Our Teachers
John Salisbury
John, a native of Phoenix, has been passionate about teaching and inspiring yogis in his hometown. His yoga journey began in 1995 after being inspired by the book "Autobiography of a Yogi" by Paramahansa Yogananda. John's stepfather, Dave Oliver, an established Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teacher, played a significant role in mentoring and shaping John as a teacher. John has obtained his 200-hour and 500-hour Yoga Alliance certifications and has completed teacher training programs under renowned Ashtanga teachers Tim Miller and David Swenson. He continues to expand his knowledge and expertise by attending workshops with leading yogis.
John is known for his exceptional teaching technique. He uses clear language and warm encouragement to help his students achieve their full potential. He has been instrumental in opening multiple yoga studios and leading teacher training programs. John shares his passion for yoga by conducting workshops nationwide, using inspiring and dynamic cues to guide students in deepening their physical awareness and staying connected to their breath.
In his personal life, John is a proud owner of two dogs and a cat. When he is not teaching, he enjoys spending quality time with his son, Ryder, and indulging in his love for golf.
Anton Mackey
Anton believes the practice of yoga transforms us, by looking inward and creating a deeper connection to our soul we lead healthier happier lives. He loves reading about different traditions, religions and spiritual practices. Additionally, he dedicates time studying to deepen his understanding of the energetic and anatomical body. His personal spiritual practice is an ever expanding understanding of himself and his place in this amazing universe.
Anton blends a challenging feminine flow with masculine power and infuses spirituality insight designed to inspire students to reach their highest selves. Expect to move with the breath through mindful sequences and unique transitions while receiving detailed instruction on anatomical alignment. Prepare for core exercises, arm balances, inversions, deep stretches, hands on adjustments and insightful pointers aimed to strengthen your physical and spiritual practice.
Anton received his BS degree in anatomy and physiology from Arizona State University. He also earned a Strength and Conditioning Specialist Certification and completed his 200-hour yoga certification through At One Yoga. Peace, Love and Kindness.
Courtney Fox
As an Arizona Native, Courtney cherishes the opportunity to teach and inspire people in her hometown. She found yoga about 18 years ago and the practice has transformed her life. Her purpose is to introduce students to yoga in a playful, feel-good way so they can not only establish a yoga practice on the mat, but take their practice off their mat and into their daily lives to create a vibrant and healthy lifestyle.
She earned her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Certification at Dave's Astanga Yoga and her 300-hour Certification at Modern Yoga Scottsdale. She has also completed advanced training with master Ashtanga teachers such as David Swenson, Tim Miller, and Maty Ezraty. She enjoys bringing the community together through teaching at Diamondbacks Stadium, CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa, VIKARA events, and lululemon.
In her classes, she blends movement with breath and uses unique, mindful transitions and insightful alignment cues, while remaining light and inspiring. Courtney also takes pride in working one-on-one with students to strengthen their physical and spiritual practice to attain their goals. When Courtney isn’t teaching, she enjoys spending the with her daughter, helping her husband on his food truck or hiking with their puppies Leo and Hunter.
Justine Levine
I started practicing yoga in 2002 on a whim, my roommate at the time had a 2 weeks for 20 and was going daily. At the time I had suffered a back injury and she thought it would help, she invited me and that was it, down the rabbit hole I went.
In my earlier years I was a competitive skateboarder, oddly enough yoga practice reminded me of skateboarding, the individuality, self expression and creativity. Needless to say I was hooked.
Through the years, 20 so far, yoga has always been a beacon of stability and pleasure, like most things the narrative shifts. But my love and dedication did not.
In 2010 I took my first teacher training, and have never stopped learning and absorbing this beautiful practice. It’s truly the thing that keeps me steady and happy and thirsty for more!
Dennis Abry
Dennis studied various styles of martial arts for two decades prior to taking his first yoga class at age 40. He primarily practices the Ashtanga Primary Series, but he also practices modern vinyasa. He completed David Swenson’s Ashtanga Primary Series teacher training and also earned his 200-hour yoga certification with John Salisbury.
Dennis respects the philosophical foundation of Patañjali’s Yoga Sutras, but views human consciousness from a modern science perspective. He has taught psychology for 15 years and currently holds a residential faculty position at Scottsdale Community College. He earned a Ph.D. in psychology from Florida State University, a M.A. in education from the University of Illinois and is currently pursuing an M.A. in humanities (philosophy) at CSU-Dominguez Hills.
