Instructors

Kishie took her first step on the path of yoga at the age of 16, when her grandfather introduced her to meditation. The world of meditation gave Kishie the courage to embark on unconventional journeys, and instilled a sense of personal power and the understanding that each individual is blessed with the ability to create the life that they want. When she later experienced the physical practice of yoga, she was amazed at the magic of connecting a meditative mind to breath and body movement. The peace and spaciousness she experienced was similar to that created through meditation, and it had the added benefit of soothing her physical aches and pains.

Kishie became certified to teach at The Triad Yoga Institute in 2011, and earned her 500 hour certification in 2014. Kishie’s goal as an instructor is to connect to the inner light of each of her students, and to provide a space for growth and personal discovery. Through yoga, we can all learn to be a witness to our emotional, mental and physical habits. We can gain the power to make profound shifts, leading to a more peaceful, connected, joyful life.

Kishie offers gratitude to her instructor, Terry Brown, and to all who have been a part of her yoga adventure. She gives the deepest thanks to her loving husband and her three spirited children, who, each and every day, prove to be the sweetest blessing.

Susie finds true happiness in teaching yoga and guiding her students to connect with the brilliance and joy that lies within. She encourages a strong mind, body and spiritual connection. Susie was an elementary school teacher, and it was a natural transition for her to combine her love of teaching and her passion for yoga. Her first yoga teacher training was in 2006, and she then completed her 200-hour teacher training at The Triad Yoga Institute with Terry Brown in 2012. A forever student, Susie is currently working towards her 500 hour certification at The Triad Yoga Institute.

Susie finds benefit in all styles of yoga, but her personal favorite is a powerful, flowing vinyasa practice. She loves an intense class that is grounding, uplifting and challenging. Susie is passionate about helping others find the balance between a curious, playful spirit and a deep inner connection, which can provide peace in a chaotic world.

When Susie is not in the studio, she loves being with her husband and three children, listening to live music, and experiencing life with precious friends and family. She believes that each day is an opportunity to choose joy, practice gratitude and embrace the present moment. Each day is an opportunity to live a radiant, full life!

Jamie Forbes Mercadante began practicing Yoga close to ten years ago as another way to help her in the early part of her Recovery, along with finding a more natural way to help with her anxiety and stress. She would never have thought that Yoga was going to completely change every aspect of her life. Yoga has not only benefited her physically, but also mentally and spiritually. She has found her balance in life through Yoga and meditation. Her mat is where she goes to allow herself to embrace life’s challenges, is a guide to  connect to herself, and gives her the space to allow her mind to slow down to draw deeper inward. 

Jamie is originally from Newport News, VA, and resides in High Point, NC with her husband and children. Before Jamie’s journey to become a Yoga teacher, she had been in the healthcare profession. She now feels instead of taking care of patients in a hospital, that her purpose in life is to teach Yoga and give back to the community. She feels Yoga has combined the spiritual, mental, and physical aspects of her life so beautifully.

Jamie obtained her 200-hour RYT certification at MindBodyFitness Yoga in Greensboro, NC. Jamie’s favorite styles of Yoga to practice are Ashtanga and Vinyasa. She really enjoys teaching Vinyasa, Slow Flow, Yin, and Power Yoga.

 Over a decade ago, Jenna fell in love with yoga and the way it made her feel and she has been on the journey of self-love, healing, and growth ever since! Her love of yoga evolved again upon taking her very first in studio class at Radiance in 2017, where she learned the power of collective breath and energy. Jenna then became a kid’s and family yoga teacher and achieved her RYT 200 certificate in 2019 through K10 Yoga.

Jenna’s passion is to meet students exactly where they are and facilitate a practice of yoga that encourages each individual to tailor the practice to fit their unique needs. She takes a trauma sensitive approach to instruction and believes students should feel a sense of agency and power in their bodies and their practice. She teaches yoga through this lens of empowerment and believes yoga can be utilized in amazing ways to help people feel more connected through mindfulness, mind/body connection (asana), breath work (pranayama), and personal agency. Jenna wants to yoga to feel accessible to EVERYbody and her favorite style to teach is Vinyasa Flow.

Lois is the founder and owner of Sonda Yoga School, a registered yoga school with Yoga Alliance. She took her very first yoga class in 1999 and from that moment on fell in love with yoga. Since then she has studied extensively. Lois completed her first 200-hour teacher training in 2003, her first 500-hour Teacher training in 2014, and a second 500-hour training in 2015, and third 300-hour training in 2019. It’s safe to say she loves to be a student!

Lois teaches Ashtanga Vinyasa, Vinyasa, Yin, and Meditation. Her passion is teaching yoga and training students to become yoga teachers.

Lois moved to Greensboro last summer from the Raleigh area. When she’s not practicing or teaching yoga she’s spending time with her husband and three grown daughters. They love to vacation and cook family meals together.

Erin started practicing yoga over 6 years ago and admittedly only started because of the physical exercise and challenge it provided. Yoga has since become an ongoing journey to feel at home in her body, breath and spirit. A consistent practice helps her stay grounded and strong as the emotional and spiritual benefits are just as important as the physical benefits.

Her passion is for everyone, every time they step on their mats to feel at home in their own body, breath and spirit. She cultivates that focus and intention into her teaching by guiding her students through the asanas as well as moving them into a place of greater compassion through meditation. Each class is an opportunity to create a sequence tailored to the bodies present while also taking students to the edge of wherever they are in their practice. Every person can benefit from intentionally linking breath with movement.

