Our Teachers

Owner & Instructor

I’ve been practicing yoga since 2000, when a close friend first introduced me to the mat. Through life’s seasons - from raising babies to navigating challenges as a single mom - yoga has been my refuge, my grounding, and my path back to myself. Inspired early by Shiva Rea, and later guided by local teachers Lisa Black and Leah Zaccaria, I completed my full Sendatsu Evolution YTT and the Next Level Leadership training under Leah’s mentorship.

I’m honored to deepen my practice alongside an incredible group of teachers at Solace Yoga on Mercer Island - a truly humbling opportunity - helping create a sanctuary for presence, connection, and community. My biggest fans are my amazing kids Yianni, Stefan, Sadie, and Jack; my husband and partner, Kris; and our dogs, Miss Pretzel and YogiBear, who ensure I never go a day without enough snuggles.

Instructor

Hi, I’m Richard. My teaching is rooted in mindful, balanced movement, intentional breath, and total-body awareness. Yoga has been a grounding force in my life—something that continually brings me back into my body, helps me reset, and reminds me how powerful simple, steady breath can be. I love sharing that with students.

As a teacher, what fills my heart the most is watching people reconnect with themselves—finding strength where they didn’t expect it, discovering more mobility and ease, or simply feeling more centered than when they walked in. I love creating classes that feel functional, supportive, and accessible, with sequencing that helps students build stability, presence, and confidence both on and off the mat.

At Solace, I hope to offer a space where students feel seen, grounded, and empowered to explore their practice in a way that truly supports their bodies and their lives. I’m excited to be part of a community that values mindful movement, connection, and growth.

My teaching is influenced by the teachers who taught me the importance of breath-led movement, functional mobility, and meeting students exactly where they’re at. Their guidance shaped the way I approach movement—with curiosity, balance, and intention.

I’m grateful for the chance to share this practice and to grow alongside the Solace community.

Instructor

Hi, I’m Lydia — a Mercer Island resident, teacher, and long-time student of yoga & embodied practice. Yoga has been a grounding force in my life for years, and what draws me back again and again is its capacity to deepen listening — listening to the body, the breath, and the subtle shifts that shape each moment. I offer classes that support students in finding balance through movement, stillness, and presence, always offering options so each person can practice in a way that feels safe and true for them.

I love crafting sequences that prioritize embodiment and natural movement, helping students land more fully in themselves and in the present moment. My hope is that every class feels like a space to soften, to explore, and to return to the wisdom within.

I’m honored to be part of Solace Yoga and look forward to growing with this beautiful new community.

Instructor

Hello Solace Family! I have been guiding students and sharing my passion for yoga since 2015 and I am so pleased to be back on Mercer Island with you all. My classes are well paced; allowing students time to explore each posture and its nuances, without rush. Strong, slow, and deep, my sequences will challenge students physically and mentally; encouraging practitioners to go inward and be present, but not to tune out. Throughout class, students will be offered ways to amplify or modify their practice so that each individual gets what they need and finds that special space where effort and ease are in balance. Expect clear and detailed instruction while not taking the practice or the postures too seriously! Off my yoga mat, my other passion is skiing! November-June, you will find me in the mountains and on the snow.

Instructor

Samantha teaches grounded, unhurried yoga classes with a focus on breath, presence, and simple, sustainable movement. She has taught and trained in studios in the U.S., Canada, Dubai, Turkey, and India, and now lives and teaches in the Seattle area.

Her classes use clear, simple cues, a calm voice, and an unhurried pace so students can notice their breath, tune into what’s happening in their bodies, and take a real break from the stressors of the day. You won’t get a lot of jargon or performance, just grounded, accessible movement, helpful alignment guidance, and time to settle.

