Liz Skarvelis

Founder / Owner + Community Creator

Yoga always invites me home - home to my body, my breath, and the moment. My intention is to bring a felt experience of coming home to others - on the mat and in life. My offerings are relevant and practical, while including wisdom teachings, subtle body awareness, energetics, and pranayama practices. I believe in our collective consciousness and universal heart and tap into both to teach and guide. I am also drawn to levity and absurdity, as laughter is real good medicine. More about Liz can be found here.

​

​

Greg Skarvelis

Owner

I found the joy of yoga and realized I wanted to share the benefits and experience of yoga with others. As an avid motorcyclist and outdoorsman, I have found practical application of yoga to my life.

Charlotte Fanelli

Studio Manager + Social Media 

Yoga Teacher + Teacher Trainer

I have always been in touch with my intuition and sensitive to the world around me. Beginning the journey to deepen my practice allowed me to be present in my body and experience the ebb and flow of life more freely. Living in alignment with the yogic path invites an abundance of presence, trust, healing, learning, acceptance, love, and connection. I aspire to hold space for others to remember this abundance as their natural state and to return home to themselves again and again.

Brooke Coletta

Yoga Teacher + Teacher Trainer

I love Yoga because it makes me feel whole. I love that the practice is more than physical, yet it is physically challenging every time you step onto the mat. I strive to teach every student how to experience each posture in a safe, sustainable and intentional way. As a serious student of philosophy and teacher of all of the limbs of Yoga, it is my responsibility to share the ancient but very alive teachings in an authentic and compassionate way.

​

Lindsey Rask

Yoga Teacher

My mat has always been a sanctuary for me, it is where I go to tend to my temple. The practice of yoga helps me feel connected to self, it helps me feel at home in my body, and reminds me to breath. Teaching yoga is stepping into my dharma. Yoga is an ancient practice passed on from teacher to teacher. I feel honored to have received this path and practice from my teachers, and it is an honor to guide as your teacher.

​

Sam Osborne

Yoga Teacher

Little did I know the first time I stepped on to a yoga mat would be the beginning of my journey back home. Home to the body I had disconnected from and abandoned long ago. Having struggled with an eating disorder for over a decade, I felt so uncomfortable in my own skin. It was through the practice of yoga I started to repair this disconnect. My focus started to shift from, trying to control and the function of this amazing vessel. I became passionate about the mind-body connection and the way yoga can heal and transform us. This passion grew into a deep desire to share this healing practice with others. I teach to provide a space for self discovery, to allow space for each student to have their own unique experience, and to reconnect with the intelligence of their body, their HOME.

​

Annie Casey

Yoga Teacher

I was introduced to yoga more than 20 years ago and have witnessed yoga's transformative power in all seasons of life. I consider yoga integral to living a grounded and embodied life in an increasingly fast-paced and cerebral world. You can expect a blend of flow and the rejuvenating, restorative, and profoundly healing aspects of Yoga Nidra in my classes. I aspire to leave students feeling more aligned in mind, body & spirit by inviting connection to each individual’s innate wisdom. In life off the mat, I work to facilitate rural and agricultural resiliency, share mindful time with two recently-wild mustangs, and spend spare moments in the garden.

​

Kaela Medrano

Yoga Teacher

Beginning my movement and teaching journey in the dance studio, creative and intuitive movement became my liberation. Creating a stronger connection with my physical body through intentional movement allowed self awareness and clarity to strengthen my mind body connection. Yoga was the gift that changed everything; it has provided a path home that I didn’t realize was within. Dance opened the gate, while yoga has allowed for sustainable expansion and ease. Integrating yogic philosophy and wisdom with physical practice has created a safe place to arrive and remember. My intention is to share an accessible and joyous practice for all to explore curiosity and playfulness while deepening their mind body connection. I am grateful for the opportunity to hold space, guiding others into their breath, an opportunity to expand, accept and release.

​

Ilana Brandstetter

Yoga Teacher

I was drawn to yoga as a way to stay flexible, strong, and protect my body from injury after feeling burnt out on dance training. Although dance filled my soul, I did not always feel like I was honoring myself physically. My background in dance informs my teaching, and my hope is to offer postures and sequences based in energetic alignment, listening to the wisdom of the body, and variations to accommodate injuries and promote healing. Yoga has allowed me to grow in gratitude, humility, dedication, and slowing down. I aim to teach classes grounded in harmony between strength and ease with plenty of opportunities to turn inward.

​

Amanda Bird-Zimmerman

Yoga Teacher

My yoga journey started out of curiosity. I wanted to get comfortable in my own skin, to acquire tools and knowledge for long-term health and to build a foundation for life-long authentic connection to the world around me. I believe passionately in the healing qualities of this ancient practice to expand our hearts as well as strengthen our bodies. When on our mats together we’ll explore the felt sensation of spaciousness. Through playful movement and breath we’ll reveal the wisdom hidden within our bones, muscles and tissues, and generate space to make room for grace.  

​

Natalie Arwood

Yoga Teacher

After randomly attending one yoga class, I was hooked. I felt myself transform on a physical and spiritual level. I experienced a powerful form of healing that I had never found in anything else. After that first class, I knew my dharma was to be a guide for others to heal through yoga. During my 200-hour YTT, I realized that the healing work I would offer wasn’t only through asana but also through my vocals. I have been singing since I was a little girl, and music has always been one of my greatest passions. Evolving through self-teaching, I have begun a journey to offer healing with reiki channeled in my vocals through singing (vocal expression) and kirtan influences during events and to end my classes.

