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. 

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.

Catie K. 

is an undergraduate studying Industrial and Operations Engineering at U of M. She also works for the university as Tour Guide President for the admissions office. She started consistently practicing yoga her freshman year. She figure skated for 7 years before retiring upon starting college and was in search of a new fitness activity. She and her sister signed up for a class at aUM on a whim and continued going ever since! She loves not only the physical benefits of yoga, but the emotional and spiritual as well! The energy of the instructors at aUM inspired her to complete her teacher training in the Spring of 2020. She hopes to create a space where people can escape to their mats and focus on having fun during their practice whether they’re a beginner or a life long practitioner. 

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!

Devyn C. 

is a first year medical student at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She began practicing yoga as a fitness outlet during high school and over the years it has morphed into so much more! Her practice has helped her grow stronger and more flexible as well as become fearless both on and off the mat. In Spring 2020, she completed her 200 hour teacher training through aUM Yoga. She is excited and truly honored to share the love, energy, and passion she has for yoga with a full understanding that everyone practices yoga for unique reasons. Her hope is that students will step off of their mat feeling energized, refreshed, and balanced. 

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.

Gabby N. 

is a 2020 University of Michigan’s School of Public Health graduate. She is now pursuing an MPH in Global Epidemiology from Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health. Gabby has been practicing yoga for five years and teaching for aUM for the past three. When arriving on campus in 2016, she immediately joined Michigan Yoga Club and from there, served as club president. Yoga has brought an incredible sense of balance, calmness, and comfortability to her life both on and off the mat. Gabby has found an inspiriting, welcoming, creative, and fun-loving community at aUM unlike anywhere else. Through teaching, Gabby hopes to build and cultivate love and positivity with all of her students so they too can feel that aUM is a home away from home.

Hannah G.

is a proud 2020 University of Michigan graduate where she studied psychology and business. She began practicing yoga in high school for a relief from her sports schedule. Yoga allowed her the time and space to focus on both mental and physical strength and health. She completed her RYT 200 yoga training in the Winter of 2018 at aUM and has taught at aUM ever since. This past year, in addition for teaching for aUM, she has been teaching Slow Flow outside on the beach. She hopes to create an environment in her classes for others to find happiness and light on their mat and create a sense of community with every yogi she practices with.

Helena N.

is an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan studying Earth & Environmental Sciences. She has always had a passion for yoga growing up as her mother was an instructor, but she never fully committed to her own practice until she took her first class at aUM and joined Michigan Yoga Club her freshman year. Since then, yoga and the community it brought her to her has not only given her an escape from the stresses of college, but also given her a family and atmosphere that brings her immense peace and joy. She strived to share this feeling with other practitioners, which is what led her to complete teacher training in the spring of 2020. Through her teaching, Helena hopes to have her students leave their mats with the same feeling of confidence and love in themselves that she has felt since becoming an aUM practitioner. 

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. 

Jen F. 

 graduated from the University of Michigan in 2019 (BA Psychology) and has since received her M.Ed. from the University of Texas at Austin, studying Autism and Developmental Disabilities. She fell in love with yoga since she started practicing at aUM her Freshman year at Michigan, and has been practicing ever since! She finished her RYT 200 with aUM in June of 2020 and has found a passion in teaching Vinyāsa and delving into the creative ways different postures can flow together to make sequences interesting, as well as the way yoga can create a connection between physical movement and mindfulness. Jen hopes to create a positive, welcoming, and open environment for all students on and off the mat! 

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.

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"!