Meet The Jiva Team

Jean is the founder/director of the Jiva Yoga Center. She began her yoga journey in 2000. Jean believes that the practice of yoga is a transformative journey that is available to everybody. Her classes are infused with inspiration, power and joy, asking you to show up and be your best. She received her 200 hour yoga training from the Peachtree Yoga Center in Atlanta, GA, and has studied extensively with Tias Little, Doug Keller, Sean Tebor and has completed Level 1 & 2 training with Baron Baptiste. Jean has also been a Licensed Massage Therapist and Thai Yoga Therapist for 15 years. Her Massage Therapy training was through the International Professional School of Bodywork (IPSB) in San Diego, CA.

Vicki Rickard RYT-500 is an Advanced Certified Vinyasa Yoga Teacher, who first discovered yoga in 2001 after leaving the corporate world in search of reconnecting with family, friends and community. Vicki completed a 200 hour Yoga Alliance Teacher Training Program at the Holy Cow Yoga Center in Charleston, SC and completed her studies at the Asheville Yoga Center in Asheville, NC. She enjoys teaching from the heart, with great attention on body alignment, mindfulness and using the breath to go beyond the physical posture. Vicki has been inspired by many great teachers over the years, but her greatest inspiration comes from the teachings of her mother and father. Influenced also by her 13 years experience as a Corporate Trainer and Outdoor Experiential Leader, Vicki guides and supports you to explore the practice with strength, courage and joy. Vicki is the founder of the Hip Yoga TV Show, has introduced a series of DVD Home Yoga Practices to accommodate all levels and leads a 200 Hour Yoga Alliance Teacher Training Program.

I began my journey of yoga in 2001 while training in the martial arts. In 2005 I received a 200hour Teaching Certificate from Holy Cow Yoga Center in Charleston, SC. However, I found my true love of yoga in the Jivamukti Yoga Method. In May 2009 I received my 300hour Teaching Certificate in this method. Classes are infused with a strong physical practice with a sprinkle of spirituality and a dash of philosophy, a perfect mix for a complete mind-body-spirit experience. The benefits of this practice are all encompassing & something you can incorporate off the matt and into your life. I humbly bow to my beloved teachers, Sharon Gannon and David Life, words cannot express my gratitude. To Jeffrey Cohen for "speaking my language" and Andrea Boyd for your beauty, wisdom, grace and devotion. Lady Ruth Lauer-Manenti, you opened my heart & changed my life. My 2 children, you have been my greatest teachers and my husband, who supports me in all that I do.

Studio V owner, Karen Verechia is a certified and registered yoga alliance instructor through the Asheville Yoga Center. Originally from New Jersey, Karen has lived on Hilton Head Island for 23 years. Known for her passionate and inspirational style of teaching, she blends the vigorous hatha flow with concise alignment and provides individualized attention with specific exercise modifications. Continuing her education this past year in Costa Rica, she attended a Thai Yoga Certification Retreat. Karen also teaches a college course in yoga at USCB and enjoys sharing the yoga experience with her university students. Integrating her love of the outdoors with teaching yoga classes, she now has classes on the beach, by the lagoons and in the parks both on and off this lovely island. Karen brings an athletic background, an artistic spirit and a desire to balance effort with ease on and off the yoga mat. Karen is certified to instruct group and private sessions in all forms of yoga - power, vinyasa flow, gentle, hot, beginner's, prenatal and teen. She teaches with love, laughter and acceptance, emphasizing breath, alignment and body awareness. Karen's teaching style is fun, laid-back and challenging, yet accessible to all.

Pamela is Kripalu trained and has been teaching since 2004. Pamela specializes in a gentle approach with a focus on a breath practice that is applied in class and incorporated in daily life. Each class is dedicated to achieving a balance between body, mind, and breath. Pamela's yoga journey began over 15 years ago in Michigan and continued through her various travels in the United States. She feels this has added a dynamic dimension to her practice and teaching approach. Pamela has attended numerous workshops with Stephanie Keach, Max Strom and Susannah Mele. She invites each student to experience a gentle and instructive approach to yoga and welcomes all levels on her continuing journey.

Vanessa Pedersen, a native Brazilian, has been practicing yoga in the USA for over the past 4 years. Motivated by her parents who have always used pranayama as a part of their daily routine; Vanessa studied yoga philosophy and incorporated it into her life.As a believer of following the heart, she moved from Brazil to HHI and switched from a business career to one in Massage Therapy and Yoga. She came with a dance background and an enthusiasm to express Love, Peace and Joy through the body. Her approach as a teacher focuses on alignment and the foundation of postures. Vanessa brings to the classroom a feeling of security for the ones that are not familiar with the practice and a sense of awareness within, for those ready to go a step further. As a result of her experience in Massage Therapy, she has realized the yogic balance between softening into a state of stillness and rhythmically flowing from one movement to another. Her knowledge of anatomy and physiology guides students to explore poses in a secure way using loving adjustments. Vanessa’s sense of humor gives her students a playful, light experience on the mat! "As a spiritual being, I am developing myself in order to neutralize my ego and see each brother as an equal that needs to be loved. I am working on staying present in each moment by serving and being aligned with my real purpose in life"

Also known as the "Wandering Yogi"! Marty can be found teaching and performing massage all over the Lowcountry. Previous owner of the Beaufort Yoga Center, Marty has decided to spread his yoga wings again on Hilton Head. Teaching on the Island since 2000, Marty started his training and practice in the Ashtanga discipline. Expect a flowing class with lots of hands on adjustments and plenty of laughs. He bows down to his teachers; David Williams, Dadaatmacetanananda, and Sandra Spyker ( MOM ) for there continued inspiration.

