Our Teachers

Join our wonderful teachers as they share their knowledge and compassion in a variety of class styles.

  • Aba began practicing asana at the age of 17, including practicing and studying yoga philosophy and meditation with Jivamukti Yoga for the past 10 years. She completed her 300 Hour Teacher Training with Jivamukti Yoga. Aba experiences yoga as a journey back toward the Divine through self study and compassion for ourselves and for all living beings. In class, Aba aims to challenge others to awaken their own intuition about their bodies, minds, and overall being, just as her teachers have done for her. Her practice of yoga is focused on fostering a spirit of devotion, which ultimately brings awareness and intentionality to how we live our lives. When not teaching, Aba works as a lawyer and enjoys exploring life with her husband and son.

  • Kayla started her yoga journey after many years as a competitive gymnast. She completed her 200 hour teacher training in Vinyasa and Hatha yoga, and has been continuing her practice ever since. The practice of yoga helps her keep up with her flexibility and balance. She enjoys the mindfulness of connecting to the breath, and values how the mind/body connection benefits her mental health. When it comes to taking a yoga class she believes you should always try your best, be kind to yourself, and simply be proud of yourself just for showing up.

  • Daphne is a dedicated and passionate yoga teacher, practicing since she was a child at her parents' yoga studios in New York. Driven by a profound passion for connecting ancient wisdom and modern science, Daphne guides her students toward mind-body-heart attunement and the potential to ignite positive change in the world. Trained by her teachers Sharon Gannon, David Life, Elena Brower, Don and Amba Stapleton, and Davidji, Daphne's classes are a holistic blend of movement connected by breath, strengthening, deep stretching, breathwork, and meditation. As a lifelong meditator, trained bodyworker, holistic health coach, and teacher for over a decade, she infuses her classes with philosophy, mindfulness, and alignment, prioritizing longevity and well-being. Join Daphne on the mat to embark on a transformative journey toward inner balance and personal growth.

 

  • Gemma has studied various styles of yoga, including Iyengar, Vinyasa, Kundalini, Sivananda, Jivamukti, Yin, Insight, and Integral Yoga. Her current approach to teaching fuses the precise alignment principles of Iyengar yoga with the freedom and creativity of a Vinyasa Flow practice while incorporating the deeper release stretching and meditative aspects of Yin Yoga. Gemma sees yoga as a vehicle for self-discovery and a means for increasing awareness of the present moment, an opportunity to cultivate wisdom and compassion, and above all, an invitation to foster a spirit of devotion and open our hearts to love and serve others. When she is not experiencing the transcendent effects of yoga and meditation, she is celebrating the greatest joy of her life: her five beautiful children and her wonderful husband.

  • Glenda’s yoga journey began with Danielle Goldstein and led her to a teacher training with Beryl Bender Birch, and supplemental trainings with Glenn Black, Kino MacGregor, Nancy Gilgoff, David Williams, and Christine Hoar . Her training, as well as her personal practice, focus on the Mysore style of teaching Ashtanga yoga, which relies on hands-on, personalized instruction which integrates the yoga sequences with Pantajali’s yoga sutras. Glenda’s yoga practice sustains her off the mat and guides her to balance her most important role as a mom of 12 year old twins, as well as navigate a rewarding scientific research career in the pharmaceutical industry. She loves to teach what she practices and considers it an honor to be able to share her learnings of yoga with everyone.

  • Kitty began practicing yoga at the age of 15 to supplement her dance background. She quickly fell in love with the Baptiste Power Vinyasa style. During her time at university, she completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training focused on Baptiste style power vinyasa and slow flow classes. Since then, Kitty has spent time traveling in Europe and taught yoga at an eco-retreat center in Portugal. Off the yoga mat she is completing a sustainability fellowship at Princeton University. She strongly believes yoga is a joyful practice that serves your body, mind, and spirit. Take what you need and let go of what doesn’t serve you.

 

  • Katherine’s yoga practice began during childhood with an intuitive interest. The pure enjoyment kept her coming back to her mat year after year. Katherine’s passion for yoga greatly deepened when she headed to Rishikesh, India, a spiritual city filled with yoga schools. She completed a 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training in Vinyasa, Ashtanga, and Hatha Yoga. This experience provided her with enriching knowledge of Ayurvedic practices and yoga philosophy in an immersive environment. Upon returning home, Katherine offered classes to friends, family, and local communities. While working remotely, she traveled and taught yoga all over before moving to NJ and finding Gratitude Yoga. Katherine’s teaching style encourages the union of mind and body by drawing attention to how different physical movements effect one's mental sensations. She welcomes all skill levels and offers a variety of challenges and modifications to encourage a customizable practice.

  • Nancy discovered yoga while in search of supportive tools for patients with cardiac and pulmonary chronic conditions. As a respiratory therapist, she believed that patients could benefit from a practice that could bridge the gap where traditional medicine leaves off and everyday life begins. The restorative and meditative aspects of yoga also helped Nancy cope with the loss of her mother to breast cancer. Yoga has provided unmatched opportunities to emerge empowered and supported through mindful movement and integrative breath work. Nancy believes that the lessons we learn on the mat help us navigate everyday life with grace and equanimity-a reflection of the body’s desired harmony and balance. She hopes to facilitate a lifestyle practice that supports sustainable change. Off the mat, Nancy is a Respiratory Therapist, Health-Science Teacher, Medical Massage Therapist, and Mom to three precious beings.

  • MPQ practices yoga as part of an ongoing journey from head to heart. A former gymnast, MPQ finds the best practice happens during patient conversation with the body. Expect high-energy, low-seriousness hatha and vinyasa flows informed by a rich mix of philosophical and historical influences. Off the mat, MPQ enjoys taking walks around Princeton, discovering new music, and writing code.

 

  • Sarah has been practicing yoga for over 20 years, starting in college and never looking back. She has explored various styles of yoga, initially with her beloved Iyengar teacher Brandy Kirkpatrick, then a brief stint with Baron Baptiste where she completed a Level 1 Teacher Training, and then on to Ashtanga Yoga which she practiced for almost 15 years under the guidance of Marsha McNeight in Atlanta, GA. Sarah completed a teacher training with David Swenson and a 2 week workshop with Ashtanga legend David Williams who inspired her to step back from the intensity of the poses so she could practice for life. She began to indulge in classes that were less structured but more based in music and dance, She learned to stop caring what the poses looked like, and started to enjoy pain-free yoga and tune out the world for an hour. Sarah is honored to join the Gratitude Yoga family of teachers. Her classes will be filled with breath, music, and hopefully some laughs (and yes, some yoga poses).

  • Riva’s yoga journey began about ten years ago and has become an integral part of her life. She believes it is essential to find balance and practice self-care to feel better, and yoga helps her to do that. Riva feels that beauty of yoga is that each person can do what feels right for their own body. Combining her personal practice with a sense of community makes Riva’s experience of yoga powerful and inspirational. Riva is a group therapist, and she also coordinates prevention programs for our Princeton’s local teens. She is excited to incorporate her love of yoga into my professional work.