Lodi Yoga Fest Teachers

I loved yoga from the first class I ever did on a DVD at home. After gaining the courage to join a class at a local gym I realized how much I wanted to teach. As I taught more students, I knew I wanted to create a space that all people felt welcome regardless of their age, body type, background, or fitness level… I wanted yoga to be accessible to all.  I opened Now and Zen in September of 2004 and since then we have grown from just a few teachers to a large staff of amazing teachers with a variety of classes and even becoming a 200 Hour and 300 Hour Yoga School. 

What started out as a practice that kept my body healthy turned into life style and a life-long passion of constant learning.  Bill, my husband, and I have been fortunate enough to study with the Mohan family of Svastha Yoga and Ayurveda since 2010. I feel deeply that every person should feel safe in their practice and that poses need to be adapted for students, students should not have to adapt to do a pose. I believe that it is important to create good habits on the yoga mat so that we can have fun doing the other things we love when we aren’t practicing yoga. I want to teach my students that yoga is more that just doing the pose; it is about calming the mind and connecting to the breath. When we have peace in our minds, we can offer peace to those around us. 

I love teaching all levels and styles of classes. I teach everything from Therapeutic and Gentle Yoga to a more rigorous Level 1-2 yoga. Bill and I offer both 200 Hour and 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Trainings, which is a passion of mine. I enjoy putting well- rounded teachers out into the world. I am an E-RYT500 and C-IAYT (certified with International Association of Yoga Therapists). I think it is important for any teacher to give their students the power to create whatever transformation they are looking for. You will find a safe space in my class. I offer modifications as well as enhancements for those who would like them to the meet their individual needs. I want every student to feel safe to do what is best for them so that they can experience what yoga is all about, as our teacher says, “Lightness in the body and brightness in the mind.” 

Deb feels that yoga can be for every body, and enjoys teaching specialty classes to meet the needs of those who traditional classes are not beneficial.

Deb resides in Woodbridge, CA and she is happily married to Bill Marweg and they have two grown children.

My yoga journey began in college, during a time of deep transition and anxiety. As a lifelong athlete studying Behavioral Neuroscience, I struggled to find grounding—until I walked into a tiny San Diego yoga studio and everything changed. Yoga became my daily ritual: a practice that helped me breathe, move, and come home to myself.

After college, I returned to Stockton, where I was born and raised, and joined a small studio run by my dear friend and mentor, Alyssa Vaccarezza. Her guidance inspired me to become a 200-hour RYT, a cycle coach, a director, and now, the proud owner of Shine. Yoga is the heartbeat of my life—cultivating a community grounded in love, healing, and shared growth. I’m so grateful to be here and to share this practice with all of you. Love you, mean it! 

Jen Lorenz is a certified yoga teacher and guide. She has been practicing yoga for over 20 years and teaching for 13 years. With a diverse practice of Bikram, Ashtanaga and Vinyasa, Jen has created a signature style of teaching. She currently teaches power vinyasa, breathwork and meditation at The Ｓ Ｐ Ʌ Ｃ ＥStudios located in Sacramento. She has led various workshops, trainings and retreats for new and advanced practitioners. Jen will bring a dynamic flow that will inspire you to reach beyond your perceived edges with masterful curation of music and breath.  

I like most of us accidentally found yoga. I was 23 and playing basketball when our coach introduced us to the practice on a conditioning day. I was hooked immediately at that was in 2009, by 2015 I was assisting in a mysore room in Napa at Ekam Yoga and then did my first YTT with yoga tree in SF January 2016. 

 Tim Miller was my biggest influence in the Ashtanga world and I finished what would end up being his final primary series TT class in 2017. 

 Divorced the mysore method in late 2018 and began ultra running and studying kundalini with Jai Dev online with his LFA academy. 

 My classes today in March of 2025 are a true amalgamation of these various branches put together in a sensible way. Not about anything more than blossoming into our own realizations.

A Lodi native with a deep love for her community, Monica Martinez is a 500-hour E-RYT, meditation guide, and sound healing practitioner. She values the sense of loving-kindness shared in her hometown and is passionate about creating peaceful, heart-centered practices that bring people together. Through movement, breath, and the healing vibrations of sound, Monica invites you to soften, surrender, and rediscover the shanti that already resides within.

 500hr E-RYT | Meditation & Sound Healing Practitioner

My yoga journey began back in Miami in the early 2000s, taking my first class at a gym, and thinking “that was great, but there has to be more”.
After years of practicing off and on, I discovered Now and Zen Yoga Studio here in Lodi, and I found the “more” I was looking for in my practice. In 2019 I joined the 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training to become a yoga instructor. Since then I have completed my 300 hour training, another 200 hour training, received a certificate specializing in Trauma Informed Yoga for Youth, and most recently spent ten days in India studying yoga philosophy under the Mohans.
My belief is that yoga is for everybody and for every BODY. A yoga student can be any size, color, shape, gender or age to practice. Yoga has the ability to connect us all.
E-RYT 200, RYT 500 Yoga Alliance

Danielle started her fitness training journey in 2000. At the age of 13, she started teaching martial arts. By the age of 18, she was a certified instructor in Taekwondo. In 2014, she earned her first personal training certification through NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine). Soon after, she earned her first Group Fitness Certification through NASM & AFAA. She's earned a few other certifications from AFAA & Crunch Fitness (HIIT, Kickboxing, Pilates, Barre, & more). She has coached and instructed others in many modalities, but Pilates & Barre are her favorite. She retired from personal training in 2023, but still truly enjoys teaching group classes! Also, side note, she's an experienced stand-up comedian of over 13 years, so when you take one of her classes, expect an extra fun time!

My name is Jerrelle Wilson but I also go by Jerreal Flow. This name is symbol of not only how I teach but also how I live my life. I find it imperative to teach students the real things about yoga. As I teach students about alignment, breath and postures I also teach them about the flow of life inside and outside of class. As a black man who was raised playing football, running track and doing everything besides dynamic stretching, it surprised it me how much I loved yoga. Yoga has given me the opportunity to showcase that you can break the mold with consistency and dedication. I want to share the opportunity with the world.
I finished my first teacher training in 2015 at I AM YOGA Wellness in Turlock CA. It was here that I learned about hatha, vinyasa, restorative techniques and how in-depth yoga can be. I would soon move to San Diego and begin truly learning how to teach.
In 2018 I had the opportunity to do a 300 hr teacher training in Bali, Indonesia. This training was immersive and taught me more about the subtleties of teaching and the differences between yoga and building a foundation on mobility and strength.
Combining all of these trainings over the years has given me a unique perspective on how to teach and apply it individually to each student. Thank you for allowing me to create a space for you to grow and connect with your breath, body and mind.

Alex and Ashley Levy are the humans behind SOUND MIND. Based out of Sacramento, CA, they are bringing Sound Healing and Energy Work to the people. With extensive backgrounds in music and wellness, Alex and Ashley combine ancient healing modalities with modern sound technology to create transformative experiences that transport listeners into states of deep relaxation and renewal. Their carefully curated ceremonies use sound and vibration to address the mind, body, and spirit in an accessible, authentic way. SOUND MIND is their invitation to the community to discover the healing powers within.