Samantha cares deeply about holding space for others. In her classes, that means creating a room where different bodies, abilities, and moods are welcome, and no one is pushed to perform. Her teaching is shaped by years of living and working abroad and her own practice of learning to slow down. She offers yoga as practical support for everyday life, with an emphasis on clarity, kindness, and enough space to simply be. She trusts that progress in practice happens organically over time, through frequent and consistent practice rather than pressure or pushing. If class becomes the hour where you finally give yourself a little of the care you give to everyone else, she considers that time well spent.

Instructor

I aim to empower students to make yoga practice their own. This means inviting practitioners to attune with their embodied wisdom of body, heart, and mind. Subsequently, asana (posture) are inspired by their own unique constitution and intention.

My approach weaves yoga philosophy, diverse movement influences, and a proper dose of good humor to culminate in a practice that is as much a work "in" as it is a work "out." Physically, class with me skews toward slower movement, mindful integration, and body awareness. Hopefully through explorative practice (abhyasa) coupled with non-attachment (vairagya), we might discover the state of yoga together.

Major influences along my study of yoga and movement include Paramhansa Yogananda, Shadow Yoga, psychonautics, ayurveda, and Nicolai Bachman's exposition on the Yoga Sutras. I will forever be a student, and whatever skill I bring to class is an homage to my teachers, some of whom are Lorilee Gillmore, Douglas Ridings, Ryan Whited, Lisa Cohen, Anton Mackey, and Murali Venkatrao.

Instructor

Hi! My name is Rai (pronounced like ‘rain’ or ‘ray’) and I have been living and teaching on Mercer Island for many years. I have taught group fitness classes most of my life and yoga was a natural place for me to explore the balancing effects of all the activities I love to do (rollerblading, rock climbing, cycling). Yoga for me means letting balance unfold in our lives. Both personally and professionally, yoga has been alot about recentering myself and embodying the tenets of yoga. This may mean using viveka (discernment) in a situation, taking time for silent meditation retreats, and somedays it is simply having more compassion for myself or someone else.

Being a part of the MI community for so long, I know how special it is, and having a yoga space like Solace Yoga that embodies that uniqueness of our community with a variety of classes and offerings is heartfelt.

In addition to teaching yoga, I am also faculty at Bellevue College and teach their yoga instructor training program and public health classes. My kids grew up here and currently attend MIHS.

Rai Lowe, E-RYT 500, RPYT

Instructor

I am honored to call myself a part of the Mercer Island community.  I've loved living on the island with my husband and now three teenage children, and am so grateful to have the opportunity to teach and practice at Solace.

I discovered yoga in my early twenties and was immediately hooked. From my first experience at a yoga studio, I knew I found a place that was profoundly different from any physical discipline I'd tried in the past.  Yoga offered me an opportunity to check in, to breathe mindfully, to move in ways that provided mental and physical challenge. That is where it started, but what keeps me dedicated 28 years later, is the space, clarity and small self discoveries I find each time I step into my practice.  

As a teacher, my goal for my students is to feel that same freedom in their own practice. To experience yoga as a place to explore aspects of self through mindful breath and movement.  

In 2019, after leaving my full time job to focus on family, I decided to make it official and become a yoga teacher.  My primary teachers and mentors have been Greta Hill, Patrick Beach, Carling Harps, and Erika Kiely - all prominent fixtures in the Seattle yoga community and beyond and whom I continue to learn from and give much gratitude for their vast wisdom.

My classes are grounded in the Awakening yoga principle of walking the middle path - that shapes don't fit all bodies, and poses don't need to look a certain way.  I offer movement patterns and modifications that give accessibility to more bodies.  I also believe in the benefit of challenge, and am known for a strength based power vinyasa classes, but also love to offer restorative yoga that focuses on calming the nervous system and providing deep rest.

Ultimately, yoga is about self discovery, and I want my students to leave my classes feeling they've learned something about themselves, no matter how large or small.  Some small bit of awareness - that is my measure of success.

I look forward to meeting you on the mat at Solace.

Instructor

My love for yoga began in 2000 when I discovered the asana (posture) portion of yoga. Overtime, I realized that yoga had much more to offer than just the physical benefits.

