Colleen is an east coast transplant with a passion for all things health and fitness related. Her first exposure to yoga was as a college athlete and she was instantly hooked. She enrolled in Yoga Medicine's 200hr Teacher Training to deepen her understanding of the practice and dove into the 500hr program immediately thereafter. In addition to her yoga training Colleen studied Holistic Health and believes balance is the key to a healthy, happy life. Colleen takes a lighthearted approach to her personal practice, as well as her classes, and encourages her students to do the same. You can expect a fun, safe, and anatomically focused flow, with plenty of chances to find your edge from all of her classes.
Mark Rausa
Lead Teacher
Mark Rausa
Mark Rausa is a founding owner of MOXIE and the instructor responsible for the development of the MOXIE Method. His classes are intense and challenging, with motivational tough love and sarcasm. Mark specializes in teaching inversions, arm balancing, and transitions. His classes are greatly influenced by his training with Larry Schultz, the creator of Rocket Yoga and Tim Thompson, the creator of Isometric Monkey Yoga.
Irene Chou
Irene Chou
Irene welcomes yogis of all levels in her classes. Her classes have been described as both energizing and grounding with emphasis on sound, light, touch - each element integral to helping students journey out of the mind and into the body. In a culture that often prioritizes cultivation of the mind, Irene believes yoga reminds us that the body is the primary instrument through which we experience the world. In 2015, Irene completed the MOXIE Training led by Mark Rausa and Leia Layus. She is currently obtaining her 100-hour training in Therapeutic Yoga under the guidance of Harvey Deutch. Outside of yoga Irene enjoys drinking tea, taking pictures, and disconnecting from the internet. As MOXIE's Music Director, Irene also loves sharing and receiving music recommendations: irene@moxie.yoga.
Laura had practiced Yoga for over 10 years when she decided to take the plunge and become a certified Vinyasa teacher.Laura’s teaching style is fun, challenging, and upbeat and focuses on alignment and breathing. Her classes challenge your focus and breath, and of course make you sweat! By suggesting asana variations and optional cues, she adapts her classes to all levels, allowing you to push yourself or take it easy depending on where you’re at on a given day.It’s easy sometimes to get so wrapped up in something that you take it too seriously and lose sight of why you started doing it in the first place. Laura likes to remind us that Yoga is supposed to be fun and something caring we do for ourselves and she always strives to give her students the best possible experience inside and out.
Lauren Marmol
Lead Teacher
Lauren Marmol
Lauren attended her first yoga class in college on the suggestion of a friend. At the time, she was suffering from depression and looking for something to help her, despite not knowing what that something was. By the end of that first class she was certain she'd found it. Yoga taught her how to breathe through discomfort. In her practice, Lauren learned about duality; how ease and struggle can exist at once. She strives to create classes that balance strength and surrender in each asana, so that you feel both empowered and uplifted. She believes that yoga is all about self discovery. Her powerful classes are rooted in anatomy and mindfulness, truly a space for others to take a journey within and uncover something new.
Katrina was born and raised in San Francisco, California. She received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, where she played NCAA Division III volleyball. Katrina has always been passionate about health and fitness. Katrina is an enthusiastic yoga and Pilates instructor and a dedicated student of Mysore-style Ashtanga yoga. Katrina is a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance. She earned her 200-hour teaching credentials in March 2016 following a month long program in Goa, India. She is currently working towards her 500-hour certification in San Francisco, California. Katrina believes that yoga is a powerful and internal practice, capable of cultivating self-love, self-confidence, and self-acceptance. Katrina hopes to inspire her students to find their bliss through conscious breath and movement on the yoga mat.
Nina is a clinical psychologist, a yogi, and a former Philippine national athlete. Upon retiring from competition she discovered yoga as an excellent way to retain her flexibility and strength as well as the emotional and psychological benefits. In 2013, she began teaching yoga as a form of therapy while working with children. The results were positive and encouraged her to complete her 200-RYT at Yoga Tree. She is currently working on her 500-RYT and has studied under Jason Bowman. Nina is a versatile teacher, who adapts her style depending on the needs and abilities of her students.
Cara Smith
Lead Teacher
Cara Smith
Born and raised in San Antonio, TX, Cara danced since before she could walk, and has trained, performed, and practiced ever since. Once older, she quickly found her way into teaching dance, then moved to San Francisco in 2012, attending classes at ODC and City Dance. Once in San Francisco, she soon longed for a more spiritual journey and, after much convincing from many close friends, she tried her first Vinyasa class and immediately fell in love - nothing aside from dance had ever made her feel that way and she was hooked! She soon began a regular practice at lovely little Laughing Lotus in the Mission, finally made a wonderful decision to dive into Teacher Training at Laughing Lotus and is now sharing the beautiful truth of yoga with our world. Up until her recent move back to San Francisco, she taught in San Luis Obispo at: Sycamore Mineral Springs, East Wellbeing, Club 24, as well as her own, donation based classes held at the beach. She also combined my unconditional love of both dance and yoga to teach barre fitness classes, in addition to the creation of a Stretch Barre class and Ballet Barre Workshops at Assets Studios. She is now living and teaching back in SF - where home will always be!
