Meet the UPY Team
Our team of highly experienced yoga teachers work together with a unified passion for helping people of all levels learn and practice yoga. Our classes include mindful movement and postures to improve flexibility, mobility, strength, balance, focus, relaxation and peace.
We are so excited to welcome you to our community! All are welcome here!
Sue Bonanno
Sue is our expert in Meditation, Energy and Yoga Philosophy. The founder of SoulSpace Meditation, Sue is passionate about teaching and sharing her wisdom. She is also an expert in Ayurveda, having studied at the Chopra Center and leads us all on the path of peak health. Sue specializes in helping yoga students establish a balanced lifestyle including hot power yoga, meditation and other healthy rituals.
Sue is a 500-Hour E-RYT, YACEP and one of our instructors for UPY’s 200-Hour and 300-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Certification Programs!
Sign up for Teacher Training with Sue!
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moreCheryl Baumhauer
Cheryl is our in-house anatomy expert with over 20 years of experience working as a Personal Trainer and Yoga Teacher. She is passionate about teaching people to move their bodies with functional movement and awareness of the muscles and bones working together to hold you in a shape. Cheryl is devoted to helping her yoga students with good posture, healthy movement and a focus on making sure that they get the advice that works for them in their particular situation. Cheryl has comprehensive knowledge of how yoga can help prevent and heal various injuries in conjunction with physical therapy.
Cheryl is a 500-Hour E-RYT, YACEP and is our anatomy & sanskrit expert in the 200-Hour and 300-Hour Yoga Teacher Certification Programs.
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moreGale Giacobbe
Gale is an alignment expert who uses her 20+ years of yoga experience to share best practices and principles to help her students learn their postures and integrate good form within every class. Gale found yoga when she was in the corporate world. She leverages her skills and experiences to create a yoga class experience of precision, integrity and alignment to help yoga students feel confident in their practice.
Gale is a 500-Hour E-RYT, YACEP and is our alignment expert in the 200-Hour and 300-Hour Yoga Teacher Certification Programs.
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moreLisa Howard
Lisa is a 500-Hour RYT with 15+ years of experience. She loves teaching hot power yoga and building our UPY community! She is dedicated to creating transformation in people’s lives through the power of community, yoga and breathwork. Lisa teaches a class which will have you feeling energized, focused and challenged.
Lisa teaches the power yoga segment of our 200-Hour Teacher Training Certification Program. She is also UPY's Community Lead!
Sign up for Teacher Training with Lisa!
moreMary Walek
Mary is a 500-Hour RYT and she's been teaching yoga since 2016. She teaches All Levels Vinyasa, Slow Flow & Restorative and Yoga Nidra (Yoga Sleep). A former English Teacher, Mary is a natural teacher with wise words to share with her classes about how yoga philosophy can apply to your life. She completed both her 200-Hour and 300-Hour Teacher Trainings with UPY in 2016 and 2018, respectively. Mary’s classes are known for helping you feel relaxed and ready for a good night's sleep! Sometimes Mary even shares her beautiful singing at the end of her classes!
Mary is a part of our faculty for our 200-Hour and 300-Hour Yoga Teacher Certification Programs.
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moreJackie Atencio
Jackie has been teaching yoga since 2015 and has been practicing yoga for over 10 years. She first fell in love with yoga sculpt, as it combined the focus of weights with the focus of yoga. Soon followed her love for heated vinyasa flows, and she now enjoys teaching both! In Jackie's classes, you can expect to be challenged but also know that her priority is that you leave feeling refreshed, supported and encouraged. She believes in meeting yourself where you are at each day both in your physical practice and off of your mat. When Jackie's not at the yoga studio, she's spending time with her family and friends!
moreJulie Atwood
Julie A took her 300-Hour Teacher Training at UPY in 2020, making her a 500-Hour Certified Yoga Teacher. She teaches Power Yoga, Yoga Sculpt and Advanced Yoga Classes. She has been practicing yoga for over 20 years and teaching for 12! Don’t blink during her classes, because if you do you might find yourself in arm balances and jump throughs you never thought possible! You can expect to feel strong and energized during Julie’s classes!
