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The Yoga Tree
  • Home
    • Yoga in Action
  • About
    • Pricing
    • Our Teaching Team
    • Class Descriptions
  • Schedule/Mindbody Login
  • Workshops/Retreats
    • Friday Nights
  • iRest® Yoga Nidra at The Yoga Tree
  • Yoga Teacher Training Programs
  • Contact

Meet Our Team

The Yoga Tree of Seattle offers expert instruction with teachers who are dedicated to ongoing study and bring a wealth of knowledge and practiced skill in the full experience of yoga. Each class melds classical tradition, modern insight and compassionate guidance.  Our teachers create a safe space for exploration and adapt the practices to suit any individual at any skill level in a small class size atmosphere. Most importantly, our instructors understand how to work with the subtler aspects of the body, mind, and energy. They can teach you how to find the balance between effort and ease, not only in physical postures, but also as you navigate your daily life.

Our classes are small in size and are presented with awareness of and respect for the ancient practice of yoga as well as the many different reasons people come to yoga and the different challenges they may bring with them. We have a wide variety of classes encompassing the many practices of yoga including asana (physical postures), pranayama (breathing exercises), meditation, chanting, and more all of which lead to compassionate self-awareness and a sense of coming home to your Self.

However far and in whatever direction you wish to explore within the practices of yoga, you will find support, encouragement and expert guidance here.
CONTACT US about corporate or private classes

Meet Our Team
click on pictures for credentials and bio

Susanne’s early experiences with yoga began as a small girl practicing along in her fuzzy pink pajamas with PBS’ Lillias, Yoga, and You. Many years later she tiptoed shyly into a class at the local gym searching for a way to alleviate stress and anxiety. She has been a devoted practitioner ever since, exploring many different styles and teachers.  
Susanne firmly believes in the accessibility of yoga, and that anyone and everyone can experience its joy as well as its physical and mental benefits. Susanne is a student of yoga first and foremost, studying with amazing teachers from all over the world. Susanne has been teaching since 2010, and is registered with Yoga Alliance. In addition to Hatha Yoga and Chair Yoga, Susanne teaches the mindful practices of Yin and Restorative Yoga, Pranayama, and iRest® Yoga Nidra. She is a Certified iRest® Yoga Nidra Instructor, and has assisted in numerous trainings, retreats and immersions.
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With Susanne, you can expect a class that is approachable, balanced, and a little bit playful. You might hear the occasional giggle or “ya’ll”. You will be encouraged to explore how poses feel in your body and maybe discover something new about yourself or experience a pose in a different way.

Off the mat, Susanne enjoys hiking and traveling with her husband and celebrating life with family and friends.
​Susanne Hutchinson (she/her) Owner, Director of Teacher Training E-RYT 500, YACEP Certified iRest® Instructor Certified Pranayama Instructor Accessible Yoga Teacher
Brenna is a licensed massage therapist and yoga teacher with a mission to help you feel better in your body by sharing embodied healing practices like bodywork, pranayama, asana, and meditation. She works to transform tension into ease, restriction into spaciousness, and agitation into restfulness, strengthening the mind-body connection along the way. Brenna offers a mix of massage modalities including Swedish, deep tissue, muscle energy techniques, passive stretching and joint mobility, myofascial release, and cupping.
Brenna Buckwalter RYT 200, LMT Brenna completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training at The Yoga Tree and is pursuing her license in massage therapy. Her mission is to support and connect with others by sharing embodiment practices rooted in age-old wisdom: bodywork, pranayama, asana, meditation, and beyond.
“One day you finally knew what you had to do and began...”    ~ Mary Oliver
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Jennifer was introduced to Hatha yoga when she was a child by her mother who had learned it in turn, from her mother. Jennifer began teaching Hatha yoga in 1998. In 2003, Jennifer was introduced to the teachings of Dr. Richard Miller and the deeply healing practice of iRest® Yoga Nidra. In just a few sessions, she felt a profound shift in her ability to be at ease amidst the ups and downs of life.

Jennifer has trained extensively with Dr. Richard Miller in the art and craft of iRest® Yoga Nidra. She has been assisting in iRest trainings and retreats since 2012. She is a Senior iRest Teacher Trainer and a Certification Supervisor for the Integrative Restoration Institute (IRI) an educational non-profit, that provides programs, teacher trainings, and retreats based on the ancient teachings of Yoga. Come to her Tuesday morning or Wednesday night classes to find out more about this profound practice of restoration and self-inquiry. 

