Meet Our Teachers

Yoga, for many, begins as a physical asana practice. That's how it was for me. You keep coming back to practice because your body begins to feel better. But we are more than just the physical body. We are layered shells of different bodies comprising our energy, emotions, mentality, wisdom, bliss. When you find the right practice and the right teacher, you'll embark on a journey to yourself.

I have been on this journey many years now. Through several 200 hour teacher trainings, countless workshops, and 20 years of teaching yoga, I found my way to Universal Yoga and my teacher Master Andrey Lappa. While Universal Yoga developed my physical practice, the greatest changes were occurring on the subtle and subconscious layers, bringing balance to my nervous system, emotions, energy, mind and so much more.

I now teach to share what I have learned with my students. I have nearly 1500 hours of study with my teacher Andrey. I take annual trips to Nepal to practice and study with Guruji Andrey at my Universal Yoga home.

Life is a constant balancing act. Find your center. Be present. Utilize your energy on what really matters and let go of what does not. Raise your energetic vibration.
Let go and enjoy the ride

I began my yoga journey in 2018 as a way to “get back out there” after a 5 year relationship had ended. Little did I know what the practice had in store for me!

A Sunday flow and meditation class was the start to what would be my holistic healing. In those early days a self competitive nature drove my desire to master poses and be a “good yogi.” As anyone just starting out can attest, yogic poses are extremely challenging.

It was in physical practice that emotions began to surface, ranging from unsettling anger to intense joy.

Though I couldn’t see it at the time, the introspective nature of those physical postures were helping peel back a lifetime of Samskaras one by one. Over time I began making decisions that better served me in all aspects of life.

Yoga served as exercise, therapy, and meditation, impacting my overall well-being and bringing balance. I’m so thankful for the teachers who inspired me and shared wisdom that kept bringing me back to my mat again and again.

Yoga means Union, and the interconnectedness of this integrative practice encompasses physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. It addresses the WHOLE person. That’s what I want to bring to my students. Teachings to open their bodies, hearts and minds in a way that brings balance and peace to their lives.

Hi, I’m Tony, and my journey to yoga was both serendipitous and miraculous, one of the most
transformative experiences of my life. What began unexpectedly has become my path, guiding
the way I live and teach.

I bring a steady balance of presence and purpose to every class. My approach is slow, calm,
and measured. There is compassion in my presence, and I hold space where challenge
becomes a doorway to transformation and discipline becomes a way to serve and remember
the Self.

I seek alignment where the physical body and the breath are used to soften everything around
us. I enjoy helping others build real, lasting health and wellness from the inside out.
If you are looking for a place to experience stillness, or a guide who honors effort, leads with
heart, and brings depth through devotion to the mat, I would be honored to practice with you. I
am the steady bamboo in the storm.

M.Psych., RYT 200, IIN Health Coach, Certified Yintelligence (London, UK) Yoga Teacher (Module 1)
Lily Sokolov is a yogi, fitness enthusiast, and wellness advocate with a rich background in psychology and holistic health. Originally from Canada and now rooted in Georgia, USA, she has been practicing and teaching yoga since 2008, bringing over 15 years of experience to her students.

With a deep passion for Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra, Lily creates spaces where stillness becomes transformative. Since 2019, she has been offering Yin Yoga classes that invite students to slow down, release tension, and restore balance through meditative, long-held postures.

Lily is also dedicated to the art and science of Yoga Nidra—an ancient guided relaxation practice that bridges meditation, somatic awareness, and mind-body therapy. Having first discovered Nidra in 2007, she has been guiding practitioners through its profound benefits ever since. Her sessions support stress reduction, improved sleep, emotional integration, and deep inner clarity.

Blending her training in psychology, yoga, and integrative nutrition, Lily approaches wellness from a holistic, heart-centered perspective. Her mission is to help others reconnect with themselves, cultivate inner peace, and experience meaningful transformation through mindful movement and conscious rest.

Ever since I found yoga - or perhaps yoga found me - it has become the center of my life. Every day, I learn something new about yoga, I practice yoga, and I strive to live yoga through the path of the Eight Limbs.

I love being a student. I hope to remain one for as long as I am physically able.

My training includes 800 hr of training in Universal Yoga under the guidance of Andrey Lappa, the founder of the Universal Yoga system, whose teachings laid a strong foundation for my practice and my development as a teacher. Earlier in my journey, I studied with Nicki Doane and Eddie Modestini, whose approach is rooted in both Iyengar Yoga and Ashtanga Yoga, as taught by K. Pattabhi Jois. I was also deeply inspired by Carrie Owerko, an Iyengar teacher and founder of Fundamentals of Iyengar Yoga, whose creative and intelligent approach to alignment greatly expanded my understanding of postural practice.

Over the years, I’ve participated in numerous Yoga workshops, both online and in person, to deepen my understanding of Hatha Yoga and its impact on physical and mental well-being.

Most recently, I received initiation into Kriya Yoga as a continuation of my spiritual growth.

My purpose in life is to leave this planet a better place than it was before I came here.
Therefore, I keep practicing Yoga.

Follow on Instagram: @anastasiya_aum

Raised in traditional Indian culture, Lalitha grew up immersed in music, literature, and religious heritage. Her interest in Indian Vedanta studies later unfolded into a devoted path of Yoga.

