Meet the Yoga Haven Fam

Troy has been practicing Yoga for 13 years. As a traditionalist in most things he prefers to practice and teach traditional Hatha. He likes the fundamental poses and core strength building. Troy is a certified Massage Therapist with multiple modalities and Holistic Health Practitioner (HHP). When not teaching, you can find him riding his motorcycle, which is his favorite form of moving meditation. His main focus in life is being in the here & now. The past is gone and the future can wait… 

Zach firmly believes that the Yogic path is accessible to everyone. He is sincerely committed to living more skillfully and finding peace with the world, and he is passionate about helping his students discover their own paths of self-discovery.Having recently survived cancer, Zach's connection to the yogic path has become even stronger. He encourages each of us to delve deeper, uncover common threads, slow down, and embrace life through mindful breathing and movement.

Zach's yoga journey includes a 200-Hr Budokon Yoga Certificate in 2015 in Miami, and in 2022, he completed his 200-Hr Hatha Yoga Certificate and Yin training from Pilgrimage of the Heart in San Diego. Additionally, he holds a Budokon Red Belt. His teaching approach is centered around recognizing each person as a unique individual, viewing their journey as a creation of their own. Zach understands that yoga is not a one-size-fits-all practice. While you'll learn various well-known postures in his classes, he also encourages you to explore your own sensations and thoughts, which may vary from day to day.  Zach firmly believes in continuous learning and encourages viewing life with a beginner's mindset.

Lauren's expertise is rooted in years of dedicated study. Her 200-hour certification from Yoga One provides a strong foundation in interdisciplinary yoga styles, enhanced by intensive trainings in yoga therapy. As the former owner of Happy Back Hawaii, a successful Yoga Wall Studio of 7 years, up on Pupukea, on the North Shore of Oahu, she brings unique experience in this specialized practice. She completed a Yoga Philosophy course based on the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, acknowledging that movement practice is just one of the many sheaths of Yoga and wellness. Her passion for anatomy and movement led her to pursue a 100-hour certification in Happy Back Yoga, a mentorship with Rachel Krentzman, and more recently, a Breathwork Facilitator Certification with Our Breath Collective. She currently owns and operates Serene Wellness in San Diego, working with private clients and corporations.

Katie is a Yoga Facilitator, Sound Healer, Trauma-Informed Personal Trainer, and Liberation Coach. She has been facilitating group work since 2017 and has a deep passion for supporting others on their liberation journey. Her own path of healing childhood and intergenerational trauma led her to Yin and Restorative yoga and she developed a profound appreciation for lifting weights as a means for creating safety and strength in the body. With her thirst for knowledge Katie has acquired over 1,000 hours of certifications including her 500 ERYT, Yin, Restorative, Yoga Wall, Trauma Awareness Yoga, Success and Life Coaching, and is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer. Katie sees her “dharma” or “purpose” in serving as a guide to facilitate collective liberation. She is the creator of Spiritual Ventures a community-based organization working to create decolonized spaces for body liberation including monthly moon ceremonies, a hiking and yoga club, a collective liberation book club, and more. Katie is here to help you reclaim your body, embody emotional freedom, and reconnect to your Self so that you can live a life of joy and ease.

Maryann has been practicing various styles of martial arts since the age of 11. Her passion ignited after seeing the karate kid movie. As a child, Maryann was shy and had difficulty making friends. Since practicing martial arts her confidence and skills grew. She eventually earned her black belts in the styles Kung fu and Tai Chi, has won first place in several tournaments and made life long friendships along the way. Maryann is excited to be sharing her passion for Tai Chi at Yoga Haven, hoping to grow a community bonded by the shared interest of martial arts. Outside of practicing martial arts Maryann enjoys taking yoga classes, going on hikes and traveling. 

Kayleigh has been practicing yoga for 15 years and is especially drawn to advanced vinyasa sequences and power flows. She believes yoga is a transformative experience for both the body and mind, offering benefits that everyone can access, regardless of their ability or experience level. Her classes are designed to be inclusive, empowering, and rooted in the calming mental health benefits of a consistent yoga practice.
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Kayleigh earned her 200-hour yoga certification in July 2024 under Gerhard Gessner at Prana Yoga Center. As a lifelong learner, she hopes to pursue a yin yoga certification to expand her ability to share the restorative power of this grounding practice.
 
When she’s not teaching or practicing yoga, Kayleigh enjoys training for 10k races, teaching gymnastics to kids, spending quality time with her husband and cat, and watching sunsets on the beach.

Markandeya Rsi: Born in Argentina, he’s been practicing Yoga since he was very young, thanks to the influence of his grandmother (his first yoga teacher).  He trained as a monk in India and other countries for more than 4 years, certifying himself in different styles of yoga, meditation, philosophy and leadership.  Now, based in San Diego, CA. Teaching in the most renowned gyms and studios in San Diego and traveling to many cities and countries, giving classes and seminars at universities, TV shows, radio and schools.

I enjoy a life of healing, practice, study, being a mom and becoming my true self 🤍 Join me for vibrational sound healing, sound bath massage, and energy~healing yoga.