During the years since then, I have completed a 500-hour level certification with Yogan and Michael Carroll (Pranakriya Yoga), extensive training with Anand Mehrotra (Sattva Yoga), Ayurvedic Life-Style Consultant training with Dr. David Frawley, and several meditation trainings.

I lead my classes in an introspective manner, allowing students to go deeply inward. And experience with me often begins with a short talk on our theme for that particular practice, followed by a blend of pranayama (breath practices), kriya (energy moving practices from the Sattva Yoga tradition), and meditation at the end. Depending on the type of practice I am teaching, yoga postures may be included to support distributing or grounding energy. When I lead postures, I make sure I have something accessible to all in the room. But ultimately, I believe the particular posture doesn’t matter – it’s the internal awareness and state of presence.

When I am not teaching or practicing yoga and meditation, I am hiking, working in my other role as a veterinarian, or spending time with my husband, son, and many pets. I continue to study as often as possible with Anandji to deepen my own practice and be able to teach from there. My personal intention is to make every moment an opportunity to be present and connect to Spirit, regardless of what I am doing day to day. I hope to help others practice this as well, starting in the studio on the mat or cushion.

Instructor

I've been teaching yoga, meditation, and breathwork since 2011, with a focus on slow, grounded practices that support a regulated, resilient nervous system. My approach draws from Traditional Chinese Medicine, mindfulness, functional anatomy, and somatic principles to help students build strength through presence and embodied awareness.

My work is shaped by teachers like Bernie Clark, Celeste Young, and Sarah Powers, who showed me how contemplative traditions and modern movement science can meet in meaningful ways. As a cancer survivor, I understand yoga as a lifelong relationship with the body, one that extends far beyond the mat.

My intention is to offer an environment where students can move with clarity, listen inwardly, and build strength inside and out.

Instructor

My yoga interest lies at the intersection of anatomy-informed flow sequencing, nervous system regulation, and community building. Your mobility in daily life is more important to me as a yoga teacher than whether or not you get into any specific pose, and that’s the mindset that I bring to every class.

To me, yoga is a powerful practice of movement to strengthen and open the body, focus on the breath, and observation of the mindset that I'm bringing to each posture. My classes are challenging, yet accessible, with enough instruction so that students feel empowered to work with their own bodies. Modifications and questions are welcome!

I did my 200-hour teacher training in 2015 with Ally Hamilton, who was a longtime teacher of mine in Los Angeles. More recently, I’ve completed my advanced 300-hour with Tate Englund, whose obsession with functional movement continues to fuel my learning and growth as a teacher.

I'm a Mercer Island resident and mom of two school-age kids. In addition to yoga, I love to cook, hike, hang out with my family, and take local walks with my dog, who's the best dog in the world (besides yours, of course).

I hope you practice with me sometime soon!

Instructor

Yoga really has changed my life. I think it has saved me many times. Whether it was from learning how to breath or learning how to stretch, I have become a calmer, more joyful person due to the practice.

Teaching at Solace is something I look forward to because the studio’s core principles are in line with my beliefs. Solace hopes to create a space for a peaceful, tranquil practice that brings students back to themselves.

I most enjoy teaching a gentle class that helps to calm and relax participants. While it can be very challenging to ease ‘the chatter of the mind, I would like to think my classes will help students to do that. Yoga is probably at its best when it lets students come into the present more strongly. It can bring joy, peace and centeredness to students who participate. If a student can come to my class, breathe, laugh, meditate and give themselves the space to be more authentically themselves, I am very satisfied.

Specialties: Hasna Yoga (Laughter Yoga), Chair Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Sound Bath with Crystal Singing Bowls, Yoga Nidra

Instructor

My yoga journey began in 2017, shortly after I moved to India. While working a corporate job, I started attending a few classes, simply seeking balance and clarity. That initial curiosity soon grew into a deeper calling. In 2018, I took my first step towards teaching by enrolling in a Yoga Teacher Training program — all while continuing to work. 

