Meet the JIY TRIBE!
Tymi Howard Bender
Tymi Howard Bender is an internationally known Yoga Alliance 500 E-RYT yoga teacher. She is a Certified Holistic
Health Coach, creator of Manifest Yoga International Teacher Trainings, founder of Guruv Yoga Studios and currently
owns and operates James Island Yoga in Charleston, South Carolina. Tymi helped pioneer the vinyasa and yin yoga
movement throughout the world. She believes that yoga is not a separate practice, but a life’s journey. It begins with the spirit and does not end with rolling up the mat. Yoga is a way of life; not just an exercise. Teaching the science and art of yoga is her passion. Her approach to teaching yoga is by bringing people closer to this “yoga is a lifestyle” philosophy and using it to achieve their life goals. In typical Tymi fashion, she took injuries from her days as a ballet dancer and turned to yoga in 1993, finding both physical and spiritual comfort in its adoption. Receiving her BA in Theatre and Dance from Rollins College and Masters Degree from NYU/ Circle in the Square, and yoga trainings with some of the renowned yogis of the world—John Friend, Dharma Mittra, David Swenson, Steve Ross, Jonny Kest, Barron Baptiste, Shiva Rea, David Life, Sharron Gannon, and others—Tymi has developed a unique approach to teaching that finds its roots in a devotion to God, Service and Yoga.
Kateryna Panasovska
Kateryna Panasovska is a dedicated yogi with over 500hr of teacher trainings under her belt. She took her first 200hrs in India at the Ayur-Yoga Eco Ashram in 2018 and went on to complete a 300hr training with Tymi Howard in Bali in 2019. In 2020 she completed a 50hr Aerial Yoga training and has been soaring through the air ever since. In 2021 she completed 85hrs Pre&Postnatal yoga teacher training with Baby Yoga&Massage with Katy Appleton. She’s a world traveler and an excellent chef. She’s not just multi-talented, she is multi-lingual. She speaks Ukrainian, Russian, English, German and a little Chinese.
Polly Savoie Christy
Polly Savoie Christy 800 Hour Advanced Certified Jivamukti Teacher and Master of Acupuncture.
Practicing meditation since visiting a Theravada Buddhist monastery in Kyoto, Japan at the age of 12, practicing yoga
since 1994 while living on the beach in Mexico and teaching Yoga since 2007 where she trained in New York.
Polly has a deep Sadhana or conscious spiritual practice.
She is a massage therapist since 1994 and has a Master’s Degree in Acupuncture since 1999. Robert Duggan, her
acupuncture mentor, taught her that vulnerability is her greatest strength.
Polly wears her heart on her sleeve and will help you connect to your own heart and the courage within it. Polly has
been a lead teacher of Yoga Philosophy, and Sanskrit in numerous teacher trainings, Polly studied dharma under world peace leader and Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh who blessed her with the 5 Mindfulness Trainings which are based on the precepts developed during the time of the Buddha.
Polly studied 800+hours of Yoga Training with Internationally renowned Jivamukti Yoga Teachers: Sharon Gannon
and David Life.
Polly deepened her original Sanskrit training with Manorma, Ruth Lauer Manenti and lovely mentor, Andrea Boyd,
which led her to further study of Sanskrit with Dr. M.A. Jayashree. Polly has led healing retreats including yoga, meditation, deep spiritual awakening and surfing to Bali since 2011. In Bali she studied under Balianes healer Jakorde Rei who was spiritual healer to the King of Ubud.
She has been blessed with incredible teachers and remains humble, kind and slightly radical effortlessly blending
ancient wisdom, well thought out asana sequencing, alignment cues and hands on adjustments that assist each and
every student to transform and evolve!
Scott Temples
After having been involved in a lifetime of fitness, playing competitive tennis in college and competing in triathlons for 18 years, Scott began practicing yoga seeking more balance in his life both physically and energetically. Scott comleted his 200 hr RYT Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training in St. Petersburg, FL and 300 hr RYT Vinyasa and Yin Yoga Teacher Training with Tymi Howard Manifest Yoga while traveling around the world assisting at teacher trainings, workshops and yoga festivals. In addition, he has completed numerous other trainings and certifications.
Scott teaches both Vinyasa Flow, Yin, Nidra and Myofascial Release ensuring that the student experience is fun and accessible, regardless of age or fitness level. His classes are fun, energetic and said to be gently challenging.
Scott spends his winters in St. Petersburg, FL and summers in Beech Mountain, NC. He enjoys spending time outdoors paddling, biking, running, hiking and skiing as well as traveling and spending time with his family, friends and his dog Colby. Scott attended Appalachian State University and Florida State University.
Candace Blair
My name is Candace Blair, and I returned home to America in 2017 after working 20 years as a finance executive on
trading floors in Zurich & London. It is a great honour and true pleasure to now focus my full-time energies on sharing the transformative power of Kundalini Yoga & Meditation, Sound Healing, Shamanic Reiki, and Sacred Cacao
Ceremonies. These practices have altered the course of my life, helping me to find my purpose & my passion. They
have opened my heart to more love, an elevated mind, body & spirit and raised my conscious awareness. I look
forward to sharing these inspiring healing modalities that I have allowed to transform my life with like-minded people like you!