Erin has been teaching yoga for five years and specializes in flow, alignment-oriented yoga, spiritually-oriented yoga, hot/heated yoga and therapeutic yoga. She earned her RYT-200 in 2019 through the Yoga Mindset School of Yoga Wellness. She is working on a 500-Hour teacher training program with Yoga Medicine to become a Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist and is currently gaining her RYT-300 credentials.

Heather’s interests lie in creating safe and sacred spaces for others to show up exactly as they are. To her, yoga is coming home to yourself; it is a personal practice of devotion resulting in a deeper connection to all created beings. 

Professionally, Heather is a RYT-200 yoga instructor, certified children’s yoga instructor, and has completed additional Yin-style teacher trainings. She enjoys structuring classes to go beyond the physical postures. Practitioners can expect the inclusion of pranayama, meditation, drumming, energy work, and yogic philosophy woven throughout her classes. 

Apart from yoga, Heather is a reiki master and a practicing herbalist. She enjoys gardening, reading, and spending time with her husband and daughter at their home in Stokesdale, NC. 

Brandi Thompson Scott is originally from High Point. She received a BA in Dance from UNCG, and has been teaching dance in Greensboro since 2001.  Brandi began practicing Yoga in 2015 and started teaching Yoga in 2018.

She just finished her 200hr YTT with Stream of Consciousness Yoga with Jamie Mercadante and Audrey Sheldon. Brandi lives in Greensboro with her husband, 3 children, and sweet labradoodle. I am so looking forward to being a part of the radiance staff.

Kristin (she/her) shares the power of yoga as a tool for embodied transformation. She believes that when we stay curious about movement, breath, and stillness, we can tap into an intuitive practice that grows and evolves with us for years to come. Following a nudge from a friend, she found yoga over 10 years ago while navigating waves of grief from a devastating loss. With the help of books and videos, she practiced in her living room and immediately fell in love with the flow of vinyasa. Moving with her breath felt like a dance that connected her to her body, quieted her thoughts, and reignited her childhood love of play.

Kristin is grateful for several teachers that have guided and supported her journey and found her true purpose when she became certified to teach in 2016. Humbly rooted in her ongoing studies and inspiration she derives from nature, she weaves diverse themes of tantra, astrology, and ayurvedic principles into her classes, which are creative for the mind, challenging for the body, and awakening for the soul.

Sarah Rose began practicing Hatha yoga in 2005 as part of her martial arts training, but her passion for yoga truly ignited when she started exploring the mind-body-spirit connection found beyond the strictly physical practice. Sarah Rose believes that yoga serves many purposes and loves to play with the duality of an energetic and a calming practice through asana and pranayama. Sarah Rose loves vinyasa classes, particularly open level flow and slow flow and has experience teaching yoga for kids. Sarah Rose’s favorite yoga partner is her toddler, Zeke, who is constantly on the mat with her at home. Off the mat, she adores her job as a 5th-grade science teacher.

In Sarah Rose’s classes, you will find thoughtful, creative flows, as well as deeper, more calming postures, always with a focus on the breath. Her intention is to meet you where you are in your own practice and work with you to grow your practice in a direction that is appropriate for you. You will leave Sarah Rose’s classes feeling strong, connected, and GOOD!

Lauren discovered yoga in college and found it to be a great tool for the connection of the mind, body, and soul. Upon graduating, Lauren dove deeper into the study of yoga, earned her RYT-200, and is honored to be an instructor and to share yoga’s gifts with others.

Radiance Yoga has given Lauren a beautiful place to bring two of her passions together–retail and yoga! Lauren has a strong background in retail, fashion, and entrepreneurship and is so happy to bring her strengths into managing our boutique and studio!

Celeste’s yoga journey began in 2007 as a quest to find stillness. What started out as a weekly practice evolved into a deep passion and a way of life. This path led her to workshops at the Yogaville Ashram, a retreat in Costa Rica, numerous workshops and finally a three week immersion teacher training at Asheville Yoga Center in May 2015. Her education continues with intensive training in Yin Yoga which is incorporated into her classes. Celeste’s classes combine breath and movement, music and stillness and poetry and laughter. When not in a yoga studio, Celeste can be found in the pottery studio or hiking with her husband and fabulous puppy, Guinness or volunteering in our local arts community.

Karen received her RYT 200 Hour in 2003 and her E-RYT 500 Hour in 2014 through Peachtree Yoga Center in Atlanta. With over 25 years of experience in wellness management and teaching; she holds a Personal Trainer, Senior Fitness Specialist, and Health Coach certifications through the American Council on Exercise. Karen has completed three intensive levels with Tias & Surya Little of Prajna Yoga in New Mexico and is continuing her studies locally and abroad. She recently completed the Christina Phipps Foundation Certification in offering cancer survivors the gift of yoga. Karen has an inclusive, light-hearted approach to her teaching. Holding space for students and encouraging them to explore their individual practices with curiosity, delight, and fascination one deep breath at a time. She is committed to the ancient practice that honors the guiding wisdom within each of us as a teacher and as a student. Karen spends her free time in nature by gardening, paddle boarding, hiking, and biking with her husband.