instructors

JANESSA HERMAN

Hello it’s nice to meet you, I’m Janessa (she/her). I’ve been practicing yoga for over 10 years and it grows sweeter with each year. My classes are grounded with an invitation to explore how shapes can impact us physically and mentally. I offer mindful practices like breath technique and subtle body cues to cultivate internal connection. I share from a space of curiosity and openness, knowing that yoga practice looks different for everyone. My goal is to create a space where you might practice authentically within the support of community. Alongside my E-RYT 200, I have further training in yin, restorative, aerial, pranayama, and trauma informed yoga. As a forever student, I’m always expanding my understanding of yoga traditions and holistic practices. When not in the studio with you, I’m out in the woods looking for moss with my dog or reading with my cats.

BRITTANY FAY

I guide students through yoga classes that connect breath with movement to enhance strength, flexibility and centeredness. I love to create fun, challenging sequences that support students of all levels. My husband and I are recently recovered Seattleites and are loving every minute in Bellingham. When I am not on the mat you can find me hitting the trails, on the water or chowing down on an oversized salad, accompanied by an even bigger beer.

CARA HEARTWOOD

I first discovered yoga in high school P.E. circa 2005 and have been a dedicated practitioner ever since. My background in the Classic 26 series and vinyasa has given me a solid foundation in the practice which I wish to bring to my teaching style–a blend of the discipline and intense focus of the former with the playfulness and freedom of the latter. At home my two small children dabble in yoga with me, and their curiosity and joy inspire me every day. I aspire to infuse that same sense of sincerity and playfulness into my teaching, encouraging my students to approach the practice with childlike curiosity and enthusiasm. I believe yoga asana is the perfect compliment to any movement practice and is an invaluable means to find greater balance, strength, peace, and joy in anyone’s life.

RACHEL SCHEIB

Hi! I'm Rachel and I strive to make a comfortable place for you to move, breathe, and maybe try something a little different. I am from California, but have lived in Bellingham mostly since moving in 2014 to attend WWU. I received my 200 hour YTT in 2021 from Yandara Yoga Institute in Baja Mexico. My classes are often structured in a vinyasa-like style, where ample time is given to settle in and warm up, before moving into breath-to-movement standing sequences. My teaching style is informed by my own practice, and especially my experience with yoga since breaking my back in 2016, which was an experience that showed me how essential a personal yoga practice can be on the road to recovery.

I have found that yoga is not only useful in a recovery sense, but also in a preventative sense, as well as in a very present sense-- and now I aim to hold a space where people can benefit from all of these aspects. Three areas I love to explore in my classes would be: 1. breathwork, 2. playful transitions, and I will always gravitate towards 3. low-back care and spinal awareness. Students are always welcome to follow their intuition; I want people to feel like they can show up to their yoga practice on any day, in any way, and find something to meet their needs. My favorite part of teaching at VITAL is the people who show up to class.

FELICIA DOUGHERTY

Hi! My name is Felicia, pronouns she/her; I am a thinker, seeker, and creative who feels privileged to live, learn, and adventure in the beautiful Pacific Northwest on Coast Salish ancestral land. I received my 200hr yoga certification in 2021 and study psychology at Western Washington University. I aim to help others feel good in their bodies by creating a space where students can tune in to their unique intuition about them with curiosity, empathy, and self-compassion. The intersection of embodied movement and somatic psychology inspires my class design, sequenced with accessibility in mind through a trauma-aware lens. As a result, my classes are breath-focused, grounding, playful, and powerful, with ample room to move how you need.

XANDER HEATON

I have been a lover of movement for my entire life and was drawn to yoga in high school because of my background in martial arts and competitive swimming. Throughout the years, my practice has continued to evolve, and my focal point has been on therapeutic modalities in order to help overcome overuse injuries and compensation patterns from everyday life. Kinesiology-based movement training, leveraged tools, and flow state principles have been significant influences on my practice and my inspiration to help others become more mindful and embodied in their everyday movements. I am passionate about the educational aspects of movement coaching and strive to create an atmosphere of accessibility in my classes where people of any background and ability level can deepen the connection with their bodies and find freedom through movement. I have completed a 40hr Iyengar Yoga teacher training, am a certified Steel Mace Vinyasa Coach and facilitator for its 100hr Teacher Training at Flow Shala, and specialize in mobility and functional movement coaching. I studied massage at WCC and hope to use my understanding of massage and bodywork as a clinical practice to create movement classes that include somatic principles and deepen the subjective understanding of the nervous system. As a writer and lover of language, I bring a unique understanding of rhetoric and ethos to my coaching style. I hold a BA in Business and Sustainability from WWU and believe that leading with fierce compassion, an ethical decision-making framework, and a focus on social justice for the most vulnerable members of our society are critical for a sustainable future. Bringing this paradigm into movement coaching and teaching yoga is something that I have identified as my personal purpose and strive to empower my students.

