I began my yoga practice in Southwest Miami Beach in 1980 at the age of 17, where I often watched a young man practicing on the beach and eventually learned a few things simply by observing and joining him. When I returned to Mid Missouri, I began reading everything I could find and quietly teaching yoga postures as “stretching” within my dance classes.

When I finally stepped out of the yoga closet in the heart of the country’s Bible Belt, I met significant resistance from the local Ministerial Alliance. Becoming a Licensed Massage Therapist in 1999 didn’t help matters much either, but I kept going. I bought books, traveled when I could, and learned anywhere I was welcomed.

When Yoga Alliance was formed, I initially resisted it, having already lived this practice for decades. In 2018, I completed my 200-hour training at The Pranava Yoga Center, my studio, under a 500-hour yogi, and later finished my 300-hour training through the Kaivalya Yoga Method (TKYM).

The most incredible privilege of my journey was studying with the Master's before COVID-19 reshaped the world. My most significant influences include Tao Porchon-Lynch, Dharma Mittra, Leslie Kaminoff, and Krishna Das. Traveling to Manhattan, upstate New York, Taos, New Mexico, and the Sivananda Ashram in the Bahamas are some of the most magical, life-changing times of my life.

It is my honor to be the owner of Integrity Yoga and Wellness at Farmhouse 54 in Mid Missouri and the Director of The Mindful Purpose Institute with The Kaivalya Yoga Method.
Yoga found me early, challenged me often, and has never let me go.