Martha came to have a great love of yoga when she met In Bloom’s founder Terra Meenan in the spring of 2016. After leaving her hospital administrative position of almost 25 years, Martha was entering one of the most transitional periods of her life. Terra showed Martha not only the physical benefits, but the power of mindfulness while teaching her yoga.  Being so touched by their private yoga sessions Martha quickly engaged Terra to work with her Special Needs son Mikey with the same positive results.

When Terra decided she wanted to explore different paths,  Martha was quick to help Terra and take over ownership of In Bloom Yoga so her legacy would continue.

Martha received her RYS 200 in October 2020 and RYS 300 in July 2023. She is also certified in Yoga Nidra, Yoga Philosophy, Meditation and Sound Healing.

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Martha is a lifelong resident of Oneida County. She is an Advocate for Children with Special Needs and patron of the Kelberman Center and Lewis Oneida County ARC. Martha was also named 2015 YWCA’s Woman of the Year in Healthcare. She and her husband Dr. Raouf Kodsy have 3 adult children.

RYT 200, RYT 500, RCY

Amanda, affectionately known as Mandy, is a licensed social worker whose journey with yoga began during her college years. As she delved deeper into her career in mental health and confronted her own battles with anxiety, yoga emerged as a powerful tool for stress relief and inner balance. Initially, Mandy had no aspirations of teaching; her primary aim was to deepen her personal practice and explore the profound connections between mind, body, and spirit.

Driven by her thirst for knowledge and personal growth, Mandy embarked on a transformative path, enrolling in a rigorous 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training program with In Bloom Yoga. Despite her initial reservations, the experience ignited a newfound passion within her to share the profound benefits of yoga with others.

Continuing her journey, Mandy pursued advanced certifications, including a 300-hour training and Ayurveda certification through Arhanta Yoga School in India, earning the prestigious designation of E-RYT 500. Further expanding her expertise, she became certified in Yin Yoga and Aerial Yoga through Good Karma Yoga in Albany, NY.

Today, Mandy seamlessly integrates her background in social work with her extensive yoga training, offering a holistic approach to wellness and empowerment. With a compassionate spirit and dedication to serving others, she guides students toward greater harmony, both on and off the mat.

CYT 200

Vin, a now health/wellness advocate and group fitness coach, found a yoga practice 7 years ago when he learned that yoga can also be a workout through Heated Power Flow. After realizing that strength, stability, balance, and mindfulness had very clear parallels to fitness outside the studio, he was hooked. Now a certified instructor through Driftwood/ In Bloom Yoga Studio, Vin looks back into the past and sees a negative, pessimistic, stressed, and overworked guy and is thankful that he’s done a complete 180 through his training and now optimistically at ease due to his budding life in the holistic world.

RYT 200

Led by a deep desire for understanding life’s complexities – Kayleigh Jouben began her self taught yoga journey as a way to cope with the effects of fertility treatments. She felt a strong pull to serve others during the quarantine period of the pandemic and chose to dive into her 200 hour yoga teacher training through Yoga Farm in Ithaca. While her fitness background was a major component to being drawn to Yoga, it wasn’t until her philosophy studies that she began to uncover the deep inner layers of Yoga off the mat that led her to a path of healing she was not aware she needed. Kayleigh has a passion for self-development, inner healing, and building emotional resilience through mindful meditations, visualization, and Vinyasa style Yoga classes.

RYT 200, CYT 300

Krysia completed her yoga teacher training at In Bloom Yoga upon moving to the Utica area with her partner to start a small permaculture farm. After earning her doctorate in paleoclimate and micropaleontology, she was drawn toward living a life more in tune with nature. She began practicing yoga after surviving abuse and continues to find it a beneficial source for feeling calmness, peace, and safety. Krysia’s love and connection to nature are part of her practice and she enjoys sharing her knowledge of nature, Earth Science and deep time as it relates to yoga with her students. She especially enjoys sharing her practice with people that are new to starting yoga.

