Roots & River Instructors

Machelle Lee, MA, E-RYT 200, E-RYT 500, CMT, YACEP - Roots & River Founder and Yoga Instructor

Machelle has 29 years of experience as a yoga teacher, massage therapist, childbirth educator, and lecturer. She holds a Masters Degree in Mythology and Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and has completed a 300-hour advanced yoga teacher training in yoga psychology.  Machelle has cultivated a therapeutic approach utilizing Yin Yoga as well as Gentle and Vinyasa styles in a way that weaves together yogic teachings with modern scientific research on tissue rehabilitation, traditional medicines, and psychology. This approach to the whole person aids one in feeling and understanding the bodymind connection both somatically and intellectually. Specializing in the health and rehabilitation of fascia, connective tissues, and joints, Machelle is committed to serving students in a way that best fits their unique abilities and anatomic structure.  Offering yoga teacher teacher trainings, CEUs, and personal immersion programs in Yin Yoga, Comparative Anatomy, Science and Psychology of Meridian Theory and more, Machelle combines storytelling, archetypes, poetry, neuroscience, psychology, and Five Element Meridian Theory across a variety of yoga styles in a way that is always aimed at facilitating a creative and grounded approach to self-development.

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class with Machelle

Judy Buchanan: RYT 200 - Yoga Instructor, Multidimensional Energy Medicine Alchemist/ Reiki Master Teacher

Judy first connected with the practice of Yoga while looking for ways to reunite and reconnect with her body, mind and spirit after retiring from 21 years of service as a U.S. Army Medical Service Corps Officer in 2012. She experienced years of chronic nervous system dysregulation, illness and pain. Yoga became an integral part of Judy’s holistic healing practices over the past 10 years to help her to transform into a more resilient and vibrant person. She completed the 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training and 50 hour Pranayam apprenticeship through Life’s Work Yoga in Frederick, MD.

Judy approaches teaching yoga with compassionate awareness and a gentle heart. Holding space for nervous system regulation and reset has been a focus for her gentle yoga, energy medicine practices and retreats. Judy’s passion is to empower you to transform and heal thru energy medicine (Reiki), resiliency coaching, gentle flow and restorative yoga practices.

Judy currently serves as a sub at R&R - Visit our Schedule

Carrie Dennison, E-RYT 200, Reiki Master- Yoga Instructor

Carrie Dennison has been immersing herself in these practices and teachings of Restorative Yoga since 2015. Carrie has discovered the importance of self-care to bring attention to the busy parts of life to find a slower pace and more moments of peace.  In sharing the practice of Restorative Yoga and pranayama as a tool for activating the parasympathetic nervous system (rest/digest/bond), there is an innate ability to decrease stress and anxiety and live a more full life. Carrie’s credentials include Yogamour Trauma-Informed Yoga Training, Rest for All Restorative Yoga with Tara Lemerise, Reiki Master Training with Irene Glasse and Yin Yoga  Certification with Machelle Lee.

Carrie leads monthly Full Moon Gatherings and New Moon Rituals, workshops and speciality series, and is on our Roots & River sub-list. Visit our Schedule

Jai Gopali, M.D., RYT 200, RYT 500 - Yoga Instructor

Jai Gopali is a certified 500+ hour yoga teacher and bhakti practitioner. In her desire to support others, she attended medical school at Imperial College London where she completed her medical degree and went onto practicing as a physical. During this time, she realized that there was a limit to how much she could help people within the confines of the modern medical system and thus chose to find a path more aligned with her desire to teach others. She went onto training as a yoga teacher, where she fell in love with the practices of asana, meditation, pranayama and adored the yoga philosophy she studied. As a yoga teacher, she created, developed and taught a new yoga curriculum which is now being delivered across primary and secondary schools in England. She particularly enjoys teaching prenatal and postnatal yoga, where she can help women find joy in movement and grounding through their pregnancy journey. She is still continuing to learn the depths of yoga from her teachers in India, where she is currently studying Yoga Therapy. Now, her focus is on helping others heal through yoga and bringing together the community to experience the power of collective healing through connection.

Jai Gopali currently serves as a sub at R&R - Visit our Schedule

Rebecca Henry, E-RYT 200, RPYT, YACEP - Online Prenatal Yoga and Postnatal Yoga Instructor

Rebecca’s journey with yoga and meditation began more than twenty years ago when she took precepts with the Zen Buddhist Society of Compassionate Wisdom. Forever a student, Rebecca brings a beginners mind and an awakened heart to her practice and teaching. Compassion, empathy, humor and joy are at the core of all of her classes. Her focus is on alignment and mindful movement with breath in both a traditional hatha as well as vinyasa style.