moreRhianne Berardi
Rhianne is a 500-Hour Yoga Teacher...and a powerhouse! She teaches our Power Yoga classes. She took her 300-Hour Teacher Training with UPY in 2020. Rhianne is sure to bring the heat and great music! Her classes are for those who like dynamic movement and energy. Show up, enjoy the challenge and have fun! Off the mat, Rhianne is also a Health Coach.
moreCourtney Dutch
Courtney is a 500-Hour Certified Yoga Teacher who teaches our All-Levels vinyasa classes, with a special focus on how yoga works! She has been teaching and practicing yoga for over 10 years. Come to one of Courtney’s classes to learn about the systems of the body, unplug & unwind. She is sure to make every class worthwhile!
moreJulie Elpus
Julie E is a 500-Hour Certified Yoga Teacher with over 10 years of teaching experience. She teaches All-Levels Vinyasa Yoga and Meditation. Her classes are for everyone who ever thought about wanting to take a yoga class. She will be sure to ease you into poses while offering modifications. Julie's classes are fun, supportive, nurturing and balanced. You are sure to leave with a smile on your face!
moreDianne Croteau
Dianne is a devoted 500-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher with a gentle spirit and a kind heart who has practiced and studied yoga and meditation in locations around the globe for 20 years. In combination with an extensive background in healthcare, she views the science and spirituality of yoga as a path to guide each individual to find a deeper relationship with their own physiological, spiritual, and emotional body. Dianne encourages students to practice at a comfortable pace in their own unique form within a welcoming, safe, and transformational environment.
moreEsther Hogan
Esther Hogan is a certified yoga instructor who has completed over 500 hours of training. Her first training in 2011 was a week-long 100hr intensive focusing on power yoga. Shortly after, Esther received her 200hr yoga teacher training in vinyasa flow. Esther completed an additional 300hr advanced yoga teacher training which included introductions to the modalities of functional movement, gentle and restorative yoga, as well as trauma-informed practices in 2020. This training also provided the opportunity for her to deepen her understanding of meditation and mindfulness. Esther received Reiki level 1 certification in 2024 and plans to continue with more Reiki practice and training in the future.
Esther has been guiding students in yoga for over 12 years, and has been a student of the practice for over 25. She was first introduced to hatha yoga but found her way to heated vinyasa after the birth of her three children. The combination of physical movement connected to breath...
moreKatie Kourtis
Katie received her 200-Hour Certification in 2015 and has been teaching ever since. For Katie, yoga is a way of life. She teaches a fun all levels class, combining a traditional vinyasa practice with an updated twist by using music and creative sequencing. Katie puts love into preparing for her classes, creating a space where you can come breathe and just be free. She hopes that you leave class feeling refreshed, balanced and more at ease. Teaching and sharing the benefits of yoga is one of Katie’s most favorite things to do, “Just trying to spread some love, one yoga class at a time. “
moreGigi Kim
Gigi is a 500-Hour Certified Yoga Teacher who teaches All Levels Vinyasa yoga classes. She took her 200-Hour and 300-Hour Teacher Trainings at UPY in 2018 and 2020, respectively. Her classes are balanced and calming, with smooth sequences that flow and awaken your body and create space for your mind. You will feel that you got your work out in as the challenge slowly builds throughout class! Gigi will take you to where you are meant to be at that moment. You will leave her class feeling strong, grounded and relaxed!
moreAmy Orsini
Amy did her 200-Hour Teacher Training with UPY in 2019 and has been regularly teaching since then! In addition to a moving meditation (yoga flow), she loves to offer inspirational words of wisdom from the ancient yoga teachings that we can apply to real life during her classes. With a different theme and fun playlist each week, you will build strength by holding poses and tone our abs. You will leave Amy's class with a renewed mind and body!
moreDanielle Piccarini
Danielle P. is a 200-Hour Certified yoga teacher who dabbled in the world of yoga for many years. Her experience as a dancer and former dance instructor led her to believe that yoga was simply a good way to stretch. During a particularly stressful time in her legal career, she turned to yoga and the lightbulb finally went off! Yoga truly changed her life. She completed her training at UPY in 2020 and quickly discovered her love for teaching a powerful, slower flow that allows you to settle in the pose and truly notice what’s happening in your body, breath, and mind. Her creative flows may leave you wondering what’s coming next and the playlist will never disappoint. You’ll finish class feeling stronger, grounded, calm, and peaceful.