ASHIA RADKE

My life has been enriched tremendously by yoga and acro yoga and I’m thrilled to share these lovely practices with others. I discovered yoga in 2015 and have found it to be an incredible avenue toward health, healing, growth, curiosity, and a more compassionate relationship with myself. I gravitate toward strong, playful sequencing and teach with a focus on innate wisdom, skillful alignment, exploration, perseverance, and joy. I’m enamored with acro because of the opportunities it provides for laughter and play, safe and supportive collaboration, physical challenge, learning, and connection. As an acro teacher, I use gentle guidance, problem-solving, and oodles of encouragement to create a space in which students can find balance, flow, and a sense of fulfillment. My personal yoga and acro practices are complemented by other movement modalities including climbing, cycling, and hiking. When I’m not in motion, I can be found sleeping in, chatting with friends over a beverage, or admiring something blue.

RAINA MORAN

Yin yoga was my first love and it drew me towards attaining my 200hrs. My style of practice is informed by my background in kinesiology, massage therapy, and personal training, though I would say the biggest impact on my movement practice came from an emergency, life saving surgery in 2020. Left with deep internal scarring, the fabric of my fascia was permanently altered. Navigating through two years of chronic pain, I learned how to rebuild the relationship between my body and movement. Investing in movement that nourishes, appropriately challenges, and sustains our daily activities is imperative for our wellbeing. The body is home to the mind for our entire stay here on Earth, and it’s the single most important relationship we have. In my classes, I offer flows that are challenging but supportive. I love teaching postures that evolve with intricacy as the flow repeats and progresses; often focusing on alignment, functionality, and artistic transitions. My hope is that you leave the mat feeling balanced, having more space within restricted fascia and renewed strength in weakened tissues.

KYLEE HAZELGREN

Yoga has been integral in my life since my teen years. In 2022, I accomplished my 300-hour YTT through Yoga For Life in Portland, Oregon, where the exceptional guidance of my instructors amplified my passion and commitment to yoga. Within my classes, I frequently integrate mudras and breathwork, emphasizing the cultivation of bodily equilibrium. I provide a supportive and welcoming environment for individuals of all levels, encouraging a profound exploration of each posture and creating a space where each individual can explore and connect with how each pose feels within their body.

SIMON MARKS-FRANKS

My teaching is focused on having fun and staying safe in the body while moving through asana and other exercises. I use my understanding of anatomy and biomechanics to warm bodies up progressively using joint mobility exercises and a heavy emphasis on breathing throughout class. Whether we are going through a smooth series of Sun Salutations or more static Hatha style standing poses, my students will be challenged physically and gain more awareness of their bodies in space. I believe that exercise sustainability is chief above all other aspects of Movement and Yoga. We should never sacrifice depth for our technique and should avoid the allure of aesthetics over health and longevity. I draw my inspiration from health first teachers like Scott Sonnon and Summer Huntington using “nested” sequences and joint mobility to gradually prepare peoples bodies for depth in Yoga postures. I also encourage others to find the best alignment for their bodies or rather the most sustainable alignment, rather than always leaning on traditional yoga practice quest.

KATIE DAVIS

Hi! I’m Katie (she/her) and I love all forms of movement. I’ve dabbled in yoga for over 10 years but really fell in love with it in early 2023 when I took my 200 hour YTT in Baja, Mexico. With so much focus on productivity and hustle in the world, I like to make my classes an inviting space to slow down and reconnect with yourself. I love both the physical aspects of poses and helping students find alignment that feels good in their own bodies as well as the connection to breath and mind. I was born and raised in Bellingham but it took living elsewhere to make me appreciate just how special Bellingham is. After a decade traipsing around the West Coast I was stoked to move back here in 2021. Outside of the studio you’re most likely to find me doing something active outside or curled up on a couch with a good book and a mug of tea. I enjoy mountain biking, skiing, paddling, climbing, hiking, jogging, or any adventure with my energetic rescue pup.

