Meet The Yoga Via Teachers

Owner, Manager, Lead Teacher Trainer
Jenny Compas, ERYT-500, YACEP
Jenny Compas E-RYT 500 is one of Contact’s owners and is the manager of Yoga Via. Jenny began practicing yoga in 2006 and climbing in 2008. The combination of the two completely changed the trajectory of her life.
As a yoga teacher, Jenny’s background is in Ashtanga and Vinyasa. Her classes are creative and challenging. She loves seeing postures as possibilities and regards yoga as an avenue of play, learning and personal growth. Grateful to the many mentors and teachers along the way, she is delighted to pay it forward through her yoga classes and teacher training.

Lead Teacher Trainer, Studio Administrator
Melissa Christensen, ERYT-500, YACEP
Melissa Christensen (@yoginimelissac) found a passion for yoga and it's philosophies from her first class. A full time yoga teacher and trainer, she has been teaching all levels of yoga asana since 2008 and leading nationwide yin yoga teacher trainings since 2014. She has over 10,000 hours of teaching experience and is grateful every day for the opportunity to share this amazing practice with others.
Her emphasis is currently on teaching yin yoga and the functional approach to asana; as well as leading 200 & 300 hour teacher trainings. Before moving to St. George, she developed and co-led a 200 & 300 hour teacher training program in Orange County, CA.
She believes in combining current scientific knowledge and ancient wisdom; blending the best that both have to offer to find a better way of moving and living life to its fullest.
Find her at yoginimelissac.com

Yoga Teacher
Sadie Best RYT-200
Sadie is a yoga and outdoor enthusiast, happiest when she is not hungry and traveling. She enjoys hiking long distances, rock hounding and writing guiding thoughts and poetry.
She finds sound therapy useful when meditating and often offer sound as part of the yoga experience.

Yoga Teacher
Emily Stinespring RYT-200
Emily completed her training at the Zion Academy of Certified Instruction. Within her teachings, she also includes knowledge from her education as a certified Intuitive Eating Coach and Integrative Nutrition Health Coach with a B.S. in Sport and Exercise Psychology.
Similar to many yogis, Emily found herself on a yoga mat in search of healing and inner peace. Over the years, through yoga, Emily overcame difficulties with body image and eating disorders by connecting on a deeper level to her mind and body. With her loving and compassionate nature to all beings on this earth, Emily’s yin yoga classes are a safe and inclusive space for all levels and body types.

Yoga Teacher
Kelbie Sorensen RYT-200
Kelbie started practicing yoga in 2018. After some traumatic events yoga has helped her feel safe in her own body and has increased her love and connection for herself.
Kelbie’s background is in vinyasa and power yoga. Expect her classes to be powerful and energetic focusing on the breath and alignment.
Kelbie’s connection to others is incredibly important to her. She is excited to meet you and guide you through changing your life through the sacred practice of yoga.

Yoga Teacher
Emily Brough ERYT-500
Emily has dedicated her life to movement after 6 months of being paralyzed, 6 more months of learning how to walk again, 5 metal plates & 68 pins. To her, movement is a gift.
She started yoga when she was 14 years old. Emily loved finally being able to control her breath. The doctors said if it weren't for her spine's ability to be flexible, she would have been paralyzed for life. With a 10% chance of walking again she feels like she has been given a second chance. She has made almost a full recovery with her yoga practice, a healthy anti-inflammatory diet & rock climbing.

Yoga Teacher
Kirsten Wild RYT-200
Kirsten is a lifelong yoga student and is infinitely grateful for moments when she can share what she is learning with others. She believes in the healing power of yoga for the body, mind, and heart. When asked, she will always tell you that yoga saved her life–it allowed her to step out of a place of chaos and turmoil, leave an unhealthy marriage, stop quieting her intuition and listen to her heart, start loving her body and self, and uncover bravery within to experience life to the fullest.
Kirsten typically teaches slow flow yoga classes that are accessible to all levels, always offering variations based on who is in the class or requested focus areas. She enjoys challenging the stereotype of what people think yoga is. As she likes to tell people who say they can’t do it: “If you have a body; if you can breathe, you can do yoga.”

Yoga Teacher
Savannah Wulfenstein RYT-200
A native to Utah, I grew up enjoying all that this beautiful state has to offer. I began doing yoga to complement my climbing and fell in love. Yoga not only improved my climbing ability, but has enhanced how I live my life. It's been 15 years and I've been practicing ever since. I finally got certified in 2017 and now get to share my love for yoga even more with everyone around me.

Yoga Teacher
Rachel Nelson RYT-200
Rachel found yoga in 2016 after finding herself hospitalized for PTSD. After experiencing a still mind and calm body for the first time, she fell in love with asana, meditation, self-inquiry, and the benefits that the limbs of yoga had to offer.
In 2019 she followed her passion and became a RYT in her hometown of Mankato, MN. She continued her education in Yoga as Therapy for Anxiety and Depression, became a 300hr Certified Thai Yoga Bodyworker, a level III Reiki Practitioner, level I EFT tapping practitioner, and an Integrative Health and Wellness Coach. She is currently in school for Massage Therapy.
Rachel’s classes focus on body awareness, being gentle with oneself, cultivating self-love and showing gratitude to the body.

Yoga Teacher
Caitlin Jaramillo RYT-200
As a graduate of Yoga Via's 200H Teacher Training, Caitlin loves empowering people to embrace their strength and potential through the practice of yoga while meeting themselves where they are at.
Caitlin teaches Ashtanga, Vinyasa and Yin style of Yoga.

Yoga Teacher
Leo Cuandon RYT-200
Leo found yoga in late 2019 after a visit to a Wellness Retreat in Costa Rica. After experiencing a calm mind and relaxed body for the first time after his first yoga class, Leo became intrigued and committed to the journey of yoga with a regular practice.
In early 2020, Leo completed a 5-week 200 Hour YTT in the Sacred Valley of Peru. He became fascinated by the philosophy and deep wisdom of yoga and began seeking ways of putting theory into practice. Leo began practicing Ashtanga Vinyasa under the guidance of his first Ashtanga teacher, Jenny Bindrum, in Omaha, Nebraska. After moving back to his native Salt Lake City, he deepened his Ashtanga practice under guidance of Level 2 Authorized Teachers, Sara Jane Burkholz and Sammy Brown.
Being a former Marine, the physicality, dedication, and discipline demanded by his Ashtanga practice naturally drew Leo deeper into his practice and he is excited to share the healing journey that is Ashtanga Vinyasa with Contact.

Yoga Teacher
Blake Cason RYT-200
Blake Cason has been practicing yoga since 2005 and has been teaching since 2010. With now over half of her life impacted by this incredible practice, she brings a wealth of enthusiasm, skillfulness, and curiosity to her classes.
She loves to focus on alignment, modifications, and playfulness with her students, while always cultivating more body and mind awareness.
She is also a Professional Life Coach and climbing coach outside of her yoga teaching and loves living in St George's unique and beautiful desert landscape.
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