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moreShannon Rolston
Shannon is a 500-hour yoga teacher with 10 years of teaching experience. She aspires to teach the kind of class that she loves to take – challenging, fun, fluid and balanced, with room to explore and get a little messy! The challenge and inspiration for each practice is to show up, step out of the box, and trust that the practice will lead you where you need to be.
moreDanielle Sciotti
Danielle S is one of our All-Levels Vinyasa yoga teachers. She has been practicing yoga for 9 years and is a 200-Hour RYT. Danielle likes to work a little bit of everything into her classes…creative sequences, detailed alignment cues and upbeat playlists! You will leave her class feeling strong and ready for your day!
moreRachel Smoller
Rachel is a 500-Hour Certified Yoga Teacher, specializing in Prenatal Yoga & All Levels Vinyasa Flow. Her classes are well-balanced, safe and calming, the perfect way to take care of yourself during busy times.
moreErin Wachtendonk
Erin took her 200-Hour Certification at UPY in 2013 and she's been teaching with us ever since! We love her fun classes, creative practice and focus on breath. Erin balances her corporate career with yoga and skiing in VT!
moreKim Whalen
Kim completed her 200-Hour Teacher Training in 2015. A calf injury led her to her yoga journey which helped to speed up the recovery. Over time, her practice evolved, and she found herself connecting both mind and body with a strong passion to dive deeper and become a teacher!
Kim teaches a playful vinyasa fusion that incorporates both stretch and strength movements for all levels. Each class focuses on listening to your body and honoring your own inner teacher. Kim hopes you leave her classes feeling powerful, more mobile and at ease!
moreTricia Cunniff
Tricia found yoga while studying Art History in college. She's been practicing yoga for almost two decades and continues to delve into how yoga and meditation can be tools to navigate our daily lives. Whether exploring the strength in holding yoga poses, the power in stillness, or the softening in slower practices, Tricia invites students to find the space to practice in a nurture, contemplative way.
moreLiza Govoni
Liza is a 200-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher and Prenatal Certified Yoga Teacher. She has been practicing with us at UPY since 2015 and completed her UPY 200-Hour Teacher Training in 2021. We are so excited to have Liza on our team!
moreStephanie Luke-Gilbert
Stephanie is an amazing yoga sculpt teacher! Her high energy classes and love for yoga sculpt will get you moving and building strength! Join her on Sundays in Wrentham at 9:30 am.
moreJulie Levine
Julie has been a dedicated student and recently completed her 200-Hour Teacher Training at UPY! Her passion and dedication say it all... try her all levels class! You'll love it!
moreAriana Brody
Ariana is a 500-Hour Certified Yoga Teacher with over two decades of experience as a student and teacher. She is passionate about movement, and the healing benefits that come from a physical and mindful practice. Ariana teaches a challenging and accessible practice where students can find strength and balance. So much can happen by just showing up!
moreMarlo Franco
Marlo is a 500-hr Registered Yoga Teacher and a life-long lover of learning and exploration. She completed her 200 and 300 hour trainings at Universal Power Yoga and loves teaching all-levels Vinyasa and Power classes. It is her role as a high school special education teacher that first brought her to yoga. She entered a class seeking peace and healing for herself and left with an understanding that she could use the tools learned in yoga to guide her own students down a similar path. Her yoga classes provide students with a safe space to challenge self-limiting beliefs, develop resiliency, and become agents of their own positive change.
moreMara Robinson
Mara combines her experience as a physical therapist with her yoga knowledge to deliver an empowering all levels vinyasa class, that leaves you reflecting on how your yoga practice serves you both on and off the mat. A recent 200 hour UPY teacher training graduate, Mara would love to share her energetic practice with you.