​

Robby Fanelli

Yoga Teacher

Although I first practiced yoga about 8 years ago, it wasn’t until I came to Love Bird that something clicked, and I realized the full abundance yoga can provide. After a transformative year, I was called to take yoga teacher training for personal growth and development. I never planned to teach, but in my first community class, it felt so natural to hold sweet space for those around me and to give everyone the opportunity to slow down, breathe, and be with themselves. I have always been drawn to yin and restorative yoga to help my mind and body slow down. My hope is to cultivate a safe, freeing, and welcoming space for all to rest, relax, and be.

​

Leah Guliasi

Yoga Teacher

I began practicing yoga as a teen to support my swimming and manage my scoliosis. After a few years of teaching fitness classes and experiencing more anxiety in my life, I was drawn back to yoga. I hadn’t planned to complete a YTT, but everything fell into place, and I wouldn’t change anything about the experience. Yoga has brought me closer to myself and a community that I didn’t know I needed. It is a reminder to stay intentional, both on and off the mat. I hope to share my experience with others by providing a safe space for people to feel at home and in their body through yoga.

​

Dawn Warnaca

Yoga Teacher

I began yoga as a means to embrace aging. One dear elder in my life was calling 911 to get off the floor after simply sliding out of her chair. I realized that if I wanted to be able to have the life skill to get up and down from the floor, I had better start now! Twelve years of Iyengar practice have supported me in feeling confident and stable in the body I have right now. Moving to Redmond, Oregon, in 2021 and joining the community at Love Bird Yoga expanded my worldview of Yoga. I am delighted to be a part of the flock.

​

Phoenix Ries

Yoga Teacher

I came into this world to teach! Initially, I was called to teach Yoga as a tool for self-regulation and self-understanding. I believe that Yoga has the power to heal us from the inside out, in addition to making us more resilient, physically stronger, and better able to access the universal life force energy, LOVE. My personal practice was originally grounded in Iyengar yoga with a deep understanding of alignment and anatomy, but I teach a very eclectic practice steeped in philosophy, breath, connection, and accessibility for all. While I have a deep and abiding respect for all that I have learned and continue to learn in the vast expanse of yoga knowledge, I am also a human who wants to keep it real, laugh, play, and not take myself too seriously. It is an honor to teach others and to practice in community so that we might raise the vibration of love and light throughout our universe

​

Kari Perry

Yoga Teacher

I discovered yoga many years ago, starting with just a physical practice on my mat. Deep in my soul, something kept telling me to keep coming back and showing up, so I did. I learned, after consistently showing up, that each time I practiced, my mind, body, and spirit felt called to learn more about this practice. I signed up for teacher training to deepen my connection and understanding of yoga and realized it was much more than just meeting a few days a week on my mat. Liz, my teacher at Love Bird Yoga, said to us, “We are learners of this lifetime, and all are welcome.” This resonated with me so deeply that during my teacher training, I felt called to share the message of yoga with those I love and those who are curious. My hope is to hold a safe, healthy, and happy space for those who feel called to connect with their minds and bodies. 

​

Steven Sanders

Yoga Teacher

Yoga is a practice that enhances our relationship to the mind and body as well as our connection to the Universe. In doing so we increase our ability to live in harmony with all aspects of life. As a lifelong student of yoga, it is my privilege and pleasure to offer its teachings and benefits to others.​

​

Colleen Gnos

Yoga Teacher

As an athlete, I would return to yoga because it improved my game. I knew my physical body was positively impacted, but it wasn’t until taking a class at LBY that I realized how much more yoga had to offer. That first class with Brooke sparked what had not been unlocked in over a decade of various asana practices. More important than the shapes on the mat were the intention, the mantra, and the breath. Yoga was about more than exercise?? I was intrigued! My 200 hours with Liz left me without a doubt. Yoga is so much more than a physical practice. Yoga is a way of life. It is an honor and privilege to share this ancient wisdom that helps guide us on the ultimate journey: the path home to the Self.

​

Joan Vetter

Yoga Teacher

After a few challenging years, I felt depleted, exhausted, and "lost" from my inner self. I came to Love Bird Yoga in July of 2022, then took a leap of faith in January 2024 to hasten self-transformation via Yoga Teacher Training. For several months, my heart, mind, and body became saturated with yoga, learning alongside a close community of other students and exceptional teachers. YTT helped ignite passion and joy for life, asana, pranyama, and meditation. As a yoga teacher, I bring gratitude and enthusiasm for the 8-Limbed Path of Yoga, a "Slow is Strong" approach to the mat, a willingness to share my experience, a background in various athletic pursuits, and teaching as a career (middle-schoolers!). I teach to connect with people, share joy, enjoy humor, and fully embrace the collective, life-affirming GIFT that is Bhakti yoga! ​

​

Janet Rankin

Yoga Teacher

I can’t even remember a time when I didn’t practice yoga, and I can’t imagine who I would be without it. The pose of savasana is what keeps me returning to my mat. I’ve practiced for decades in all sorts of venues and with teachers of all lineages. As Liz mentioned, I’m an OG. My greatest influences and yoga heart reside with TKV Desikachar, Judith Lasater (Restorative Yoga), and Paul Grilley (Yin Yoga). When asked to describe what “kind” of yoga I teach, my answer is “feel-good yoga” because that’s how I want you to feel both during and after class. I tend to live in my head, but practicing and teaching yoga connects me to my body and my heart. I feel blessed to have been so warmly greeted and accepted by the Love Bird Yoga community and to find a new yoga home.​​

​