Our Team
Meet our team of Virginia-based yoga + fitness instructors
Jess Bycraft
Lead Instructor / Owner
She’s the owner. She grew up in Michigan and moved to Boulder, Co in her early 20’s. She was introduced to Power yoga in Boulder and was quickly encompassed by the many benefits of the yoga practice. She discovered that yoga was a great complement to running and all the other activities that she enjoyed. It also allowed her to find self confidence and personal power for the first time in her life. After completing her first 200 hr Teacher Training at Core Power in Boulder she decided that teaching was a must in her life. She loved sharing her passion with others. Her main objective is to deliver an upbeat, changeling class that allows people to live to their fullest potential while blasting past their own personal boundaries. She has recently moved to Virginia Beach and opened Torch Yoga. She looks forward to many more invigorating classes as the Torch community grows.
Kelly Bly
yoga Instructor
Kelly grew up in Upstate New York, but after living in Pennsylvania and North Carolina for years she finally moved to Virginia Beach in 2022. Forever a student, Kelly has immersed herself in diverse yoga traditions, completing two transformative teacher trainings—most recently in the breathtaking setting of Bali.
Paired with a strong academic background in Sports Medicine and a Master’s degree in Athletic training, her classes are an exploration of movement and mindfulness; and she seeks to create an inclusive environment encouraging students of all levels to explore their practice with openness and curiosity. Whether you’re looking to deepen your practice or simply find a moment of calm, Kelly’s classes provide a welcoming space for everyone.
Josh Evans
Yoga Instructor
I believe that time is a person’s most valuable resource. Not only in what one chooses to do with it, but how it is experienced. Though I dabbled in the practice of Yoga over the years it wasn’t until I started a regular meditation practice that I realized the power of the connection of breath to body. This connection resulting in a calmer mind and being able to fully experience a moment; or a series of them. My wife got me into my first class at Torch in 2022. It was tough. I can still remember laying on my mat the end of class. Sweaty, my heart beating proudly and exhausted but feeling incredibly present. Time almost standing still. The combination of mind-body-spirit got me hooked. In 2023 I signed up for teacher training at Torch and completed my 200 hours in early 2024. Yoga has profoundly changed my life for the better and as an instructor I want to be able to do the same for others. Helping to build strength, confidence in oneself, all while working toward a still and present mind. Expanding the experience of time if possible. Aside from Yoga I love to run, not taking myself too seriously, being outdoors or in the ocean. Love being a parent.
Alyson Barnfather
yoga Instructor
Ally is a yoga teacher from VB. She found yoga after going through some challenging times in life and realized she wanted to share this way of life with others .
When she is not at the studio you will find her chasing her 8 year old around and 16 year old to keep her on toes. longboarding around chics beach. She loves to hang out at coffee shops with a good book.
Alyson aspires to show students they are so much stronger than their physical and mental will allow them to believe.
She has a fun playful energy in the class with fun challenging flows to challenge the mind and body .
Kristi Igana
Indoor Cycle Instructor
Born and raised in NJ, a jersey girl through and through.
Exercise is a passion and an integral part of my every day
whether it be running, weight training, yoga or cycling. When
I’m not in the studio I enjoy spending my free time
outdoors especially at the beach with my husband and two
children. Raising the bar and setting goals have been
essential to my fitness journey. This year I completed the NYC
marathon, Torch Yoga Teacher Training, as well as Spin®
certification. I am excited to continue to expand my horizons alongside the Torch tribe.
Katherine Coppola
Yoga Instructor
Katherine Coppola began her yoga journey almost 10 years ago thanks to the encouragement and guidance from her oldest sister. She was born and raised (Bruce Springsteen said it best) a Jersey Girl! She comes from a big, supportive, and loving family. She has spent the majority of her life surrounded by her family. She grew up playing volleyball and spending any free time hanging outside in the sun or floating around in the water.
She moved to Virginia Beach in 2022 and is a proud Military Wife. Her Husband’s name is Vincent and they have rescued two beautiful pups Echo and Veda. Torch Yoga has helped Katherine find her own community, while she’s surrounded by all things military. “I love having the opportunity to teach such an inspiring group of people but I love even more when I get to practice next to those same people. Torch has helped make Virginia Beach/ Norfolk truly feel like my home and I will be forever grateful.”