Find Mara on the schedule subbing!
moreCourtney Wesche
Courtney began her career as a fitness professional back in 2012 as a NASM certified personal trainer. She then immediately began adding specialized certifications such as barre, Lagree, PiYo, cycle and eventually completed her 200 hour YTT through Life Power Yoga. Courtney loves bringing a challenging, fun and sweaty class to give you a workout, and the mental space needed to bring out your best self (which is always her goal!). She lives in Foxborough with her husband and their two toddlers Grady and Bennett who are her sunshine! Courtney can’t wait to meet you in the studio!
moreMaureen Dawson
Maureen Dawson ("Mo") has been practicing yoga for 20 years and earned her 200-hour and Prenatal Certifications at UPY. Mo describes prenatal yoga as advanced yoga, because pregnancy offers a unique opportunity to savor the sensations of the present moment, to cultivate a beginner’s mindset, and to practice acceptance in the face of change. Her class includes options to support all trimesters and experience levels. Prenatal yogis will tap into their innate power, practicing breath work and building strength to support them through pregnancy, birth, and parenthood!
moreRick Schlosser
Rick began practicing Yoga in 2002 at age 50. Fast-forwarding, he completed his RYT-500 training at UPY in 2021 and Meditation Teacher Training at Soulspace in 2023.
He offers All-Level, Slow-Flow and Beginner asana classes into which he incorporates a variety of meditation and mindfulness practices. His intention as a teacher is to inspire his students, young and old, from his experience and to help them discover and achieve their own transformation, wellbeing and longevity.
Find Rick on the schedule subbing!
moreKatie Nesbitt
Katie Nesbitt is a 500-hr E-RYT, who has been teaching yoga, meditation and breathwork since 2012. Originally from Maine, Katie now resides between the U.S. and Bali, Indonesia teaching yoga, leading yoga teacher trainings, and hosting international retreats in beautiful locations around the world. Her intelligent sequencing, playful spirit, and compassionate nature will lead you to more strength and expansion in your body, mind, heart, and soul.
Katie also specializes in meditation, breath work and trauma-informed yoga. She enjoys working with students and private clients worldwide, educating in the area of integrative somatic therapy to address and treat trauma and maladaptive stress responses. By combining modern neuroscience with ancient yogic philosophy, Katie facilitates lasting transformation.
moreIngrid Jaeger
Ingrid is a Yoga Teacher who works with students of all ages and abilities. Her style is relaxed, accommodating, and inclusive; she infuses her classes with a blended style that includes vinyasa, qigong, hatha, yin yoga, and meditation. She started teaching a weekly yoga class at her gym years ago, but after making some significant life changes, she decided to commit to teaching yoga on a full-time basis.
She has a 500 hour certification with a focus on Traditional Chinese Medicine and Yin yoga, and a 200 hour certification in QiGong. She currently teaches at 2 studios on Cape Cod, works with private clients, provides corporate offerings, and leads workshops designed to help those who are interested in healing through yoga and meditation.
moreDanielle Ayotte
Danielle is always eager to share the tools of yoga and meditation which have enabled her to move through her life more skillfully–with greater ease and clarity. Through the lens of these ancient, yet constantly evolving practices, Danielle’s classes emphasize the importance of supporting ourselves well physically and emotionally (both “on and off the mat”) through functional movement and alignment focused asana coupled with ample space and time for self-introspection.
Danielle is a graduate of The Golden Mind Project 200-hr Yoga Teacher training, the Yoga San Kalpa Teaching School’s 300-hr Yoga Therapy program, 50-hr Yin Yoga & Yoga Nidra program, 50-hr Advanced Yin Yoga program, 50-hr Chair Yoga program, and 50-hr Pre/Postnatal Yoga program. In addition, Danielle is a 200-hour certified Meditation teacher and is currently completing a 300-hr Advanced Meditation training. Danielle also enjoys training yoga teachers and is the Teaching School Director of Yoga San Kalpa...
moreSam Scarafone
Sam is an all-embracing 500-RYT who teaches an energetic and revitalizing class! Her overall goal for her students is to be able to provide an open space to find joy and mindfulness on the mat. Her intention as a Yoga teacher is to guide others towards awareness in self-love, as well as providing a meaningful asana practice based on inner calm, happiness and overall growth!
Sam completed her 200 - Hour Yoga Teacher training in November 2020, and her 300-Hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training in June 2021...both at UPY!
moreKaren Cheromcha
Looking for balance from a career in the software engineering world, Karen completed her 200 hour RYT training in 2017. Her classes move at a slow gentle pace through poses that are held for a varying length of breath to relinquish the busyness of the mind and connect the breath and mind with the pose.