As for my credentials, I am KRI Kundalini Yoga certified by Karam Kriya in England/Portugal, I trained as a
“Cacaoista” with Rebekah Shaman in Ibiza, Spain & London, and then furthered my Shamanic studies with Mally Paquette, a modern medicine woman from Awakenings in Sedona. I am level 1&2 certified in Shamanic Reiki and a
trained sound healer using ancient gongs & crystal singing bowls. I am trained in the “Alchemy of Becoming”
methodology, helping clients to raise their level of consciousness by releasing trapped emotions from the body, the
aura, & the energetic systems.
My business, Soul Fire Social, is a platform to share these ancient techniques and offer opportunities for us to join
together in practice and as a community. By increasing our awareness, improving our physical & emotional health,
and living more consciously, we can improve the quality of our own lives and those around us. Together, we can help
raise the vibration across this beautiful planet and be a positive part of the ongoing dimensional transition.
Erin Harrington
Erin is passionate about movement, nutrition and sleep to preserve our cognition and mobility/LONGEVITY…More yoga, more breath!
Erin is a Certified Functional Medicine Health Coach, Integrative Nutritionalist, Functional Nutrition Alliance Counselor, Level 2 Primal Health Coach, ERYT 500 Hour Yoga Teacher with 20+ years experience, Desire Map Facilitator and Mother of 3 adult children!
Tony Beard
Stacy Peth
Stacy is a grateful mama, wife and yoga teacher living in Charleston, SC. Teaching yoga since 2009, her classes are purposeful, grounded and creative; with a bit of sweetness and humor woven in. To Stacy, yoga is a soul practice, an exploration of what it means to be human.
Originally from New Jersey, she made her way to beautiful Charleston, SC. A dancer and Pilates instructor, she graduated with a BA in Psychology from Goucher College in Maryland.Stacy received her Interdisciplinary 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training through Nosara Yoga Institute in Costa Rica, her Advanced 300 Hour Teacher Training through Asheville Yoga Center and her children’s yoga training through Grounded Kids. She studied mindfulness with Mindful Schools and continues to educate herself through a variety of other specialized trainings*.
Stacy now resides with her sweet husband and magical little girl in Riverland Terrace on James Island. She LOVES being a mama, and enjoys cooking, reading, dancing, the beach, the mountains, music, movies, travel and time with family and friends.
*Additional Trainings include but not limited to: Asana Unlocked; Flow and Yin Intensive; Meditation and Yoga, Pre/Post Natal Yoga; Prison Yoga Project; Yin Yoga Immersion; Yoga and Anatomy; Yoga and Ayurveda; Yoga and Therapeutics; Yoga for Self-Regulation and Trauma; Yoga, Meditation and Neuroscience
Danielle Giovannone
Danielle Giovannone is a health and fitness enthusiast who has trained in all kinds of sports, martial arts, dance and yoga. Danielle is a 200 Hour RYT, who has also trained in Yin Yoga, completed her Advanced Level 4 Jeet Kune Do training, and has Filipino Arnis knife and stick fighting under her belt.
When Danielle is not practicing and teaching yoga, you can find her watching the New England Patriots play football, relaxing with a good book and a glass of wine, and curled up with her Maine Coon, Saja. Not to mention she bakes a mean cookie!
Students who attend her classes can expect mindful movement with grace, intuition and power that will challenge their mind, body and soul. Every class is uniquely and artistically sequenced to fun playlists.
Jennifer Gibson
Jennifer Gibson has been practicing yoga for over 15 years and is currently working towards her 500-hour certification. She is the mother of three amazing children and a successful loan officer. Her light hearted, playful teaching style gives students permission to feel comfortable as they flow. Her sequencing is intentional, purposeful and fun; yet challenges both the body and the mind. Jen is skilled in both Vinyasa and Yin Yoga practices and teachings, and is able to gracefully hold space for all levels of students.
J. Steven Willard
J. Steven has been teaching yoga, movement and meditation for 15+ years. His classes have a user friendly, “do what you can” approach. Expect a playful, challenging (if you want) atmosphere in his classes. J. Steven also hosts a podcast; There Once Was A Yogi.
Kat Hendrix
Kat has taught yoga for over 17 years using a unique style that builds strength and flexibility by focusing on alignment and slow flowing movement. An anatomy expert, Kat explains the intersection where your anatomy meets your yoga practice to help you tailor your practice to fit your own body and goals. Students at every level learn new tips and tricks to move forward to a healthier body and more peaceful state of mind. You can find a lot of her knowledge and guidance in her book, The Yoga Mechanic: How to Tune Up or Jump Start Your Yoga Practice, (2022, available at: yoga-mechanic.com).
Jessica Maria
Jessica has been saturated in the Charleston fitness and wellness community for over 20 years, the last 10 years she spent as a private personal strength and holistic fitness coach specializing in functional strength, mobility, and utilizing the intelligence of the fascial slings.
Jessica believes in coaching people to their highest selves and encourages her clients to become stronger than any obstacle and stronger than the status quo of life.
Pulling from certifications in power vinyasa yoga, yin yoga, strong first kettlebells, functional movement systems, functional capacity systems, womens postpartum corrective exercise, hypo-pressives low pressure fitness, and Animal Flow! Jessica’s classes contain a little bit of everything and are aimed to open, activate, and turn your body on!
