DeAnna

DeAnna is co-founder and CEO of Yahweh Yoga and has been practicing Christ-centered yoga for more than 20 years. She is Director of Yahweh Yoga’s Advanced Studies program. DeAnna has a background in dance. She has developed a distinct style of yoga that makes each class an experience that resonates with students at a heart, mind, body level.

DeAnna loves her students and enjoys making each class a time for each person to experience peace and solitude in their own way as they practice.

Courtney

Courtney is co-founder & COO of Yahweh Yoga, LLC and has a background in nursing. Courtney loves creating an experience where mental calmness, physical strength and spiritual presence come together to create inner-peace through a dynamic flow class.

Courtney is a author, teacher and student. She challenges her students to ever-higher levels of personal performance in their yoga practice. She calls this “challenging students from a place of love.” Courtney believes in embracing the joy and excitement of everyday life and it shows in her teaching.

She believes that God helps her teach those lessons that she also needs: “I feel like every time I remind someone in my class to allow themselves to be still for a moment, to slow down or to breathe in HIS love, I am gently reminding myself of this, too.”

Judi

Judi began the practice of yoga several years ago to release stress and restore her health and well being. Yoga soon became her favored expression of worship. Her teaching combines postures with gentle flow and guides her students into a peaceful state to experience joy and serenity, all the while honoring Christ.

Judi holds deep respect and gratitude for her teachers who exhibit peace, balance and grace through the practice of Christian yoga. Her desire is to grow in her intimacy with Christ through yoga, silence and contemplation, which restores serenity and brings peace of mind, body, soul and spirit.

Judi has been heading our church outreach for Yahweh Yoga for several years now. She teaches at churches in the Chandler/ Tempe area.

Leia

Leia was born in Lansing, Michigan and grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. She moved from Louisiana to Arizona to be closer to family. She is an 8 year veteran of the United States Army Reserve where she served as a Military Finance Specialist.

In Arizona she has found a new career, a wonderful husband and is a new mother of a beautiful daughter. Most of all, she has found a deeper understanding of who she is in Christ. She loves God, family, and living life to the fullest! She began Zumba as a student trying to get in shape and loved it so much that two years ago she decided to get certified and teach. The reason: Every class feels like a party!

You don’t have to know how to dance. Just move your body and follow her lead. Come try it and you’re guaranteed to have a blast!

Diane

Diane enjoys physical activities ranging from hiking in the Sonoran Desert to skiing in the Rockies, but her true passion is yoga. Being able to incorporate her love for the Lord with dynamic yoga is a joyous combo that she loves to share!

Diane has been practicing yoga for over four years and has a background in design and sales. She is also a busy mom and wife.

Stephanie

Stephanie Washington has loved singing in worship bands and serving in youth ministry for years. She has also struggled with chronic health issues for a very long time. Back in 2007, she prayed for God to bring her new motivation for exercising and God answered her prayer almost immediately through Yahweh Yoga.

On her yoga mat, she found a place as nourishing to her soul, as to her physical body. He grew a desire in her heart to share this newfound blessing with others and she has since gone through Yahweh Yoga’s teacher certification. She is now finding a perfect marriage of the gifts God has given her, with her heart’s desire for ministry as she leads others in worship to their Savior through yoga practice.

Lindsay

The Lord led Lindsay from Canada to the heart of the Arizona desert to learn to “be still and know that He is God.” After two consecutive car accidents, living in chronic pain and years of pouring herself into her career, He made it clear that it was time for change.

The Lord is accomplishing this as she has meditates on His word and worships Christ on her yoga mat. In the process, God has given her a heart for encouraging others towards wholeness in Christ Jesus.

Lindsay also loves teaching children, and fostering a passion for learning in them. She is humbled that the Lord has called her expand her role as a teacher and enroll in Yahweh Yoga’s teacher training program. It is her joy to be in a position to encourage others to seek Christ’s abundant life in every area… spiritually, physically, and emotionally!

Khamry

Khamry is an Arizona State University student pursuing a degree in Nursing. She is passionate about the health benefits of yoga and the spiritual renewal of Christian Yoga.

Her love for the Lord and love for people combine together in the unique experience of yoga.

Olivia

Olivia Peterson was born and raised in Tempe Arizona. She is currently studying Nutrition with a dance minor at Arizona State University. Olivia has been dancing for 10 years and has developed her love for health and wellness over time. She has been taking Zumba classes for the past four years and recently decided to become a certified instructor. Teaching Zumba is a perfect combination of two of her passions, fitness and nutrition, and at Yahweh she is able to share her greatest passion of all, worshiping Christ.
Praising His powerful name through movement is such a blessing and Olivia would love to be able to share this experience with you! Come and see what Zumba at Yahweh Yoga is all about!

Desiree

Desiree was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. She has always had a love of music and dance. She ministered in dance at churches throughout her childhood and teenage years. She took a hiatus to attend college at the University of Oregon. She graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in History and Classics.

After moving back home to Phoenix in 2008, she realized how inactive she had become in college and decided to begin eating healthier and exercising. Desiree discovered Zumba in 2001 but did not become licensed instructor until August of 2010. She was later certified to teach Zumbatomic (Zumba for children) so she could promote healthy habits with children.

She loves to worship and show Gods love through words and movement. Feel the Music!!!!!

Rich Baumann

Rich began his practice of Yoga more than four years ago and has made it the foundation of his overall fitness plan. The combination of strength, flexibility, and meditation principles is what drew him to yoga and continues to inspire his practice. In addition to Yoga, he enjoys weight lifting, backpacking, snowboarding and flying his own plane. If it’s physical and involves strength or speed, Rich likes it.

Rich grew up in the Phoenix area and attended U of A. He then served 20 years in the Air Force as an Officer and Fighter Pilot and now enjoys a career as a pilot here in the valley. He is married to Judi, another Yahweh Yoga instructor and has two grown children and one grand-daughter.

Rich’s yoga classes inspire students of all levels. Whether it’s “Power Flow” or “Gentle Journey” his love of people and encouraging prayerful style creates an atmosphere that brings out the strength and passion of his students.

Liisa

Liisa is a lifelong dancer with a background in gymnastics. Whilst seeking something–anything–that wasn’t competitive, she found yoga. Years and years, and more than 30,000 downward-facing dogs later, she leads yoga practices with a unique blend of grace, athleticism, and humour, and without even a hint of competition.

Looking to shake up her personal fitness routine, Liisa sashayed her way into a Zumba party and never left. She believes that dancing is a powerful expression of joy, and that fitness should be fun. Zumba at Yahweh Yoga reflects her vibrancy and will get you moving.

Liisa has been instrumental in developing and sustaining a yoga outreach program for Phoenix’s homeless population. When she is not on her yoga mat or sweating in Zumba, you’ll likely find Liisa enthusiastically dancing the Lindy Hop with her husband, Bill, or plucking out a tune on her yellow ukulele, Jake.