Considerations are made to allow all students to find what they need for their practice, be it their own flow or a restorative resting poses. She welcomes students of all abilities.
moreAnna Lambros
Anna has lived on Cape Cod for 35 years. Growing up in and around the Boston area, she attended UMass Boston and later Lesley University for her Masters in the Creative Arts with a bachelors degree in Elementary Education. She has been married 35 years and raised twin fraternal boys. She loves to travel, enjoys the ocean, gardening and connecting to nature. She has been practicing yoga for 24 years and has been teaching in her Cape Cod community for the past 16 years.
She is 200 hour Hatha certified through Inner Peace Yoga School and 300 hour Vinyasa certified through All That Matters School of Yoga with Coral Brown in Rhode Island. She is also a practicing, certified Reiki Master, using this energy healing to help others help heal themselves. Anna teaches a graceful vinyasa flow, beginning and ending with meditation, leaving you feeling refreshed, present and grateful.
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moreLynne Buscher
As an avid runner, Lynne took her first yoga class to improve her flexibility. She learned that yoga helped with so much more, including stress management. She decided to become certified, and under the tutelage of Sheryl Light and Michelle Itzkowitz, she attained the 200 hour RYS training through Yoga Alliance, and has been teaching yoga ever since. As a wife, and mother to two grown daughters, and a veteran teacher of the Falmouth Public Schools, she recognizes the necessity of creating balance in her own life, and helping others to work toward that balance. Her passion for teaching is inherent, and the reward for her is seeing the improvement in her pupils. Her family and her students serve as her inspiration to continue to persevere.
Her interests include: enjoying family at the beach, running along the beach, teaching yoga on the beach, and reading at the beach. Notice the theme? The ocean is important to her, and she is proud to call this beach community her home....
moreKirsten van der Bil
Kirsten is an experienced 500 hour yoga teacher. She focuses on moving from inner experience, rather than an imagined and often judged shape. The sensation of life force (prana) guides the flow of movement, intending to ground awareness into the body. She is also a 90 hour prenatal yoga teacher and a licensed massage therapist. Being in the classroom of yoga has been her greatest joy.
moreHolly Commesso
Holly has been a Pilates Instructor for 13 years and a Barre Instructor for 10 years. She has also been a Personal Trainer for the last 11 years and has taught and trained in several studios and health clubs over the Cape.
Holly has lived in Bourne for the last 25 years where she has raised 3 children. Her philosophy is everyone needs to live a balanced life, mind, body and soul.
Whether your a man or woman, Holly will work with you through core work, flexibility, and strength training to help you find your balance.
moreCarol Thompson
Carol has been in the fitness industry for almost 40 years mastering many techniques and disciplines. She has a passion for fitness and strives to improve lives through physical fitness.
Carol earned a Masters from Ohio State University in physical education and holds numerous certifications that enable her to personal train and teach group exercise classes including: weight training, core strength, senior fitness, zumba, water aerobics, spinning, and barre Carol owned and operated her own fitness studio in downtown Chicago where she ran the group exercise program for AT&T and provided Oprah with personal training.
All though Carol could teach a wide range of activities, she always wished to enhance her list with Yoga. After moving to the Cape and taking numerous Yoga classes, Carol began her yoga journey and dedicated herself to learning as much as possible of the blend of breath with movement and received her 200 hour yoga training in 2017 and has been...
moreKat LaBaire
Kat is a 200-hour Registered Yoga teacher on Cape Cod and has been practicing yoga for over 10 years. Kat loves to teach all-levels slow style vinyasa flow offering a serene sanctuary where students can cultivate harmony between body, mind, and spirit. By slowing down, students can access a state of deep presence, fostering a sense of inner calm and rejuvenation.
moreSara Hubbard
Sara Hubbard is a 500-Hour E-RYT with over 10 years of yoga teaching experience and practice. After a decade working in the insurance industry and experiencing corporate burnout, she resigned and followed her passion for holistic wellness to become a certified yoga teacher and health coach. Yoga inspires Sara to connect with her authentic self, be present, and honor the simple joys in life.