Melissa Maldonado
Yoga and Indoor Cycling Instructor/ Reiki Healer
Melissa Maldonado is originally from California, but spent majority of her upbringing in Virginia Beach. She is a mother of 2 radical little boys and found her love for yoga after realizing self nurture is not only important for ones self but for those you share your life with. Melissa’s journey has lead her to explore the relationship between the mind and body through yoga philosophy on and off the mat. She is a social butterfly and challenges all she meets to live their lives to the fullest by adventuring to their edge.
Riconda Williams
INDOOR CYCLE/YOGA INSTRUCTOR
Originally a Georgia peach, Riconda relocated to Norfolk, VA via a Federal career as a Civil Servant. Hampton Roads is now her home since marrying and raising a family here that includes 4 sons and several fur babies. Inspired by others who find joy in movement, Riconda has become a “cheerleader” for fitness, and advocates for healthy living and an active lifestyle. She employs an exhilarating and dynamic teaching style and holds certifications in dance-based fitness, indoor cycle and yoga. Riconda intermittently started taking yoga to supplement dance, cycle and strength training around 2012. She began to realize it was the missing link that brought balance to her fitness goals.
This epiphany strengthened her resolve to practice regularly. The realization eventually led her to deepen her commitment to yoga, culminating in the completion of the 200-hour teacher training at Torch in 2024. The belief that yoga is for everyone despite ethnicity, age, gender or body type, resonates deeply with Riconda. She seeks to motivate and empower others to find their own rhythm through fitness, whether it’s on the gym floor, the bike or the mat.
Angie Sullivan
INDOOR CYCLE/YOGA INSTRUCTOR
I am a native of Virginia Beach. I am many things in life: I am a trainer, a competitor, culinary student, yoga teacher, and student. Yoga has always struck my curiosity since I was a teenager. Always stepping on the mat for a more physical aspect, not realizing that was just scratching the surface. I did not fall deep into yoga until about 7 years ago when I visited a close friend in Carlsbad CA. Everyday I tried a new studio with a different style experiencing some of the different dynamics of yoga, but the philosophy aspect is what drew me in. In order to feed my curiosity I visited the nearby Encinitas Ashram Center and Meditation Gardens. The Encinitas Temple inspired me to learn more.
After my trip I started practicing and studying yoga on my own until I did my 200 hour teacher training at Yoga Nook, teaching me the fundamentals of yoga. So I try to intertwin this knowledge with my everyday life, and share it with my other profession as a personal trainer because yoga can benefit anyone and everyone in so many different ways. In fact in my life I’ve watched people close to me struggle with their health and how it has affected them physically and emotionally. This has driven me to become tremendously passionate in helping others to make a lifestyle change mentally and physically. Personally yoga has helped keep balance in my life, and helped me physically by building strength and flexibility in my body for bodybuilding competitions. Remember Yoga is like an obstacle race: many obstructions are purposely put on the way for us to pass through. They are there to make us understand and express our own capacities. We all have that strength, but we don’t seem to know it. So I use yoga to help myself and others find the strength in the mind and the body.
Lily Ford
Yoga Instructor
Growing up in New England Lily spent the majority of time in New Hampshire and Vermont. Fitness and sports have always been a big part of her life! She is the youngest of four and they were all high level alpine ski racers. While racing Lily traveled the world and with skiing came a lot of weight training. In high school she fell in love with running, writing, and yoga! Lily remembers she always used to say, “I can’t wait till I can just do yoga and write.” I went on to play lacrosse in college and always found myself going back to yoga when she needed a reset. After graduating, yoga became a regular part of her life. She started practicing in the morning and running in the afternoon. After doing two half-marathons Lily realized she loved the balance of both and wanted to start teaching. Lily found it be fun and grounding. She wanted to bring it into peoples lives and make it a bigger part of hers! While going through YTT Lily was fascinated by everything about it and realized there was way more to yoga than movement. It quickly became a regular part of life. Recently moving to Virginia Beach Lily knew that teaching was something she wanted to do!!