My passion only grew stronger, leading me to complete an Advanced Teacher Training in 2022 in Ashtanga, and also specialising in Prenatal and Postnatal yoga training in 2023. Each step brought me closer to myself while continuing to teach me presence, softness & strength—and to the realisation that this was the work I was meant to do.

Eventually, I made the bold (and beautiful) decision to leave the corporate world behind and dedicate myself fully to sharing the practice of yoga. Today, I teach from the heart—with the intention to create space for others to breathe, move, heal, and grow in their own unique way. My hope is that through this practice, you too can find a deeper connection—with your body, your breath, and your inner self.

Instructor

I am so excited to be back to teaching yoga on Mercer Island where I had the privilege of doing so for over 10 years! I began yoga in 1999, teaching since 2010, and every year I practice, teach, and learn, I realize the more I don't really know about the beautifully vast practice. I have been lovingly referred to by many as an anatomy nerd but I am also deeply passionate about yoga philosophy, theory, and mythology. My love for anatomy truly bloomed under my primary teacher of the last 15 years, Tiffany Cruickshank of Yoga Medicine but I have also had the privilege of studying with many of the world's most revered teachers.

Though you can often find me in a handstand or other dramatic poses, my teaching is more of a slow and purposeful methodology that can truly speak to most bodies. My mantra is it is more important to me that my students feel that they have learned from me instead of had fun. I have treasured not only physically aging in this practice but also maturing as a teacher who has worked with a diverse student collective. My last few years have been very focused on blending my love for academia with leading various yoga trainings as well as world travel in hosting international retreats.

Instructor

Yoga found me during a season of burnout and gently showed me a path back to balance, connection, and myself. What began as a way to ease tension in my body soon became a practice of awareness that helps me move through life with more presence, compassion, and steadiness.

I teach mindful flow and yin because I love creating space for people to soften, breathe, and come home to themselves. Guiding students into moments of presence fills my heart. My classes are an invitation to slow down and feel the grounding power of the practice as a counterbalance to the pace of daily life. 

At Solace, I hope to offer a sense of refuge where students feel supported, seen, and encouraged to explore their practice in a way that feels nurturing and true.

I am deeply grateful for the teachers who have shaped my path, including Dikla Kafka, Lara Ederer, and Leah Adams, whose wisdom continues to influence and inspire my teaching.

Outside of yoga, I cherish exploring the world and spending time in the great outdoors whenever possible. I am honored to be part of Solace Yoga and look forward to getting to know and growing with this incredible community

Instructor

When I first tried yoga 24 years ago it was for a post run stretch! I was pleasantly surprised at how the practice landed on me. That teacher inspired me, and taught me that yoga is way more than being flexible. Curious, I stayed with it, learning different styles and finding connection. Connection with myself and with others. After 12 years of on and off practice I got my 200TT certification, and I have been teaching for the past 11 years! Although I still value how yoga compliments other activities, I lean more into how it meets me exactly where I am and roots me to the present moment one breath at a time. If I can help guide others toward their own yoga journey, my cup is that much more full. 

For the past 4 years I’ve had the privilege of teaching here on Mercer Island. I love how this tight knit community shows up for each other, lends a hand to a neighbor and also celebrates its diversity.

I specialize in teaching power yoga however I love a good reset restorative class as well. I am moved by the balance of physical strength and mental resilience working in a quiet harmony. 

I live on Mercer island with my husband Bob, our three children and two dogs. When I’m not in the studio I love to travel, hike with my pups, play tennis and  pickleball, listen to music and explore the PNW. I am excited to write a new chapter with this MI community at Solace yoga!

Instructor

I’m a true Seattlite, born and raised in the heart of the city. I’m a youth basketball coach and father of 3 amazing kids, and I’ve been a yogi since my college days. 5 years ago, the passing of my father inspired my journey toward becoming a yoga teacher. During my training, learning the history and sacred heritage of yoga helped me develop a deep love for the practice. Yoga has helped me better understand the energetic union created between the mind and body.