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Adam Maielua
If I could be anything I’d be a centaur. I see a smile in every moment. I see a laugh in every situation.
500 hour RYT with Dave Oliver. Full-time teaching for over 10 years.
Maybe we can learn from each other, maybe we can’t. But we can always have a good time!
Christina Taalla
Christina's appreciation of mindful movement started with a career in competitive gymnastics. From there, she went on to obtain her BS in Kinesiology (ASU) & spent many years teaching in the Pilates industry. In 2016, she took her first yoga class as a way to complement heavy amounts of daily strength training. Reminiscent of the feeling & clarity gymnastics always gave her, yoga eventually took over as her daily practice & she completed her 200hour training through Sumits in 2019 and later her 300hour through Modern Yoga. Christina loves to combine her love of alignment, anatomy & creativity through her sequencing & provide space for students' personal exploration and discovery. She knows the power the practice holds to transform physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually & enjoys observing students' own personal transformations. In her spare time, she enjoys experiencing & expanding her knowledge of various Yoga methodologies, traveling, and spending time with her 2 daughters.
Emma Pigeon
Emma has been regularly practicing yoga since 2016, when she found herself in a hot yoga class slightly by accident. The improved strength and flexibility paired with better stress management and body awareness kept drawing her back. She loves the way yoga takes her out of her head and into her body, which is what she aims to share with her students.
She completed her 200-hour training locally in Scottsdale in 2018 and an additional 300-hours of training in northern India in 2020. She teaches vinyasa style classes with a focus on alignment and creative sequencing. Her goal is for her students to feel good, learn something new, and have fun doing it. Emma believes in always remaining a student, so you can find her participating in workshops, continued education, and attending classes.
Desiree Grobstein
Desiree fell in love with yoga as a teenager and began teaching in 2004. Her style of teaching is always playful and challenging. She encourages students to stay present, dig deep and find that fire of inspiration that lives within us all. Desiree enjoys weaving philosophy, spirituality and present day themes into each class to blend yoga into daily life off the mat. She strives to bring individuality, authenticity and inclusivity as a focal point in all her teachings.
Teisha Metz
Teisha started her yoga journey 10 years ago as a way to keep moving her body. She started dancing at the age of two and continued through her life. Yoga is a way for her to continue challenging her body and strengthen her mind. She completed her 200hr and 300hr yoga teacher training at Modern Yoga. Along with that, she also did David Swenson’s Primary Series training when he visited Modern YogaTeisha has been teaching ballet for 21 years and loves working with the kids. As a ballet teacher, she bring focus to alignment in her yoga classes.
Bentley Fazi
I Like many others, Bentley’s yoga journey began as a place to stretch and strengthen her body. She quickly fell in love with the practice, as she initially was able to witness the physical benefits first-hand. Over time, the less noticeable internal shifts slowly began to take shape as she dove deeper into her practice. A consistent practice over a few years culminated in a strong desire to gain more knowledge, insight, and appreciation for what the practice was giving her. In 2016, she left her full time job and completed her 200 hour yoga teacher training through Modern Yoga.
Her teachings incorporate elements of patience, understanding, and acceptance, but always including elements of challenge. She believes that our mats are a place for continual growth and that growth finds itself in those brief moments when you question yourself, “can I do it?” Bentley strives to cultivate an environment fueled with opportunities for self-discovery. A place to come as you are and take what you need. Incorporating unique sequencing and energizing flows are her peak passion, but ultimately creating that safe space for her students just to be, carry the most value and gratitude.
Donny Starkins
As a former Division I baseball player, Donny found yoga while searching for pain relief. He had eight knee operations during his playing career, and his mom, a dedicated yogi, continually encouraged him to join her for class. Finally, after much persuasion, he let go of pride and ego and tried his first class. He realized practicing yoga profoundly benefited not just the body, but also the mind and soul. Donny views yoga as one of biggest gifts in his life. He loves to share his passion and knowledge. He strives to teach a class that leaves you feeling inspired, aligned and present.