Sibille Haynie
Yoga Instructor
Sibella was born and raised in Germany, came to America at the age of 15 as a foreign exchange student, and decided to stay in Virginia ever since. Having been involved in sports from a very young age, she has always enjoyed all types of fitness and athletics. Back around 2010 she found the practice of Yoga and was immediately intrigued. At first it was a purely physical workout that allowed me to gain more flexibility and strength but quickly grew an appreciation for the mental and spiritual aspects of the practice. It has become so much more than just another workout. It has become a part of Sibella. On good or bad days, during times of joy or difficulty, feeling happy and loved or angry and disappointed, being at home or on the road... Yoga and meditation have become a part of a daily routine, no matter where she is in life or what she is going through. While she was pregnant, Sibella had this epiphany of wanting to dive deeper and share my passion for Yoga. To guide and help others on their journey to live a healthier lifestyle, to grow, to heal, and to find unconditional love for themselves. So Sibella started studying and completed her teacher training. “It has been a pleasure and honor to be a part of the Torch family” says Sibella. Where she can express my classes creatively and combine my expertise in fitness and health to teach the students the many benefits of the Yoga practice.
Maryssa Dufle
Yoga Instructor
Maryssa is a yoga instructor from New York who recently graduated from SUNY Cortland. Working with my college's athletic program allowed her to learn how to teach yoga to those looking for a physical and mental challenge!
Rose Voore
Yoga Instructor
Rose was born and raised in South India, she moved to states in 2009, Rose is a mom of two beautiful kids.Yoga was always a part of Rose growing up, but truly found yoga in later years of her life. Rose enjoys an active lifestyle, she is a runner, CrossFitter, hiking and tried various strength training activity's. Looking back, there is one moment in my life that stands out as the turning point where she realized my health and physical well-being was my sole responsibility, while nursing my running Injury's, Rose was mentally In a dark space. She went to my first yoga class in hopes of stilling her mind a bit. She viewed it as something to do once every month or two as a sort of physical and mental detox. Rose was a little impatient as she kept falling out of postures, but left the class feeling more energized, all these days Rose was just sunken into dark space thinking she would never recover from injuries, here she was hooked to Yoga trying her first class. It truly changed the quality of life. She realized that yoga, while sometimes having a stigma in main-streamed way of trying to be spiritual, but at its
core, Yoga is very powerful tool that allows us to tap into our inner spiritual and physical potential.Rose recently got my 200-hour yoga teacher certification, not only to be able to share my love of yoga with others, but also to have a deeper understanding of the spiritual aspects and roots of yoga. Rose loves the idea that in yoga, all the strength you need, you will find it within yourself.
Nicole Dinerman
Yoga Instructor
Nicole Dinerman was born in Cochabamba, Bolivia, and moved to Northwest Arkansas at the age of six. She lives with in VA Beach and has two beautiful fur babies named Maya and Enzo.
Nicole found yoga after being hospitalized with Lupus in 2016 and has been practicing ever since! She completed her yoga teacher training in July of 2019. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Nutrition and a master’s degree in Kinesiology, with a focus in exercise science, from The University of Arkansas. She wants to use her passion and knowledge about the human body and yoga philosophy to empower and motivate others to live healthier and more fulfilling lives. Nicole loves nature, adores all animals, wine, food, handstands and is a lifelong learner!
Fiona Shea
Yoga Instructor
Fiona began practicing yoga in 2012 to complement her running. She quickly fell in love with the practice and decided to participate in Corepower Yoga’s 200hr teacher training while at university in Los Angeles in 2017. After completing training, she taught power vinyasa, yin and restorative yoga, and yoga sculpt fitness classes. She recently moved to Norfolk with her husband and their two cats. She loves all things astronomy and a is always down for good cup of coffee.
Angela Moening
Yoga Instructor
Angela is a native of Ohio and graduated from Kent State University with a bachelors in Athletic Training and a masters in Health and Human Performance from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She grew up playing sports and is currently an Athletic Trainer with the ODU football team. She started doing yoga in January 2020 and immediately enjoyed the physical challenge as well as the mental benefits. She was interested in learning more and taking the mental and physical practice further and graduated from Yoga Teacher Training at Torch in April 2021. Yoga quickly became an important aspect of her life!