CYT 200 

Carolyn is a 200 hour certified Yoga Instructor through Infinite Light Yoga with additional Yin Yoga certification, a certified Qi Gong Instructor through the New England School of Tai Chi and a Certified Hooping Instructor through Hoopnotica. Carolyn’s classes emphasize growth, mindful movement, physical and mental balance, gratitude and fun. She passionately believes we should never stop growing, learning, and striving to be the healthiest most authentic versions of ourselves.

Off the mat, Carolyn works in an alternative high school and enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, kayaking, traveling, camping, music, gardening and house renovations.

CYT 200

Tessa is a Registered Nurse who finds joy in caring for patients in the community for 5 years in private and public settings. Recently graduated from the Universal 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training with Diane Speer at In Bloom Yoga Center, Tessa offers yoga based programs that combine her medical background expertise with yoga processes and techniques utilizing bio mechanics, mind body connection, breath and mindfulness lifestyle as a means to cultivate mental health and overall well-being. Her programs are a unique blend of medical science practicality blended with yoga methods and philosophy as powerful tools for personal development and transformation.

E-RYT 200

Beth started practicing yoga during a crossroads in her life when she was very unhappy. The couple of classes a week she could get to, she felt comfortable and safe and realized the studio had nothing but positive energy. She received her RYT 200 in 2015 from Yoga Path Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Florida, and it was there she began teaching her first classes. She moved back to her hometown in 2016 and has constantly continued her education: She received a Restorative Yoga certification in 2016 (Grounded by Yoga of Rochester) and has taken numerous prenatal/postnatal trainings (Nectar and Nurture Yoga of Princeton NJ and with Sue Elkind at Dig Yoga, Lambertville NJ). She wants my classes to be inclusive and welcoming, where no one is judged by ability or appearance, but by their attitude and energy. She enjoys practicing all styles of yoga and, off the mat, works full-time as a paralegal.

E-RYT 200, RYT 500, YACEP

Gina Rossi is a KRI Certified Kundalini Yoga Instructor. She was fortunate to study under lead trainer, and author, Hari Kaur Khalsa, from NYC. (Hari Kaur was recently selected by Yoga Journal Magazine as one of the most influential yoga instructors of our time!) Gina’s 200+ hour Kundalini Yoga certification is from the Baba Siri Chand Yoga Center/Yoga at the Ashram in Millis, Massachusetts. For over 20 years, Gina has had an active personal yoga and meditation practice.  She has studied meditation, including Buddhist and Vedic philosophy, under the direction of author and founder, Leonard Perlmutter (Ram Lev) of the American Meditation Institute of Yoga Science & Philosophy in Averill Park, NY. She finds the practice of Kundalini Yoga and meditation to be effective in reducing stress and anxiety, while increasing vitality and radiance!

E-RYT 200, EYT 500

Amy Ruckel has been practicing yoga for over 9 years and has been teaching for the last 8. She is 500 E-RYT Certified since 2018. She has studied Ashtanga Yoga under the guidance of Eddie Stern and has also received a Yin Yoga certification from Annie Au. She started practicing yoga during early sobriety and has praised its contribution to keeping her clean. Amy focuses on an Ashtanga Vinyasa based practice, embracing repetition and allowing students to find comfort and familiarity in the process. Her classes emphasize the importance of breath and intentional movement and are known to be both challenging and nurturing.

RYT 200

Heather Swartz is a Registered Nurse and Certified Childbirth Educator with a deep-seated passion for promoting wellness. With over a decade of yoga practice, she recently expanded her expertise by earning a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher designation from In Bloom Yoga in June 2024 and completing Yin training with Ellen Dragonette of Yana Yoga in March 2024. Heather integrates her love for art, music, and movement into her yoga practice, enriching the experience for herself and her students. An avid hiker and gardener, she celebrates the natural world through breath, body, and spirit.

