Teachers.

Alejandra Retamales

Alejandra Retamales, known to most as Ale, began teaching yoga in her Hood River garage in 2020. Her powerful voice, challenging sequencing, and calm demeanor quickly earned her a loyal following of committed Gorge yogis. When a wood-planked, sun-drenched space became available in the Heights in 2021, Ale hustled to create Machi Yoga, named after the indigenous healers of her native Chile. Slowly and steadily, Ale has knitted together a well-rounded yoga community which welcomes students of every level who desire a safe, sweet space to practice.

To experience Ale’s teaching is to invite a rich physical practice of challenging and unique sequencing onto your mat. However sticky or distracted you feel when you first enter Ale’s heated power flow class, be prepared to leave in a more joyful, sweaty, and mobile state with a clearer sense of presence and gratitude. You may meet a few new friends along the way!

Ale is at her best surrounded by family, on a trail and in her bright kitchen. Connect with her at ale@machi.yoga

Kelly Carsley

Kelly has over 20 years of practice and 12 years of experience teaching Mindful/Therapeutic Yoga and Meditation. With the long standing mantra “ Live with intention”, Kelly delights in keeping her own practice as well as her teachings in alignment with Ayurveda, the rhythms of nature and synching up with the seasons.

Kelly seeks to find what it is that stands in the way of one’s inner peace and then help them to release it to come into a greater sense of joy, wholeness and ease. How to come back home to Bliss in our body, heart & mind? She believes that we all have an inner light that we come home to in the practice of yoga. As we shed our own obstacles we discover this inner brilliance, a light, to turn inward to deepen our own self study, and also to shine brightly out, to all others that we meet on this path of life.

Kelly has trained under Sarahjoy Marsh at DAYA Foundation to obtain her 800 IAYT, Trauma Informed Yoga and Yoga for Addictions/ Patterns. Other teachers include Gary Kraftsow (Viniyoga), Chris Coniaris (Pranayama/ Meditation), Deobrat Mishra (Chanting and Chakra work), Susan Bass and Durga Leela (Ayurveda, seasonal rhythm & nutrition).

Kelly currently resides in the Columbia River Gorge with her adventurous husband and two delightful children. She keeps busy with her pottery, hiking, paddleboarding, snowboarding and merging with nature as often as possible.

Jacob Fishman

For Jacob Fishman, a childhood of year-round soccer in the Phoenix heat, and a case of Scheuermann kyphosis, led to chronic back pain at 16 years old. Fortunately, two things happened: his mom convinced him to take a yoga class, and he started rock climbing. A couple months of climbing and yoga and he was pain free. Both experiences, climbing and yoga, have been an inextricable part of his life ever since.

On the mat, Jacob's personal practice is slow and meditative; intent on using movement as a way to work with awareness. In class, expect to spend substantially more time focused on alignment, mind-body connection, and connection with the world around you than being able to put your foot behind your head while you balance on your hands--although there will be some of that too.

Often class will include a variety of practices (partner poses, chanting, breathwork, meditation), as well as a healthy dose of laughter. Jacob's practice draws heavily from the Anusara lineage, which he practiced for ~10 years with Meg Byerlien at Desert Song Yoga before he moved to the gorge in 2017. Jacob completed his 200hr YTT at Flow Yoga in 2020, and is currently enrolled in Janet Stone's 300hr YTT.

Sarah Smeby

Sarah began her yoga journey nearly 25 years ago. Moving into teaching 8 years ago seemed like a natural way to deepen her own practice as well as help others discover the joy and peace that yoga can bring. Witnessing the ebbs and flows of her own practice as life brought; moves all over the world, career changes, physical injuries, and the birth of two children, she has come to realize that everyone's practice is truly a journey. Knowing that yoga can meet you where you are in your life no matter the ups and downs has been a source of comfort, as well as a lesson in acceptance.