MELANIE ACEVES

I began practicing yoga in 2007, but my study of the body and posture and lines of energy began far before that, through many years of dance. I recognized my love of practicing and learning and sharing yoga, and vowed to keep it in my life forever. After completing a Bachelor's degree in 2011, I could not resist also earning a certificate in yoga instruction. My 200hr yoga training ended in September of 2012 and I’ve been teaching ever since. In 2020, I completed my 500hr yoga teacher training. One of my hopes is to create opportunities for my students to turn their attention inward, to learn about their own abilities and desires.

DARCEY MAHER-PETERSON

My yoga background is in Iyengar and Ashtanga Yoga. I apprenticed for years under the Iyengar tradition and received my 200hr certification in Rocket Yoga. As a former sailing captain and rock climber, I have longed used yoga as cross-training to awaken body, mind and soul.

My teaching style favors specific cues and attention to stability. I like to guide my students into alignment, and then invite freedom to express their version of a pose. In my class you can expect to be guided safely to your happy edge, and then find some fun and weird way to balance on it.

My personal practice includes lots of inversion play and experimentation. Most days I spend in the garden, adventuring with my 3 kids, or exploring the forests and seas of the Northwest. My favorite place is under a tree or over a wave, with good company.

MALLORY LANGEN ROBERTS

I took my first yoga class as a young teen and immediately knew that yoga would be an integral part of my life. My practice helped me find strength and ease I didn’t know was possible for myself. In 2016, I completed my 200-hour yoga teacher training, and have been gratefully teaching – and learning! – since. In my classes, I strive to support students in feeling capable, strong, and free to move in a way that feels relevant to their unique needs, in a safe and supportive environment. I am ever-curious about the human body and ground my classes in anatomical awareness. Drawing from over 1,000 hours of teaching experience, my sequencing is intuitive yet deliberate, addressing common tension holding patterns and offering space to explore how our nervous systems influence our physical experience.

Outside of the studio, I’m an avid flower gardener, and like many Pacific Northwesterners, I can be found outside, rain or shine. If I’m not in the garden, I’m usually at Western studying kinesiology and exercise psychology, or spending time with my husband and our spunky rescue pup!

DAN LITVIN

I started exploring yoga in high school as cross training for hockey and martial arts, but fell in love when the philosophy and mindfulness practices supported me through hard times in my early 20’s. After 15+ years of practice and 10+ years of teaching, my love for yoga has grown deeper, and I hope I can inspire the same affection for the practice in you!

I guide sessions with a focus on mindfulness, breath, and body awareness using invitational language to create an accessible yet challenging experience. I aim to provide a safe and dependable setting for practitioners to sink into their inner experiences in a supportive communal space. Outside the yoga studio, you can find me bouldering next door, on the slopes at Baker, or perched at a local coffee shop.

PAUL KALIFATIDI

My father introduced me to climbing when I was quite young. At six years-old, Devil's Lake became home-away-from-home. Those cliffs will always be home. I only started climbing in the gym once I left for college. I worked at the UMN Center for Outdoor Adventure as a trip leader and clinic instructor. My first summer of college was spent back at Devil's Lake, living out my dirtbag daydreams. I lived out of my Honda Element and worked as a trail builder for the park service and as an instructor for Devil's Lake Climbing Guides. Funny story, my seventh grade teacher became my coworker when she recommended I become a climbing guide.

After college, I moved to Bellingham to be closer to mountain biking. I work as a freelance photographer and wanted to be closer to that industry. Climbing is my social sport, riding is my alone time. I started coaching our youth climbing teams shortly after arriving here and have loved every moment of facilitating community. My goal is to help people accomplish theirs, whether that be competing at USAC Divisionals or climbing to the top of the wall for the first time. There is beauty in both.

. When I'm not at VITAL, you can find me taking the worst lines on the local trails or arguing with my photo editing software in some quiet corner of a coffee shop.

MADDIE DOWNIE

Hey, I’m Maddie! I was first introduced to climbing when I moved to Bellingham for grad school, and I quickly fell in love with the sport, specifically outdoor alpine climbing. However, as much as I love climbing outside, VITAL is definitely my homebase. I’ve found that our community is a mix of beginner and long-time climbers that fosters a unique, but judgment-free space for all people to get together and climb.

