Instructors at EVOLVE Movement are thoughtful, mature, and inquisitive movers and teachers. Our instructors work together in a synergistic fashion that cultivates both mutual respect and innovation. We refine our technique through dedicated personal practice and continuing education. We cultivate superior quality and consistency in teaching by exploring the common threads of truth that lie in all forms of mind-body exercise.
EVOLVE Instructors
Alyssa Light
Alyssa’s passion for fitness and activity was born early, enjoying ballet, horseback riding and playing basketball throughout her childhood. Her dedication and commitment to basketball paid off when she earned an athletic scholarship to play at Campbell University. Following her graduation in 2001 she searched for an outlet to keep her competitive spirit stimulated and [...]
Beth Fath
Beth Fath was introduced to Pilates as a student at the American Dance Festival in 1991. A lifelong dancer, she welcomed this “new” modality to add to her training. She began studying locally and was later certified through Physicalmind in 1997, adding the Standing certification in 2010. In addition to Pilates certification, Beth has an [...]
Betsy “bb” Vohwinkel, RYT 200
Betsy “bb” Vohwinkel found yoga as a young, stay-at-home mom. In looking for a way to stay healthy and fit on a shoestring budget, she came across a VHS tape of Patricia Walden’s “Yoga for Beginners”. “At first I laughed and snorted and rolled my eyes at her instructions and demonstrations. But the savasana hooked [...]
Britney Powell
Brittney found yoga at a time in her life where nothing seemed to make sense. She stumbled into a class and found her home. One of her greatest joys as a teacher is being able to authentically connect to each person who walks into class and be able to give them the tools in order [...]
Candace Seidl, RYT 500
In 2004, Candace Seidl discovered yoga and the Namaste Yoga Center via a recommendation from her sister and a coupon. After her first class at Namaste, she was hooked. “Yoga touched my heart, my soul, and my love of movement. Once I started practicing, people instantly noticed a difference in my demeanor. They said things [...]
Carla Forte, RYT 200
Carla Forte started practicing yoga because it simply felt good to her body. Shortly after starting her practice, she became ill. Two weeks passed and she could hardly breathe or talk. Having exhausted tons of home remedies, she remembered how much heat she generated in her body and how good she felt after her practice. [...]
Carson Efird, Prana Flow Certified, E-RYT 500
Carson Efird began meandering down the yoga path when she was sixteen as a compliment to her modern dance training. While pursuing her BA in Dance and Theater at Bennington College, VT, Carson completed her 200-hour ISHTA Yoga Teacher Training with Alan Finger at Be Yoga, NYC as well as her initial Prenatal Yoga certification. [...]
Charlotte Holton
Charlotte Holton chose to become a Gyrotonic and Pilates instructor after years of practicing Pilates and yoga as a natural compliment to her work as a modern dancer. Originally from Winston-Salem, NC, Charlotte lived in New York and Chicago before returning to North Carolina. In both cities, she enjoyed working and studying with a wide [...]
Chelsea Jones, PMA-CPT
Chelsea Jones came to mind-body exercise and therapeutic movement as a child searching for peace, clarity and refuge. Moving her mind and body as one fueled her personal growth and continues to hone her deep sense of self. She found that her internal focus had the power to calm all waters; it became her source [...]
Colin Russell, RYT 200
Colin has always been an active person, from competing in athletics throughout his life, to receiving his certification as a personal trainer in 2002 (NSCA-CPT), to graduating with a Masters in Sports Management. A few years ago, Colin realized something was missing from his training routine. He thought to himself, “What is something I have [...]
Conni Sithes, RYT 500
Conni Sithes is an energizing Vinyasa Flow yoga teacher inspired by her personal connection with nature, holistic fitness and Prana Flow yoga created by Shiva Rea. In her playful, dynamic practice that is invigorating and grounding, Conni awakens a deeper awareness of core strength both physically and energetically. In 2008, she completed her 200-hour teacher [...]
Courtney Greer
Courtney Greer graduated from the UNC School of the Arts with a BFA in Contemporary Dance in 1994. While a student, she was required to incorporate pilates into her everyday training regimen. Pilates helped prevent a plethora of dance injuries by strengthening her body, balancing her overall anatomical structure and training her flexibility and endurance. [...]
Deborah Westmoreland
Deborah Westmoreland found Pilates and other body work like Feldenkrais therapy and yoga through a continued exploration into fitness and well-being. Being an athlete her entire life–dancing Vaganova ballet for 24 years, swimming, diving, and playing tennis competitively, being an avid runner and cyclist, and earning her brown belt in Karate at nineteen—there wasn’t a [...]
Denise Choy Stetten, RYT 200
Denise Stetten is a Pilates Instructor, Registered Yoga Teacher, Certified Relax & Renew® Restorative Yoga Teacher and TRX Instructor. She is humbled and inspired by the intelligence of the human body and its ability to adapt as life changes. Denise has been studying movement for over a decade and she is grateful for all the [...]
