MEET OUR TEAM
WE ARE SO EXCITED THAT YOU’VE DECIDED TO JOIN OUR COMMUNITY. WE CAN’T WAIT FOR YOU TO THRIVE IN OUR SPACE!
OUR TEAM IS MADE UP OF INCREDIBLE PROFESSIONALS WHO WILL GUIDE YOUR EXPERIENCE TO BE THE BEST IT CAN BE!
Sarah Lawrance
OWNER / YOGA INSTRUCTOR
Sarah completed her first 200-hour teacher training at De La Sol studios in Hamilton, Ontario. Since that time, she has completed several additional trainings including: Restorative Yoga Teacher Training (YTT), Kids YTT and Yoga Nidra YTT. Sarah is now in the process of completing her 300-hour training program with Alex Bovkis. Before diving deeply into teaching yoga, Sarah taught music to school-aged children in Hamilton, making her perfectly suited to running the kid’s camps here at Sayza and sharing her many talents of music, gardening and art with the children.
Sarah is passionate, caring, energetic and creative, all of which come through in her teaching style. Sarah loves to teach all styles of yoga, but her energetic and creative sides really shine when she teaches Flow and Power. Sarah’s favorite postures change day to day, but the few she always incorporates into her personal practice are: crescent lunge, half-moon and supported bridge.
Sayza is home to Sarah: the team of teachers and staff, as well as the community at large, have become family. She cannot imagine herself anywhere else.
Cari Pinchen
Yoga Instructor
Cari Pinchen is a Certified Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor, Nutrition Coach, Yoga Instructor and is currently working towards completing her Reiki Certification. Cari is passionate about helping people ignite their own fire and find inner strength, providing guidance to create strong, healthy bodies and form positive habits. In a personal training session with her you can expect to be safe, work hard, and feel fulfilled and proud of your accomplishments at the end. Cari makes it a priority to learn and understand each individual's needs and creates tailored programs to meet her client's unique goals, going so far as to take on their goals as her own. She will hold you accountable while helping you create a deep love and appreciation for the body you have.
In coming on board with Sayza, Cari has broadened her scope of teaching and has developed her skills in all varieties of yoga classes. Yoga has awakened her spirit and body connection and has helped her to grow in ways she could never have imagined. In her class offerings she hopes to hold space for her students to tune in and connect deeply with themselves, and to strengthen their mind/body connection through breath and self study.
She feels so blessed to have landed at Sayza yoga studio and looks forward to seeing you on the mat
Michelle Budding
Yoga Instructor
Michelle has been with Sayza since day one: she started off as a student but it was not long before she was hired on as one of our teachers, and most recently has taken on the role of social media manager.
Michelle began teaching yoga in 2017 and since then, she has taken many additional trainings and courses to develop her personal practice and teaching style. Michelle is our prenatal and postnatal yoga instructor here at Sayza. Michelle has a passion for Yoga & Fitness and meets people where they are at in their movement journey. Michelle has been with Sayza since it day one. Michelle started off teaching mainly Yoga with Weights, Buti and Power classes. Once Michelle became pregnant with her first child, she took on the role of teaching prenatal and postnatal yoga. Two babies later, and Michelle, is our prenatal/postnatal yoga, stroller fit and barre and babes instructor. Contact Michelle for any questions regarding pregnancy and fitness.
Her favorite postures include: Bananasana, handstands, and king pigeon. Although she admits to practicing this latter pose rarely, and says she is miles away from touching her toes, it speaks to her patient and self-effacing approach to yoga!
Michelle’s favorite classes to teach include Buti Yoga, Yoga With Weights, and Sweat it Out, and her favorite classes to participate in are Yin Yoga, Restorative, Ashtanga.
