Meet our NYC Team
Kate Davies Durand
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, TRADITIONAL HOT YOGA, POWER YOGA, INFERNO HOT PILATES
Hi! I’m Kate and let me be the first to welcome you to YO BK! I’ve found my dharma as an owner of 3 studios and 2 restaurants in NYC and Miami. I love entrepreneurship and the relationships that come from it. Through regular practice, I guarantee you’ll get closer to finding your calling and making an impact in the areas that matter most to you.
I was lucky enough to find yoga in my teens and have been practicing for over 20 years. I’m still best friends with the girl (now woman!) who brought me to my first Hot Yoga class. I attended Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in Fall 2011 and am certified in Inferno Hot Pilates Levels 1-3, Power Yoga and Yin. I am honored to co-lead teacher trainings and retreats here at YO BK. I love working with new teachers and am very proud of the work we do at the studios.
Over the years, I’ve practiced for physical health and mental wellbeing. As a mom to a 12 year-old, my practice is my sacred time. The variety of Traditional Hot Yoga, Power Yoga and Hot Pilates will give you everything you need in one amazing community. Our students have met friends and even significant others in class! The studios introduced me to my best friends, my business partner in Miami and even my husband, who designed and built the studios.
I’m a native New Yorker and have lived in Rome, Beijing, Bangkok, Miami and Texas. I hold firm that New York is the best place in the world and if you don’t love it, you should leave it alone. In my free time (not often!) I devour crappy airport novels, cook David Chang recipes and hang with my husband, son and forever pup/studio mascot, Ruby.
"No matter how far you travel, you can never get away from yourself." - Haruki Murakami, After the Quake
Camille Sallette
STUDIO MANAGER. POWER YOGA, YIN YOGA, INFERNO HOT PILATES, TRADITIONAL HOT YOGA
Camille is a transplant from the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. She began practicing hot yoga in 2010 when a friend half-dragged her to a Bikram class. It was hot, hard, and humbling. It felt so good to go to bed the good kind of tired and wake up the good kind of sore. So the next day she went back, and the next, and 8 years later she can’t live without it.
She participated in a work-trade for free yoga at her local studio where she began to develop deeper relationships with her fellow students and teachers. The loving community that is the ‘yoga world’ inspired Camille to go to teacher training and in 2014 she became a certified Vinyasa teacher by Hot House Yoga in Richmond, VA. She has experience teaching both Barkan and Baptiste methods.
Camille joined the work-study program here at YO BK when she moved to NYC and fell in love with the space, the teachers, and the students. She is now our fearless studio manager and leader of the coveted Sunday 4pm Yin Class.
Sasha Paulava
STUDIO MANAGER, INFERNO HOT PILATES, POWER YOGA
Born and raised in a small country Belarus, Sasha always dreamed of life in the big city. She now proudly calls New York home and the best city in the world. She found YO BK in 2020 to practice yoga, but Inferno Hot Pilates blew her mind and she discovered a true calling to teach this modality.
Sasha strives to be the best version of herself and hope to inspire students to be the same. She is committed to helping people to find their inner power and believes that the YO BK community is a perfect place to start your journey. Her classes are challenging, energetic and always fun, you can count on a juicy 2000’s song to sing along to while doing burpees!
Sheri Celentano
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, VINYASA YOGA
Brooklyn born and raised in Brooklyn, Sheri began teaching movement in 1989 and never looked back. From public schools to yoga centers, creating curriculum to mentorship, Sheri puts her heart and soul into sharing the practices that can serve to uplift, strengthen and connect us to ourselves and each other. Sheri has taught Yoga Teacher Trainings since 2009, creating trainings and guiding teachers at all levels and places in their studies and careers. She has taught basic to advanced, restorative to fly as well as prenatal yoga and love all of it! She believes the practice is available to all people at all stages of life.
Her classes infuse all of her Vinyasa Flow and Iyengar Yoga studies to create a deep, bold, playful, real experience of yoga. One eye on alignment the other on your vibes, she holds a safe and nourishing space to sweat, move and find yourself.