I’m also a certified Reiki 3rd level practitioner and I enjoy blending Reiki and sound healing into my practice. 

Teaching at Solace is a great opportunity for me to connect with amazing souls and help create community in a safe and sacred space. Peace, Love and Gratitude to all!

Instructor

I teach from what I know in my bones: healing, resilience, and self discovery through yoga. My personal path has included moving through traumas, including breast cancer, and these experiences guide the tenderness and presence I bring to my students. My teaching is about helping others reconnect with their bodies, return to themselves, and soften into each chapter of life as it arrives. My classes blend mindful movement, breath, and mobility to help students feel grounded, open, and at ease in their bodies. My intention is to create a space where you feel brave, supported, and exactly as you are. At Solace, I look forward to building a community that feels connected and uplifted. When you leave class, I want you to feel more spacious, more centered, and more like you have returned home to yourself.

Instructor

Integrating many threads of varied practices - yoga, meditation, devotional chanting, and intentional living - into his practice, Nick Hansen is a yoga teacher humbled to share and learn alongside yogis and yoginis on and off the mat. 

He took his first yoga class in 2017, and inspiration has led him to new and enriching practices ever since including playing the harmonium, ecstatic dance, many forms of mediation, living and working at an ashram, and Kriya Yoga. 

He completed a 200 HR Vinyasa Teacher Training and Advanced Studies Program at Soleil Lune Yoga Center in Oconomowoc WI along with a 35 HR Yin Yoga Teacher Training with Innerland Studio in Seattle.

Fun for Nick is soaking in the richness of the PNW land, playing the harmonium with friends and watching and playing basketball.

My intention is to hold a space where all students, new and seasoned alike, feel held and encouraged to explore how moving with attention and intention fosters increased range of motion in our physical bodies, regulation of our nervous system, and equanimity in our emotional world. A new yogi/yogini may take a step towards releasing attachment to an outcome, or aesthetic in one's yoga practice.

Instructor

For as long as I can remember, yoga has been a touchstone. An embodied way for me to return to myself. From having a yoga-themed birthday party as a kid to relying on my mat as a form of self-care throughout my professional dance career, the practice has always met me exactly where I am. Becoming a teacher only deepened my love for yoga and its rich history, and continues to expand the ways I understand connection, presence, and the body’s wisdom. Through my practice and teaching journey I have been inspired and mentored by Krista Kline and Summer Mayne most. 

 As a teacher, my intention is to support students in their own process of self-knowing and embodiment. I’m inspired by the simple, nourishing moments in practice that remind us how much is available when we slow down and listen inward. In my classes, I hope students feel held, encouraged, and invited to explore themselves with curiosity, compassion, and steadiness. I’m excited to share space at Solace and contribute to the Mercer Island community through mindfulness, compassion, and unity. 

Instructor

Hi, my name is Na Li, from China. I’ve been living in U.S. for more than 13 years. Right now, I am a wife, mother, and college student, and my family is at the heart of everything I do. I love spending time outdoors walking or hiking, getting lost in a good book, and enjoying meaningful moments with friends. These simple joys keep me grounded, inspired, and connected to life. 

As a yoga teacher and a practitioner, I am passionate about sharing the benefits of yoga with my students while continuing to grow in my own practice. Yoga helped me become more confident, strong, and positive, and I am always amazed by how it nurtures both the body and the mind. 

What fills my heart most in teaching is witnessing my students’ growth and transformation. Seeing the positive impact yoga has on their lives, physically, mentally, and emotionally, is deeply rewarding and inspires me to keep learning and sharing. 

At Solace Yoga, I hope to work alongside all the fellow teachers to grow together and create a welcoming, inclusive environment where every client who walks through our doors to feel safe, supported, and inspired to connect with themselves through yoga.