Our Instructors
Anandi Martinez
Anandi is the founder of Alyce Life Yoga. She has 20 years of experience as an instructor at Kaiser Permanente and was trained and certified at the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco.
Anandi specializes in accommodating almost all physical challenges. She is a nurturing and knowledgeable mentor who is dedicated to her students.
She teaches Hatha Yoga integrating Breathing, Meditation, Guided Relaxation, and Postures.
Chris “Coach” Walsh
Meet Coach Walsh, Inspiring Healer.
Coach is a 500 E-RYT trained by Master teachers Mynx Inatsugu and Melanie Salvatore-August. He has 700 hours of Professional Teacher Training through YogaWorks and over 5,000 hours of teaching Yoga.
In 2014 Coach Walsh started the Yoga program at Campolindo High School (Moraga) where he taught for 29 years. The program began with one class of 45 students and has grown to 5 classes of 45-50 students. He also holds a Teen Yoga Teacher Training Certificate.
Coach draws on his educational background (Un. Of Oregon M.S. Anatomy & Physiology) incorporating aspects of anatomical and biomechanical skills into his teaching of skilled alignment in Asana.
Caleb Neeper
Yoga has been a monumental and foundational inspiration in Caleb’s life. He first started Yoga as a student, 16 years ago. His initial interest was driven by a severe knee injury playing Basketball. Yoga taught him about body awareness. He learned how one can heal given enough time, dedication, and will.
For Caleb, there was a natural progression from student to teacher. His journey led to an expansion of understanding; how important the more subtle, spiritual, energetic and esoteric aspects of the Yoga practice are.
Yoga make him aware of how big the world is and how small his place in it was. Through classes, workshops, attending a Clairvoyant school and through numerous books, Caleb learning encompasses shamanism, sound healing, Theta Healing, Reiki, muni-kirites, and various spiritual teachings and other energy healing modalities.
Join us in an evening of Healing Circle - Intuitive Group Reading with Caleb Neeper.
Janet Laudy
Janet is a clinical nutritionist who specializes in nutritional approaches to mental health (including anxiety, depression, and ADHD), gastrointestinal
conditions, blood sugar management, and recovery from substance use disorders. She practices a personalized approach to healing using food, supplements, lab testing, and stress reduction.
She has a masters degree in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine from the University of Western States.
When not seeing clients or spending time with her family, she enjoys hiking, weightlifting, yoga, movies, coffee, dark chocolate, and traveling.
Lizette Marx
Lizette Marx has been practicing yoga since 1989. Her passion for yoga began while working as a journalist at Yoga Journal in the early 1990s. After suffering serious injuries in a car accident in 1993, yoga therapy became an integral part of her healing journey and inspired her to deepen her practice. Through the years, Lizette continued to make daily yoga practice part of her life as a mom raising her two children who are now grown and flown.
In addition to her a 500 RYT certification through YogaWorks in 2013, Lizette has received certification in Restorative Yoga from Judith Lasater's world-renowned Relax and Renew Restorative Yoga teacher training program and Yin Yoga through Yogaworks and Yoga Nidra training with Dr. Richard Miller, Yoga Anatomy with Leslie Kaminoff as well as numerous training workshops with Gary Kraftsow. She continues to study yoga philosophy and Viniyoga with her mentor of 10 years, Mynx Inatsugo and is currently working towards her Mindfulness Teacher Training certification with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield.
When not on the mat practicing, studying or teaching yoga, Lizette changes her yoga pants for a pair of chef pants. As a chef, culinary instructor and nutrition consultant, Lizette brings yoga into the kitchen and endeavors to help others discover vibrant wellness through food, community and mindful choices in body, mind and spirit.