Al Farmakis
ASSISTANT MANAGER
Hi friends! I’m Alexandra, but You Can Call Me Al (cue Paul Simon). I'm a California girl who loves to travel and found her soul in the heart of Williamsburg. With a diverse background in the entertainment industry, I've honed my skills in creative marketing, television production, and project management across a variety of platforms.
Movies, music, and Broadway are three of my favorite things, and you’ll often find me relishing in a variety of genres. When I’m not at the theater, soaking up the sun, or FaceTiming my family, I’m bending and stretching at YO BK, where I’ve been a dedicated member for over 5 years. Hot yoga is my sanctuary and YO BK is my happy place.
And let’s talk about food! Baking up a storm or exploring the endless array of eats in the city is my idea of a perfect day. I’m always on the lookout for new recipes and restaurants, so hit me up with your best recommendations!
Stephania Bello
ASSISTANT MANAGER
Stephania Bello is a Venezuelan, New York City based multidisciplinary artist. She works in a variety of mediums from: film, digital arts, poetry, acting, and painting, to mycelium furniture design. Truly an auto-diadact, Bello lets her curiosity guide her towards new mediums. Drawing inspiration from her connection to nature, most of her works have a common thread, they explore the unending cycles of death and rebirth. Reconnecting with her ancestral lineage, Bello embraces diverse mediums that resonate with her sense of home. Rejecting the trend of conforming for success, she draws from nature's wisdom, remaining steadfast and boundless in her artistic journey.
Riji Suh
TRADITIONAL HOT YOGA, HOT VINYASA
Riji is happy to be part of the growing YO BK yoga family and to be part of the (r)evolution of yoga in Brooklyn. As a native Queens-NYC girl who grew up playing basketball in rival school gyms and asphalt courts in BK parks, it is meaningful to return to teach and practice yoga in blossoming Williamsburg. One of her favorite things about YO BK is the view of the bridge, always perfectly satiating to the heart, whether during a pinkish sunrise, bluish midday, ruddy reddish sunset, or pitch black night.
Riji has been teaching the Bikram Method since Fall of 2006, and she is honored to have been part of the staff for two Honolulu Teacher Trainings, learning under the precise guidance of phenomenal teaching legends, some gone, some here... She is also thankful to have studied under the compassionate masterful tutelage of Sri Dharma Mittra and has taught his style since completing his Teacher Training in 2010. Besides her work in studios around NY, Riji teaches private clients through a language that is always extending and expanding from and within her personal consciousness and connection: a nonstop flow and weaving of all of her studies, teachings and life experiences on and off the yoga mat. On her off the mat time, Riji is a model and creative spirit working in fashion and media in New York City.
"Eyes High Walk Light": transliterated daily quote from her beautiful and inspiring mother.
Frank King
TRADITIONAL HOT YOGA, YIN YOGA, INFERNO HOT PILATES
Frank began practicing Bikram Yoga in January 2009. Out of shape and unhappy with his poor health, he was determined to turn his life around.
Frank felt a transformation after his first class. Bikram Yoga has allowed him to strengthen his body, increase flexibility, and improve balance; while also calming and focusing his mind. Four years later, he was awarded a scholarship to attend Bikram's Teacher Training in Spring of 2013.
In addition to teaching full-time, Frank works with “One posture at a Time” teaching yoga in treatment facilities for individuals in recovery from substance abuse. He is truly grateful to this yoga and believes in its healing abilities.
Natalie Jone
Lillith Fallon
INFERNO HOT PILATES, POWER YOGA
Hi! I’m Lillith ( she/her) I’m an actress here in NYC. I have been practicing at YO BK upon its opening in 2015. I then began teaching in 2017. I showed up to sweat and I left with so much more. There’s an element of fun in every class, trust me. Watch out, you make get hooked!
Favorite posture- wheel and supta baddha konasana
Favorite food- Dips. I love all dips.
Amanda Krol
INFERNO HOT PILATES, POWER YOGA
Amanda was born and raised in Greenpoint and hopes to never leave! Amanda has been a NYC school teacher since she graduated from college in 2009. She began experimenting with different workout styles and was introduced to Inferno Hot Pilates at YO BK in May of 2017. She fell in love with this high intensity interval training and attended teacher training in February of 2018 in order to bring this amazing workout to others. During the pandemic, Amanda had the time to dive deep with meditation and yoga. She decided to take the Power Vinyasa Teacher Training at YO BK in 2022.