Sophia Van hamme
Yoga Instructor
Sophia was introduced to yoga at a young age and began her regular practice while studying nursing at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. It wasn't until she traveled to the UK to finish her degree that she found Bikram Yoga and fell in love. Within a few short months, she started to see the transformative effects of Bikram yoga physically, emotionally and spiritually. Sophia always had a vision of uniting Eastern health practices with the Western medical system. After working in the hospital for a few months, she realized that combining the two schools of thought would bring a profound change to people's health and well being. She soon found herself at the Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in Los Angeles, California. After graduating in November 2012, she taught in countries all around the world including Mexico, and Australia. Sophia has also taught Bikram all over Ontario including Hamilton, London, Barrie and Ottawa. She is beyond excited to finally be bringing this practice back to her hometown of Norfolk County. Bikram Yoga is an empowering practice, allowing us to realize our potential and to take control of our own health.
Sophia is thrilled to be working with Sarah and sharing her passion for yoga, as she also spent years involved in the Hamilton yoga community and had the privilege of learning from many of the same mentors. She loves adding Baptiste style flow to her Bikram practice and began Baptiste Power Yoga teacher certification by attending Level 1 in Arizona in 2016.
Sophia can't wait to see you in the hot room and share her love of yoga!
Nettie Brown
Yoga Instructor
You would be surprised to know that Nettie didn’t even know if she liked yoga after taking her first few classes in 2004, coming from an athletic background she felt that in order to get a 'good workout' you needed to be dripping in sweat or hitting something. This theory was soon debunked as she discovered the strength, grace, and balance that yoga brought to her life.
Nettie’s mat is a space for creativity and freedom. It is a place of pure potentiality where she connects to her center, her strength and her authenticity. Yoga reminds her constantly that she is always braver than she thinks and to be present in her life: one breath at a time.
As humans we have a deep desire to connect and in her classes you can expect to move through a flow connecting you with your body, your breath, and your self-expression. Nettie’s kindness and positivity will leave you feeling inspired and at peace.
.Amanda Erdelac
Yoga Instructor
Amanda is a Certified Yoga Teacher who is head over heels in love with yoga. Her love of yoga started in her late teens and this love rapidly grew into a passion. In 2015, Amanda followed this passion all the way to Thailand where she obtained her 200 hour certification through All Yoga Thailand’s Yoga Teacher Training Program. This program taught her the importance of linking pranayama, meditation and the asanas into her daily practice and allowed her to continually link yoga throughout her daily life – all of which Amanda encompasses into her students’ minds, bodies and souls. Her experiences in Thailand only pushed her to crave more knowledge through various YTT workshops. Amanda’s belief is that yoga is non-judgmental and is open to any and all students. She believes our bodies and minds are all at different levels and with daily practice they will strengthen and stretch to where they need to be within our own bodies – always respecting where that is within us. Come join Amanda in one of her classes where she will challenge you to connect with yourself through a powerful practice where you too will learn the movement and life that is yoga.
Tara Beerepoot
Yoga/Barre Instructor
Tara began as a student at Sayza when it first opened. The sense of community and passion she felt as a student at the studio inspired her to pursue her own journey towards becoming an instructor herself. Tara’s yoga practice began in her early twenties and has developed over the years into a daily necessity. Practicing the principals of yoga on and off the mat have transformed Tara’s life in a multitude of positive ways, and she feels as though it’s a dream come true to hold space for others to experience their own journey. In her personal practice, Tara loves to push herself outside her comfort zone, never shying away from challenges or new ways to move her body. She never takes her practice or herself too seriously, and can often be heard laughing as she falls out of an arm balance or advanced posture. As an instructor, Tara feels passionate about making her classes accessible to all: all body types, all fitness levels, all ages, and all abilities. Tara truly believes that the benefits of moving your body while connecting with breath and mind can meet you where ever you are, no experience or fancy work out clothes required. Tara completed her barre certification at Barreworks Studio Toronto (Summer 2019) and she is thrilled to be a part of the Sayza Fit Team. Tara will begin her 200hr YTT in the fall of 2019 at Heal Thrive Evolve. Tara lives in Norfolk with her partner, two children and two dogs. When’s she not practicing, she can be found spending time in nature with her friends and family, cooking feasts in her kitchen while booty dancing to Beyoncé or quietly binge-watching Netflix with a huge bowl of popcorn.
