Our Weekly Class Teachers

Andrea Spence has such fun with her teaching that you end up laughing a lot during her classes. She has studied the Chakras extensively. She is a graduate of the 2005 200 hour program at The Yoga Company. She is continuing her formal education as well as continuing yoga education.





Casey Walles has practiced yoga since 2001, and completed her 200-hour teaching training in 2008. Casey's classes are guided by her personal yoga practice, which is all about moving fluidly through the body and taking time out to restore the fires that enable us to live our most inspired truth. Casey's gratitude for the opportunity to teach yoga inspires her to teach from the heart, with compassion and a sense of humor.




Eva Kastel was a student and teacher of rhythmical gymnastics and modern dance early in her life, Eva began taking yoga classes in later years to help, or cure her, of a back problem. Yoga became so important to her for her physical and spiritual health that she decided to take the teacher training at the Yoga Room in Berkeley in 1988. Since then, she has taught yoga in different areas, always continuing to take classes and attend workshops to improve her teaching, which she truly enjoys.





Jeffrey Fuchs taught his first yoga classes at the Richmond Branch of the San Francisco YMCA in 1996. He graduated from the San Francisco Iyengar Institute's Advanced Studies/Teacher Training program in 2000 and has been a C.V.Y. teacher since 2002.






Jill Collard is a graduate of Brentwood Yoga Center's Advanced Yoga Studies Program and is Yoga Alliance certified. When introduced to yoga years ago, she instantly felt connected. Jill says, "it was like coming home." So when the opportunity arose to become a teacher she knew it was right. Her passion for creativity and her love of music and yoga is what she brings into her teaching style. Jill's favorite quote from Ghandi, "Be the change you wish to see in the world" serves as her inspiration to inspire others through yoga's path.





Liz Ross began practicing yoga in 2002, and immediately loved the challenge and the way it made her feel. She has been teaching at Castro Valley Yoga in 2009 after completing the 200-hour teacher training program at Yoga Kula in Berkeley. Liz endeavors to create an inviting, supportive environment in her classes for students of all levels, as well as offer a challenge to students desiring in a more energetic practice.




Loretta Kuliawat: Growing out of her 9 years of personal practice, Loretta's teaching is guided by the premise that yoga is the art and science of skillful living. Her classes include active poses, breath work, and restorative poses to create a balanced practice supporting increased strength, flexibility, and relaxation. In addition to being a yoga and meditation teacher, Loretta is a conflict resolver. Her guiding intention is to help people find alignment in the physical space of the body, the internal space of mind and spirit, and in the interpersonal space of relationship. She approaches the process through playful exploration with the goal of helping her students find the path to joy and pleasure that the self-care of a yoga practice promises. To learn more, visit www.1stresortmediation.com


  Mary Riordan was introduced to yoga in high school P. E. classes and participated in yoga classes at a gym for a couple of years. She enjoyed the physical postures of yoga, but didn't recognize the mind, body, spirit aspect of yoga until returning to the practice in 2003. She completed Downtown Yoga's 200 Hour Advance Studies Program 2005/2006 and has attended a variety of workshops to increase her knowledge and experience of yoga. It has been a pleasure for her to teach and guide students of all ages and abilities in their personal discovery of yoga




Sonia Roberts began studying yoga in 1997 and began teaching in 2001. She loves teaching yoga and sharing the joy and many benefits of yoga with all people. Her teaching style emphasizes body awareness, alignment, breath, and the integration of mindfulness. She is committed to helping her students deepen their understanding of themselves through their yoga practice. Sonia humbly relies on her own practice and intuition to influence her teaching. She is a graduate of Piedmont Yoga Studio's Advanced Studies Program and has a BA in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley.




Susan Child began practicing yoga in 1997 to gain flexibility and strength for dance competitions. After a few years, she realized she was enjoying her yoga classes more than the dancing. She is a graduate of Diablo Yoga Center's Advanced Studies Program and continues her training with senior Anusara instructor Ulrika Engman. Susan focuses on strength and alignment with a bit of humor in her classes.
Find Susan Child's Blog here.



Ellen Bell discovered yoga in 2002 as one of Castro Valley Yoga's (formerly Eden Yoga) first students. Through passionate practice, she has experienced powerful personal transformation and spiritual awareness. Ellen completed a 200-hour teacher training program in 2006, and is also certified to instruct yoga for stress management. Ellen's teaching approach weaves the fundamentals of yoga with breath awareness, introspection, and yogic philosophy, incorporating held postures with energizing movement. Her warm, compassionate, and playful nature create a safe environment for students to challenge the body, calm the mind, open the heart, and expand the spirit.

Our Visiting Workshop and Series Teachers

Stephanie Ross: Dancing has always been Stephanie's favorite activity, but she thought it was lost to her forever after low back surgery ten years ago, and a cervical disk fusion six years ago. Nia brought back the Joy of Movement she thought was gone for good. Stephanie began dancing down the path to become a Nia teacher, and at 53 years old, she has never felt stronger, more coordinated, flexible, confident, and alive!




Mike Brabant, a certified yoga instructor and Reiki master, is currently finishing his doctoral studies in clinical psychology and MA in Integral Theory. He also recently received his certification as a yoga therapist from the school of Integrative Yoga Therapy. Mike's teachings integrate the spiritual and physical aspects of yoga with the mental and emotional components of psychology to approach wellness in a multi-faceted manner. He brings aspects of mind, body, spirit, and emotions into his classes, workshops, and wellness coaching as a way to use yoga as a path of healing, wellness, and transformation. To learn more visit www.integralwellnessmb.com.