When Amanda is not on her mat, she is usually teaching science to her 6th graders in Bushwick and is often sharing her yoga experiences with her students. Amanda hopes to be able to bring yoga to her middle schoolers in the future because she believes everyone needs yoga.
TANETRA HOWARD
Brigid Judge
POWER YOGA, INFERNO HOT PILATES
Brigid is from a small town in Central New York. Growing up she was active in various sports, violin, and Irish Dancing, but didn’t find her true love for yoga until she moved to NYC in 2014. After bouncing around trying to find the most ideal fitness routine she gravitated towards various yoga classes offered in her neighborhood. She joined the YO BK family in 2018 as a Karma Yogi and has been hooked on Power Yoga ever since.
Brigid received her 200-Hour RYT certification in Power Vinyasa Yoga through YO BK in April 2020 and completed a 25-hour Trauma-Informed training in October 2020. She trained for Level 1 Inferno Hot Pilates in 2021 and Level 2 in 2023. YO BK has always felt like a second home to her, to help her learn and grow as a student and to be a part of a vibrant community of practitioners. She is absolutely thrilled to be a part of the teaching team at YO BK.
Outside of her yoga practice and teaching, she works full-time in digital advertising sales. In her free time, she travels, reads, sings, and spends time with her cat, Kiki.
Ashleigh Bello
POWER YOGA
Ashleigh first discovered yoga in South Korea while she was working as an English teacher in 2012. Everything was in Korean, so she didn’t retain much more than ‘Hana, Dul, Set’ and a lifelong yogi friend. She found YO BK some years later in her search for a way to take control of her health for the long-term; what kept her coming back to the hot room was that ‘after glow’ and the supportive community. Even on her worst days, a practice always left her feeling better than she did before. Ashleigh went on to earn her 200-hr RYT certification in Power Vinyasa Yoga through the studio (virtually) during the pandemic. Her yoga journey has come full circle now as a teacher with YO BK, and she’s so excited to share it with you! In her class you can always expect good beats, some laughs, and a playful, welcoming environment. When she's not dreaming of pigeon pose, she’s planning her next adventure, working in the world of marketing, and writing fantasy books.
Nina Chavez-Booth
POWER YOGA, INFERNO HOT PILATES
Nina Chavez Booth (she/her) is a Colorado native, and a proud Marine Corps Veteran. She fills her free time with rock climbing, surfing, and teaching at YOBK! Nina was introduced to YO BK through a coworker in 2018, and was completely hooked after just ONE Inferno Hot Pilates class. (Thanks, Harriet!) YOBK provided the perfect balance of cross training and recovery. After many classes of smiles, probably gallons of sweat, tears (kidding?), Nina became certified as a 200-hr Power Vinyasa Teacher, and a Level 1 & 2 Inferno Hot Pilates Teacher. Nina loves to create challenging, yet accessible sequences matched to playlists filled with every genre of music you can think of. Did you know Ska music is perfect for burpees? ;). You will find Nina teaching or taking class with a giant smile across her face, and she hopes to see you at YOBK very soon with that same smile too!
Kaileigh Flynn
POWER YOGA, INFERNO HOT PILATES
Kaileigh found YO BK in 2019 while searching for a Brooklyn studio to call home. She had practiced Pilates and yoga for the majority of her adult life, and wanted to find a studio that offered both. YO BK offered that and so much more: a welcoming environment, a judgement-free community, and HEAT. She was instantly hooked and has been a member ever since.
In December of 2020, she completed her 200 hour RYT certification in Baptiste Power Yoga through the studio. Teacher training was easily the highlight of her year, and she is so excited to share the practice with you. Get ready to sweat!
Outside the studio, you can find Kaileigh traveling, cooking, enjoying live music with friends, and doing all of the ocean-related activities you can think of.
She can’t wait to see you on the mat!
