Meet the Team

Aditi Sharma, originally from Nepal, was introduced to yoga from a young age, with its principles subtly woven into various aspects of her upbringing, laying a strong foundation for her future in the discipline. Witnessing the lack of South Asian representation in U.S. yoga spaces, Aditi felt compelled to address this gap, recognizing it as an erasure of yoga's rich cultural and historical heritage.

Aditi completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training (YTT) at YogaX at Stanford Psychology. She is currently enrolled in their 300-hour YTT program. Alongside her yoga pursuits, Aditi holds a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) and is dedicated to integrating therapeutic yoga into healthcare and sharing evidence-based yoga practices that extend beyond asana, creating inclusive and supportive environments.

Having navigated personal mental health challenges, Aditi views yoga as a cornerstone of her well-being journey. She is passionate about empowering others to experience the transformative benefits of yoga, both on and off the mat.

Meet Belinda, a Certified Breathwork Coach and 500-HR Yoga Teacher. She's all about creating a cozy safe space for folks to dive into tools that bring relaxation, rest, and reflection. Belinda's journey into the world of breathwork (known as pranayama) and yoga kicked off nine years ago as a response to dealing with stress and anxiety. Back then, she felt a bit out of her element in her first yoga class, but thanks to a supportive teacher, Belinda found a connection with her mind, body, and soul. It's been a journey of growth, both mentally and physically, as she discovered transformative techniques. 

 

Through consistent breathwork, meditation, and yoga, Belinda learned how to calm those incessant thoughts and foster peace and personal growth. When the pandemic hit, she felt a calling to deepen her practice and share its benefits, leading her to invest in breath coach and yoga teacher training programs. Belinda is on a mission to spread her passion by offering accessible classes, where she focuses on breathwork, meditation, Vinyasa, and Hatha yoga, helping individuals change their breath to transform their lives.

Billie is a full time, public school educator of 16 years who has been a student of yoga since high school. Her last name is purely coincidental, as it stems from her Okinawan roots. But, there is definitely something special about flowing through the intersection of heritage and self-growth…with of course, much humor sprinkled in.  

 

Her interest in socioemotional learning led her to complete a 200-Hr. SEL and trauma-informed yoga instruction course last summer. What started out as a means to gain strategies in providing a safe environment for socioemotional learning, morphed into something unexpected and much more challenging and rewarding.  Camp Collective has given her the opportunity to continue her growth as a yoga instructor as well as a student.  

 

In her classes, she hopes to provide others with an accepting and safe space where each person can meet themselves wherever they are on their journey. 

Meet JoAnn – a passionate yoga practitioner and instructor whose day is incomplete without her daily dose of yoga. Embracing the transformative benefits of her yoga practice, JoAnn navigates life with balance, ease, and heightened awareness.

 

Her journey into yoga began with an innate love for stretching, relaxation, and well-being, which led her to live the yogic life at Satchidananda Ashram for two enriching years. It was here that JoAnn immersed herself in the teachings of Integral Yoga, delving into the paths of Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, and Jnana Yoga. This profound experience paved the way for her to complete the Integral Yoga Hatha teacher training and attain her yoga nidra certification.

 

JoAnn's Hatha Yoga classes embody the essence of Integral Hatha Yoga, offering a holistic practice that includes chanting, asanas, yoga nidra, pranayama, and meditation. 

 

Experience JoAnn's transformative teachings and embark on a journey of self-discovery and growth through the profound practice of yoga.

Joseph has a BA in Social Work and graduated from the Black Swan Temple, Maui. He is trained in the ways of the Essenes, Reiki, and various spiritual practices.

 

​Joseph has over 20 years of retreat experience and teaching practice. He teaches various forms of meditation as well as sound healing to people of all ages. Joe currently holds classes at various locations around the Peninsula and is available now for booking your meditation experience.

Nirel is a yoga teacher that specializes in Restorative Yoga, a yoga practice of stillness, release, and rest. Through her own experience with imposter syndrome, mental fatigue, burnout, and depression, Nirel learned that there was more to wellness than trying to fit in 8 hours of sleep every night. Yoga taught her that wellness is multifaceted and inspired her to share her knowledge and experiences through teaching others.

 

Nirel graduated from the 200-hour and 300-hour program at Folk Yoga San Francisco (formerly known as Yoga Garden). Her practice is informed by yogic and Buddhist philosophy and Ayurvedic and hygge principles. 

 

She weaves mindfulness techniques together with intuitive movement (and stillness) to guide awareness to your mind and body. Her classes are an opportunity to explore, craft your own personal yoga practice, and reconnect with yourself. Nirel believes that through the intentional and iterative process of observation, exploration, and introspection, we find personal growth.

Sophia is a 200-HR Registered Yoga Teacher who started her yoga journey at The MATS in 2022! Upon receiving the Beyond Yoga BIPOC Scholarship, she completed her training at Hot 8 Yoga where she also teaches Hot Power Fusion, a wrist and shoulder-friendly class that combines elements of 26&2 and Power Yoga.

 

At the MATS, Sophia's flows seek to build strength, endurance, and mindfulness. She believes that all are welcome in yoga and hopes that her classes offer you a safe space to grow in your practice.

 

Outside of yoga, Sophia enjoys reading, watching old movies, working out, and going on long walks.

Stephenie began her yoga journey in 2008 practicing Bikram yoga, also known as hot yoga. This led her to the curiosity of other yoga practices which is where her love for Vinyasa had begun.

 

After 500 hours of teacher training, 300 of those hours being body alignment based training and injury prevention focused, Stephenie has combined her love of the Bikram yoga sequence in combination with the Vinyasa practice. Through Stephenie's non-heated classes, you'll experience a blend of spine strengthening stretches, hip lengtheners, and full body stretches that will relieve muscle tension induced by our day to day activities.

 

Stephenie's approach to yoga involves educating the community about the importance of correct yoga alignment so people can fully experience the benefits that yoga provides. She holds the belief that yoga knowledge should be available to people from all walks of life and should be both practical and sustainable, fostering a lifelong healthy practice.