Kaitlen Jane Groetzinger is originally from San Fransisco, Ca; she has lived on Hilton Head Island for 18 years. While in high school she became very involved in Martial Arts. She worked her way up and was honored to continue her training in Australia and China with a renowned Chinese doctor and Kung Fu practitioner- Dr. William Chueng. In addition to her martial arts experience, Kaitlen is a certified Pilates Instructor and a certified Yoga Therapist. Kaitlen has worked with people one on one and taught group classes full time for ten years. She has had great success in pain management, postural improvements, surgery prevention, and sports conditioning. In her free time she enjoys golf, tennis, cooking, rollerblading, bellydancing and the beach.

Bonnie has passion for yoga and has been practicing for 8 years. Coming from a stressful background on Wall Street, yoga has helped her relax and stay healthy. Wanting to share this practice with others, Bonnie received her 200 hour certification from Holy Cow Yoga in Charleston. Bonnie teaches beginners with an emphasis on breath, alignment and relaxation. She also works with special needs groups, seniors and is available for private and small group practice.

Wendy has been practicing yoga since 1999, starting with a lunch-time Kundalini yoga class in the conference room of the non-profit organization where she worked after graduate school in Pittsburgh. Since then Wendy has been a believer in the power of yoga to create positive change. In 2009, Wendy completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training certification program with Savannah Yoga Center, a Yoga Alliance Registered School. Wendy’s teaching is strongly influenced by the Kundalini style, blended with other Hatha yoga practices. Wendy creates classes that are challenging and uplifting, accessible and beneficial to students of all levels.

Jana has been teaching yoga on the island for 4 years now. She is certified through American Fitness Professionals Association, and is currently undergoing teacher training with Vicki Rickard of HIP yoga. Jana teaches a vinyasa flow class entwined with various techniques she has learned from her 9 years of practice. She loves to incorporate her passion for massage therapy by offering unique hands on adjustments. Jana believes yoga is the fountain of youth and challenges her students with a full body work out experience in order to tap into the vital prana pulsing through us all. She invites each student to explore their body in order to get in touch with the 'inner self' to unite the mind, body, and soul.

Becca received her 200-hour teacher certification in Ashtanga Yoga from Gaea Yoga in Charleston, SC. She has studied several modalities such as Yin, Anusara, Bikram, Iyengar, Partner and Restorative Yoga. Inasmuch, she traveled to India to learn more about the ancient traditions and vibrant culture of the country, as well as study Integral Yoga. Becca incorporates her extensive yoga background to develop a comprehensive yoga program to best benefit the yogi and develop his or her personal practice - ultimately helping others "become the 'be' they want to achieve." Becca is the founder and Creative Director for beYOGA, a private one-on-one yoga studio offering instruction in both Charleston and Hilton Head Island. Becca is available for private yoga sessions.

Ken has been working in the business world for the last 25 years helping other business to grow. Recently he has decided to partner with his wife Jean, at Jiva Yoga Center to help manage and grow her Yoga business.  Ken has been practicing   Yoga on a Surf Board since 1986 and has recently come to his Yoga mat to deepen his practice. He has been accepted into the MBody Yoga Teacher Certification Program ("TCP") beginning: June 18, 2010 . Ken is excited to be under the guidance of Mark White, a Senior Instructor of Baron Baptiste, founder of the Baptiste Power Yoga Institute.

Greg has been studying and practicing transformation through meditative breathing since 1992.  He came to be so moved by the inner and outer unfolding worlds, that he left his career as an attorney to share with others the unlimited benefits of awakening to the gift of life in each breath!  His primary inspiration for change has always been awakening to the wonders of love, the wonders of each other, and the wonders of the natural world.
His primary modality was originally Jin Shin Jyutsu, a Japanese healing art centered in the breath, and bringing together a wonderful combination of 5-element acupuncture (applied with gentle, hands-on pressure), Reiki, psychology, philosophy and physiology.  Through this practice, Greg has witnessed many healing experiences that were not thought possible.
For the past 14 years, his primary modality has been massage, centered in cultivating change from within the client’s body.  He became a nationally certified massage therapist at a 44 treatment-room spa in Telluride, Colorado, where he learned many different techniques, including deep-tissue, sports, Swedish, chair, thai, neuro-muscular, lymphatic drainage, shiatsu, aromatherapy, reflexology, pre-natal, stone, joint-mobilization and reiki.  He now combines those diverse techniques into an artful, respectful, “truly outstanding” massage, custom-tailored for the guest’s particular interests.