She teaches vinyasa flow classes that are inclusive, upbeat, and challenging. Her classes combine a dynamic sequence of postures, carefully curate playlist, and daily dose of inspiration that will guide you in and through the body.
moreIzzy O'Reilly
Izzy is from Wales, UK and is a passionate and experienced yoga instructor with a rich background in fitness and health. Now based on Cape Cod, she brings a dynamic approach to her classes. Blending her expertise as a personal trainer and certified health coach with a deep love for movement and wellness. With a Master's degree in Exercise and Health Science and over thirty years of experience, Izzy’s teaching is rooted in the belief that yoga is not just a physical practice but a powerful tool for personal transformation and empowerment.
Known for her energetic yet grounding style, Izzy’s classes are a creative blend of strength, flexibility and mindfulness, designed to challenge students and help them explore the edge of their comfort zones. Her sessions are infused with a sense of fun, inspiration and the occasional bit of humor, making every practice a journey of self-discovery.
When she’s not on the mat, Izzy enjoys horseback riding, exploring new places, and...
moreTiffany Persechini
Tiffany began practicing yoga following the birth of her first child. After years of reaping the physical and energetic benefits of yoga, she decided to share her love of the practice and its teachings with others. In 2017, she completed 200-hour teacher training with UPY. That year, she also earned her Level 1 Meditation Teacher certification. Tiffany is a former fourth-grade teacher who now lives full-time on Cape Cod where she enjoys the beach, walking in nature, golf and curling. She credits her yoga practice with allowing her to maintain her strength, stability, and flexibility as well as the mental clarity to enjoy her many hobbies. As a teacher, she aims to guide others to discover their inner strength, a sense of calm, and personal balance - both physical and energetic.
moreLeilani Sutterfield
Fitness has always been a central part of Leilani's life! From competing in gymnastics and soccer at a Junior National level to exploring yoga in places like Mexico, Africa, and Hawaii. After years of daily running and weightlifting, Leilani found her passion for yoga and earned her 200-hour certification. She has since expanded her expertise with certifications in cycling, personal training, Barre, and sports nutrition. Leilani loves helping others find enjoyable, sustainable ways to move and fuel their bodies. See you in class!
moreStephanie Burke
Stephanie Burke, a Cape Cod native and mother of three, holds a Bachelor's degree in Exercise Physiology from Southern Connecticut State University. With a career in health and wellness, she specializes in physical therapy, aqua therapy, and arthritis classes. Stephanie is a certified yoga and meditation teacher, dedicated to promoting holistic well-being. Beyond her professional life, she finds joy in beach moments with family, appreciates dining out, and embodies a commitment to health and happiness.
moreLauren Martin
Lauren has over 20 years of experience working as a fitness professional, trainer, yoga teacher and nutrition coach. She has been an athlete her entire life and has integrated yoga into all of her programs. She is an expert in foundational strength and incorporates this into her teaching. She is passionate about helping others achieve overall wellness and helps empower them through movement, health and finding themselves through their fitness journey. 200 hour yoga certified, NASM, CrossFit and precision nutrition-PN. Find Lauren on the schedule subbing!
moreKristin Bourdony
Kristin discovered yoga over 15 years ago while working in a corporate setting in Boston. She began taking lunchtime classes and before long, was practicing regularly and sneaking out of work early to catch her favorite instructors. It was at that point she felt how important yoga was, and the seeds were planted to teach it to others.
After years of dreaming of becoming a yoga instructor, she listened to her soul and completed a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) at Universal Power Yoga. This transformational experience lead her further to complete Meditation Teacher Training (MTT) at Soulspace Meditation. Forever a student of the practice, she is deeply grateful for the wisdom and loving kindness of her teachers. Kristin’s approach to yoga is to help others live more connected to themselves and the world. Her classes focus on vinyasa flow and connecting breath to movement to inspire you to live more awake and alive.
When she not on the mat, you may find her hiking in...
more"Best studio in the Norwood area."
Owner and instructors are welcoming, knowledgeable with great training backgrounds, and strive to build a great sense of community. Great variety of classes and workshops to keep you motivated and help take you to the next level, or just a great place to keep your practice going. Highly recommend.
-Chris B.