In her movement classes she encourages connecting with the breath and sensation, moment to moment, so that the poses arise from an inner wisdom rather than an outer form imposed upon the body. Jennifer’s students describe her as wise, approachable, intuitive and supportive. She infuses her classes with poetry and with a profound insight into the workings of the body and the nature of the human spirit. 

Her Hatha Yoga teaching has been inspired by Donna Farhi, Gary Kraftsow, and Richard Miller, She loves exploring BodySensing Yoga, Developmental Movement Patterns, Somatics, functional movement, and strength training.

She is known for her infectious laugh and her abundant garden (those are her beautiful flowers you see at the studio). In addition to brightening the studio with her plants and personality, she also co-manages the studio.

In her own life, she has used yoga to heal from a severe back injury and uses iRest Yoga Nidra meditation as a way to nurture herself as she supports her husband, who lives with cancer. In her spare time she runs wild with her two nieces, enjoys cooking (she used to be a pastry chef!) and spending as much time out of doors as possible. 

Through the teachings of iRest Yoga Nidra, Jennifer has become aware of a deep sense of wholeness that has always been present and with this wholeness, an ability to fully welcome life with all of its ups and downs. How could she not share this with the world?
Jennifer Cabanero (she/her) ​E-RYT 500, C-IAYT iRest® Senior Teacher Trainer iRest® Certification Supervisor
Kate has practiced yoga for over thirty years. When she wandered into a Brooklyn loft for her first class, she was immediately hooked. As a former dancer she has always loved movement, and the discipline and flowing sequences were familiar and inviting.
As Kate began to practice regularly, she noticed something more. The movement, breathwork, and community were bringing her mind into the present, into focus, and into tranquility. Experiencing yoga as a pathway to peace led her to become a teacher in 2010.
Kate draws on her extensive background in Iyengar and Ashtanga traditions to create classes that are active and fun, with clear instruction and meaningful sequencing. Her approach to teaching is friendly and balanced, and she enjoys cultivating self-awareness in her students. She welcomes all practitioners of all levels.
Kate also loves being a mom, hiking, reading, taking photos and precious time with family and friends. She has lived in New York, Paris, Maine, Los Angeles and Washington DC before landing in Seattle in 2015.
Kate Collins RYT 200 Studio Manager
Aubra has been a part of The Yoga Tree community for almost as long as she can remember. She took her first class at the old location when she was seven years old in an attempt to lower her anxiety. She fell in love with the way the Friday night restorative class made her feel. Her seven-year-old way of articulating this was saying that meditating “was like taking a bath for your insides.” Since then, The Yoga Tree has been a supportive space to come back to throughout her life. 

Aubra has been dancing her whole life and finds movement in everything. Yoga has changed her relationship to dance by giving her a deeper appreciation for her body and the way it allows her to access her emotions and inner-self. Aubra’s goal as a teacher is to give every student a space to find dance, breath, creativity, and meditation in their bodies and minds in the way that works best for them. 

Studying Dance and Education at The University of Washington showed Aubra how important it is to continue learning in every area of her life. Yoga has been her ultimate teacher. She completed both her iRest® Yoga Nidra Level One training and 200-hour teacher training at the Yoga Tree and has dedicated herself to continuing her studies of yoga and its roots.

Aubra has found joy teaching in dance studios, childcare centers, and school settings, and is so excited to be teaching at a studio that means so much to her.
Aubra Heller (she/her) ​RYT 200
I am fueled by the technology and philosophy of yoga. Yoga offers on-the-mat opportunities to discover one’s own relating to the self and the world from an explorer’s lens. A devoted practice nourishes the body, mind, and soul; and centers people in ways that empower them to be their most authentic and vibrant selves. This attunement, from the inside out, invites more openness, clarity and joy to off-the-mat opportunities in daily life. 
 
I teach yoga asana, pranayama and meditation because each practice offers the opportunity to uncover, accept, reflect and learn about oneself on a path of healing and transformation. 2009 was just the beginning with a 200-hr certification from locally based Pacific Yoga with Theresa Elliot. In 2017, I received an additional 300-hr certification from Seattle Yoga Arts and now, have my sights set on a Yoga Therapy accreditation. My learning will never stop as it informs my relating in the world and on the mat. Favorite offerings include sensual vinyasa flows, alignment- focused classes, meditation groups and spiritual book discussions. Yoga fuels an enriched existence. I hope to support you getting fueled by yoga, too.  See you on the mat!
Heather Hested ​500 hr RYT Director of Community Engagement
Kalyani Julie’s love for yoga began in 2000 when she discovered the asana (posture) portion of yoga.  Overtime, she realized that yoga had much more to offer than just the physical benefits.  During the years since then, she has completed a 500-hour level certification with Yoganand Michael Carroll, extensive training with Anand Mehrotra, Ayurvedic Life-Style Consultant training with Dr. David Frawley, and several meditation trainings.