Mia Kavensky
FRONT DESK, POWER YOGA
Mia (She/Her/Hers) started coming to YO BK in 2019 because it was across the street from her apartment and now she refuses to move further than two blocks from YO BK; she loves the community the studio has cultivated. Originally from the Midwest, her Yoga journey began when her older sister would drag her to a class to "bond." Now, she can't imagine a life without yoga because it has changed the way she lives her life, mentally and physically. Now SHE drags her sister to class. She started working at the studio as your resident front desk gal and then received her 200 hour Power Yoga Certification in the spring of 2022. She loves curating her playlists to allow her students to have optimal flow experiences as they move with breath.
When Mia isn't teaching or working front desk, she's an Actor/Writer/Producer - her most recent film just premiered at The Big Apple Film Festival. And when she's NOT doing any of that, she's cuddling her doggo Buddie.
Charlotte Bagwell
FRONT DESK, POWER YOGA, YIN
Hey everyone, I’m Charlotte! I’m from Dallas, TX and I’ve lived in NYC for about 3 years. I only moved to Brooklyn a few months ago, and I’m so excited to have found a community in YO-BK. I’ve been practicing yoga for almost 10 years and love the inner stillness that comes from forging a mind-body connection. My favorite way to start the day includes a cup of coffee, snuggles from my dog Louis, and a good sweat sesh on the mat. I can’t wait to see you in the studio!
Jabari Bell
INFERNO HOT PILATES, POWER YOGA
Hey I'm Jabari. I first came to YO BK after moving to Williamsburg in 2017. I was working a stressful tech job and found the effects of yoga to be very healing. I had done traditional hot yoga on and off for 5 years, and I found the caliber of teachers to be on a completely different level.
I started to come to all of the classes and instantly fell in love with Inferno Hot Pilates. I found it to be an excellent complement to Muay Thai; I've practiced since the early 2010's and found IHP to be helpful in building the explosiveness, stamina, and strength to fight.
I love owls, well crafted sentences, and waking up at 5am for no good reason. I am so glad to be a part of the YO BK crew!
Tess Jonas
VINYASA YOGA, FLY
Originally from Boston, Tess (she/her) has been practicing yoga for over a decade and holds a 500 hour teaching certification. She has taught in studios and gyms, at large outdoor events, for private clients and small groups, in-person and virtually.
Her teaching style is influenced by her background both as an artist and an athlete: she is an actor and singer who played competitive sports for 15 years. She focuses on active, functional mobility through creative, modifiable sequencing with an overarching sense of musicality. Her flows pull movement vocabulary from HIIT, dance, strength training, sports, physical therapy, or whatever else she’s vibing with. You can expect to gain strength, flexibility, and confidence while listening to a whole lot of funk and disco when you take her class. Outside of teaching, Tess is a multi-hyphenate creative (actor-singer-dancer-writer) and loves astrology, avocados, and alligators.
Karen Patterson
AERIAL YOGA
Hi, my name is Karen. I am a yoga therapist and teacher in the laboratory of life. When I am not hanging from my silks instructing aerial yoga, you can find me in the classroom guiding mindful movement, and meditation in NYC public schools. Teaching yoga for the past seven years has brought me to many different places, a John Hopkins Hospital, corporate offices, a school in Nepal, Nunnery in Myanmar and a yoga retreat center tucked away in the West Virginia foothills, but I love that I have a new Brooklyn home at Yo BK.
I believe our entire life flows out of our relationship with ourselves. Our outer situation is a reflection of our inner world. Yoga gives the tools to build awareness of physical sensation, breath, psych-emotional state, intuition, and connection as essential dimensions of the human experience. My passion is creating a brave space for students to explore themselves and their practice in new ways utilizing aerial silks.
Allison Fazio
POWER YOGA, INFERNO HOT PILATES
Hi! My name is Ali. Born and raised in Manhattan, my family and I have made South Williamsburg our home since 2007. When YO BK first opened their doors, I was dragged by my friends to a 26 & 2 class and became instantly hooked. I found a daily practice and 60 day challenges became my thing, completing 4 of them.
(If you are thinking of doing one, the answer is YES!)
Yo Bk quickly became my second family, so it was only natural to do my 200-hour Power Vinyasa Teacher Training here in April 2020. I recently completed Inferno Hot Pilates in January 2023, and am excited to expand my teaching through the continuing education opportunities offered at Yo Bk.
A full time Public School teacher for the past 26 years, I also completed my Children’s, Teen and Trauma-Informed Teacher Training through Yoga Ed in June 2021.