Donny has studied under Seane Corn, Rod Stryker, John Salisbury, Anton Mackey, Dave Oliver, Cheryl Oliver and Jenn Chiarelli. When he isn’t practicing or teaching, Donny enjoys spending quality time with family, friends and of course his dog, Roxy.
Angella Tortorici
Through her own life’s journey Angella found herself on her mat in need of a change. “Yoga is 100% my church on and off my mat” It teaches us to relate better to ourselves on a deeper level in order to relate to what is happening outside of our human bodies in a more gentle way. To reconnect to that place of love within. After all the healing and transformation it has brought her she knew that she had to share this gift. She leads her classes heart first, full of love. Breathe and dance inspired fluid vinyasa flow that will get you out of your head and into a space of feeling more with loving hands on adjustments. (If you don’t want to be touched, that’s cool , we can still be friends;) Angella completed her 200hr YTT at Dave’s Ashtanga in 2014 and then completed an additional 600 hours at The Spirit of Yoga in 2016. She is also certified in Yin, and Yoga Nidra. She is also a Certified Holistic Wellness and Nutrition Coach. When not teaching or practicing yoga you can find her canoodling with her rescue pup Kala.
Kristin Schneider
Abbie loves teaching yoga & has been teaching for over 15 years. Her teaching style blends a strong emphasis on alignment, physical and verbal adjustments, breath work, and creative sequencing intended to take the student deeper in their body. Her teaching philosophy is ”yoga for every body”. She strives to create fun, upbeat, inclusive classes that meet students where they are and encourages them to find their own way on their mats.
Abbie completed her RYT 200 yoga teacher training in Anusara Yoga with Martin & Jordan Kirk in 2008. She is a dedicated yoga practitioner and student who has studied many different aspects and disciplines of yoga with a variety of amazing teachers including Dr. Douglas Brooks, Annie Carpenter, Baron Baptiste, Saul David Raye, Maty Ezraty, Darren Rhodes, Desiree Rumbaugh and many others.
Abbie is married to Chris & they have three amazing children and a crazy dog. She loves spending time with her family, traveling, skiing, reading and playing pickleball.
Ashten Wheeler
Ashten believes that the fundamentals of a strong yoga practice will benefit every aspect of your life on and off of the mat. Starting her practice as a little kiddo with her mom, it was evident she always belonged in the studio. Growing up as a competitive gymnast, she fell into the practice of yoga heavily when she realized her physical body was slowly getting broken down. Shortly after her time as a gymnast was done, she turned to yoga to heal her body and quiet her mind. It quickly became evident that the practice was so much more than physical and she wanted to gain as much knowledge as she could find.
She began practicing at At One Yoga and took her yoga teacher training in 2017 with John shortly after Modern opened. The idea is to move the body so that stillness becomes seamless, so that movement becomes meditation, and so that a room of strangers can become family. With Ashten’s degree in human anatomy and physiology, she creates a space for functional movement with deep intention. Each practice is moved through with purpose!
Isabelle Clarke
Isabelle began her love, study, and practice of yoga over 30 years ago, as well as exploring and studying meditation, anatomy, nutrition, physiology, the energy body and Eastern philosophies
She began teaching yoga 19 years ago after completing her 200hr teacher training program in 2002. After taking a yin workshop from Paul Grilley in 2004, Isabelle immediately fell in love with yin yoga as a way of deepening her yoga practice and quickly discovered the physical, energetic, mental, and emotional benefits of this practice. That began her deep study of yin yoga, the meridians, the energy body, and the Chinese 5 Element Theory.
Isabelle has been teaching yin yoga since 2005. She is also a recent graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York. Her teaching emphasis is on creating and developing a foundation for her students to live and apply their yoga practice in all areas of life..inspiring them to discover their own unique abilities and strengths. Her passion for yoga is reflected in her classes and workshops where she creates an environment that is supportive, loving, fun, energizing, and peaceful! Isabelle’s classes make yoga accessible yet challenging to everyone, where students can find a joyful and loving connection to their breath, to conscious movement, and to the highest in themselves and in others.
