Our Instructors

Patience and inward focus are key elements in Nadine’s teaching and practice of over 20 years, which is grounded in Ashtanga yoga as taught by the late Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in India. Nadine came... to yoga while working in a competitive corporate environment. The practice made both her work and personal life more creative and more enjoyable. Experience clear and concise direction in Nadine’s classes. Helping students discover their own inner strength intelligently and with Ahimsa (non-violence), a key element of the practice.  She inspires her students to develop a safe and sustainable lifelong practice, as she has done for herself.  Traveling and exploring new places, meeting new people and enjoying the world, is the passion she loves to share through leading wellness retreats around the world. Nadine has completed certified trainings with Clayton Horton at Greenpath Yoga, David Swenson and the Advanced Teacher Training Program at YogaWorks. As an E-RYT 500 certified teacher, she also continues her education through workshops and trainings with senior teachers such as Maty Ezraty, David Williams, Richard Freeman, Jonny Kest, Ana Forrest and Sarah Powers. Nadine also teaches girls in Juvenile Justice Center in San Francisco for the Art of Yoga Project.

“Share your passions within your community and you will breathe life & love into the hearts of others.” Bryant fills his heart and soul full of rock climbing and yoga whenever he has the chance. He... was first introduced to yoga in the early ’00s after falling prey to athletic injuries, as there are many therapeutic benefits to an asana practice; however, it was the community and the philosophical framework around yoga that drew him to vigorously explore this facet of his life. Since then, he has adopted a yearning for more knowledge (both in himself and others), and continues to teach with enthusiasm. Grounded in Vinyasa and Iyengar practices, Bryant leads a heartfelt and challenging class. Fluid sequencing, attention to alignment with adjustments, and a tie to one’s breath allows for the warming, opening, strengthening, and calming effects of the body. In his free time Bryant also leads a couple community groups focusing on Karma Yoga practices – service to others. He has a belief that if you support and grow your community, it will ultimately enrich your own life.

Julie has been practicing yoga since 1998 and completed her first teacher training in Hatha Vinyasa yoga at Laughing Lotus College of Yoga in San Francisco in 2008. She has also completed a 60-hour training... in Inner (yin) Yoga with Dina Amsterdam at Yoga Tree in 2010 and a year and a half teaching apprenticeship with her primary teacher, Veronica Belloli, in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 2011-2012. She is currently a student in the Mindfulness, Yoga and Meditation Training at Spirit Rock. Her primary teaching practice is a ‘slow flow’ style that combines the traditional flow of a Vinyasa class with longer held-poses, balancing movement and stillness for a complete practice.

Laura Cohen is an all around artist with over 25 years of dance training and performance experience. A proclivity for studying anatomy led them to pursue a 200 RYT certification with Yoga Mayu in 2014, and a... 500 RYT in 2018 with Jason Crandell at Love Story Yoga (both in San Francisco). From teaching mindfulness to Elementary School students to teaching Senior Yoga online, Laura works with a wide range of students and therefore aims to provide asana classes that are accessible and enjoyable for all levels.

Aly began doing acroyoga in 2016 HERE at Touchstone Mission Cliffs Gym! Aly fell in love with the personal growth and focus required by the practice. After years of playing, training, and helping guide new practitioners, she continues... to find joy in building balance, strength, partnership, and sharing her love of acroyoga.

Sarah has been practicing yoga for over twenty years but didn’t consider teaching until she became a student of Sam’s, who was an instructor here at Mission Cliffs. Once the lightbulb went off she decided... to dive in deep and now loves teaching and sharing her love of movement and self inquiry with her students. Sarah completed her teacher training at Yoga Tree and has since continued studying with long-time Bay Area teachers, Jason Bowman, Jason Crandell, and Pete Guinoso. Sarah is also a climber and appreciates the way in which yoga and climbing complement each other beautifully. She teaches a moderately paced Vinyasa style with an emphasis on breath, alignment, and inward observation. She believes that everyone can do yoga, regardless of perceived ability, or whether or not you can touch your toes (hint – tight hamstrings have no bearing on whether or not you can do yoga). Sarah teaches with an open heart and a sense of humor and creates a space that welcomes every practitioner.

David Lester, an avid climber and certified personal trainer, grew up in Florida and discovered climbing at a young age while participating in Cub Scouts. He spent his summers climbing in Northeast Tennessee on real... rock which was a nice break from the gym in Florida. As an adult he travels all over the U.S. climbing at different crags and gyms. Compounding his love for climbing, David also loves physical fitness and sees value in doing one to supplement or complement the other. He frequently seeks additional education and has worked with some of the leading influencers in the climbing fitness niche such as Steve Bechtel, Tyler Nelson, and Natasha Barnes. He is currently a Climbing Coach at Dogpatch Boulders and continues down the path of achieving his own fitness and climbing goals with the knowledge he learns along the way.

Alicia has been teaching yoga in San Francisco since 2014—and at Touchstone gyms since 2016! Her intention is to create a space where everyone feels welcomed and can experience the physical and mental benefits of... yoga—both on and off their mats. She incorporates strength training, mobility exercises, breathwork, uplifting tunes, and essential oils into her yoga flow classes. A lifelong student, she’s studied with Janet Stone, Stephanie Snyder, and Kate Holcombe.

Hannah (200HR) is a dedicated student and teacher of Hatha, Vinyasa, and Yin yoga styles. She aims to provide her community with accessible and trauma-informed holistic care through her current platform Activate, Home for the... Political Yogi. Hannah enjoys the mental endurance and empowerment encouraged by all forms of movement, and the inclusive communities they can inspire. She designs her classes to be accessible spaces for students of all levels to build upon a fundamental practice that blends mind, breath, and body. Hannah believes that whatever we learn on our mat can be applied to our daily lives and given back to our communities. She is thrilled to be teaching here at Touchstone Gyms, and looks forward to practicing alongside you!