Emily Bass, RYT 200
Like many, Emily stumbled upon yoga at her local gym. She had always been active and interested in finding new ways to stay healthy, but when she discovered yoga, it all seemed to click into place. Yoga conjured the kind of joy she felt growing up as an avid dancer and music lover. In Chapel [...]
Erin Sonnier LMBT NC#4128
Erin Sonnier LMBT NC #4128 came to massage therapy naturally. At a very young age Erin remembers massaging the soreness from her Grand mom’s hands, which were stiff and inflamed from arthritis. It was always gratifying to be able to alleviate pain. After graduating high school Erin was in a car accident for which she [...]
Holli Keeler, RYT 200
It was love at first sight when Holli took her first yoga class 10 years ago in Chapel Hill as a student at UNC. As fate would have it, shortly thereafter, she suffered a series of health problems that culminated in needing total hip-replacement surgery at the age of 22. It was during these years, [...]
Jeffrey Golden, LMBT NC #2592
Jeff Golden’s very diversified background began in high school and college athletics, continued through his service in the United States Air Force and enriches him today through his study of Martial Arts, Pilates, and Massage and Body Therapy. Jeff began his martial arts training in 1996 at Kamiza (Apex, NC) where he studies Kantana under [...]
Jennifer Bluestone, RYT 200
Jennifer Bluestone grew up in continuous motion…swim-team, ballet, basketball; anything to keep moving. Jen was always exploring new fitness programs: step aerobics, kick boxing, etc. And then, Jen found yoga. A regular yoga student at her local gym, Jen’s interest grew. She began to practice Ashtanga and follow videos at home. When Jen’s mother became [...]
Jennifer Campbell, RYT 200
Jennifer obtained her 200 hour Vinyasa Flow Yoga Certification through Blue Lotus Yoga Studio in Raleigh. Through this program she had the pleasure of expanding her practice under the skilled guidance of Jill Sockman whose teachings both on the mat and outside the sacred space of the studio have helped her to tap in to [...]
Jesma Reynolds, PMA-CPT
As a North Carolina native Jesma has always led an active lifestyle. Having competed in triathlons, marathons and road races in in the past, she now enjoys hitting the streets and trails with her two energetic weimaraners. Looking to complement her endurance workouts, she explored Pilates as a way to get back in shape following [...]
Julee Snyder, LMBT, E-RYT 500
Julee first encountered the body arts as a musician when she was eighteen years old. Her teacher taught her meditation for focus and would put her into strange positions, like “child’s pose”, asking her to feel her breath. If only someone had told her she was beginning a lifelong quest. After flirtations in music, math [...]
Julie Smith
During her teens, Julie Smith broke and trained racehorses to compete as Hunter-Jumpers. She continued to ride through numerous falls and injuries which finally caught up with her as she began triathlon training as an adult. She found Pilates as an alternative to her cardio workouts, and discovered that it strengthened her weaknesses, increased stamina, [...]
Laura Bonin, RYT 200
Laura Bonin began keeping a journal of her yoga practice and staying after class to sketch postures and record insights. As she felt better in her body and spirit, yoga also seemed to create a clearer state of mind. With enthusiasm and a desire to learn more, Laura trained in 2009 at The Bhaktishop Yoga [...]
Libby Bradley
Libby Bradley started doing pilates in Los Angeles and completely fell in love with the method. After growing up a competitive gymnast for 10 years Libby was looking for something that would help heal old injuries while still feeding her love for challenging exercise.
Lila Rasa Brown, Anusara Certified, E-RYT 500
One of Lila’s great joys is to guide students into a space of true transformation, encouraging them to continually discover, honor, and gracefully reveal the deep potential that lies within through the brilliant practice of Yoga. Lila has practiced yoga and meditation for over thirteen years and had the great blessing of meeting John Friend, [...]
Liz Van Horn
Liz Van Horn began her yoga path at a gym while living in Miami working on her doctoral degree in clinical psychology. At first it was the physical asana practice that drew her to yoga but slowly she began to realize that she experienced more and more body acceptance and love. Several years later, while [...]
Liza Bergmann, RYT 200
Liza Bergmann tried yoga for the first time around 4 years ago. Like most people, she started practicing yoga for the physical benefits. But, she soon experienced how tremendous yoga can be in transforming oneself mentally as well. When she was working in the corporate world or dealing with various stressful situations, yoga increasingly helped [...]
Mary Kay Lemon, RYT 200
Mary Kay discovered yoga over a decade ago at the urging of her physical therapist to address a chronic neck injury. As a former ballet dancer and long-term runner, Mary Kay found yoga the perfect therapy for shoulder and neck tension, as well as a creative and healing way to build strength in her upper [...]
Mary Zucchino, E-RYT 200
As a registered nurse, Mary Zucchino was always interested in holistic healing. After initially finding yoga at a gym as an extension of her personal exercise program, she became certified as a yoga teacher, registered with the Yoga Alliance E-RYT 200 level. With 10 years of teaching experience, yoga has became a new way for [...]