Tanya Clark
Lead Teacher
Tanya Clark
Tanya found the practice of Yoga when she moved to San Francisco in 2011 after accepting an assistant women's basketball coaching position at an NCAA DII school and it changed her life in so many ways. The only place she felt grounded and balanced was on her mat. After resigning from coaching, Tanya embarked on a new journey and made the decision to explore Yoga on a deeper level and completed her 200 hour teacher training at Yoga Tree SF. Tanya’s classes are challenging and dynamic, yet comedic and fun! While having her own sense of humility, she reminds people who attend her classes to not take themselves too seriously. She encourages students to safely explore different variations of postures that may take them to a new level in their practice. She strongly believes that when people are able to practice yoga and stay open minded to new possibilities, they make themselves vulnerable to having a better sense of stability and awareness on their mat and in everyday life.
Sara's classes are challenging, stimulating and upbeat with a focus on proper alignment and safety for all bodies and levels. She is known for her hands-on assists, upbeat music and fun personality, while creating an environment that encourages being yourself. You will move mindfully through shapes feeling strong, lengthened and clear-headed as you take on the next part of your day.
Sara grew up in Santa Cruz, got her business degree from SDSU, and moved to Manhattan where she worked in publishing and marketing. She soon realized this was not her path and transitioned into the wellness industry working as a personal trainer and holistic health coach. She completed her 200 hour yoga certificate from Laughing Lotus in NYC, and now holds her 500 hour with 300 hours in advanced trainings. After 12 years in NYC, she moved back to the west coast.
Robel is slightly obsessive. He cares about uneven hems, gorgeous cornices, and the different shades of white light. His attention to detail shows in both his yoga practice and instruction.
In each class, Robel breaks down the components of key postures to help students dial into the invisible, internal world of muscle engagement. Once students learn what the shape looks like, Robel guides them to find what the shape feels like in their body.
Robel completed his MOXIE Method training in 2018. Outside of the studio, Robel solves problems for software companies, local nonprofits (e.g. SF AIDS Foundation, Replate), and himself. He is most happy at 4AM, having slept 8 hours, sipping coffee, and writing without an agenda.
Kristin Walsh
Lead Teacher
Kristin Walsh
Kristin Walsh (E-RYT 500) is a Baltimore native, and a recent transplant to the Bay area ready to share, learn, and practice with the Moxie Yoga community. Kristin has been practicing yoga for over a dozen years, and has studied tantra, vinyasa, yin, meditation, prenatal, and Ayurvedic practices. She completed her 200 hour tantra yoga training in 2012, followed by an 85 hour prenatal training in 2015, and completed her 300 hour advanced teacher training in 2016. The practice of yoga has been transformative and enlightening for Kristin, which is why her personal mantra for teaching yoga is to empower and uplift others.
Emily Wong
Lead Teacher
Emily Wong
EmilyWong is a Bay Area native who found yoga after a back injury in her childhood. After practicing for ten years, Emily got her certificate to teach Vinyasa yoga at Yoga To The People in San Francisco. Emily is thrilled to be teaching at Moxie, and invites yogis of all shapes, sizes and experience levels to come practice with her!
Elaine Liu
Lead Teacher
Elaine Liu
Born in NYC, Elaine grew up jazzercising to Jane Fonda VHS tapes.That eventually led to her teaching step aerobics in college. She discovered Ashtanga yoga in New Zealand, among the Hare Krishna who would lure her in with delicious vegan food after practice, despite being a carnivore. After moving to SF, Elaine practiced hot yoga, where she obtained her 250 hour teacher certification. In 2017, Elaine completed her 50 hour Moxie Teacher Training. Alignment and form is very important to her, as she is a certified massage therapist who sees common injuries that can be prevented with some key adjustments (so don't be surprised if she fixes your chatarangas!). Elaine spends her free time traveling, (usually 2-3 times a year) shopping online and working out.
Liza Gurtin
Liza Gurtin
Liza has a deep love for movement and play. That and her roots in gymnastics and dance led her to yoga. She has been practicing for over a decade, and in her own practice challenges herself with arm balances and handstands.