RYT 200, NASM CPT

Curtis began practicing and studying Yoga at In Bloom in 2018 under the instruction of Amy Ruckel taking Ashtanga and Hot Yoga ritually. He later started becoming a genuine Yin practitioner within a few years as well, practicing regularly and finding his own voice as a teacher in this style.

He teaches from a deep well of intertwined philosophies artistically, spiritually, and practically. He has certification not only as a Yoga Instructor (in Vinyasa and Yin), but also as an NASM Certified Personal Trainer. Additionally, Curtis competes under the tutelage of Black Belt Mike Karam, and also acts as Assistant Coach in Jiu Jitsu and Kickboxing at MK Martial Arts, located at Mohawk Valley Wellness.

Curtis is a NYS Certified Music Teacher with a Masters Degree in Cello Performance from the University of Arizona. He is a String Orchestra Teacher at Central Valley Central School District in Mohawk, New York.

Curtis blends his background in many topics and mediums into an informed traditional practice, with a unique perspective and individuality while also staying true to his training and an openness to trying different things. Curtis remains a Renaissance Man constantly seeking to open his aperture and find new inspiration from life to bring to his different arts and practices and share with his students.

Curtis Karwacki is a Utica and Central New York Native. He enjoys going to CrossFit class, driving his Ford Bronco, comedy, podcasts and spending time running and going on long hikes with his friends and his dog, an Australian Kelpie, “Ari”, short for Arizona, whom he adopted while living there.

RYT 200, RYT 300

Joanne Zilkowski hails from Dolgeville, NY, where her journey with yoga began just a few years ago. Seeking solace for her mind and revitalization for her body, Joanne found herself drawn to the practice of yoga. What started as a personal quest for peace soon blossomed into a deep-seated passion that she was eager to share with others.

Determined to deepen her understanding and expertise, Joanne embarked on her yoga teaching journey by completing her 200-hour certification at IN BLOOM YOGA in New Hartford, NY. Fueled by her commitment to continuous growth and learning, she is currently immersed in her 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training, with an anticipated completion date in September.

Beyond her dedication to yoga, Joanne is a devoted educator at Dolgeville Central School, where she not only imparts knowledge but also serves as the driving force behind the school’s cheerleading squad. With her vibrant energy and unwavering enthusiasm, Joanne uplifts and inspires those around her, both in the classroom and on the mat.

RYT 200, RYT 300

Wendy’s journey embodies the transformative power of following one’s passion. Dissatisfied with her former career, she embarked on a profound exploration of yoga during the pandemic, discovering a profound connection and sense of purpose within the practice. Motivated by a desire for deeper understanding, Wendy ventured onto the Yoga Teaching path, enrolling in the prestigious In Bloom Yoga 200hr Yoga Teacher Training Program, post-pandemic.

A graduate of the 2020 YTT class under the guidance of In Bloom Yoga, Wendy’s commitment to her craft has been unwavering since. Continuously expanding her expertise, she obtained certifications in Yin Yoga (Levels 1&2), Aerial Yoga through Good Karma YOga in Albany, and Sound HEaling by Saraswati Om in 2023. Wendy recently completed her 300 hour Yoga Teacher Training, further solidifying her dedication to mastery in the field. Her exploration extends beyond traditional yoga, with forays into Energy Medicine and Kids Yoga.

Wendy’s impact extends beyond the studio, as she shares her knowledge and passion with her community. Alongside her husband and their two children, Wendy calls Richfield Springs home, finding balance and fulfillment in her multifaceted roles as a yoga teacher, mother, and community leader.

E-RYT 200, RYT 500, RCY

Colleen’s journey into yoga is intertwined with her dedication to education and community. As a retired Special Education teacher and former elementary school administrator, she brings a wealth of experience in guiding and supporting others. Her yoga journey spans over 15 years, with a deepening commitment that led her to become a fixture at In Bloom Yoga since its relocation to Genesee St in New Hartford.

