 years before retiring. Prior to that she worked as a Visual Display Manager, and Assistant Store Manager for the Macy’s in Oxford, OH.
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Gail practiced yoga in her 20's and 30's and has maintained a regular meditation practice over the years. Taking care of a family and working full time brought a halt to her yoga practice for a number of years but she decided to begin again, and became certified to teach yoga.
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Gail has been teaching locally since 2018 and currently teaches Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Qi Gong. She loves the benefits for the mind, body, spirit, and the energetic body gained by these practices.
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Gail’s interests are (in no particular order) yoga, Qi Gong, gardening, pets, (indoor) plants, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
Piper, RYT 200
With a passion for holistic well-being, exploration, and a heart deeply rooted in the Oxford community, Piper has been a dedicated yoga practitioner since 2004.
In 2018, she embarked on a transformative journey, incorporating meditation and yoga into a daily practice, which she continues today. In May 2023, Piper completed the 200-Hour Yoga Teacher training at OCY's Tree of India School of Yoga.
Piper is a licensed massage therapist with her own business since 1999. She is also a Registered Nurse, working in the specialty area of psychiatric/mental health nursing. Her blend of medical expertise with a focus on healing brings a unique perspective to her yoga teaching.
Through the years, meditation and yoga have been a guiding light, enriching Piper's life in a profound way. She loves planting seeds of enrichment, empowerment, and healthy living! She is excited to share the many benefits of yoga, including breath work (so powerful) and meditation with the Oxford Community. Join Piper on the mat for a journey of self discovery, wellness , inner peace and fun!
Diana Byrd, RYT 200
Diana Byrd grew up in Oxford, Ohio from the age of eight. She retired from Miami University in 2023 after 40 years in Housing and Dining Services as an Executive Manager of Marketing, Merchandise and Retail. Diana completed her 200-hour teacher training at Oxford Community Yoga (Tree of India School of Yoga) in 2024.
Diana serves on the boards of the Oxford Senior Center Board where she volunteers as a dispatcher and the Talawanda Oxford Pantry Social Services (TOPSS.) She is an advocate for those fighting cancer and other chronic diseases, the homeless and those who experience food insecurity. In 2001, Diana ran a full 26.2 mile marathon with Team in Training for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to raise money and awareness of cancer research. Diana is grateful for the opportunity to support those in need.
Diana teaches Chair Yoga at the Oxford Senior Center. She started practicing Hatha Yoga in 2014. Yoga helps Diana see things from a different perspective, becoming more mindful and present in the now. Yoga has inspired Diana to learn and grow and to live in the moment fulfilling the tenet and the practice and philosophy of yoga.
In her free time Diana plays pickleball, biking and attends group fitness classes at Miami's Rec Center. She considers herself a fitness enthusiast.
Anya Spinazzola, RYT 200, Reiki Master
Anya is a Hamilton resident artist, dancer, drummer, yoga teacher, and Reiki Master. Movement, dance, and rhythm have been central to Anya's expression and offerings throughout her life.
Yoga provides a steady backbone for daily maintenance and grounded practice, and Anya holds this intention as part of her gentle yoga class offerings. Approachable and available for all levels, Anya has worked with high schools, theaters, flow artists, and music festivals to provide space for embodiment and connection.
Sharing her passions and purpose as a teacher is an honor, and Anya is grateful to provide safe space to relax and explore at Hamilton Yoga Center.
Eric Bachmann, RYT 200
Eric grew up locally in a suburb north of Cincinnati, Ohio. He practiced and taught Taekwondo for many years while living in Monterey, California. There, at the urging of a friend, he first experienced the Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series. Upon moving to Oxford in 2001, he shifted focus to linking movement and breath through vinyasa yoga. He subsequently completed 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at Mount Madonna Center in Watsonville, California in 2007 and taught classes at the Miami University Recreational Sports Center.
After being away from the Yoga classroom for many years, Eric wanted to once again share his practice with others. He is excited to be part of a Yoga community as both student and teacher. His favorite style remains Ashtanga Yoga as taught by K. Pattabhi Jois and the repetitive nature of that practice.
In other lives, Eric has been a naval aviator and a college professor. He is a passionate backpacker and has led many trips for the Miami University Outdoor Pursuit Center. He loves being in and learning about nature and volunteers as part of the Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist (OCVN) program.
Jessica Lohrey, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT, YACEP, AYC Level 3
Jessica Lohrey is the founder of Tree of India, LLC, which encompasses her handcrafted aromatherapy line, Oxford Community Yoga, Hamilton Yoga Center, and the Tree of India School of Yoga.
Jessica draws from both Vedic and Åšaiva Tantra traditions and has practiced since 2000. She specializes in private yoga, teacher training, and mentorship, and is certified through the International Association of Yoga Therapists (C-IAYT), Yoga Alliance (E-RYT 500, YACEP) and the American Yoga council (Level 3).
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An Oxford, OH native and Miami University graduate, Jessica returned to her hometown in 2020 after nearly three decades living in cities across the U.S. She now shares the transformational teachings of yoga with her community, both locally and globally.