Maria Inez
Since 1998 Maria Inez’s passion for mental wellness through fitness has led her to root her education in Kinesiology and begin a life long career in the health and wellness industry as a Personal Trainer. Drawn to the mystery of Yoga in 2002 she naturally fell into teaching in 2007. Always a student and a teacher she has competed trainings in various niches from Vinyasa, Y4T(yoga for trauma), Yoga for Anxiety and Depression, Meditation, Yoga Psyche, as well as immerse in the rich teachings of Classical Tantrik Yoga. She has found a deeper connection and meaning to life through the vast universe that Yoga offers. Her hope is to connect and share with all who are open to receive.
Megan Kamosi
Megan Kamosi, founder of Humxn Tuning, creates transformative sound bath experiences that meld sound therapy, Reiki, and meditation with unique instruments from around the world. From her first life-changing sound bath experience, over 10 years ago, to dedicating herself to studying vibrational effects on well-being, Megan’s path has been one of discovery, transformation, and deepening her connection to music and self-love.
Launching Humxn Tuning in 2023 was a leap of faith driven by her passion to alleviate suffering, foster community, and inspire a healthier, more connected world. Megan believes the power of sound can unlock our deepest potentials, her sessions create a sanctuary where individuals can explore their inner landscapes, align with well-being, connect with their authenticity, and emerge reinvigorated.
Join us for an unparalleled experience at our next Sound Bath Workshop, where therapeutic sounds and reiki energy blend perfectly for a deeply relaxing and rejuvenating experience.
Together we can create a healthier, more loving world, one vibration at a time.
Melissa Murphy
Growing up in Walnut Creek and residing in Lafayette, Melissa is super excited to join the Higher Ground family. She grew up playing sports and has always made fitness a priority. As Melissa got older, she realized that one cannot enjoy peak performance without a solid nutrition strategy. This realization started her quest for nutrition knowledge. Melissa’s passion for both fitness and nutrition led her to become a Spin and Baby BootCamp Instructor as well as a Certified Nutrition Coach. She launched her own business, Motivate with Melis, which focuses on helping women make themselves a priority in their busy lives.
She is excited to continue her journey in the fitness studio to offer you a high energy, full body workout. The goal for Melissa’s classes is to create a fun and inviting experience. She will motivate her students to challenge themselves and to move beyond their mental and physical limiting beliefs. Classes will include a combination of exercises including: HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts, plyometrics, weight resistance and abdominal exercises. If you are ready to get a fantastic calorie burn workout while having a blast, then Melissa’s classes are for you!
When Melissa is not bopping around the fitness studio, she is attempting to keep up with her 3 teenagers and 2 dogs. In her free time, she can be found on the tennis courts channeling her inner Serena Williams while listening to her favorite artist, Lady Gaga.
Natalie Palms
Natalie started her Iyengar Yoga journey back in 2015 and is now training to be a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher. As an artist and teacher, she was immediately drawn to the creativity behind asana sequencing and its effects on the mind, body and spirit. The practice sparked her curiosity of anatomy, prop usage, and yoga philosophy.
Over the years, she has witnessed how yoga has supported her through life's struggles and triumphs. Natalie believes yoga is for every body and has the power to bring healing and empowerment to our youth and adults. She continues to teach art independently and through organizations such as the deYoung Museum and Kala Art Institute.
She launched her own business, Natalie Rose Textiles, creating naturally dyed and hand printed accessories she sells at craft fairs, while curating and leading textile focused workshops for adults and summer camps for children throughout the Bay Area.
Tommy Au
Tommy is dedicated and experienced Certified Fitness Professional and Weight Loss Training Specialist. He brings a passion for helping individuals achieve their health and wellness goals. With a background in exercise science, he brings a comprehensive understanding of the intricate relationship between fitness and weight loss.
His tailored training programs are designed to cater to the unique needs of each client, ensuring that they not only shed unwanted pounds but also develop strength, endurance, and overall vitality. Through a combination of proven workout routines and motivational guidance, Tommy empowers his clients to make sustainable lifestyle changes. His approach goes beyond physical transformation. He emphasize the importance of mental and emotional well-being, fostering a holistic journey towards a healthier and happier life.
With Tommy’s expertise and unwavering support, you can trust that your weight loss goals are in capable hands.