Kalyani Julie leads her classes in an introspective manner, allowing students to go deeply inward.  She blends techniques from her two main teachers, Yoganand and Anand Mehrotra, into each class.  An experience with Kalyani Julie will begin with a short talk on our theme for that particular practice, followed by a blend of pranayama (breath practices), kriya (energy moving practices), asanas with multiple options available, and often meditation at the end.  Regardless of the type of practice that particular day, the postures are used to support balance in the body, mind, and Spirit.

When Kalyani Julie is not teaching or practicing yoga and meditation, she is hiking, working in her other role as a veterinarian, or spending time with her husband, son, and many pets.
Kalyani Julie Hsu
Jessica Jobaris received her certification teacher training thru Pacific Yoga in Seattle, WA, having also studied at Samadhi, 8 limbs, Urth Yoga in Los Angeles, and Om Yoga in NYC. Her style is eclectic, drawing from Ashtanga Vinyasa, Iyengar, Anusara, and iRest Yoga Nidra. Jessica is deeply inspired by the powerful yet slow medicine of yoga. 
She aims to empower her students, with compassion and humor, by challenging them to safely find their physical edge, with a strong emphasis on sound alignment, to uncover the Sacred within each of us. Jessica also studied extensively with The Tamalpa Institute, training in Expressive Arts Therapy, a modality of mindful movement practices integrating with art. She has taught yoga extensively in Seattle, most notably at The Yoga Tree, Lotus Yoga Studio, Seattle Pacific University, University Prep Academy, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Central Park, NYC, Casale Santa Brigada in Umbria, Italy, and at Dock 11 in Berlin, Germany, where she combined dance technique with yoga. She is also a professional dancer, choreographer and instructor of dance, with over 20 years of dance/movement training. Jessica also loves spending time with her partner Matt, traveling of any kind (this photo comes from Berlin, her second home!) and carries chocolate in her purse and glove compartment. Jessica has been teaching yoga for 9 years now, offering privates, semi-privates, and workshops, along with She aims to empower her students, with compassion and humor, by challenging them to safely find their physical edge, with a strong emphasis on sound alignment, to uncover the Sacred within each of us. Jessica also studied extensively with The Tamalpa Institute, training in Expressive Arts Therapy, a modality of mindful movement practices integrating with art. She has taught yoga extensively in Seattle, most notably at The Yoga Tree, Lotus Yoga Studio, Seattle Pacific University, University Prep Academy, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Central Park, NYC, Casale Santa Brigada in Umbria, Italy, and at Dock 11 in Berlin, Germany, where she combined dance technique with yoga. She is also a professional dancer, choreographer and instructor of dance, with over 20 years of dance/movement training. Jessica also loves spending time with her partner Matt, traveling of any kind (this photo comes from Berlin, her second home!) and carries chocolate in her purse and glove compartment. Jessica has been teaching yoga for 9 years now, offering privates, semi-privates, and workshops, along with group classes.
Jessica Jobaris ​E-RYT 200
Jennifer came to yoga at a time when she was struggling to understand herself. She began practicing yoga as a way to add more movement into her life, but quickly realized that when she came to the mat she was gaining much more. Throughout her practice, she was able to rebuild her connection with her body and mind through conscious breathing and movement. She completed her 200 hour Hatha Yoga teacher training at The Yoga Tree so that she could share these amazing practices and hold space for others to find the light within themselves.

Jennifer is an energetic teacher that enjoys sharing her passion for yoga and meditation with others. In her classes she enjoys incorporating postures that build heat and focus on proper alignment while also taking the time for reflection. There will be space for laughing at ourselves while wobbling in a posture or joy when you find that perfect balance. Coming to the mat is such a great representation of everyday life, you just have to show up for what is here right now. She enjoys incorporating a theme into her classes and believes in being a lifelong student. 

