Kelly Cowden
A Native Nashvillian, Kelly began her journey into Yoga in 2013 in Denver. She was immediately hooked and after 2 years of a devoted practice, Kelly completed her 200 hour Power Yoga training at CorePower Yoga. Kelly moved back to Tennessee in July 2015 and jumped into teaching within the month, continually excited to share her passion for yoga throughout the Nashville community. She then went on to complete her 300 Hour Yoga Teacher training at Asheville Yoga Center and has over 1,000 hours of teaching experience since becoming a 500 Hour Registered Yoga Teacher. Kelly lives in Gallatin with her husband Weston, son Hoyt, German Shepherd Leo and sweet kitty Luma. She loves music, traveling and spending time with family and friends.
Weston Cowden
Weston, a Native of Hendersonville, began his yoga practice in 2015 in Denver and immediately noticed the benefits, both physically and mentally. After developing a committed practice, Weston’s focus became more centered on breath and stillness within the mind. He completed his Baptiste style teacher training with Shakti Power Yoga in the Spring of 2018. Weston enjoys traveling, hiking and live music.
Amanda Pederson
Amanda originally began taking yoga as a way to stretch after workouts. She began to recognize far broader benefits and started teaching yoga in 2011 in her hometown of Knoxville, TN. Amanda is an RYT-200 certified yoga instructor as well as a BodyPump and cycle instructor. In her free time, Amanda loves spending time on the lake with her family, working puzzles, going to concerts and traveling. She lives in Hendersonville with husband Scott, children Taylor and Madeline, and their golden retriever, Bonkers.
Deanna Wantz
Deanna’s yoga journey began while recovering from a severe knee injury in 2009. As a former dancer, she found comfort in the grace and beauty of the movement and realized it was a great workout, too. After moving to Hendersonville from Oklahoma, she decided to sign up for 200-hour teacher training to deepen her personal practice and meet some new friends. During her training, Deanna fell in love with teaching yoga and helping people connect with their body. Deanna also enjoys vintage swing dancing, musical theatre, spending time outdoors, and cooking. She has been teaching yoga since 2016 and lives in Hendersonville with her kitten, Bella.
Melody Cothern
Melody, a Nashville native, began her yoga practice in 2018. She immediately felt the mental and physical benefits. She then wanted to deepen her knowledge of yoga beyond just taking class, and jumped at the opportunity to earn her 200 Hour Teacher Training through Santosha Yoga School. Melody is a registered dental assistant and lives in Hendersonville with her husband, Daniel and their two children, Jackson and Halle. She enjoys music, comedy, nature and being with her family.
Dawn Barbutes
Dawn’s practice began as a doctor recommendation for a low impact workout, and a workout was all she thought it would be. She quickly noticed a change in her mental state and found she was genuinely nicer to people. These changes led her to deepen her practice and enroll in Teacher Training in 2016. She lives in Hendersonville with her husband, Michael and dog, Atlas.
Reggie Ford
Reggie was introduced to yoga in 2016 by Hot Yoga of East Nashville after experiencing nagging aches from his days of playing college football at Vanderbilt University. Initially attracted to the benefits of the physical practice, Reggie quickly began seeing the deeper positive effects from a spiritual, emotional and mental perspective. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Reggie completed his 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training through Baptiste Power Yoga Nashville in conjunction with Small World Yoga. Reggie, a Nashville native, is the founder and president of RoseCrete Wealth Management and author of Perseverance Through Severe Dysfunction (PTSD): Breaking the Curse of Intergenerational Trauma as a Black Man in America. He enjoys reading, traveling, cooking and spending time with his family. Reggie lives in Nashville with his wife, Katie, and dog, Rosie.
Kimberly Hart
Kimberly, a Midwest transplant, moved to the Nashville area in 1992 and began taking yoga off and on in 2009 as a way to rest and recover from long hours of triathlon training. She immediately appreciated the increased strength and flexibility that came with the practice of yoga, not to mention the stress reduction and inner calm that followed her out the studio door and lasted long after the class was over. The breath and movement of Yoga provided strength to persevere during several challenging years. Jumping at the chance to attend and complete the first 200 hour YTT at Santosha provided an outlet and opportunity to deepen her own practice, and the ability to share her love of yoga with others. Kimberly wants her students to know that the practice of yoga is a gift you give to yourself! When not on the yoga mat, Kimberly loves anything to do with being outside. She loves to spend time with the 3 wonderful “men” in her life: two Labrador’s and a human!
Sara Neal
Sara began her yoga practice in 2014 as a way to maintain health after pregnancy. She immediately loved yoga since she didn’t have to wear socks and shoes, but quickly found the physical and mental health benefits that come with the practice. After an off and on again practice, she realized how important yoga was to her well being. In 2021, she decided to fully commit to her practice and began her 200 Hour Teacher Training at Santosha Yoga School. She is excited to bring yoga to others and hopes to help them discover all the peace that comes along with the practice. She believes yoga is for everyone and loves teaching kids and adults. Outside of yoga, Sara is a pediatric nurse for Vanderbilt. She lives in Hendersonville with her husband, 3 kids, and 2 schnauzers. She loves music and being active in nature.
Phoebe Tilly
Phoebe moved to Nashville in 2018 to pursue her music career. After months of struggling with anxious breakdowns, a friend convinced her to try a yoga class. Her first class was led by Santosha’s very own Kelly Cowden and from then on, yoga took her on a journey physically, mentally, and spiritually, transforming her perspective from the inside out. Phoebe became a 200hr RYT through Santosha Yoga School and hopes to inspire a holistic path of healing through yoga and music. Yoga has formed the intention of her path, not only as a music artist, but as a daughter, sister, friend, and all the other paths of life. Phoebe lives in Hendersonville pursuing yoga and music side by side.
Jill Poston
Jill was born in North Carolina, but moved around a lot while growing up. In 2009, she settled down in Nashville, TN after graduating college at MTSU. It was about that time that she began her yoga journey, not fully realizing the impact it would have on my life. She completed her 200 hour yoga teacher training with Kali Yuga Yoga in Nashville, TN in 2017. Jill hopes to share with others her passion for yoga and all of the amazing benefits she has gained from it. Yoga continues to positively transform her life; it always feels like home when she steps onto her yoga mat. Outside of yoga, Jill works for a small tech-company as a Director of Account Management. She loves music, traveling, summer time and being out on the water. Jill lives in Hendersonville, TN with her fiance, Justin and her soon-to-be step-daughter, Millie!
Leighann Ness
Leighann, a Hendersonville native, began her yoga practice in 2018 at Santosha Yoga at the insistence of a dear friend and agreed to try it as a method to cross train for running. She quickly saw improvements in her strength, experienced less aches and pains, and noticed the stress-reducing benefits of yoga. In 2021, she began her 200-hour teacher training through Santosha Yoga School, only intending to deepen her own practice and to integrate yogic principles more fully into her life, but found a passion for teaching others in the process. Off the mat, Leighann is a mother of two beautiful kids, a healthcare attorney, and likes all kinds of outdoor activities.