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Outside of teaching, Jessica enjoys time in nature, being with family, listening to music, and exploring the world with curiosity and reverence.
Joyce Fernandes, RYT 200
Joyce Fernandes has been an Oxford resident since 1999, when she began a faculty position at Miami University. She has been practicing yoga for approximately 18 years and, having grown up in India, brings a unique perspective to her practice. Joyce is a graduate of the Tree of India School of Yoga.
Joyce enjoys nature photography, long walks, and growing vegetables from seed, and she considers cooking to be a form of meditation. She looks forward to being part of the growing community of yoga practitioners at Oxford Community Yoga.
Lori Dearwester Vice, E-RYT 500, YACEP, Reiki Practitioner
Lori Dearwester Vice is an E-RYT 500, YACEP Yoga Instructor and Reiki Practitioner who has been practicing yoga for over thirty years. Her personal daily practice of Yoga and Meditation has enriched her life overall and helped her manage chronic health issues, and Recovery from substance abuse.
In 2017, Lori became a Certified Yoga Teacher so she could share the gifts of yoga with people in all walks of life, including those in structured recovery programs. As she continues to experience and learn more about how yoga and meditation restore what substance abuse and trauma damage in our bodies; she continues to create opportunities for others who are also seeking to find balance in their lives.
Lori is dedicated to teaching accessible, trauma-informed yoga for all fitness levels and body types so that more people may find peace and oneness in their body, mind and spirit.
Tasha Leonard
Tasha is a skilled Sound and Vibrational Therapy Practitioner, Change Coach, Adventure Guide, published author, Reiki Practitioner, and Yoga Teacher.
Driven by a passion for helping others reconnect with their inner wisdom, Tasha's work focuses on fostering balance and harmony. Her holistic practices empower individuals to live authentically and integrate these transformative tools into their daily lives for a more peaceful and harmonious existence.
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Brenda Savage, RYT 200
Brenda is a seasoned yoga practitioner and instructor with over two decades of experience. She was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 1987 and later completed her formal training at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in 1998.
Brenda has taught multiple weekly classes and brings a grounded, heart-centered approach to every session.
Her teaching blends mindful movement, breath awareness, and compassionate self-inquiry, creating a welcoming space for students of all levels.
With a background in holistic wellness and energy work, Brenda integrates gentle spiritual wisdom into her classes while keeping the practice accessible, safe, and supportive.
Angie Watson
Angie is an experienced bodywork and wellness practitioner with over a decade of training and hands-on experience in yoga, Reiki, Thai massage, and assisted stretching. She is passionate about trauma-informed care, holistic healing, and providing individualized support for each client she serves.
With a proven entrepreneurial background as a yoga studio owner and a seasoned flexologist, Angie brings both skill and heart to her work. Purpose-driven and deeply committed to the healing arts, she loves empowering others through mindful movement, compassionate touch, and energetic awareness.
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Credentials & Training
• 300-Hour Yoga Teacher Training (2012)
• Reiki Master Teacher (2012)
• Trauma-Informed Yoga Therapist (2015)
• Thai Yoga Massage Practitioner (2020)
• Flexologist (2020)
Kirsten McKinney, RYT 200
Kirsten is a yoga teacher, reiki practitioner, and creative force dedicated to modern healing. She blends mindfulness with intuitive movement to create supportive, grounding experiences for her students.
Her classes focus on balance, restoration, and growth, and she guides each one with intention, curiosity, and a warm, welcoming presence.
Kari Reenan, RYT 200
Kari has been practicing yoga since 2014 and completed her 200-hour teacher training in 2020.
Originally from New Jersey, she moved to Hamilton in 2021 after 7 years in Western, NY.
Kari taught yoga since 2021. She focuses on a vinyasa style class centered on mindful cueing to encourage students to find presence in each pose. Kari's intention is to create a space for students to experience the freedom and power Yoga offers.
Outside of teaching, Kari likes to spend time with her husband and their four fur babies (a golden retriever and three cats). She is also an avid reader and enjoys eating ice cream whenever possible.
Deepti Kumar, RYT 200
Deepti is originally from India, where yoga has been a part of her life since childhood. She grew up watching her grandfather practice yoga and meditation daily, which instilled in her an early appreciation for the discipline.
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Her personal journey with yoga began in 2003, when she was experiencing nerve pain on the right side of her body. Doctors were unable to determine the cause. Having been raised in a culture where yoga is common, she naturally turned to it for relief and decided to take a Hatha Yoga class at the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga in New Delhi. She instantly fell in love with how it made her feel. Deepti continued taking classes at the institute for two years, learning cleansing techniques, asanas, pranayama, and meditation.
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After moving to the United States in 2005, she maintained her home practice but felt the desire to deepen her understanding. This led her to enroll in the 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training program at Anahata Yoga Center in Mason, Ohio (2022–23). Since then, she has been teaching Hatha and Vinyasa-style classes at the local library, sharing her passion and knowledge with her community.