Jennifer has also completed iRest® Yoga Nidra Level One training, is Reiki Level Two attuned and is interested in the mystical and spiritual side of life. When she isn’t practicing, you will find her outdoors hiking, backpacking, jogging or enjoying the wonders of nature.
Jennifer Kenworthy (she/her) RYT 200 iRest® Level 2 Teacher
Jeevitha is a certified Hatha and Ashtanga yoga teacher from Mysore, India, .Her training is grounded in yoga philosophy, anatomy, and the technical aspects of asanas. Jeevitha understands that each posture offers unique benefits and tailors her instruction to meet the individual needs of her students. A focus on breath, alignment, and mindful movement forms the foundation of her teaching, helping students cultivate wellness and personal growth.
Jeevitha is a certified Hatha and Ashtanga yoga teacher from Mysore, India, .Her training is grounded in yoga philosophy, anatomy, and the technical aspects of asanas. Jeevitha understands that each posture offers unique benefits and tailors her instruction to meet the individual needs of her students. A focus on breath, alignment, and mindful movement forms the foundation of her teaching, helping students cultivate wellness and personal growth.
Amanda has been teaching since 2013, and loves the whole-body support asana provides. She found yoga at a time when her mental and emotional state needed support, and feels that tuning into the body is an essential tool to navigate life's mind-focused culture. Ultimately, Amanda believes in using yoga to nourish yourself, and will often bring in vibration (a singing bowl or gong) to aid that process.
In her asana classes, you'll experience a slow, deliberate style, with a focus on alignment, mixed in with humor and practicality. You will leave with a sensation of having worked hard without completely tiring yourself out. Amanda always incorporates steady breath work, while bringing in a mental component or theme so you can take yoga where it counts – off the mat, and into your life.
Amanda Mitchell (she/her) E-RYT 200, RYT 500, YACEP, RPYT ​Teacher Training Staff
Danika Morrow (she/her, AYT, RPYT, RYT 200)
 
Danika is passionate about sharing the tools of yoga with all folks, regardless of body shape, size, ability, or experience. She is a certified Accessible Yoga Teacher, studying under teachers like Jivana Heyman, Amber Karnes and Susanna Barkataki. Through her own experience living with a chronic condition, she has learned the power of adaptability, and the strength in loving and accepting yourself, exactly as you are. With a background in early childhood education, dance and trauma-informed care, she loves to make her classes a safe and welcoming space for creativity, self-inquiry and playfulness, believing each student is their own best teacher. Danika seeks to honor the roots of yoga in her teaching and to meet each unique student wherever they are at, on any given day. When she’s not teaching, she loves to bake, sing, and hang out with her partner and big black cat, Pow Pow.
Danika Morrow, AYT, PYT, RYT 200
Yoga philosophy found me as anxiety was wreaking havoc on my nervous system. I came from France over 20 years ago and have been practicing Yoga for 18 years, teaching it for 4. My approach reflects my thirst for inner peace, my quest for self-acceptance and my curiosity for all things energy work.

My intention for my classes is that students take home a lasting sense of calm. My tools are the magic of Yoga and Energy Medicine practices, including self-massage, grounding sequencing and anxiety-soothing breath work. I also aim to inspire an expansion of the breath and of the subtle body through flowing asana and pranayama, balancing between strength and flexibility.

In all my classes, you are encouraged to listen to your body and you are free to adapt or skip any pose that doesn’t work for you. Come as you are, everyone is welcome to explore what the interplay of Yoga and Energy Medicine has to offer. I’m looking forward to seeing you in class!
Sylvie Alice (she/her) ​RYT 200​​ EM Yoga Foundations Teacher
Lisa is a longtime Yoga Tree student who also completed their 200-hour teacher training at the Yoga Tree.

Lisa aims to offer a practice that is welcoming to all students and accessible for all bodies. In Lisa’s classes, you can expect a mindful, meditative practice with flows centered on the breath. You'll experience opportunities for exploration and play, with time to try different variations of shapes to understand what feels best for your body. You'll also find a focus on self-compassion and meeting your body and mind where they are without judgment. 

Lisa hopes to provide a grounding, nurturing practice that leads to a greater sense of ease and peace in the body and mind.

In addition to practicing yoga, Lisa enjoys photography, making art, and being in nature.
Lisa Dzera RYT 200
Rachel’s yoga journey began in 2000, shortly after her youngest was born. Since then, yoga has been a constant in her life -- it is the thread she holds on to, guiding her through times of darkness and uncertainty, celebrations and purpose, and everything in between. It is her joy to serve others in the community who may desire to discover the deep wisdom and healing yoga offers. Rachel’s style is influenced by her teachers, committed practice, and dedicated studies. In her classes, she weaves in ancient wisdom teachings, intuitive and functional movements, and inspiration from the stars. She completed her 200-hour YTT in 2020, Yin training in 2023, and, since 2021, studies yogic philosophies, sacred texts, pranayama, and meditation with her yoga mentor. Rachel is a lifelong PNW’er and mom to three kids, who are now adulting on their own. Beyond the mat, her yard beckons but it competes for her time that's spent with other diversions, including moonlighting as a consulting astrologer, reiki practitioner, editor, and writer.
Rachel Rawlings RYT 200
Mary Kay began her yoga journey in 1999 while recovering from an injury that had interrupted her career as a dancer, choreographer, and dance teacher. She was immediately drawn to the disciple and ritual of yoga. She recognized that not only was she healing from her injury, but also developing strength and flexibility that she had not previously enjoyed and finding relief from chronic tension and pain.  What she did not realize at the time is that yoga would become an integral aspect of her life, nurturing and supporting mental, emotional, and social wellbeing.  Mary Kay continues to teach dance at Dance Fremont and credits her longevity in her career to the infinite benefits of a regular yoga practice.
 
