Instructor Biographies

Jessie L. - is from Las Vegas, Nevada. She fell in love with Ann Arbor at a young age when she attended University of Michigan's Debate Camp. Jessie is a graduate of the University of Michigan where she did her Bachelor's in Classical Art and Archaeology and Art History as well as the University of Cambridge where she received her Master's of Philosophy in Archaeology: Heritage and Museum Management. She is proud to own and operate a Yoga studio, where intangible heritage is a part of the daily landscape. She was a competitive dancer in her youth and found yoga after she left the world of dance. Jessie has been dedicated to a daily practice for the past nine years. She has envisaged the concept of aUM Yoga as a studio that she would have frequented during her time as a student. Jessie is an E-RYT 500 and is certified in Aerial Yoga, Pole Dance, Thai, and Sports Massage. She has taught over 15,000 hours of yoga in the greater Detroit Area, Las Vegas, New York, London, Beirut, and Zurich. She specializes in Ashtanga, Chair & Geriatric Yoga, Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, and Specialty Workshops (Arm Balances, Contortions, and Inversions). Jessie has been an ambassador for Lululemon, Lucy, and Lole. She seeks meaningful connections in order to create a strong community both internal and external to the aUM Yoga studio space.

Testimonial: "Strength, spirit, transformation and f$&k this is awesome are the thoughts and attitudes going through my head every time I take a class with Jessie Lipkowitz. Her instruction and flow are unlike any I have experienced in the 9+ years I’ve been practicing and I specifically make it a point to find Jessie’s class every time I’m within 50 miles from her studio. I love that she continues to travel the world to continue her training and that she passes on that knowledge onto her students. Thank you Jessie for being the embodiment of an amazing instructor." -Ming Chen Yogi, podcaster and cast member AMC’s “Comic Book Men"

Alex S.

is a junior studying Economics at the University of Michigan. She started yoga her freshman year when she joined Michigan Yoga Club and immediately fell in love with the practice and the community at aUM. She was amazed by the mental and physical strength that she found from yoga. A year later, she completed her teacher training. As someone who came to aUM as an unexperienced, new yogi, she hopes to present to others the same welcoming, positive, safe environment that first inspired her to take up the practice. 

Amanda T. 

E-RYT 200, has been a practitioner of yoga for over twenty years, drawing on various types of yoga such as Ashtanga, Hatha, Prenatal Yoga, Vinyasa, and Yin - depending on mood, ability, and season of life. In 2012, after more than a decade of working in women's health as a Certified Professional Midwife, she decided to pursue her dreams of becoming a yoga instructor. She became an RYT 200 through the non-profit studio, Yoga4Peace in Southgate, MI. Amanda sees yoga as the holistic practice of reconnecting the body, breath, mind, and emotions in a world that often takes us away from our true selves. She has taken immense pleasure in co-writing and co-teaching the aUM Demystify Yoga 200 Hour Teacher Training program with Jessie Lipkowitz. Life outside the studio includes being a mother to three wonderful children and wife to her best friend!

Amber S.

is a graduate of the University of Michigan with degrees in accounting and business. She has been practicing yoga for five years and became a certified yoga instructor in the fall of 2017. She feels that yoga has given her an outlet to manage the stresses of everyday life. Beyond this, she firmly believes that her passion for yoga has affected her entire being. Amber strives to show kindness to everyone that she comes into contact with and live a mindful, meaningful, and balanced life.

Carson C. 

has always been dedicated to fitness. Growing up he played competitive tennis and loved running. When he went to his first yoga class he was blown away and thought it was the hardest thing he had ever done. He has been back on his mat every day since - growing physically, mentally, and spiritually. Yoga is an amazing gift that he is so happy to have found and he can’t wait to share the gift of yoga with all those he comes in contact with, both on and off the mat. 

Casey D.

is a registered nurse and yoga teacher. His classes are grounded in both modern health sciences and energetics. Casey's relatable approach to teaching movement and wellness empowers students of all levels to take control of their health by tapping into their own authentic power and strength. He has trained with several highly regarded teachers in the disciplines of yoga, calisthenics, nursing, and Reiki in order to provide his students with the most holistic and effective experience possible. He believes everyone already holds the keys to their transformation, so his classes focus on creating a fun and welcoming container for students to experience their own amazing ability to reach their goals.

Chelsea F.

started teaching yoga in the Spring of 2018. She loves to try new things, think more deeply about alignment and philosophy, ask questions, and learn together! Her classes are generally flow based, with a focus on building breath and alignment principles, offering modifications to allow every student to reach their fullest expression. Come to her class to get a different perspective on the yoga basics, experience a slower flow class, or to challenge yourself with longer holding postures. When she's not teaching or practicing yoga, you can find her studying to become an elementary school teacher!

Chloe H.

is currently an admissions representative for the University of Michigan. She found aUM as an undergraduate and completed her teacher training in winter 2018. Chloe loves yoga because it makes her feel both confident and strong. She is passionate about giving students the opportunity to explore their own strength and hopes to bring a little kindness into everyone's day when she teaches.

Diana R. 

is trained to teach several styles of yoga including Vinyasa and Yin restorative. Diana began practicing yoga in college 25 years ago as a way to calm her busy mind. Her practice went through ebbs and flows during those early years while juggling a career in strategic marketing and being a mom. It was during a 45-minute silent meditation after her first child was born, that Diana’s relationship with yoga shifted. It was a mindful awakening— yoga became an inner refuge for her to find calm, connection, and strength. Diana holds a MBA in marketing and an undergraduate degree in Biopsychology and Cognitive Science. She is also a proud local Ann Arborite raising two amazing children alongside her husband.