Natalie Hood
YOGA INSTRUCTOR
A native Canadian, Natalie discovered yoga while living in Vancouver, BC in 2006. At the time, like so many new moms, she was looking for a way to stay fit, and was making the gym a regular part of her life. Despite a lifelong commitment to fitness, including competitive swimming and dance, time spent at the gym felt grueling. She tried a yoga class at the recommendation of a friend, and immediately fell in love. Yoga felt like dance, but while dance is pursued for aesthetic and performance reasons, often to the detriment of the dancer’s body, yoga was an inside job, meant to be witnessed internally by the practitioner, and only ever for the goal of wellness.
Yoga quickly became an all consuming passion, a practice Natalie woke up every day looking forward to. She found teachers who could work her brutally hard, yet simultaneously felt nurturing. She discovered that bringing attention and focus to her physical body, guided by skilled teachers to move with subtlety, could allow the outer world and all its complexities to fade away. Her mind became quiet, and she could connect to her inner landscape like never before. This newfound connection within helped her navigate some of life’s most challenging questions and ease into difficult answers. Yogic philosophy and by extension aspects of Buddhist philosophy also provided groundwork as she navigated her way through this time.
In 2010, Natalie moved to Los Angeles to study with her teacher, Annie Carpenter. She participated in 400 hrs of Teacher Trainings, including a six month Apprenticeship. She also taught private yoga to some movie business people, studio heads, actors and actresses.
After some time back in Vancouver, teaching yoga at gyms and studios, Natalie moved to her hometown of Montreal and became the private yoga coach for several teams of elite Synchronized Swimmers.
In 2015 Natalie married a Navy man and moved to Virginia Beach. Happily, a fellow Navy wife recommended Torch, which had just opened! Natalie has been teaching at Torch ever since.
Natalie's classes are technical and informative, with a strong focus on learning. Yoga postures and practice provide the vehicle of inquiry into the physical and deeper layers of the body, mind and spirit, and sometimes into broader questions of human experience.
Natalie also leads Torch’s Teacher Training Program, Continuing Education Workshops for other teachers, and offers Workshops and Private Yoga Sessions to Torch students.
Maggie Harris
Massage Therapist
Maggie Harris has been a certified Massage Therapist since 2007. She graduated from Fuller School of Massage, and since then she has been on a mission to help people feel their absolute best!
She specializes in deep tissue, myofascial release, cupping, trigger point release, and sports massage. But what really sets her apart is her knack for blending these techniques into a personalized experience just for you. Maggie believes that every client is unique, and your massage should be too!
For nine years she has worked at an amazing physical therapy clinic, where she fined tuned her skills and saw first hand how personalized care can transform lives. To Maggie, there’s nothing more rewarding than watching clients walk out feeling healthier and happier than when they came in.
Maggie is beyond thrilled to join the Torch tribe, and can’t wait to bring her energy and passion for wellness to this wonderful community.
Trevor Farias
Yoga Instructor
My name is Trevor and I teach presence.
I teach presence and I guide towards feeling. my classes are centered on feeling. feeling and breath. my sequences are built from home practices enveloped in vibrational music and solitude. each class begins and ends with an opportunity to draw inward a little deeper. Each class also comes with its own playlist created for that sequence specifically. I find my inspiration in the movement of every human I witness begin to feel their own body and in every being that learns to consider the power of choice. my message:
First, exhale.
What you perceive is what you feel, what you feel is what you project and what you project is what you live.
Julia Demoss
Yoga and Indoor Cycle Instructor
Meet Julia: Julia (Flores) DeMoss, RYT-200 is a life-loving and optimistic yoga and spin instructor.
Julia started at Torch Yoga’s original location on Shore Drive in 2017 as a member of the Karma Crew. She went on to complete Torch’s 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher Program in 2020. In addition to her RYT certification, Julia holds a 50-hour Yin Yoga certification as well as an Indoor Cycling/Spin Certification.
Julia feels strongly about acceptance and inclusion. As someone who dealt with bullying, rejection, low self-esteem and confidence for years, she makes it her mission to empower those around her to see their own worth.
