Staff List
Katharine, also known as Kate, is a graduate of the Riffs 200-hour YTT program led by Karina Gerschler and Jenn Richardson.
Kristen is 300-hour certified under the teachings of Jenn Richardson and Karina Gerschler. She has also been exploring the benefits of essential oils over the past five years and incorporates blends into most of her classes for deeper relaxation.
Deeply humbled by the power of nature, music, and simple living, Kat draws inspiration from the rich lineages of yoga, the mysterious jungles of Peru, and from her vibrant community of fellow humans. She considers herself an eternal student of these teachers, continuously seeking truth and harmony through the study and practice of yoga, as well as her relationship with artistic expression and the natural world — our waters, our mountains, our winds, our forests, our people, our self, our Spirit.
Born and raised on the East Coast, Kat pursued her studies in psychology and art. Upon graduating, she embarked on a transformative journey across Southeast Asia, immersing herself in the study of yoga in the heart of Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. Finally landing on the West Coast, finding her sanctuary in the sweet community of Ocean Beach, Kat is devoted to sharing the awakening powers of sound and yoga with others.
Kat has been teaching at Riffs since 2020, and continues to study the ancient roots of the yogic tradition in effort to offer renderings relatable and practical for the present-day western human. She encourages challenging poses and sequencing in her classes with an emphasis on alignment, breath, and seeing through the eyes of the heart.
Trained in sound healing, pranayama, mantra, meditation, yin, vinyasa, and Anusara, Kat offers a colorful spread of flavors to her classes. As she continues to deepen her own studies, she finds joy teaching the asanas, believing that they offer powerful lessons in perseverance, surrender, and grace. For Kat, yoga includes, but expands further than *only* the physical postures — it is a doorway — a path to unity, both within ourselves and with the world around us. It's a pause from the noise of navigating the modern world, as we become still, focused. and sensitive enough to learn the subtle language of nature. She invites others to remember this sense of oneness, guiding them in a ceremony of the heart.
Love all ॐ🪷 Serve all ॐ 🪷 And dream extreme ॐ🪷
Jen is registered with yoga alliance and holds certificates in 200 hour Vinyasa, kids and teen yoga, sound practitioner, Yin yoga and level 2 Reiki. Jen loves to incorporate sound healing into every one of her classes. She knows firsthand the true healing powers and wants to share it with others in hopes to help with their journeys.
When not practicing, Jen enjoys spending her days at the beach with her three sons and doing healthy healing activities together as a family!
Music is another passion of Katerina’s. As a child her greatest love was singing. Naturally talented, she refined this gift with vocal coaching, and sang publicly in concerts, choirs and musicals. She loves blending the vibrations of ethereal vocals and Sanskrit mantras with instruments to create a sensory, healing yoga experience.
Rachel is a yoga teacher and performing cirque artist. Beginning their yoga journey at just 8 years old, they grew up attending multiple yoga classes per week with as a family function. In the 5th grade, students had to pick their future career and act it out for a day, and Rachel chose to be a yoga teacher. Later decided to San Diego on their own to pursue yoga teacher training to gain a deeper and more well-rounded understanding of the practice, knowing that San Diego hosts an expansive spiritual community. They has since been certified in various styles of yoga including Kaula Tantra and Lunar-Based Yoga in Ecuador. As a performing cirque artist, Rachel uses yoga to their advantage, looking to it as not only a way to heal the physical body, but a tool to revitalize the spirit, cleanse the mind, and live life as a whole. They continuously study yoga on the regular and are constantly thirsty to gain more knowledge in the practice any way they can. When they’re not at the studio, you can find them pursing higher education and attending courses in a number of different fields including software engineering, holistic nutrition, and bio hacking.
Samantha Jenks is a 500hr registered yoga teacher, with specialization in Pranayama and Yoga Nidra. She emphasizes on thoughtful exploration through the body and mind. With a bachelor's of science in psychology, Samantha has always had the motivation and heart for helping others. Her classes are delivered in a way that leaves the practitioner feeling rejuvenated and full of personal insight. It is her passion to share and create a space that is every - body inclusive. She does this by meeting all her clients where they are at, and helping them grow and achieve goals from there. Additionally, Samantha assists private clients ranging from athletes, children, those seeking holistic wellness and even relief from chronic pain. She offers a series of classes, courses and workshops at Riffs Yoga Studio in La Jolla or Ocean Beach. Please contact the front desk to schedule.
Arianne is driven to share her knowledge of what heals beings individually and collectively through mind, body, and soul enriching practices. She is a creative force driven by unconditional love.
She enjoys traveling, dancing, hiking, journaling, creating art and connecting with others. Arianne is an advocate for all holistic and movement medicine practices.
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