Over years of committed practice, Lalitha has developed a teaching style that seamlessly weaves yogic philosophy into dynamic vinyasa. She is known for illustrating the Sanskrit meanings behind asanas, helping students connect with the lineage, symbolism, and intention of the practice. Her classes often explore the energetic framework of the seven chakras, guiding practitioners to experience asana not only as movement but as a pathway to subtle awareness and inner alignment.

Lalitha holds both 200‑hour and 300‑hour Yoga Alliance–accredited certifications and continues her studies with teachers in Rishikesh, India, and Atlanta, Ga.

Justin’s yoga journey began in 2011 when he learned the Tibetan Five Rites.
He used this practice to help himself work through living with a compromised spine.

Practicing those movements daily to relieve back pain and prevent injury, Justin eventually grew a deeper desire for learning about the theory of yoga.

In 2013, he began to regularly practice in studios, and in 2015, he decided to take a 200 hr RYT training after being exposed to the methods of Universal Yoga and its founder, Andrey Lappa. Since then, Justin has trained with Andrey an additional 200 hours, and plans to continue learning from him as long as Andrey is teaching.

He has trained with Andrey both in the US and in Kathmandu, Nepal at the Karma Lekshe Ling Buddhist monastery, where he also has learned and practiced tantric meditations (both Hindu and Buddhist), under Andrey’s guidance.

Justin has also developed a regular practice of Buddhist meditations, both tantric and passive, from his meditation teacher and master Lama Gyurmey La, one of the head lamas of the monastery.

Justin’s love for authentic yoga and meditation has inspired him to carry on the teachings and methods learned by both his yoga master and his meditation master.
This has lead him to incorporate these methods and practices into his daily class teaching, giving students a down to earth and experiential understanding of ancient techniques and theories that are designed to help the individual transform themselves on any and every level of their being as needed.

Justin’s spinal injuries through his 20’s and 30’s have helped him to see how universal yoga can be adapted for all levels of practitioners as well as how all styles of yoga need to be used in correct ways to provide real yogic benefits and results to any who wish to develop them.

Justin wishes to bring clarity, understanding, and honest development to those who wish to practice with him-helping them to see what it looks like to practice yoga and meditation in a way that changes who we are mentally, physically, and energetically.

Aliya began her yoga journey in 2018 and is a Yoga Alliance registered 500 RYT, as well as a 500-hour certified Kundalini Yoga teacher.

She is deeply devoted to the practice, living and embodying yoga as a daily path rather than just a class. Aliya finds inspiration in nature — the mountains, the forest, and quiet moments of connection — where she reconnects with herself and the present moment.

For Aliya, each class is a reflection of life as it unfolds - a space that resonates with the energy of the moment, offering something new every time. Her teaching is intuitive, grounded, and guided by what is truly needed, inviting students to reconnect with themselves in an authentic and meaningful way.

Yuliya Stepanov, founder of the Aum Studio, is a wife and a mother to three beautiful children. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology (GSU), is a Yoga Instructor 200 RYT, Prenatal Yoga Teacher, Artist, Sadhu Nail Guide, and Lifelong Student.

After becoming a mother, Yuliya felt a tremendous expansion in her life and found a willingness to let go of the ideas of perfection and control that had driven the arc of her younger years. She reached for the tools she had developed over a lifetime of study and inquiry to develop a deeper meaning, spirituality, and equanimity. The growth she experienced motivated her to share what she knows with others and sparked a passion for service to others.

Over the last year, Yuliya has realized that people are in need of a safe space to explore, create, move, and learn without limits. Her desire to create something unique and meaningful has grown stronger, and she felt that she was ready to take on a bigger challenge. She has been thinking of opening an alternative schooling system or a retreat center for a long time, and now she feels that the time is right to take action.

Her inspiration for Aum Studio has grown from working with students in multiple modalities. In a world that often focuses on struggle, Yuliya offers a new perspective by sharing tools that transform difficulty. Her students learn to see a bigger picture, to recognize their potential, and to discover opportunities.

Jana Collins developed a love for yoga through the healing effect it had on her body and mind. By taking classes regularly she learned how to connect to a deeper part of herself. This spiritual connection led to the decision to become a 200 hour registered yoga instructor in 2021. 

Jana has been a full time personal trainer since 2008 and enjoys connecting her talents for training the human body, along with her skills of supporting others to facilitate their own inner connection to their souls, through yoga.

Joan is the founder of Mindful Explorers Kids Yoga. More than anything, she loves to create a welcoming space for kids to be themselves while learning about yoga and mindfulness. Joan’s warm teaching style helps children feel included as they explore ways to manage big feelings, build connections, and develop self-confidence in a non-competitive environment. As a licensed elementary educator and Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher, she aims for students to leave each class feeling supported and to cultivate kindness toward themselves and others.

Joan first became inspired to bring mindfulness into her teaching after seeing how many children were struggling with stress and emotional overwhelm. She began incorporating simple breathing exercises, movement breaks, and moments of calm into her classroom and quickly saw a positive difference in her students’ focus, emotional regulation, and sense of connection with one another. That experience sparked a passion for creating classes where children feel supported not only academically but emotionally too.

Her classes combine mindful movement, breathing exercises, imaginative play, and social-emotional learning in ways that feel joyful and encouraging for children of all personalities and ability levels.