Outside of teaching, Julia is a hospitality Account Manager and Makeup Artist. She lives in Virginia Beach with her husband and two pups, Rooney & Poppi. You can find her anywhere there’s water, good music, dancing and/or dogs.
Jason Brittan-helvig
Indoor Cycle Instructor
Born in Orange County, California, Jason first moved to Virginia in 2000 after his father received orders to relocate. As a Navy brat, Jason lived in San Diego, Seattle, and London, England before relocating to the Commonwealth. As a result of moving around often, Jason learned the importance of inclusivity, mastered the art of conversation, and gained an appreciation for traveling; the latter of which has inspired Jason's teaching style, wherein each class is meticulously crafted and geared around a "trip." Whether climbing the lush hills to Machu Picchu, sprinting across a bustling crosswalk in Tokyo, or ascending the stairs to the top of the Eiffel Tower, Jason will have you sweating across the globe. An avid distance runner, Jason incorporates similar techniques to his practice to further develop one's stamina and build endurance while maintaining proper form and breathing. Jason's practices are designed for all levels; from novice to master, Jason will push you out of your comfort zone and peak your heart rate with a smile on your face. The best part: there's no jet lag! So pack your (gym) bags and buckle up, globetrotter - it's time to saddle-up, sweat, and stamp that passport.
Tara William
YOGA Instructor
Tara is from North Carolina but has lived all over the country. She has a Masters in Marine Science and is currently a PhD student in Oceanography at ODU. Tara grew up with a passion for ballet and this is how she was introduced to yoga! In college, a weekly yoga class was the only time Tara felt relaxed and so continued her practice, learning how important the breath is to a healthy body. After practicing for a few years, and moving to Virginia, Tara completed her 200 hour teacher training order to deepen her personal practice but quickly realized that she loves sharing movement with others. The combination of breath with movement and the feeling of inner calmness after a class are some of the most magical feelings. In her free time, Tara loves to relax on the beach or spend time with her dog and cat.
Mary Weaver
YOGA Instructor
Mary Weaver was born in Franklin, Pennsylvania and moved to Virginia Beach for graduate school in 2016. She lives in Virginia Beach, pursuing her passion for helping others as a pediatric Speech Pathologist.
Mary found the yoga practice in early 2020. After feeling burnt out and looking for a safe, accepting space to destress both mentally and physically, she stumbled upon Torch and has called it home ever since. She joined the Torch Community as a member of Karma Crew, and as her curiosity for self-growth and the yoga practice deepened, she took the leap of faith and completed her 200 hr teacher training at Torch in April of 2021.
She wants to use her passion for creativity and helping others to hold space for all students to find self-love, acceptance, and growth on and off the yoga mat. Finding this practice through the amazing community has Torch has inspired Mary to step into the unknown, every single day. On the mat, she encourages her students to find their inner flame through creative movements and stepping into the unknown. Mary enjoys the outdoors, being barefoot, spending time with her Torch family, and climbing trees whenever a good one comes around!
Alison Ruzbacki
YOGA Instructor
An important lesson yoga has taught me- breathe first.
When I was 20, I started my practice as a means for finding exercise and a mental health outlet. Since then, my passion for yoga has grown immensely. The synchrony of breath, movement, and intention can be addictive when you find that sweet spot. My favorite classes are the ones where being in the moment is effortless and your mind and body seem to naturally align. My goal as an instructor is to provide this kind of environment and guide students to discover their secret recipe for their ideal experience. My love of yoga has been a grounding aspect in my life and will continue to hold strong as long as I’ve got two feet and a heartbeat!
Airiel Barrientos
INDOOR CYCLE Instructor
Airiel grew up in Williamsburg, Virginia where she found her love for cycling while riding her bike outdoors on the many trails near her home. Once starting college, she turned to indoor cycling and never looked back. After many years of cycling as a student, Airiel always thought about becoming the teacher. It was the Torch family and community that made that decision easy for her. She is excited to push her students while throwing a party in her classes! You'll be sure to feel powerful after cycling with her.
You can find Airiel with her hands full of soil or reading books about plants when she is not on a bike.