Elizabeth W.

is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Michigan in Human Genetics and Biological Anthropology. As an upcoming scientist with a deep curiosity of how our genes, environment, and culture collectively shape the way our brains grow, think, and age, the practice of yoga was an appealing experiment for her to undertake. She perceives yoga as an applied science wherein the results of a strong mind-body connection to the improvement of health and biology are immense. She began her practice at aUM in her first year of graduate school, and instantly fell in-love. She completed her yoga teacher training at aUM in spring 2018. Yoga brings balance, calmness, and contentedness to all aspects of her life. She seeks to cultivate a welcoming, inclusive, and fun space in class to help others find inner strength, peace, and self-realization.

Gabby N. 

is a pre-med senior at the University of Michigan. She began practicing yoga four years ago and immediately joined Michigan Yoga Club and began attending aUM classes when she arrived on campus. Yoga has brought her an amazing balance between hard work and relaxation both in and outside the studio. She has found such an inspiring, welcoming, and fun loving community at aUM which she hopes to share with all of her students.

Hannah G.

is a senior at the University of Michigan. She discovered aUM Yoga her freshman year and soon found yoga as a way to improve both mental and physical health/strength. She became RYT certified in the winter of 2018. She hopes to continue to grow her practice and hold space for others in her class to relieve stress and sweat!

Hope G.

is a sophomore at the University of Michigan studying Earth and Environmental Sciences as well as Art and Design. She found yoga when her sister Tess (also an aUM instructor!) came home from UMich for the summer and dragged her to her first yoga class. She was instantly hooked, and has been consistently practicing ever since. Although she was initially drawn to the practice for the physical benefits, it quickly became much more than that. Practicing mindfulness paired with asana is what keeps her coming back to her mat every day, and is what inspired her to complete her teacher training at aUM in the winter of 2019. In her classes she hopes to offer a space for her students to be present and look inwardly, while also experiencing the power of the communal energy that aUM so strongly radiates. 

Jess S.

is originally from Gaithersburg, Maryland and moved to Ann Arbor to attend school at the University of Michigan in 2013. After graduating, she spent a year in New Orleans working as an adult literacy tutor as a corps member of a Jewish social justice organization. She is ecstatic to be back in Ann Arbor to pursue a Master’s degree at Michigan’s School of Social Work and to work at her all time favorite yoga studio. Jess found aUM as a freshman and instantaneously fell in love with the fun flows and the tight-knit community. Teaching has allowed her to expand her knowledge and deepen her love for the practice and she hopes that her classes can help do the same for others.

Jen M.

studies environmental sustainability and business as an undergraduate at the University of Michigan and has a deep passion for helping others find happiness through yoga and meditation. She discovered yoga six years ago and was immediately drawn to how clear and light she felt after flowing. As her practice grew stronger, yoga became a powerful tool for her to connect with her body in the present moment and let go of negative energy. Jen completed yoga teacher training in April of 2018 but continues to explore deeper levels of yogic philosophy, Ayurveda, and spirituality. Buddhism and spiritual connection to nature grew to be powerful influences on her teaching style during her four months living in Southeast Asia. Jen is excited to help others link breath to movement in order to cultivate mind-body connections that can heal, cleanse, and energize the soul.

Maggie D.

is a junior studying Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at the University of Michigan. She began her yoga practice well into her freshman year during a Michigan Yoga Club mass meeting. She instantly felt right at home doing MYC and spending time at aUM. She completed her teacher training through aUM in the winter of 2019. As someone who began yoga in search of a mental, spiritual, and physical release, she could not be more happy with what she found at aUM. aUM has provided her a fun, loving, beautiful community in the large environment of University of Michigan. She hopes everyone can find their niche through aUM.

Mike M. 

is a musician, writer, rec-league hockey player, and graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelors in Creative Writing. He also currently works as an Editor for a scientific research company in downtown Ann Arbor. Mike began his practice with Matt Hunter of Giant Steps Yoga in 2011 and completed his teacher training here at aUM in 2016. As a teacher and yogi, Mike believes in bringing laughter and playfulness to each practice as well as creating classes that are both physically challenging and emotionally engaging. Through yoga, he strives to help cultivate self-love, mindfulness, and non-attachment. He hopes with each practice to offer gratitude, promote healing, and to celebrate, as Jeff Magnum said, "how strange it is to be anything at all"!

Natalie B.

is a nurse at the University of Michigan. As a freshman, she discovered aUM through the Michigan Yoga Club. She immediately fell in love with her yoga practice and was inspired by the energy, creativity, and passion of the aUM Yoga community. After practicing for about two years, she completed her YTT in the Fall of 2017 at aUM. Through her practice, she strives to find the delicate balance of embodying liveliness and enthusiasm while also staying focused and grounded. She hopes to help her students find empowerment, mindfulness, and compassion on and off their mats!

Tess G.

is a senior at the University of Michigan. She stumbled upon aUM as an angsty freshman who had no desire to tailgate on Saturdays. Though she'd never practiced yoga before, she immediately fell in love with the community at the studio. A year and a half later, she completed her 200-hour YTT at aUM in April 2018. She hopes to remind her students that yoga is about more than twisting your body into a pretzel; it's a practice of self-discovery, and she does everything she can to make sure her classes reflect that.