Rebecca completed her 200 hour training with Tara Lemerise at Willow Street Yoga in Takoma Park, MD, pre and post natal yoga teacher training with Debra Flashenburg of the Prenatal Yoga Center of New York City and is certified with Leslie Howard in Pelvic Floor Yoga™. She has also done training with Tara Lemerise in Restorative Yoga. As a mother of two young boys, she is impassioned to support other women in their journey into motherhood through the mindfulness and body-centered practices of yoga and meditation. As birth and postpartum doula, she emphasizes childbirth education and body awareness in her pre- and postnatal classes, bringing these practical aspects together with a warm, nurturing teaching style.

Rebecca leads Prenatal Yoga series learn more about upcoming sessions on our workshop/event site.

Lauren Lang, RYT 200 and Suzanne Cerarich, Certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guides

Lauren and Suzanne are certified guides with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT). Both are also trained in Wilderness First Aid. Suzanne is an Angel Reiki Master and certified Sound Practitioner. They collaborate to create peaceful and restorative experiences within nature through sensory immersions which opens space for participants to connect to their inner wisdom. You can learn more about Lauren and Suzanne at their website: Within Nature’s Embrace.

Lauren and Suzanne lead Outdoor Enrichment workshops - learn more about their upcoming events at our Workshops/Event page.

Tara Lemerise, E-RYT 200, E-RYT 500, YACEP

Tara Lemerise is known for offering clear and helpful instruction to students at all levels in a relevant and relatable way. Tara believes there is nothing to "fix" with yoga. Instead, there are only more opportunities to understand and be more fully present to our separate and together experiences of being embodied. From handstands to savasana and everything in between, she teaches the time-honored philosophy and practice of yoga in an accessible and joyful way.

Registered with Yoga Alliance at E-RYT-200/RYT-500, Tara has been teaching yoga philosophy, movement, and meditation since 2005. She teaches a thriving and welcoming online yoga community with students from all over the US. You will also find her leading in-person Restorative Yoga weekend retreats and workshops, teacher training, and continuing education programs for yoga teachers.

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class with Tara

Elaine Lewis, E-RYT 200, RYT 500, YACEP - Yoga Instructor

Elaine has been practicing yoga for over 30 years and began teaching in 2015. She completed a
200-hour Teacher Training Program with Jala Yoga in Shepherdstown, WV. She has received further training in Yin and Trauma Informed Yoga. In 2024 she completed a 300-hour Advanced Teacher Training Program offered by Christa Mastrangelo Joyce with a focus on cultivating curiosity, adaptability, and engagement in the practice of yoga. She is an ambassador for the Accessible Yoga Community, a resource for offering yoga to marginalized individuals and communities. She offers both group and private yoga classes in Maryland and West Virginia

Elaine enjoys offering yoga to all students - beginners, as well as more seasoned practitioners. Her classes encourage students to be mindful, curious and playful. Poses will be adapted to meet the needs of everyone. She believes that the best yoga practice is one that can be safely sustained and evolves with you, as you grow and change. When not in the yoga studio, Elaine enjoys family time with kids and grandkids, hiking, camping, traveling, and wine tasting. She lives in Keedysville, MD with her husband, Craig. 

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class with Elaine

Kristina Molinari, E-RYT 200, E-RYT 500, YACEP - Yoga Instructor

Kristina holds a BA in Theater from Shenandoah University. Yoga found Kristina in 1998 while she was seeking a way to keep her body flexible and strong after 23 years of dancing. She was first drawn to the Vinyasa style and went on to earn her 200 hour yoga certification at Downward Dog. She completed speciality training in hands-on-assisting and was honored to assist Baron Baptist’s workshops in DC.   

Kristina started teaching in Frederick at Sol Yoga in 2005 offering classes, workshops and teacher training. Led by her curious nature, she went on to study at three different ashrams in the U.S. practicing pranayama (breathwork), meditation and other yogic rituals.  The Kripalu Center was where Kristina studied and received her 500 Certification. Kristina holds an ERYT-500 designation with Yoga Alliance as well as a YACEP (continuing education provider). Kristina is also certified as Aerial Yoga Level 2 and Trauma Informed Yoga Teacher.  

Kristina’s vast experience as a yoga student allows her to offer a wide range of classes to serve the needs of yoga students. Kristina lives on a farm in Boonsboro with her husband, daughter, their two dogs and chickens. “It’s through witnessing nature’s flow that our own mental limitations can expand allowing the wisdom of our own nature to emerge.”  