Driven by a desire to explore yoga more profoundly and share its benefits with others, Colleen embarked on a transformative path of teacher training. Under the mentorship of Colleen Lagasse at In Bloom Yoga, she completed her 200hr yoga teacher training in July 2020, followed by her 300 hour YTT in 2021. Complementing her training, Colleen holds certifications in Yin Yoga, Pretzel Kids Yoga, and Yoga for Special Needs children, reflecting her commitment to inclusivity and accessibility within the yoga community.

Continuing to expand her repertoire, Colleen recently completed aerial training at Good Karma Studios in Albany, further enriching her practice and teaching abilities. Through her diverse training and deep rooted belief in inclusivity, Colleen strives to create a welcoming and supportive environment where individuals of all backgrounds and abilities can  experience the transformative power of yoga. Her journey exemplifies the intersection of personal growth, community engagement, and lifelong learning.

CYT 200

Originally from Utica, Cathay has been practicing pole dance and aerial arts in New York City since 2011. She's a firm believer in the power of alignment, core strength, and flexibility - for dance benefits, but more importantly for life ones. Students in her classes can expect to build confidence in their movement while increasing range of motion, strength and body awareness. Cathy first began teaching beginner pole classes in 2012 and earned her Elevated Certificate in Pole Instruction (Levels 1&2) in 2018 with Body and Pole founder Kyra Johannesen. She's since incorporated aerial yoga into her practice and trained in Aerial Yoga Instruction under Good Karma’s Jessica Lubin. She’s delighted to bring her oddly specific skill set and enthusiasm for being upside-down to her hometown.

CYT 200

Bio coming soon.

After stepping away from teaching yoga for most of a decade to spend time focusing on my vegetable, fruit, chicken and (recently added) sheep farm, I am excited to be returning to the practice. Having maintained a private practice over the past several years, it is abundantly clear to me why I practice yoga. Simply put, it makes me feel better - physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. I encourage you to a regular practice that, I’m sure, will make you feel better, too.

CYT, CMT

Laureen Violante, CYT, CMT has been teaching yoga since 1995 after several years of personal practice.  She has taught several types of yoga including pre-natal, restorative and some chair yoga.  One of her most rewarding endeavors was teaching yoga to children of all ages through storytelling which then catapulted the creation of YogaTales in 2006.

As her teaching styles evolved through heartfelt connections with her students, it became evident for her personal growth that the natural extension of her own practice would be to embark on a 200- hour meditation teacher training in 2022.  The personal transformation of awareness and harmonious relationships with others is immeasurable.  She is grateful for the opportunity to share these experiences at In Bloom.

Laureen lives in Sauquoit with her husband Dennis, her kitty Tabitha and oftentimes with her beloved granddog Subi.  Her three adult children, Michael, Carly and Dominick are experiencing their individual paths.

E-RYT 200, RYT 500

Jeri spent many years sharing her passion for wellness and fitness as a certified group fitness instructor and hitting the pavement on the streets as an avid runner. She spent over thirty years in the early childhood profession caring for children and families and continues her service to others employed as an Outreach Worker. Fifteen years ago or so, Jeri was driven to the practice of yoga discovering the desire for a deeper connection with her body, mind and spirit. She received her 200-hour yoga certification (CYT) in 2012 from the Aura Wellness Center. In 2018 she expanded her study and gained an additional 300 hour yoga teacher training from In Bloom Yoga Studio and Driftwood Yoga School. Being a yoga instructor, she describes as “aligning with my true authentic self, I love helping others.” In addition, she explains the joy she experiences when immersed in instructing yoga students. “Yoga is an opportunity on and off the mat for personal exploration, growth, healing, strength, flexibility, balance and so much more. It is an honor to guide and serve others in this capacity.” It is Jeri’s belief that with an open mind and heart anyone can practice and reap the many benefits from the practice of yoga. Namaste- hope to see you on your mat!

CYT 200

Bio coming soon.