Lauren is a co-founder of Yoga Haven, a passion project that emerged after retiring at 70. Though not a yoga teacher, she has been a dedicated student for over 15 years, practicing alongside ballet and ballroom dancing. With a background in nonprofit fundraising, she continues to dedicate her time to meaningful causes while fostering a welcoming space for others to explore the benefits of yoga.

Trained in and residing in Ocean Beach, Allie teaches traditional vinyasa and hatha yoga with a spiritual, heart-led approach. Her classes blend philosophy and intentional movement to safely support alignment—both physically and mentally.

As an athlete herself, Allie understands what it’s like to move with tight muscles and emphasizes that yoga isn’t about how a pose looks, but how it feels. She encourages students to tune into their bodies and deepen their connection within.

Florencia Colón Pérez is a Puerto Rico-born, 500hr certified yoga teacher with a trauma-informed lens rooted in Ayurveda, somatics, and nervous system awareness. Her classes range from mellow to challenging, but always emphasize the pause—soaking in each breath, each posture, and each sensation. Expect a mix of meditation, breathwork, mindful movement, and a sweet sound healing session in savasana. Florencia sees the mat as a lab for self-inquiry, where strength meets softness and curiosity replaces judgment.
 
Off the mat, she’s led retreats, healing circles, and supported teacher trainings across 200hr and 300hr programs. She's also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue belt, ocean lover, and sun enthusiast—always exploring the balance between movement, stillness, and healing in all its forms.

After practicing yoga on and off for 15+ years, in 2021 Allison’s love of world travel brought her to a retreat in Mexico where she discovered a lineage of yoga that profoundly changed her life for the better. This led her to complete her 200 RYT so she can share this magic with you! Allison brings a balance of fun, casual vibes + deep, purposeful energy to her classes. She believes music and movement are true medicine, and you can expect to hear a wide playlist - gentle indie, pop, r&b, and heavy house beats - in her power vinyasa flow. Come ready to challenge yourself and to sweat! She’s passionate about holding space for you to come as you are - no frills, no expectations, so you can tune inward and connect with your authentic self in order to better connect with the world around us.

Sydney is a Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LPCC), intuitive healer, psychic medium, dancer, and more!
 
Sydney has been dancing since they were very little and is trained in many different styles of dance and currently works part-time as a country line-dancer!
 
Sydney was drawn to yoga many years ago and found its medicine to be healing and magical, especially through the darkest period of Sydney’s life. 
 
Sydney knew that becoming a yoga teacher was something they eventually wanted to do to deepen their own practice and finds immense fulfillment sharing their love of yoga with others! 
 
Sydney’s classes are centered around deepening the connection we have to our bodies and fully feeling any emotions that arise before, during, and after practice and transmuting, alchemizing, and moving them through the physical practice.

Ballet Mistress and School Principal, is a native of Philadelphia, PA where she began her professional dance training under John White and Margarita De Saa at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet. She furthered her training in Philadelphia with Kip Martin, Alexander Boitsov, The Rock School for Dance Education, and the Koresh Dance Company. Natalie has also had the opportunity to dance professionally with Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and Colorado Ballet’s second company. She spent summers attending programs at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Washington Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, and Kaatsbaan International Dance Center. 
 
Natalie joined City Ballet in 2007 first as an apprentice and then as a company member in 2009 where she performed in numerous productions until 2020. After serving as Rehearsal Assistant for a number ofyears. Natalie was named Ballet Mistress in 2020.

Karen began practicing yoga in 1998 to complement her active lifestyle as a runner, mountain biker, and spin instructor, but quickly discovered yoga’s profound impact on her mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
 
Ten years later, inspired to share her love of yoga, Karen became a certified instructor. She now holds over 1,000 hours of Yoga Alliance-certified training in Vinyasa, Yin, Hatha, Yoga for Cancer Therapy, Yoga for a Happy Back, and The Great Yoga Wall.
 
Karen’s classes are influenced by her many renowned teachers, including Gerhard Gessner, Paul Grilley, and Rachel Krentzman.  Her teaching places a strong emphasis on promoting spinal health and relieving back, neck, and shoulder pain through yoga.
A lifelong learner, Karen is currently pursuing an 800-hour Yoga Therapy certification.
 
She is dedicated to helping students of all ages experience the healing and joyful power of yoga — making every practice accessible, transformative, and fun.

Sina has a passion for creating spaces where you can slow down, reconnect with your inner rhythms, and remember the natural wisdom living inside of you. They bring a love for nature, movement, and mindfulness into every class, crafting a welcoming environment where all experience levels can feel at home in their bodies. Inspired by the rhythms of nature, Sina encourages mindful movement, conscious breathing, and a practice that feels both grounding and energizing.

They worked as a social worker in Germany with blind people with special needs before moving to San Francisco in 2021 in search of greater purpose and fulfillment. There they discovered the importance of community around wellness and spirituality and completed their 200 hr teacher training at Yoga Flow. 

In 2025, Sina relocated to San Diego with their spouse and two cats. At Yoga Haven SD, they offer a grounding, nature-inspired practice that invites students to explore strength, fluidity, and inner awareness. Outside of teaching, Sina loves going on adventures, especially those that include hiking, nature, and time outdoors.