Carolyn Wiens
Yoga Instructor
Carolyn first discovered yoga while training to run a marathon in 2000. As a longtime certified fitness instructor living an all-round active lifestyle, Carolyn quickly recognized the need to bring yoga to the Norfolk area. She achieved her Yoga Teacher certification through the EAST to WEST YOGA program in Toronto in 2001. From there, she opened Sunrise Yoga Studio in 2003 in Simcoe, where many styles and levels of yoga and meditation were offered by the studio's instruction team. Subsequently, she certified as a Lifestyle Coach with the International Coach Federation in 2005, and continued to offer classes, workshops and corporate wellness training for many years. As a volunteer, Carolyn also enjoyed introducing yoga to many local elementary and high school students through "Yoga for Kids" classes. Carolyn has long had a deep passion and joy for the myriad benefits of yoga and the outdoors, and is delighted to be an integral member of the teaching Sayza team.
Ryan Hilton
Yoga/Animal Flow Instructor
A lifelong lover of movement, Ryan’s history with fitness dates back to 2016 when he started practicing Crossfit. From there, Ryan explored many different disciplines, including Olympic weightlifting, gymnastics, distance running, barefoot hiking, kettlebells, and others. In spring 2022, after a 10+ year career in financial reporting, Ryan left the corporate world and found work on an organic farm in Simcoe. He came into Sayza for the first time later that year, and immediately fell in love with the community, and the passion of its leadership team.
Ryan’s yoga teaching began with a journey to Panama in January 2023, where he completed his YTT 200 and Animal Flow L1 certifications. Ryan’s teaching passion is Animal Flow, and you may see him Underswitching and Ape-Reaching his way around an empty studio, or walking in and out of the studio in bare feet. Ryan seeks to inspire his peers, to help them discover the innate strength, wildness, and beauty of their human animal.
Mary Goodlet
Yoga Instructor
Mary has had an interest in Buddhist philosophy since she attended University which has led her to pursue ongoing studies and maintain a continuous yoga practice throughout her life. She has completed various yoga style trainings with world renowned teachers including Lila Ostermann in the Kripalu lineage. Mary loves to help her students connect with the Universal Soul while cultivating strength, patience, mobility, stability and flexibility. She uses gentle and traditional Yoga Asanas and Pranayams combined with complimentary modalities such as Yin Yoga, and Chi Kung and teaches from a gentle approach, appropriate for all levels and ages. Through her classes, Mary creates a mindful, meditative experience in which you will be encouraged to find peace, with an emphasis on how to transfer it into your daily life. You will leave feeling centered and grounded and prepared to tackle any obstacles that may arise.
Amy Rose LaPrairie
Yoga Teacher | Thai Yoga Massage Bodywork Practitioner
Amy Rose is a Holistic Health Practitioner, Coach, Healer, Musician, Speaker, Yoga & Movement Teacher & Thai Yoga Massage Bodywork Practitioner.
She has studied one of the most comprehensive Holistic Healing systems in the world with the Chek Institute in San Diego, California. She received two 500 hour Yoga Teacher Trainings: Warrior Training in Toronto with teacher Donny Day and the other in Sedona, Arizona at Seven Centres Yoga Arts directed by the late Ruth 'Sraddhasagar' Hartung in the Satyananda Saraswati Hatha Yoga lineage.
Over the years, she has mentored with some very profound teachers and has healed her own long-standing health conditions through unconventional means, by exploring and applying the wisdom of true natural medicine.
With a strong belief in movement as medicine, her teaching style is explorative and accessible to ALL... characterized by expansive and flowing movement often fused with martial arts elements. Her signature class, called ‘Two Forces Flow', is a Hatha fusion flow with a balanced interplay between the two natural forces of Yin & Yang.
In her free time, she can be found hiking in nature with her husky, swimming in lakes, writing and making music.