Wendy Feldman
Passionate and dedicated, Wendy Feldman brings over 14 years of experience as a certified stretch, barre, and spin instructor, empowering change in those seeking to transform their lifestyles and achieve their fitness goals.
As a result of multiple road-cycling accidents and injuries, Wendy has overcome her own physical and emotional challenges and deeply understands the transformative power of living a well-intentioned, satisfying, meaningful, balanced, and healthy life. She has become a beacon of inspiration for her clients and a catalyst for positive change in others on their own personal path and growth journey.
Wendy takes great pride in her ability to create an inclusive environment, regardless of a student’s fitness level or class structure, using a variety of modifications to ensure her classes are engaging, challenging, creative, and effective.
When not instructing or training individual clients, Wendy can be found hiking in nature, reading, continuing her workshop development, public speaking education, or traversing the continent to visit one of her three grown children.
Join Wendy, and discover the best version of YOU!
Lisa Ackerman
Lisa teaches with a mix of classical and contemporary Pilates styles. A lifelong passion for dance comes to life with ballet-inspired moves adding to the challenge and grace of her classes.
At 39, Lisa found postpartum recovery challenging. Getting fit, regaining her core strength, and finding joy in exercise felt unattainable. She traded her gym routine for Pilates to break through the plateau. She experienced newfound energy, strength, and the confidence she could achieve her fitness goals. Lisa’s passion for Pilates was born.
An emergency spinal surgery in 2022 dealt Lisa a blow that felt like an insurmountable setback to achieving her health and fitness well-being. Once again, her Pilates practice was the key ingredient to overcoming the physical and psychological challenges of recovery. In just three months post-op, she returned to Pilates and quickly regained strength, mobility, flexibility, and confidence. Her practice supplied the mental and physical balance she needed.
Pilates was central to overcoming two of the most difficult physical and psychological challenges she’d faced. She enrolled in Pilates teacher training in 2023 to pursue her passion for the practice and share the power of Pilates with her friends and community.
When Lisa isn’t practicing Pilates, you'll find her on outdoor adventures with her two young daughters, husband, and sweet Aussiedoodle.
Sam Schlaich
Sam is a passionate and dedicated instructor. As an ex-Division I athlete, she brings fire and challenge to any class. Sam completed her first 200 HR RYT in 2013 and since then has completed a second 200 HR RYT in 2014, Yin training in 2016, Sculpt training in 2016, and is RPYT in 2020. She also has been instructing Fitness Fusion classes since 2021. She was a Flex teacher at Humble Yoga and NOW is the Flex & Slide teacher at Higher Ground Fridays at 11am!
If she’s not guiding people in classes. She’s either at the gym herself or spending time with her husband Ryan and 2 kids Henry & Barrett.
Preshet Moore
Wellness Coordinator
Driven by a profound passion for wellness, Preshet has immersed herself in practices such as meditation, yoga, and sound bowl healing for the past five years. She believes in the transformative power of these modalities to foster holistic well-being and has integrated them into her own life with dedication and enthusiasm.
Her thirst for knowledge extends far beyond wellness alone; Preshet is fascinated by different cultures and countries. Having lived in three different countries and speaking French, Portuguese, Spanish, and German, she brings a diverse spectrum of experiences to her endeavors. Living abroad has broadened her understanding of well-being, unveiling its diverse interpretations across cultures and communities. This multicultural exposure inspired her to pursue a graduate degree in International Healthcare Management, where she gained invaluable insights into global healthcare practices and policies. Her journey includes experience in meditation facilitation and mentoring in Europe, where she had the opportunity to support and guide others on their paths to growth and self-discovery.
Preshet's strong commitment to assisting individuals in cultivating well-being shines through in her work. Her passion lies in providing dedicated support to help others discover and maintain a harmonious balance between mental health, professional responsibilities, and personal passions. With empathy and expertise, she strives to empower individuals to lead fulfilling and purpose-driven lives.