Melinda Thomas Hansen
Since her first ballet class at the age of 3, Melinda has had a passion for physical movement as an expression of Spirit. She first discovered yoga at the age of 16. After injuring her knee and falling into a chronic illness, Melinda turned to yoga for physical and emotional exercise. When, in 2005, [...]
Melissa Campbell
As a child I have always been interested in physical activities and keeping myself in good condition. I was constantly participating in different sports and activities staying in constant motion. As a softball player, gymnast, cheerleader, dancer, runner , and even helping my grandfather on his farm in the mountains. I have always considered myself [...]
Melissa Kakavas, PMA-CPT
Melissa Kakavas is a native of North Carolina and former professional dancer. She found pilates in 1997 to rehabilitate a chronic hip injury. She began her training while dancing in New York with Susan Moran-Perich and Phoebe Higgins. Melissa went on to become certified to teach by Power Pilates, Inc. and The Physicalmind Institute in [...]
Miche Federico, RYT 200
Miche Frederico found yoga while living in Los Angeles, enjoying a fun-filled, carefree lifestyle, “not knowingly looking for anything to ‘wake me up’ or ‘rock my world’…when my friend brought me to a yoga class. Whoa…not at all what I expected! …in any way!!! Physically, it kicked my butt, mentally I was present and eager [...]
Michelle Corey, RYT 200
My first introduction to yoga was an Ashtanga Yoga workshop at the Y, back in 1998. I had been a fitness instructor for years; since 1987, teaching several types of classes, but this yoga workshop blew me away! I found a modality of movement, that wasn’t just movement, it was spiritual as well. I loved [...]
Mila Holy, RYT 200
Mila Holy originally started practicing yoga to help her heal from sports injuries. Once she came to understand all the benefits that came with regular practice, she decided to study more and share her knowledge with others. Mila was originally certified with YogaFit and later completed 230 hours training at the Asheville Yoga Center. She [...]
Nina Jonson
Nina Jonson was interested in a possible career alternative to teaching ballet. Nina fell in love with the mind/body control required for Pilates and how it complimented her ballet training. Although Nina ended up not giving up on her first love, ballet; she ended up adding another one. Nina was trained through PhysicalMind for Mat [...]
Rebecca Toms
Rebecca has a background in dance and yoga and has always enjoyed the more graceful side of fitness. She studied ballet as a child, then gradually shifted toward modern dance, spending a year in the NCSU dance company. As she got older, dance became too physically demanding and she transitioned again to yoga. After a [...]
Samara Bauer, RYT 200
Samura Bauer wanted to try yoga for years, but did not know where to start. She bought a yoga video and a mat several years ago, but did not feel a connection and put is aside. Six years later, she went to a yoga class at the gym…and that was it, she was “hooked”. Originally, [...]
Stacy Ingham
Stacy Ingham was a brand-new stay-at-home mom in a new city and was looking for a way to get out of the house a little more. She saw an ad at the local community center for a 6-week intro to “Power Yoga” and signed up. She loved it because the practice included strength, flexibility and [...]
Stacy Spooner, LMBT
Stacy Spooner’s, LMBT 3265, journey as a massage therapist began in 2000, while living as a military wife in Southern Pines, NC. Being a massage therapist for over 10 years has given her a deep love and understanding for all modalities of holistic healing and provided her an extremely diverse repertoire of healing techniques and [...]
Stella Wingfield
Stella Wingfield earned her Pilates Certification at Body Arts and Sciences International and has been teaching Pilates, Pilates Mat and Mat for Dancers in Los Angeles for several years. Born in Silver Spring, Maryland and raised in North Carolina, she began ballet lessons at the age of four. She continued to study ballet, tap and [...]
Susan Heart, PMA-CPT
Susan Heart, PMA-CPT, received her Pilates training in New York City and then pursued her Pilates teaching career in NYC and the surrounding Tri-State area. She has been very involved with the Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) since joining their Board of Directors in 2009. Susan Heart has an extensive background of dance, theatre and movement/exercise/Pilates [...]
Suzanne (Zan) Ballantyne, RYT 200
Suzanne (Zan) Ballantyne completed her 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training with Carson Efird at EVOLVE Movement in the spring of 2010. Her background is in Psychology, B.A. and Education, (Graduate work) and she is working on a Wellness Coaching Certification with Dr. Michael Arloski at Real Balance Global Wellness in Colorado. Originally from Montreal, Suzanne [...]
Tina Ventrella, BSN
Tina Ventrella, BSN began studying yoga during her second pregnancy as a way to offset physical restrictions placed during that challenging time period. These limitations allowed her to graciously welcome yoga into her life and open her heart immensely. Tina’s teaching reflects many years of study in Power Flow, Vinyasa and Anusara Yoga traditions, as [...]
Wendy Djang
Wendy Djang has been in love with all forms of movement her entire life. From the dancing she started as a young child, to the sports she enjoys watching, even her dogs running and performing agility. Her first experience teaching movement was a ballet class in the mid 80’s. Ballet and jazz technique grew into [...]
