Instructors

Meet Alyssa, a yoga enthusiast serving the Bay Area community for over 8 years. With a background in Ashtanga and Yin yoga, she brings a blend of tranquility and energy to her classes. Whether she's helping students find their inner calm or teaching them to master their postures, Alyssa’s mission is to serve and inspire the community to breathe deep and find inner peace.

Equipped with a Psychology and Cognitive Science background from the University of California Santa Cruz, Alyssa blends her psychological insights with her yoga practice, creating a harmonious experience for her students. A member of the American Psychological Association, Alyssa shows her continued education, passion, and dedication to the field.

When Alyssa isn’t teaching a class, or buried in books, you might find her perfecting her downward dog, playing her crystal sound bowls, or brainstorming the next big idea. She’s here to inspire, motivate, and make the world a more balanced place, one pose and one strategy at a time.

Elena is a junior at Santa Clara from San Diego, CA. She is certified through ACE in Barre Intensity, a method that combines Pilates, dance, and functional fitness training. With a lifelong passion for dance and her experience on the SCU Dance Team, she enjoys bringing her dance background into fitness. Elena took her first barre class at Malley during her freshman year and was immediately drawn to the group atmosphere and the way it blended dance technique into low-impact, high-intensity exercises. These classes weren’t just a workout but a way to clear the mind and leave feeling energized.

She strives to create a welcoming class environment where people of all fitness levels and backgrounds can come to feel encouraged, challenged, and motivated.

"Yoga is the relationship that is built between the body, the mind and the breath. Yoga is creating space free
from obstacles in your own body to live. Yoga is freedom and release. I am here to help others find this
release so that they can comfortably and competently move their bodies through life."

Yoga has been a part of my life for over 15 years, and my practice has helped me grow stronger, more
flexible, and fearless, both on and off the mat. Yoga inspires me to live each moment more mindfully.
With an extensive background in Pilates, cycling, swimming and Les Mills core programs. I always thought
yoga would be boring and easy. After my first class I found it was NOT as easy as I imagined, but the true
surprise was the sense of peace and joy I found.

My 200-hour Vinyasa Flow training with William (Bill) Osmer at school of Ayurvedaology registered under the
yoga alliances. In addition I completed 300 hours of advanced training focused on yoga and ayurveda . I will
always be a student of the practice and am deeply grateful for the loving wisdom my teachers have shared
with me.

In my classes, I love to combine creative sequencing, designing yoga for your dosha, a spirit of playfulness
and a dose of inspiration to help you deepen your practice. I seek to help others thrive in life by nurturing
body, mind and soul with yoga, and my hope is that you step off the mat feeling refreshed, nourished, and
balanced.

Finally, I can tell you my classes are powerful, playful, and heartfelt! In fact, my favorite place is anywhere
people gather to sweat, breathe, and break boundaries together.

Iwona’s yoga journey began with Hot Yoga Flow and Vinyasa. After a few classes, when she stayed on the mat to the end, she knew she was hooked, and that she had found her passion on the mat. She became a RYT 200 Yoga Alliance Certified teacher in June 2019 and has been teaching since. In her supportive teaching environment, Iwona focuses on mastering form, understanding how to breathe, helping build confidence in the postures in order to enjoy yoga. Her classes are perfect for all levels. She is also a passionate fitness instructor and holds several certifications issued by Les Mills International, as well as NASM Personal Trainer certification.

Jerrica's martial arts journey began at teenage years in Tae Kwon Do, then by Choi Kwan Do in her thirties. Her passion for martial arts was reignited during pandemic, restarting her training in various cardio martial arts workouts in the Bay Area. She became a certified instructor in 2022 and has been a YMCA combat instructor a year after. She wants to give back to the community, help members to learn basic martial arts technique, to utilize full body movements to improve energy, power & agility. She welcomes all ages in her class, coaching individual to learn their body capability, improve their cardiovascular health by unleashing their inner warrior to maximize exercise enjoyment.

Julia is a Brand Ambassador for BollyX. She is also on the Choreo Team with BollyX. Julia holds a Master of Arts degree in Music. She also studied Indian Carnatic music and dance. She is a professional World music dancer, BollyX, BollyX Kids, Zumba, Aqua Zumba, Zumba Kids + Kids Jr. instructor. Julia is a professional multilingual vocalist, multi- instrumentalist, and International Music Competition Gold Medal Award winner at age 16. 

Kate is a sophmore at SCU from the suburbs of Chicago. In her free time, she likes to hike, go on runs, practice yoga, go to concerts, and bake. She fell in love with yoga because of the ways it supports her physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. To empower others in the same way, she received her 50-hour Yoga Sculpt Teacher Certification earlier this year. 

Hey Broncos! I'm Lily, a senior here at SCU and your go-to instructor for high-energy, power-packed workouts at Malley! I've been teaching spin for over three years and leading fitness classes for 6, covering everything from yoga to strength training and even rock climbing.

My classes are tough, but trust me, you'll leave feeling like a champ! Expect to be pushed with power cycling drills like climbs, sprints, and fast-paced fun, all set to fresh playlists that I update for every class. Whether you're a fitness newbie or a pro, these workouts are designed to challenge and energize you.

Fun fact: I’ve been a cyclist for 13 years, and before SCU, I spent a summer tackling the epic French Alps from the iconic Tour de France! I’m always open to music requests, so hit me up on Instagram @lily_spin for class updates, reminders, and fitness tips. Let’s ride and get stronger together! 

Maggie is a junior cycling instructor from downtown Chicago. She is an Economics major at the Leavey School of Business. Having grown up involved in musical theater and various athletic activities, Maggie has found a passion for cycling classes, as they combine music, movement, and motivation to elevate a workout that is both fun and beneficial. As a certified Spinning Instructor, Maggie hopes to use her classes as a tool to bring the SCU community together, offering a variety of classes adhered to the interests of attendees. She looks forward to an exciting new season and to seeing you on the bike!

Nadia is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and an experienced 500-hour registered yoga teacher (e-RYT 500). She enjoys combining her knowledge of strength training with yoga to design programs that help students transform their energy levels, boost their confidence and strength, and live happier, healthier lives. Her main goals with her yoga practice and strength routine are to increase her vertical leap and swing power to defeat her opponents in volleyball, to feel like a ninja when she practices handstands and other arm balances, and to feel balanced and at peace with herself and the world around her. 

Parsa is a Junior Finance major from Los Gatos, California. Having been surrounded by the highest levels of athletics his entire life, he eventually found his passion for physical fitness and weightlifting. Sports like soccer, football, lacrosse, and track & field have pushed him to understand the processes that come along with goal setting and obtaining physical contentment. He then eventually obtained his personal training certification from the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) after a long journey of self-education through high school. He values discipline, high intensity, and patience when it comes to physical health.

Sheyda is a dedicated and passionate yoga instructor with over 6 years of experience. She completed her RYT 200-hour training in Mysore, India, in 2019 and specializes in Vinyasa Flow, Power Yoga, and Hatha Yoga. Sheyda’s classes emphasize body awareness, muscle control, and mind-body alignment, focusing on strength, flexibility, and balance. Her inclusive teaching style incorporates props and modifications, making yoga accessible to all levels. Sheyda is committed to creating a supportive environment where students can explore their practice, strengthen their bodies, and discover inner peace.