Mary Kay completed her 200-hour RYT certification with Pacific Yoga in 2010 and continues to deepen her professional training through local and international workshops.  She has taught yoga to people of all ages in a variety of setting including: Seattle public schools, health clubs, yoga studios, dance studios, and as a volunteer with Street Yoga serving, homeless youth, young adults, and children in immigration detention facilities and the foster care system.  She continues to study Trauma informed Yoga approaches and techniques and plans to further her connections with this inspiring community.   
 
Mary Kay teaches from a broad spectrum of yoga traditions including Hatha, Iyengar, and Vinyasas. She has been graced with amazing teachers who challenge and inspire her and she aims to do the same for her students.  Her classes are characterized by creative sequencing, anatomical cues, and a playful yet disciplined approach. Mindfulness techniques and breath work are woven into her classes.  She invites students to personalize their practice by staying tuned into sensation, following the breath, and making choices for the most appropriate levels of energetic engagement. Encouraging students to explore mind body connections that fuel vitality, nurture resilience, and promote wellbeing is fundamental to her teaching. Mary Kay is thrilled to be joining the teaching staff at Yoga Tree.  She looks forward to sharing her enthusiasm for the healing powers of yoga with students of all levels of experience. 
 
When not teaching or practicing yoga, you might find Mary Kay hiking, biking, swimming, traveling, or hanging out with a good book.
Mary Kay Bisignano Vadino ​E-RYT 200​​
Kelly Walker is a Certified iRest® Instructor, Registered Yoga Instructor (RYT 200) and Certified Pranayama Instructor, with a Master in Education. She began her Yoga Nidra journey in 2013, taking her first iRest class with the masterful Senior iRest Trainer & Supervisor Jennifer Cabanero, at The Yoga Tree. Over the years, Kelly has dedicated herself to the practice and study of Yoga Nidra and Pranyama, studying Pranayama with the esteemed Linda Oshins and iRest with Jennifer and many other wonderful Senior iRest Facilitators, as well as taking general yoga studies with Susanne Hutchinson. At the iRest Institute, she serves as an Professional Assistant for teacher training and retreats. Kelly is thrilled to offer Yoga Nidra and Pranayama classes, workshops, and retreats at The Yoga Tree, as the studio is near and dear to her heart. To all of these endeavors, Kelly brings skills from a 25+ year career as an educator, offering a warm atmosphere, space for exploration, and a sincere, heartfelt dedication to these beloved, transformational practices!
Kelly Walker RYT 200 Certified iRest® Teacher Certified Pranayama Teacher
I formally began practicing yoga in 2001, and my path has led me through several styles of yoga including hatha, ashtanga, kundalini, and vinyasa yoga. I eventually found the Iyengar method shortly after moving to Denver in 2007. I began teaching in 2011 and received my Level 2 (formerly Intermediate Junior I) Iyengar Teaching Certification in 2018. Over the years, I have spent extensive time in India working to further deepen my understanding of yoga philosophy and practice. 

As a practicing bridge engineer, I can’t help but appreciate the level of accuracy, detail, and creative use of props found in the Iyengar system. More importantly though, I appreciate the profound level of self-awareness that continues to develop as I practice the method. I am deeply grateful for all the teachers of all styles of yoga who’ve inspired me to keep growing and learning and am honored to share those teachings through classes at The Yoga Tree.
Josh Warren

The Yoga Tree | 4250 Fremont Avenue N. | Seattle, WA 98103
​(206) 545 - 0316 [email protected]

©2017 The Yoga Tree | All Rights Reserved 
website by: natalie cummings of yoga business connection
  • Home
    • Yoga in Action
  • About
    • Pricing
    • Our Teaching Team
    • Class Descriptions
  • Schedule/Mindbody Login
  • Workshops/Retreats
    • Friday Nights
  • iRest® Yoga Nidra at The Yoga Tree
  • Yoga Teacher Training Programs
  • Contact