My most important role is being a Mom to my son AJ and dog Rigatoni, which both keep me on my toes! Can’t wait to see you on your mat!
Jessica Perez
INFERNO HOT PILATES
Jessica Perez is a Puerto Rican native who moved to Lower East Side New York City at the age of 13. Jessica experienced her first taste of life as an artist at the Abrons Art Center in the LES, not far from where she lived. She continued her path at New York’s La Guardia H.S of the performing arts, where she was accepted as a voice major but then switched majors to dance.
After La Guardia, Jessica received full scholarships to Alvin Ailey, Ballet Hispanico where she trained intensively in Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Flamenco, Point work, Partnering and more. Jessica performed with the Urban Ballet Theater for over 10 years as well as working as an actress in various TV and commercials.
Jessica has always enjoyed yoga and pilates as art forms to stay fit. After doing some soul searching for a new life path, she discovered her passion for Inferno Hot Pilates and Hot yoga. It has opened new drive and motivation for her. Shortly after her rigorous training at YO BK, she became certified for Inferno Hot Pilates in June of 2022 with the founder of IHP Gabriella Walters. She is now teaching an average of 11 classes a week. Jessica is expanding her training to other modalities and private Pilates sessions.
As a proud mother, when Jessica is not teaching, filming or working various events, she is parenting her two awesome kids, one of her most important and fulfilling life purposes. She is a firm believer of taking the best care of her mind, body and spirit.
Leah Wetzel
YOGA SCULPT
Leah has been obsessed with yoga sculpt for almost 15 years. She is passionate about music and sweating and feels Yoga Sculpt is the perfect combination of both. Expect to have fun, sculpt your muscles, and get a good sweat in her class!
Maisie Breit
INFERNO HOT PILATES
Maisie's best friend first dragged her to a hot yoga class in the summer of 2007. Maisie immediately hated it and didn't try again until Jan of 2011. It went much better that time, and Maisie started work-study for the studio a few months later. By the spring, she was a full-time studio manager and held that role for two years. She's since worked in international education, gender-based violence, and lived abroad for many years, and her practice followed her everywhere. She even worked at the hot yoga studios in Paris while getting her master's degree there! When she returned to NYC in 2018 she quickly got addicted to Hot HIIT Pilates and knew she would love to teach it. She's been an instructor since June 2018, teaching over zoom throughout the pandemic, but she is so happy to be back in the studio and with the YOBK family in Brooklyn! When Maisie isn't at the studio she is working full-time building partnerships at a non-profit that serves the LES, seeing her family in her native Manhattan, and running and biking around Brooklyn!
Kyla McCarthy
TRADITIONAL HOT YOGA, VINYASA, YIN
Kyla took her first yoga class when she was fifteen years old after her mom enrolled her in teen yoga at a neighborhood studio in New Jersey. Kyla grew up playing soccer and thought yoga was a bit boring and ended up falling asleep for most of the class. Kyla enjoyed sleeping in yoga so much that she received a C in her high school gym yoga class.
Kyla attended Marymount Manhattan College where she received her BA in Theater Performance. Kyla first stepped into the hot room at age nineteen to give yoga one more shot. She was immediately hooked and found it was the one place where she could focus, deal with the challenge of staring at herself in the mirror, and gain discipline. The practice helped her battle anxiety, depression, learn to love herself and gave her a sense of purpose.
Six years into her practice she found herself in the hot room more than the audition room. She knew she wanted to be a teacher when it became less about her own practice and more about sharing her passion for yoga with others. Kyla attended Bikram training Spring 2015 in Thailand and has been teaching consistently ever since. Kyla received her 200 hour Vinyasa training and 25 hour Restorative Training at Yoga Vida. She loves to teach students the foundation and alignment of the poses so they can have a sustainable and healthy practice.
In her spare time she is usually taking a class, seeing friends, cooking and spending time with her husband and their dog Dixie.
Sara Annear
POWER YOGA, SOUND BATHS
Hi Y’all! Sara here aka A Big Fine Woman aka she/her. A Texas native but very much Brooklyn son. I moved to Brooklyn 6 years ago and immediately started a yoga practice because as a massage therapist I knew the importance of stretching. Although I started yoga to stretch I now see I found yoga to focus on intentional breathing and releasing pain, discomfort and trauma from the body. I’m 200 hour certified and so humbled to guide you beautiful people through practice. See you in class.