Kristen Daly
Yoga Teacher
Kristen first found yoga in 2015 to compliment her already active lifestyle. She took her 200hr Yoga Teacher Training through YogaRenew in 2016 and initially did so to expand her knowledge of yoga with no intent to teach. After attending several classes at multiple different studios she realized the knowledge and passion she had, deserved to be shared with others. Kristen (being more of an introvert) had to build up the courage to teach that very first class in 2018 and since then she never looked back. Kristen loves to teach Hatha and Vinyasa style type classes but will teach and practice anything with the word yoga in it! Kristen’s classes are a place to enter your mat, judgment and comparison free. She really encourages people to come to their mat as they are. No matter how you feel mind, body or spirit. Kristen genuinely wants everyone to understand that yoga is for anybody with a body. Yoga doesn’t require you to look a certain way or dress a certain way. It’s designed to come as you are so you can leave feeling better. Be okay with yourself through all the phases of life and accept that imperfection we all have with a grateful heart.
Come join Kristen on her mat to gain some flexibility, build some strength, breathe with purpose and develop a love for yourself just the way you are.
Abbigail Lawrance
Yoga Life Coach | Yoga Teacher
Abby’s love for yoga began when she was introduced to the practice as a child. It deepened further as she recognized the incredible and tangible benefits of cultivating the connection of mind, body and soul when dealing with challenges. If you are looking for passionate and tailored guidance as you begin your transformative journey with yoga life coaching, Abby has a caring and amicable approach which will help you feel at ease both in her Yoga classes and as your Yoga Life Coach.
Abby holds an honours bachelor degree in Gender and Women’s Studies from Trent University and has recently achieved her certification for Yoga Life Coaching through Transformation Academy. She is also a newly registered 200hr Yoga Teacher through SSV Yoga and has more than 5 years combined experience as a trauma-informed counsellor and mentor.
Abby recently made the decision to alter her career path to support the community in a different way by encouraging others to reap the multifaceted benefits of yoga. With a passion for eliminating the stigma around mental health and guiding others to recognize their own strengths to create lasting transformations, she is thrilled to be using her various skills and knowledge in a new way as a Yoga Life Coach and a Yoga Instructor at Sayza.
Lauren Fulton
Yoga Teacher
Lauren started as a student at Sayza in the winter of 2019 and fell in love with the practice. She continued to practice yoga and went on a yoga retreat in Bali in September 2019. In January 2021, Lauren started on her journey to become a yoga teacher with a year long program and has been teaching since October 2021!
Through yoga, Lauren explored and discovered her unconditional love and acceptance of her own body and she is strives to promote body confidence and empower women of all shapes and sizes to feel good doing yoga.
Outside of the yoga studio, Lauren is an Educational Assistant at an elementary school. You’ll see her teaching our KiDs YoGa programs and can trust she’s got the energy and experience to make classes fun and mindful!
Evelyn Mcdonald
Yoga Instructor
At the age of 3, Evelyn began her RAD syllabus ballet training, and slowly transitioned to yoga at the age of 19 (turns out it's a little easier on the joints). Her dance background is prevalent in her asana practice as she loves linking movement with music, creative and expressive sequencing, and a spirit of playfulness.
After many years of personal practice, Evelyn decided it was finally time to complete her teacher training. In the fall of 2022, she ventured off to the Costa Rican jungle to study at InnerSea Yoga Academy. As a Software Engineer by day, she recognizes the importance of disconnecting from technology and quieting the mind - using the tools that yoga offers to help achieve that.
Evelyn's approach to teaching is all about a balance between fluidity, strength, flexibility, proper alignment and fun. Thrilled to be part of the Sayza family, come join her to sweat it out and celebrate your body!
Alex POste
Barre Instructor
Alex is a Barre instructor and is currently working towards her 200-hour yoga teacher training.
Growing up participating in competitive dance and gymnastics, it’s only natural that Alex’s love of movement would evolve into an obsession with yoga and barre.
From her first jobs of being a dance,gymnastics and trampoline coach, to her years of management in the service industry, Alex has a strong background in teaching, leading, caring for and anticipating the needs of others.
Alex joined the Sayza community after her first pregnancy, taking part in mom and baby classes and stroller fit, branching out to a variety of personal classes and workshops as a means to help tackle the postpartum blues and eventually doing a full circle back to prenatal classes while pregnant with her second.
Alex has been able to gain a respect for the full scope and range of practice Sayza has to offer, and with her first hand experience of what a magical and welcoming place Sayza is, Alex is so excited to be able to provide the same level of love and support to others in our yoga family.