Emily Achey
YOGA Instructor
Emily Achey was born and raised in Maine, where she fell in love with all things nature. She devoted years in school to learning about her passion of nutrition, and now works as a Functional Medicine Dietitian within her local integrative practice, QÔL Co. Emily participated in yoga here and there throughout college, but it wasn’t until she settled in Norfolk, VA in 2020 that she fully dove in. The sweaty, heart pumping intensity of Torch drew her in, but the whole package of mind-body-spirit benefits she experienced had her hooked. Yoga evolved into not only a physical practice, but a grounding tool that has given her so much clarity and confidence in life. She aspires to empower others to shine their special light for the world to enjoy.
You can often find her in her veggie garden, cooking in the kitchen, or out on the water with her Husband and fur baby!
Kelly King
INDOOR CYCLING and YOGA Instructor
Kelly King is an event planner, nature enthusiast, health nut, live music fan, and animal lover who has lived in Coastal Virginia since 2005. Kelly fell in love with fitness as a form of self-care and self-empowerment in the past decade. She's enthusiastic about life, and wants to life her best one and help others do the same. She believes that working on personal fitness goals and sharing positive energy is way more fun with friends, so she can't wait to see you in class!
Michaela White
indoor Cycle Instructor
Michaela is from Charleston, SC and has lived in East Beach since 2020. She loves spending the warm days at the beach with her fiance and their two dogs, Dixie and Dansby. After years of being a competitive runner, she turned to indoor cycling to allow her body a break from the impact of running. She began taking daily spin classes after college and became an instructor in late 2020. She loves teaching classes since she has always loved encouraging others to push themselves as well as creating her own playlists to make the workout as enjoyable as possible! Once she knows her class, she tailors the workout to their needs so that they have fun while also getting stronger and faster. She enjoys upbeat music that keeps your heart rate high but also takes the time at the end of her classes to stretch and cool down. She also loves CrossFit and yoga and is excited to work with the Torch Yoga crew!
Vanessa Morris
YOGA Instructor
Vanessa was born in Rhode Island, and she grew up mostly in Virginia Beach, VA. She grew up doing gymnastics, she was a cheerleader in high school, and she also played basketball and soccer. Anything that had to do with being active, she was a part of it!
Vanessa took her first ever yoga class one year after high school in 2018. Three years later, she found Torch, signed up for a class, and fell in love with this studio. She ended up taking the YTT here five months later. She is now certified RYT-200, and she has never been happier!
Instructing yoga has become a huge passion for her. She wanted to teach because she wants yogis to leave her class feeling like a weight has been lifted off of their shoulders. She wants them to feel like they can be themselves without judgement, and be able to find a space to release what is holding them back through asanas and breath-work.
Vanessa's empathic, spiritual, and loving nature has shaped her into the best teacher she could ever be. She is still learning, growing, and exploring her practice. Although she is a teacher, she will always be a student.
Katie Grandstaff
YOGA Instructor / STUDIO ASSISTANT
Hi, I’m Katie. I have always been enthusiastic about exercise and fitness. My first love was dance which I started at age 3. I truly believe the connection of the mind and body through movement is a spiritual experience. In 2004, I became a certified Massage Therapist and it was during this time that I tried my first hot yoga class. I loved it from the start. I recall sitting in my car after class thinking WOW!! My entire body feels AMAZING! Soon after, I began to realize the priceless effect yoga had on me, not just physically, but mentally. Through the years, I would faithfully practice yoga but it always took a back seat to other activities such as running marathons and CrossFit. These intense forms of training became a priority and yoga was like a faithful friend waiting for me when I needed it. It was after a painful shoulder injury in 2020 that I decided it was time to fully immerse myself in yoga. I graduated from Torch Yoga’s 200 hour teacher training in spring of 2022. I have been teaching ever since and I love it. I have learned so much from the students and fellow teachers at Torch. I am passionate about sharing the gifts of yoga. My hope is that through teaching, I may inspire others to explore and deepen their practice. When I’m not at Torch, I enjoy spending time at the beach or hiking in the mountains with my husband, Glen and Labrador, Pearl. I have 3 bonus children and 4 grandchildren.