Sarah’s classes involve deep discussion on alignment while bringing humor and real-life uses for poses to her slowly flowing sequences. She believes that personal connection and community are an integral part of the practice, so expect conversation over tea after class!

Sarah has trained with John Ogilvie at the Byron Yoga Centre in Byron Bay, Australia, and Michelle Young of Austin, TX. Sarah is a registered yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance and holds E-RYT200, RYT500, and YACEP credentials and certifications in; Yoga Nidra, Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Trauma-Informed Yoga, and Adaptive Yoga. She lives in Hood River, Oregon with her husband and two children. When not teaching yoga, you'll find her mountain biking, skiing, or on the river kite surfing or SUPing.

Shana Rose

Shana loves to live her life by the philosophical principles of the 8 fold path, practicing gratitude for nature and food and people- she sees everything as sacred and celebrates all with ritual. She enjoys teaching Ayurveda, meditation, yoga and has a spiritual life coaching business. Shana has lived with indigenous shemanic communities holding space for plant medicine ceremonies in Guatemala and Mexico. During her work exchange in the Yoga Forest retreat center, she enjoyed connecting with travellers through offering Ayurvedic Abhyanga massage, cupping and facial. Outside the studio, you can find her doing art in her hammock or rollerblading by the water.

Love & Namaste,

Shana

Megan Clone

Hi, I'm Megan, a Michigan girl raised in a small rural community who, with a nudge from a friend, moved to the Northwest in 2005 for a change in scenery. I landed in Seattle, rediscovered my yoga practice, and in 2008 completed a 200-hour Anusara Yoga Teacher Training. Since then, my teaching has evolved into an alignment-based, heart-centered, intuitive flow. I’ve studied Ayurveda and am a Reiki Master in the Holy Fire and Shamanic Reiki traditions. These practices have opened me to the beauty of embodiment and the unseen energies that influence us. In my classes you’ll be encouraged to safely and wisely come to your growth edge as a path of self-discovery. I made a pandemic move to the Hood River Valley in the fall of 2020 and am in love with it all so I’m setting my roots, finding my people, embracing the seasons, and leaning into the mysterious unfolding of life. Off the mat, I can be found on the trail, at the river, in my garden, or dancing wherever the music’s playing.

Erin Solveig

Erin has had a relationship with yoga for over 10 years. She loves the way yoga can invite a deeper connection to self through movement, breath, and body awareness. Her classes blend inspiration from her background in bodywork, personal training, endurance athletics, somatic experiencing, and vipassana meditation. Erin's teaching style is intended to be adaptable and invitational, so show up as you are - and move as you need. Her hope is that you will be inspired to either soften around those stuck places or move through them with fueled intensity.

Gabriel Rivers

Gabriel has been sharing the gifts of yoga, energy and sound healing since 2014. His lineage is baptiste vinyasa and ashtanga, but has balanced the fire of his practice through his devotion to chanting and sound healing. Gabriel has been a sponsored yoga brand athlete and his journey has led him from leading handstand workshops to opening a sound healing temple in Seattle. He has also filmed with the likes of Seane Corne and Patrick Beach, taught yoga internationally and it is this culmination of experiences that is the embodiment of his teaching style. He is now a gorge resident and looks forward to the sharing of his perspective of balance, personal peace and joyous living.

Kyle Bonfert

Kyle has been teaching yoga since completing teacher training in 2015. With a deep passion for movement and mindfulness, he has continued to refine his practice through workshop series with renowned teachers such as Dylan Werner and Patrick Beach.

Blending experience with intentionality, Kyle’s classes offer concise, meaningful direction that encourages students to explore their bodies and take the teachings of yoga beyond the mat. Specializing in hand and arm balances, he has dedicated extensive time to understanding the mechanics, preparation, and mindset required to find balance in these postures. With an energetic yet mindful approach, Kyle creates an uplifting space where students can experience balance as a moving meditation—one that cultivates strength, focus, within each vinyasa class.