Katy Copeland
TRADITIONAL HOT YOGA
Katy Copeland (she/her) went to her first hot yoga class in college. She studied theatre performance and dance at Western Michigan University and yearned for a stress relieving outlet that was away from campus. After graduation Katy moved to The Big Apple and started taking more and more yoga classes after realizing, umm NYC is kinda hard. The entertainment industry, even harder. But on the pursuit, on the journey of big dreams, Katy has discovered practicing yoga keeps her centered, grounded, accountable, strong, flexible in mind, body and spirit. Yoga has helped her battle depression, ease anxiety, and champions her physical and mental health. After nearly 10 years of practice she completed her teacher training in the spring of 2019 in hopes to share the same incredible benefits with other people. Yoga is progressive and is constantly teaching her how to check her ego, remain present, lead with kindness, and practice with intent. Katy is a yoga teacher, an actor, dancer, choreographer, playwright, bartender, plant mom, Drag Race enthusiast and a major Swiftie. Her classes strive to be challenging, playful, informative and healing.
Dan’yelle Williamson-Brown
POWER YOGA, FLOW + RESTORE, FRONT DESK
Dan’yelle is a Certified/ Insured Yoga Instructor, and proud graduate of LL Flow Studio (New York City, NY). With over 18 years of professional artistic experience, her extensive background as a Performance Artist inspires her passion for movement and human connection. Dan’yelle leads with an open heart, sharing her knowledge of these sacred practices with absolute joy and curiosity. She always strives to build community through the creative lens and believes that yoga is an opportunity to dive deeper into self. Dan’yelle aims to share what she’s learned from other teachers and creative artists, encouraging a practice that restores balance and harmony from within. In working with Dan’yelle, you may be inspired to explore your own creativity all while working towards more compassion, mindfulness, overall awareness, and personal freedom. “ My goal is to leave my students feeling empowered, connected, and elevated.”
“Life is a journey. One of great promise if you just take the first step.” -DWB
Sophie Tahran
INFERNO HOT PILATES
A native Californian, Sophie moved to Greenpoint just as YO BK opened a location in the neighborhood. (Some say it was fate.) She's been a member ever since, deepening her practice of Inferno Hot Pilates over the years and training to teach the modality. You can normally find her in class, or with her dog at McGolrick Park.
Khala Brannigan
YOGA SCULPT, VINYASA
From Santa Fe, New Mexico, Khala Brannigan began her dance training at age 7. While attending Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet Training Program from 2011-2013 in San Francisco, CA on scholarship, she began teaching dance for Lines Ballet’s outreach program and continued working with that organization for 8 years. Brannigan also became a certified GYROTONIC instructor in 2012, and upon completion of the Lines Ballet Training Program, she received awards from Zellerbach Family Foundation, Dancer’s Group, and premiered multiple evening length contemporary dance pieces while dancing as a company member with Robert Moses’ Kin until 2019. She received her first 200 hour RYT certificate with World Peace Yoga School in Rishikesh, India in 2015. In 2017, she received her second 200 hour RYT certificate with Love Story Yoga, lead by Stephanie Snyder. Brannigan began teaching vinyasa yoga and yoga sculpt in 2015 at multiple studios in the Bay Area, her dance training and love for movement always informing her teaching style. Since relocating to New York City in 2019, she has continued her career as a contemporary dancer and choreographer while working with world renowned artists. She is currently teaching for Dancewave’s community outreach programs, teaching GYROTONIC at Movement Beyond, and her choreography will premiere in the short film ‘Amor Fati’ in June 2023. She is beyond excited to be teaching vinyasa sculpt at YO-BK, finally finding her yoga home in Brooklyn!
Cole Tomlinson
TRADITIONAL HOT YOGA
A tech worker, Cole has been drawn to yoga as the one thing he can count on to disrupt the 9-5 desk worker mindset and reliably awaken his mind and body. Drawing inspiration from his mother, a yoga teacher herself, Cole recently completed Riji's 26&2 teacher training at YO BK. He is excited and honored to hold the space for others to have their own transformative experiences on the mat.
