Teacher Bios
Maureen Culligan, RYT-200, Studio assistant, Media Manager (currently on baby hiatus). She may be on break from bustin’ out her amazing vinyasa prowess but she’s still rocking the magic elixir “Saucha Jamu” (check out her website: www.sauchajamu.com) and milking her chickens for eggs. We may not have her presence, but we have her products!
We are fortunate to have such skilled teachers at Body Balance. Here’s a little bit about our primary teachers:
Alli Aruna Spooner, E-RYT-500, Director of Body Balance, was an on-and-off practitioner since 1980, always returning when her health became compromised (hello, Stress…). She has been a full time yoga devotee since 2003.
Alli is trained in the styles of Hatha Yoga and Akhanda Yoga, as well as Classical Kundalini, Prenatal Yoga, Raj Yoga and Bhramaree Yoga among others. She is also certified in pranayama (breath work) practices. She obtained her 200-hour immersion training at the Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy, founded by Swami Rama. She completed her 500-hour immersion training at the Anand Prakash Ashram in India, founded by Yogrishi Vishvketu and Chetana Panwar. In 2011 Alli was an assistant teacher at the Anand Prakash Ashram in India for the YTT-200 program led by Yogrishi Vishvketu. Her classes follow the traditional sequence of postures in the Hatha and Akhanda styles, with a focus on breath-work, alignment and safety, and includes a dash of (usually lame) humor and sometimes a couple of Oms. (Be warned…she has a potty mouth!)
She finds absolute joy in sharing yoga with others.
Connie Erickson, Guest Instructor, is a co-founder of Body Balance Yoga Center. She took her first yoga class in the 1970s, has studied with over 25 different instructors, and attended numerous workshops. Connie has taught a gentle(-ish) yoga class–-focusing on breath work–-in Roseburg since 2000. She is committed to continuing to learn from fellow teachers, students, and her own practice. Come experience the joie de vivre that she folds into her classes and the friendships that evolve!
Sherene Tolle, RYT-200, found a true passion in yoga when she discovered how it made her feel inside and out. “It is the only path I have ever taken that lead me to feeling balanced, strong, flexible, and at peace.” She completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training course at Zen Den Yoga Roseburg and is certified through Yoga Alliance. She has been teaching yoga since 2021.
Sherene’s unique class gently and safely guides you to become the best version of you. It is a combination of Hatha Yoga with some Vinyasa flow and Restorative poses. We all struggle with life’s challenges. By focusing on your breath and becoming able to pause in a pose or during your day, and truly acknowledge and allow your feelings to be, you will be able to overcome stressors in a calm and peaceful way, improving your overall quality of life and well being.
“I often hear my peers say they are not flexible, not strong, not skinny or balanced enough to do yoga. I wasn’t either!” Try her blend of warmth and encouragement on Saturday mornings to get your weekend mojo on.
Maria Effisimo, RYT-200, has been practicing yoga since 2018 and was certified to teach through YogaWorks in Walnut Creek, CA. Her forté is in the style of Vinyasa (flow) but she also teaches traditional hatha, in addition to yin yoga and gentle yoga. She brings a vibrancy to her classes which reflects her dedication to the practice. More information and a photo to come soon.
Ishe Abel,
Ishe is a yoga teacher, a retreat guide, and a lifelong horsewoman whose work is rooted in over 40 years of deep, lived experience. Her journey blends the grace of equestrian wisdom with the transformative power of embodied learning, creating spaces where people can slow down, reconnect, and remember their truest selves. From her earliest years, Ishe discovered that horses are profound teachers in presence, intention, and authentic connection. This understanding has shaped her life’s path, inspiring her to weave together movement, mindfulness, and nature into her teachings. She brings a lifetime of dance experience, is a certified yoga instructor, and spent 10 years teaching natural building and permaculture. With 12 years of experience in interpersonal mindful social meditation settings, she has also completed several equine-assisted learning programs and now shares her gifts as an Intuitive Life Coach. Ishe holds space with grounded warmth, gentle humor, and an intuitive ability to meet people exactly where they are. Those who work with Ishe often describe her as a steady, compassionate guide who leads with both skill and heart. She invites participants into a deeper relationship with their bodies, their communities, and the living world
Lynley Welte, is a certified Pro EFT™ (tapping) practitioner and mindset coach who helps heart-led and often introverted entrepreneurs dissolve self-doubt, calm the nervous system, and step into authentic, visible leadership. For more than two decades, she has immersed herself in personal and spirituality development that now informs her steady, compassionate presence in both 1:1 work and group spaces.
As a coach and facilitator, Lynley’s has supported founders and practitioners across the globe. Beyond private sessions, Lynley leads workshops, circles, and collaborative programs. Her guided meditations and podcast appearances offer accessible entry points to her work, inviting listeners to reconnect with self-trust and everyday gratitude.
When you work with Lynley, you can expect grounded presence, clear strategy, and tools you can use the same day.
Maureen Culligan, RYT-200 (currently on hiatus), found yoga in 2015 while in college, initially using the practice as a way to ditch the freshman 15…however It didn’t take long for her to realize there was a lot more profound wisdom to be gleaned beyond asana. (And yes, finding yoga made college worth it!)
Maureen obtained her Teacher Training in Ubud, Bali in 2019 through an immersion program at Nalanda School for Higher Knowledge and Yogic Arts, where she studied Yoga Pranala. This style of yoga combines the knowledge and discipline of yoga with Mudra Pranala, an ancient Balinese energetic healing system. Maureen is also currently working on courses in anatomy training and yoga for mental health, and strives to deepen her knowledge of Kundalini Yoga and Ayurvedic studies.
Maureen has a playful outlook on life and likes to keep a light heart and an open mind in her practice. She’s a big believer in the all-mighty breath, and encourages students to be curious and explorative with their unique rhythm and subtle energies, using the breath as their guide. She loves Ayurveda, anatomy and physiology (especially that of the energetic body), and tries to incorporate little tidbits of yogic knowledge whenever she can.
Maureen is a forever student who loves connecting with, learning from, and growing with her community!
And 2 of the many generous teachers who have helped out when needed:
Amy Salthouse began her yoga journey over 20 years ago and for 6 years taught Hatha and chair yoga at the YMCA, emphasizing foundational asanas and breathing. She has a Restorative Yoga certificate through Judith Lasater Hanson and continues to be inspired by workshops and fellow teachers. Amy is constantly amazed by the power of yoga and the ability to bring the whole Self back into balance. Her classes are full of loving support and compassion, emphasizing self-care, breath awareness, and cultivating the Highest Self.
Andrea Campos Smith has been teaching yoga in Roseburg for 15 years, informed by 18 years of personal practice.She deeply believes that yoga is adaptable for all bodies and all ages, and loves to help students find THEIR yoga, whether it be in Hatha, Chair, Restorative, Gentle or Flow! After learning how yoga can be a vital component of treatment for veterans (she is the back up instructor for the VA’s YogaWarriors program), she pursued further education in trauma-sensitive yoga training, with Alignment Yoga YTT200, and Fireflex Yoga for First Responders. Andrea has a unique combination of styles (scientific/playful/exploring/compassionate/inquiring) which should definitely be experienced firsthand.
A few of our crazy, fun, knowledgeable instructors (past & present.)