Meet The Team

Hi, I'm Lisa, formerly known as Stix Yoga, a traveling yoga studio. I began my yoga journey in 2005. As a busy mom of two, yoga became my "me time" for personal fitness and well-being. I quickly discovered that yoga is as much a mental exercise as it is physical, if not more! I was always better after yoga. Physically stronger and mentally calmer. That's when Stix Yoga was born, inspiring the calm mind, strong body philosophy. I loved this mantra and sentiment so much that I felt compelled to share it with others. After more than 8 years of traveling from our OG spot at Stix n Brix, to park districts, restaurants, bars, and so many more. We finally have a home!

As a former gymnast, Amanda found a great love for yoga and flexibility as a teenager. She began practicing for the physical benefits, but soon became more interested in how it made her feel mentally and emotionally. Amanda focused on using yoga as her medicine, a way to improve herself as she struggled through several mental disorders, such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and severe eating disorders for close to a decade. Because of the deep calmness and love she found in the yoga space, Amanda decided to take her first yoga teacher training in 2015, gaining her 200-Hour Certification. Since then, she has taught over 4,000 classes—in various studios, gyms, hotels, hospitals, bars, parks, on boats, at schools… you name it! Amanda is deeply dedicated to serving her community on the Southside of Chicago, and yearns to always bring yoga to those who are most under-served. Amanda has received several other teaching certifications since 2015, and currently teaches a variety of formats of yoga, including: Vinyasa, Hot, Restorative, and Yoga Sculpt. Recently, Amanda has begun her journey with crystal singing bowls, and loves to incorporate playing the bowls in her yoga classes, along with guiding meditation. Amanda has led Yoga Teacher Training since 2024, and truly enjoys giving back to future teachers.

Hi! I’m Ashley, a Yoga Sculpt and Mat Pilates instructor passionate about helping you build strength, confidence, and community both on and off the mat. My classes are designed to challenge you, ground you, and leave you feeling stronger and empowered. All levels are welcome, come as you are! Let’s flow, vibe and sweat together!

Christina Laino is a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT 200). With over five years of dedicated yoga practice, Christina teaches vinyasa yoga with a grounding in traditional yoga philosophy. Her classes are more than just movement—they’re a return to presence.

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Her teaching invites students to be where their feet are, be with their breath, and be in their power. In a world that rarely allows time to get quiet, Christina offers a space for stillness, clarity, and inner strength. Expect thoughtful sequencing rooted in sun salutations, purposeful transitions, and powerful playlists that support both mind and movement.

Deanna began her yoga journey as a new mom, seeking relief from the anxiety that had followed her for years. During her pregnancy, she experienced anxiety attacks that led her to the mat—and it was there she found tools to calm her mind and reconnect with her body. In 2017, she completed her 200-hour RYT certification through The Chicago School of Yoga, along with specialized training in Kids Yoga through Zenergy Yoga.

With a background in dance, Deanna brings a deep understanding of movement and body awareness to her teaching. Her classes are designed to build strength, boost confidence, and offer practical self-care techniques that students can take with them beyond the mat. She emphasizes accessibility, offering thoughtful modifications and mental health-informed practices that support all bodies and experience levels.

Deanna’s teaching style often weaves in dance-inspired elements, encouraging creative flow and self-expression. Her mission is to help students break through internal barriers, embrace vulnerability, and connect with their inner light.

Prior to yoga, Maria was your typical gym rat…One day I took my first yoga sculpt class and I was hooked.

The mental strength I gained would have never developed from any gym.

This was the key that I was missing. Mental strength gave me such will and determination. "I can't" turned into "I can."

"I can pick up a heavier weight. I can do a 100 burpee challenge. I can hold a 3 minute plank." In return this developed my physical strength that I knew I had but could not reach. But it didn't stop there. I discovered the warmth of a community and the power of breath .

 A unity of teachers and students in a postive and encouraging space, while inhaling and exhaling together to find our own inner peace and enlightenment. Ten years later, after completion of my yoga sculpt training, guiding my students through their own yoga journey is my biggest reward. 

Favorite excersises?  I took kickboxing classes and really liked the physical release of negative energy through a punch and kick, similiar to a mental release of negative energy through an exhale in yoga. So  I thought, why not marry the two, yoga sculpt and kickboxing.  I guarantee there is always going to be some kicking and punching in my classes. Punching and kicking with weights, mountain climbers, burpees and a solid plank challenge are my favorite excersises. 

Next personal adventure? 

Becoming  a grandma. I want to stay healthy so I can run around and play with my grandchildren and yoga is the perfect self-care for me in order to achieve this goal. The next is teaching bootcamp again. I completed bootcamp training shortly after I became a sculpt instructor. Just as yoga teacher, this too is rewarding to be a part of a students positive transformation of physical strength and mental power.

Maura is a Chicago-based yoga instructor with Yoga Alliance RYT200 certification and more than 25 years of experience on the mat. Her yoga journey began in 1999, and the moment she stepped into her first class she felt an immediate sense of homecoming. Since then, yoga and meditation have become her daily anchors—and a lifelong path of growth, reflection, and transformation as both student and teacher.

Maura holds certifications from the Chicago Yoga Center, CorePower Yoga, and has earned a Comprehensive Yoga Teacher Training certification through the Yoga Education College, founded by Eddie Stern. She continues to immerse herself in advanced workshops and continuing education opportunities to expand her knowledge and sharpen her teaching.

Maura teaches mindful flows that emphasize presence and grounding, as well as more energetic, heat-building practices designed to strengthen the body while quieting the mind. In every class, she approaches yoga as a moving meditation—an opportunity to slow down, turn inward, and reconnect. Her goal is to create an inclusive and empowering space where students of all levels are invited to explore their practice with curiosity and compassion. Her teaching is grounded in intention and self-discovery, offering students tools to carry strength, clarity, and balance far beyond the mat.

Natalie is an RYT 200 yoga teacher. Natalie found her way to her mat in hopes of healing not just her physical body but also forming a softer way of thinking and being. At the heart of Natalie’s personal practice is the search for true authenticity and freedom from a restrictive world which she uses to influence her classes. Natalie’s classes are rooted in vinyasa and classical teachings but incorporate modern sequences as a form of expression and her intent to be an eternal student. You can look forward to creative, challenging, fun flow classes intended to help student’s well-being, confidence, and connection both on and off the mat.