Regina Noroutite
TRADITIONAL HOT YOGA
Regina was born in the Eastern European country of Lithuania. As a Track and Field specialist, she competed at the highest levels around Lithuania and the Soviet Union for 7 years as a professional athlete, primarily as a hurdler in the 60 and 100 meter events. Regina then took her passion for athletics to children, becoming a High School Physical Education teacher for 3 years before moving to the United States and setting up in New York City. She was certified by Bikram’s Yoga College of India in 2007 and her passion is just as strong today. Her goal is to help people realize what the practice of Traditional Hot Yoga can do for the mind and body. Regina also teaches strength training classes to clients all over the world.
Nikai Henderson
INFERNO HOT PILATES
Greetings and salutations YO BK! My name is Nikai Henderson. I was born and raised in New York City. I am a full time front desk staff and teacher at YO BK. I’m a Theatre Major, certified Traditional 26+2 Hot Yoga teacher and Inferno Hot Pilates teacher.
I was introduced to Traditional 26+2 Hot Yoga in 2016. I fell in love with Hot Yoga after my fourth class. After that, I practiced everyday. I became a certified teacher in November 2018. I took this teacher training because I wanted to learn more about Traditional Hot Yoga and deepen my practice. After the pandemic hit, I searched around for another hot studio and found this amazing studio called YO BK. From the time I walked in the studio, the staff welcomed me with open arms! The more welcoming the staff was, the more at home I felt. After YO BK hired me, that’s when I really started to understand YO BK and why yoga and pilates are important to me. Three months of working at YO BK, I was inspired to teach pilates. Personally, I love an intense workout and this is what drawn me to, not only teach pilates, but also share my experiences to students.
YO BK is not only a place of business, practice or teaching, but also a place to learn, grow and see things inside yourself you’ve never seen before. I am grateful YO BK chose me to lead and make a difference! I am proud of all my accomplishments and extremely excited for the future!
Kelly Keough
POWER YOGA
Hi! I’m Kelly Keough (she/her/hers) originally from Providence, RI, and a resident of NYC since 2007. I discovered my love for yoga in the early 2000s and have been practicing ever since. I found YoBK during the pandemic and instantly fell in love with the offerings and teachers alike.
In addition to my 200hr Power Vinyasa certification (through YoBK), I have continued my education through additional training, practice, and being on the mat as much as possible. The
YO BK family and community continues to inspire, challenge and teach me so much as both student and teacher. I’m so grateful to practice and teach in this community of fabulous humans. My goal is to create a class environment that is equally welcoming, supportive, challenging and energizing with breath-fueled flows and fun playlists. See you in the studio!
Megan Lynch
INFERNO HOT PILATES
Hi! My name is Megan, I am from New York and have been living in the city for over 13 years — a student at YO BK for the last 6 of them! It is where I fell deep into my practice and a very sacred part of my life in the city. I love Pilates and yoga and am so excited to have been trained in both at YO BK! Outside of the studio I love running, the beach/trekking out to Rockaway, trying out new restaurants in the city, and being with my friends and fam. YO BK has definitely changed my life for the better and has me hooked — I hope for the same for anyone else who comes to class!
Omar Fernández
POWER YOGA
Hello! I’m Omar Fernandez (he/him/his), born and raised in the vibrant heart of Puerto Rico. My yoga adventure began in 2021 at YO BK, where I was introduced to Traditional Hot Yoga and Power Yoga. This journey unexpectedly transformed me, unlocking unprecedented levels of strength and flexibility, not only physically but spiritually as well—and the YO BK community was instrumental in this transformation.
Discovering YO BK felt like finding a second home. The welcoming atmosphere, the inspirational individuals, and the positive energy immediately resonated with me. In March 2024, I deepened my commitment by completing YO BK's 200-hour Power Vinyasa teacher training. As a teacher, my goal is to create a class environment that is as welcoming and supportive as it is challenging and vibrant, just like what I experienced when first joining YO BK as a student. I aim to share the transformative power of yoga, guiding you towards discovering your own strength, flexibility, and happiness.
I look forward to welcoming you onto the mat soon!