In college, Liza studied Computer Science with a focus in Human Computer Interaction and was a coxswain on the Stanford women's rowing team. Her first experience teaching yoga was to her teammates after long workouts. Seeing the benefits it had on the athletes inspired her to pursue teacher training.
Expect Liza's classes to be dynamic, high energy, and accessible to all levels. She enjoys curating the perfect playlist to supplement her flows. During the day, Liza works as a product manager at Slack and is passionate about building technology that amplifies our humanity. In her spare time you can find Liza scouting out SF's best ice cream spots or getting way too competitive playing Pac-man at Brewcade.
Kristina Ilaria
Kristina Ilaria
Kristina loves yoga! She started practicing in college as a way to relieve stress, anxiety, and maintain the strength and flexibility she learned from a lifetime of cheerleading and gymnastics. After a particularly brutal winter in Boston, she moved to San Francisco and was lucky to find her second home at MOXIE.
She fell in love with the community and energy of the city and the studio right away, and completed her RYT200hr Teacher Training at MOXIE led by Mark Rausa in October of 2019.
Kristina structures her classes so that all levels of experience feel welcomed, supported, and inspired to try something new. She is thrilled to share her love for yoga with her students. Kristina keeps things fun; expect to hear puns and curated playlists in her classes. She spends her free time trying new recipes, watching Jeopardy, and traveling.
Lexi Cotcamp
Lexi Cotcamp
Born & raised in Southern California, Lexi started practicing yoga as a way to connect with her mind & body more intuitively. From her practice, Lexi learned that yoga is a "swiss army knife" for modern life -- playing an important and diverse role in grounding presence, defying limits, and even healing from trauma. After 7 years of practicing, Lexi was eager to share what she'd learned with others and completed the Moxie Method teacher training with Mark Rausa.
Lexi teaches inclusive all-levels classes with challenging sequences, including an emphasis on arm balances/inversions, hands-on adjustments, and alignment. Her classes are set to curated playlists, including the likes of Jamie xx, ODESZA, Maggie Rogers, and The Lumineers. Off the mat, Lexi is usually found exploring new coffee shops, brewing kombucha, vespa'ing to Ocean Beach, or working to make the food system more sustainable at Impossible Foods.
Sophie accidentally found yoga over 6 years ago and needless to say, it was love at first feel. For the first time, Sophie felt strong and happy in her body. After 3 years of practicing, she was called to give others all that yoga gave her. Sophie received her 200hr training from her home studio in Raleigh, NC. But a true computer geek at heart, she couldn't resist the tech capital of the country. Sophie made the cross country trek in early April and is already loving the Bay Area. As a health and fitness addict, group fitness instructor, and personal trainer, Sophie teaches with an anatomical focus to support mobility and athleticism. In her class, expect to sweat, burn, and laugh at her lame jokes. When Sophie's not on the mat, she is probably listening to NPR, lifting, surfing, or programming.
Claire Sanguedolce
Claire Sanguedolce
Since teaching her very first class in 2016, it has been Claire’s goal to empower students to get curious, to push past their edge, and to come home to themselves through powerful intention, mindful breath, and grounded movement on their mats. Claire is a 200-hour RYT trained at Just Be Yoga in Walnut Creek, California. She specializes in vinyasa; a rigorous, dynamic style of yoga focusing on linking breath with movement. Claire aims to hold space for students to slow down, discover, play, experiment with self-compassion, and, at times, challenge themselves. Through yoga, Claire believes that it is possible to navigate life with more curiosity, openness, and love; impacting others and ultimately the world on a greater scale. Claire honors the practice, the lessons, and her own teachers, and views each class as a way to give back. Students in her class can expect a mindful, breath-centered, release composed of juicy stretches, sweaty flows, challenging postures, deepening assists, and sweet releases (all set to funky tunes).
Caitlin Ryan
Lead Teacher
Caitlin Ryan
Caitlin began casually practicing yoga while studying theatre at the College of Charles and found a deeper practice upon moving to San Francisco in 2006. Growing up a swimmer and athlete, she fell in love with the physical side and depth that yoga brings. She completed her 200hr RYT through Pete Guinosso's 'Lighting the Path' training program supported by Yoga Tree in 2014 and finished her 500hr RYT training through Yoga Tree in 2019 as well as being trained in the Moxie Method and teaches children's yoga as well. When not teaching, she can be found chasing adventure, good music, and sharks as well as other marine conservation work. Her fitness beliefs are to do what feels good in your body and finds something that nurtures and challenges you but will still leave you smiling at the end!
Want to teach at MOXIE?
We are always looking for experienced instructors to join our team. If interested, please send your resume and any other applicable information to your training and experience to info@moxie.yoga.