I began coaching at VITAL in April of 2022. I am most interested in helping climbers gain confidence in themselves, whether that’s through mental or physical training. I’m dedicated to empowering female and non-binary climbers specifically. I have a long history of coaching that began with horseback riding lessons, and over the years I’ve come to love the moment when a student “gets it”, or when a skill finally clicks and their confidence soars. I strive to help each student achieve that feeling, whether it’s finally finishing a project, or being just a bit more “sendy” in small ways.

KIRA WALTERS

Howdy, I’m Kira! I started climbing in 2011 and from that first day in the climbing gym, it became my main focus. I grew up on a competitive climbing team which gave me a love for both competing and training. While competition climbing was important to me, my focus shifted to outdoor climbing when I moved to Bellingham to go to WWU. Now, I feel most at home climbing outdoors. In 2021, I started coaching at VITAL. It has been so much fun getting to coach and watch kids find their stoke for climbing. My coaching is heavily influenced by my background competing and outdoor climbing, where my focus is always trying hard and having fun. I especially look forward to coaching competitions and field trips, where everything that’s been learned in practice gets to be applied.

KEENAN HANSEN

Greetings from planet Crimpton, I’m Keenan! I started climbing in highschool via an outdoor recreation class. The class instructors converted a very tall janitor closet into a climbing gym and from the moment I hung my hammock behind the rock wall I was hooked.

Coaching youth programs since 2017 has been one of my favorite parts of climbing. Being able to help others improve their climbing is special to me because of its amazing community, helping me in life and most importantly it is fun.

SOPHIE BROWN

Hi, I’m Sophie! I started climbing with my family when I was a kid but have recently become more involved in the sport since I moved to Bellingham. I am currently studying Recreation Management and Leadership at WWU and coaching allows me to put what I am learning into practice. I am a big advocate for making climbing accessible to everyone and to try and implement this I have created an adaptive climbing clinic here at VITAL. Through encouragement and collaboration I strive to help the kids on team problem-solve and grow their love for climbing.

MILO MILLER

Hello! My name is Milo, and I started slacklining with my brother when I was about 10. I have been avidly playing with slacklines ever since and I absolutely love them. I appreciate how well slacklining translates into body awareness when climbing and in everyday life. I started instructing on slacklines this year but I have been teaching my friends and members of the gym for far longer than that! I hope to see y’all soon.

SARAH BERG

I started climbing in the summer of 2019 and it's been a huge part of my life ever since. My years as a gymnast definitely helped me as I was starting out, but as every climber does, I hit a plateau. While discouraging as it was, it only increased my love for climbing and the desire to improve. I know first hand how intimidating climbing can be and how hard it is to overcome that plateau. My goal as an instructor is to get you comfortable on the wall and help you reach your personal climbing goals! Every climber is on their own journey and I would love to be a part of yours!

ISAAC HOFFMEISTER

Hey I’m Isaac! I’ve been climbing for most of my life and have interacted with almost every aspect of the sport - casual indoor climbing, the competitive scene, as well as coaching at multiple gyms.

I enjoy helping people learn about how they can use their particular body type to their advantage on the wall and how to overcome perceived limitations in their climbing. I believe that technique is the first stepping stone into becoming a competent climber and that it can bridge the gap between physical strength and your goals.

Alle Cromwell

Howdy! Im Alle,

I’ve been climbing for around 2 years now. I started climbing just as a new and fun way to get outside and moving and then I absolutely fell in love with it!

I’ve worked with kids for years having been a nanny and then a preschool teacher. Being able to combine my passions has been such a blast. Whether a kid is just starting to learn how to climb or experienced on the wall, I strive to create an environment for them to thrive and develop their skills. Most importantly have fun and catch the climbing bug.

Grace Yockey

Hello! I'm Grace, an Earth resident and a youth after-school coach at VITAL. My climbing journey began in college at the WWU Rec Center wall and outdoor climbing club, and ever since, I've been hooked! Since finding VITAL, I've immersed myself in both the gym and its lively community.

Beyond VITAL, I'm passionate about the outdoors, practicing yoga, cooking plant-based, and taking my cat Tito for walks around the neighborhood. Feel free to say hi if you spot me at the gym!