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class with Kristina

Jaclyn Muir, RYT 200, RYT 500 - Yoga Instructor

Jaclyn found yoga in 2014. Her pursuit for health and wellness led her to yoga. What she found in her yoga explorations is that one is welcome as they are. She felt free to show up just as she was and would still be welcomed. This level of acceptance and the foundational teachings of yoga captivated Jaclyn and inspired her practice and her desire to share yoga with others. Jaclyn completed the 200-hour yoga teacher training through Life’sWork Yoga and her 200-hour meditation teacher training through the Radiance Sutras school. Her intention as an instructor is to create a safe and compassionate space for yogis to have an authentic experience, to “come as you are.” In practice with Jaclyn, one can expect asana exploration, linking movement with breath, and mindful observation of the body’s sensations.

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class with Elaine

Rick Reid - Personal Trainer and Total Fitness Instructor

Rick Reid has been interested in fitness since his mid-thirties when he began running 10K races. His endurance grew, allowing him to complete his first marathon at age 38. He eventually developed osteoarthritis in both knees.  It was then that he began working out in a gym to maintain cardio health while increasing total body strength through weight training. He studied under fitness professionals and took professional trainings in the years that followed. Shortly after retiring in 2015, he earned his certification as a professional personal trainer and has been leading private and group classes ever since. 

Rick brings in humor and accessibility in the way he trains individuals of all ages, from teens to folks in their 90s.  He creates a balanced approach to strength trainings, flexibility, balance, and cardio health. He modifies his routines based on the age, physical condition, and health needs of each individuals. His students report benefits in relief of pain, increased strength, balance and range of motion, as well as improvements in blood pressure and overall sense of physical and emotional well being. 

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class with Rick

Sabrina Remsburg, RYT 200 - Yoga Instructor

Sabrina found yoga at a time when she was experiencing depression and anxiety and desired to create a new loving relationship with her body and mind. Within a few short months, the breath, movement and intentionality of the practice had a profoundly grounding and uplifting effect on her wellbeing which made a meaningful shift in her life. This made her want to learn more, to share and assist others on their similar journey. Sabrina went on to complete a 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) at Life’s Work Yoga in Frederick, MD and is certified in Prenatal/Fertility Yoga. Honoring that everyone has a multifaceted story, Sabrina approaches teaching with a gentle, accessible and compassionate lens. She is devoted to continuing to deepen her knowledge and lovingly serve her community.

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class with Sabrina

Ashley Rhodes, RYT 200 - Yoga Instructor

Ashley has been teaching yoga since 2017 and has been a student for more than 15 years. She was drawn to the practice in her teenage years by chronic pain which continues to inform her teaching and passion for sharing accessible yoga. She has trained in both the T. K. V. Desikachar and Bishnu Ghosh yoga lineages and is currently a clinical mental health counseling graduate student at the College of William & Mary.

Ashley’s teaching focuses on sharing yoga for nervous system regulation through a trauma-informed lens with mindful slow flow and restorative practices. Her yogic interests include breathwork, chanting, non-dualism, and encouraging gentle practice to truly serve students holistically. Through yoga she aims to share acceptance, presence, strength, and ease. 

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class with Ashley

Jeanna Riscigno, RYT 240 - Yoga Instructor

Jeanna is a Frederick native, Sagittarius, ENFP-T, and Enneagram Type 6 & 7. She has dedicated her life to the art and therapeutic nature of movement as a performing artist and somatic facilitator. Jeanna received her 240YTT from Yogamour’s Trauma Informed Social Justice Yoga Teacher Training, is certified in Functional Awareness, and holds her B.F.A in Dance. She is passionate about her work with children, building a space for inclusivity, empowerment, integration, and discovery. Her teaching approach is centered around the awareness of one’s dynamic alignment to help improve the body’s accessibility, mobility, resilience and overall wellbeing. In her free time, Jeanna loves traveling, being in nature, dabbling in all things arts & crafts and is a proud mom to her rescue turtle, Tye. She's super thrilled to be a part of the Roots & River community!

Visit Our Schedule to learn more or register for class with Jeanna

Cain Yentzer - Tai Chi Master - In-Studio Classes

Cain is an expert in the science and practice of Tai-Chi. First educated as a teenager in Washington D.C. at the Great River Taoist Center under Scott Rodell, he later moved to the Republic of China to study under Master Wang Yan-Nian at the National Tai-Chi Ch’uan Association. Yentzer lived in the Republic of China for 15 years where established his school Inner Court Tai-Ji. He returned in recent years to teach Tai-Chi to Americans. His greatest pleasure is helping others find true healing and inner peace.

Cain leads Tai Chi series - learn more about the upcoming sessions at our Workshops/Event page.

When one soul is set ablaze by truth, the whole universe ignites, and for an instant light reaches every corner, cave and crevasse. When the heart remembers what it is, joined in vastness by joy and suffering, both the future and the past dissolve like snowflakes on the tongue. There is nowhere to run, no reason to do anything bus rest in the cradles of the cosmos, rocked in the arms of emptiness, and held in the near embrace of love. ~Danna Faulds