Adrian Lesoing
My yoga journey began in January 2014. I developed a daily practice, which taught me to observe my thoughts. I quickly realized that I felt the most alive when I was on my yoga mat. This practice is like magic. Yoga has helped me overcome depression, and has awakened a deep passion I have for helping others. I received my 200hr yoga teacher certification in September 2014 at Yoga to the People in Tempe, AZ. In July 2018 I received my 300 hr yoga certification with John Salisbury at Modern Yoga in Scottsdale, AZ. Each time I teach yoga or meditation I feel great gratitude and fulfillment. My goal is to guide the practitioner through an energetic sequence that challenges them mentally and physical and allows them to tap into the best version of themselves. Outside of yoga I am a photographer, mommy to two fur babies, and spend time outdoors hiking and paddleboarding. I am very passionate about what I do and I look forward to my continued growth as an instructor.
Peter Bugg
Peter Bugg began his yoga practice in 2013, and completed his 200 hour yoga teacher training at Modern Yoga in 2017. He teaches around the valley and his personal practice includes mysore, ashtanga and vinyasa classes.
Donna Torres
With many years of experience in training and teaching a wide variety of fitness modalities, I have seen many fitness trends come and go. The core principles remain the same, yet continue to evolve over time.
This diverse background keeps me committed to growth and continuing education. I am fascinated by the psychology behind performance and its impact on physical capabilities. This, in turn, drives my passion to explore new methodologies.
Curating a yoga practice with intention allows us to observe our limits and discern when it’s appropriate to push further or to ease off. A foundation in understanding the underlying factors of our practice, helps us make wise choices for our ongoing well-being.
An invaluable tool in a yoga practice, which, like most props, are often overlooked, is “Wall Yoga”. It enhances accessibility, providing support, stability, and leverage, thereby allowing practitioners to deepen their practice and confidently explore new dimensions.
Sofia Demski
Sofia's yoga journey began when she was just sixteen years old. Originally from Woodbridge, California, Sofia moved to Arizona in 2019 to attend ASU. Two weeks later, she jumped into yoga teacher training at Modern Yoga in order to make friends and deepen her practice. Sofia had no intention of teaching yoga, but after teaching just a few classes she instantly fell in love.
Over time, Sofia discovered her passion for fitness and went on to become a certified personal trainer. She continues to teach both yoga and fitness at some of the top studios throughout Scottsdale and Phoenix, working with top clients such as the San Diego Padres, EXOS, and Marriott Hotels.
When she’s not teaching or taking class, Sofia is a full-time Commercial Real Estate Broker at Edge Realty Partners. You can find her at any type of workout, she loves to shop, she lives for a good outfit, and when the weather is 70*+ you can find her on the golf course.
Sofia is passionate about sharing her knowledge through her classes and encouraging people to have fun through movement. Her light and energizing teaching style will leave you feeling taller, stronger, and brighter after each class.
Jeanne Staron
Yoga is a gift. It’s an opportunity to disconnect from all the external noise and explore a deeper connection-physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. You get to decide.
Jeanne was introduced to yoga in the early 1990’s by Dave Oliver. After a few detours, she found her way back to her mat and completed her 200-hour certification in 2013 at Life Power and her 300-hour training at Modern Yoga in 2018. As a complement to her love of movement and vinyasa, she discovered yin yoga and the power of stillness. Drawing from the lessons found in nature and the 5 Element Theory, she believes through movement, breath, and presence, we can guide the energy within us to calm the mind, open the body and live well. Jeanne is also a certified Yoga Nidra and Energy facilitator trained in the official Amrit Method.
Greg Holmes
Greg was born and raised in the Phoenix area. Interest in the body/mind connection started in 1984 when he found martial arts. A passion for Karate and Jiu-Jitsu soon developed that extended to international competition for decades and teaching that continues today.
That theme expanded into a yoga practice in 1997. He obtained his 200-hour Yoga Alliance Certification under Martin Kirk after teaching for years prior to certifications being part of the industry. As a life long learner, Greg continues to practice with a variety of teachers along with regular instruction from Desiree Rumbaugh, Christina Sell, and Carmen Aguilar.
Greg focuses on meeting students where they are physically and mentally, then providing opportunities to advance their practice at a pace they are comfortable. He has worked with all levels of students, from young athletes to his disabled mother in her 80’s. Greg encourages students to practice to their potential while honoring the body and mind’s pace to do so.
In the end, your practice should bring you joy, through the mindful work the body craves and the wellbeing felt off the mat.
