Who We Are

Meet Allison Smith, the studio owner and teacher. She started practicing yoga when she was 19 in Boston. As her career took off as a Physician Assistant, her Yoga practice took a hiatus.

After feeling burnout at work, Allison found yoga again and decided that yoga was the bridge to close the gaps in western medicine. She pursued her teacher training in the Netherlands for her 200-hour certification in Bikram and Hot Vinyasa in 2017. Completed her 500 hour YTT in 2020. She is a Yoga Alliance Certified Teacher and also does private sessions with hands-on assists. She also enjoys teaching restorative yoga. By day she works in the field of mental health and substance use, "I feel yoga is an invaluable adjunct to pharmacological and talk therapies."

Allison is certified to teach Pre and Post Natal yoga. Having practiced OB, she enjoys supporting mothers during and after pregnancy in this role. She teaches aerial classes and enjoys using the silk as a tool to deepen ones practice and help students feel secure in trying new poses with support. She is also a Reiki Practitioner and practices Sound Healing and performs Sound Baths. 

Lisa completed a 200 hour yoga certification in Hatha yoga in May of 2019, where the focus was on connecting the mind, body and spirit.

“I enjoyed teaching slow mindful yoga. With 17 years as a NY state registered Physical Therapist Assistant, I see the disconnect of body awareness everyday. When I started going to yoga I was in search of personal growth and yoga brought so much more. Yoga brought a sense of community and the drive to learn more. I hope to bring these interests in self-growth to others.” ~Lisa Bresett “Lisa’s classes create calm. Her voice is perfect and her flows are organised and harmonious, just like she is a person .” -Allison Smith.

Sean is a former collegiate athlete who has been on his yoga journey on and off since 2002. He is an advocate of working on himself physically and mentally. He believes the universe speaks to us in many ways and more times than not gives us what we need even when we aren’t looking. It’s exactly what happened when Sean had an opportunity to complete Yoga Teacher 200 hour training at Flying Lotus
Yoga Center and Juice Bar in Canton, NY. He is influenced by many practitioners but is truly inspired by the Iyengar tradition of yoga and its gentle approach to alignment and breathe work. Sean understands the difficulties that present not just former athletes but those with injuries and limited mobility.
Sean likes to break social norms about what it means to be a man by living a life authentic to him. Whether it’s coaching sports, spending time with his family or taking on a new adventures like martial arts, yoga or meditation. Sean attempts to creates an environment for men that want to have classes more focused on their needs.

Mary-Ann Fiacco-Post is a district-wide Mindfulness Practitioner and trainer for a local school district. She has experience with students, staff, and district leaders alike. She has been in education for 30 years, teaching at both the elementary and middle school levels. 

Throughout her career, Mary-Ann has always had a soft spot for the most troubled children and was continually looking for ways to support them, as well as her own children.  This led her to the practice of Reiki, mindfulness, and yoga. Mary-Ann actively incorporates these practices in the classroom and after school programs, as well providing professional development for faculty and staff. She knows that these are valuable, practical tools that children and adults can easily integrate into their daily lives, helping them navigate through the many struggles they encounter. 

Mary-Ann’s training includes completing a 200 hour YTT with Driftwood Yoga and a 95 hour RCYT with a Trauma-Informed Focus through YogaEd. She also has had formal training in Yin Yoga, Aerial yoga, and Kidding Around Yoga for children. She is a certified Reiki Master and teacher. Check out her YouTube channel at  Mary Ann Post.

Wendy recently retired from a 32 year career as an elementary school counselor in Massena. She took advantage of her time during the pandemic to complete her POUND Fitness certification, combining her love of music and exercise. What is POUND you ask? Instead of listening to music, you become the music in this exhilarating full-body workout that combines cardio, conditioning, and strength training with yoga and pilates inspired movements. Using Ripsticks, lightly weighted drumsticks engineered specifically for exercising, POUND transforms drumming into an incredibly effective way of working out. POUND provides the perfect atmosphere for letting loose, getting energized, and rockin’ out!

Tammy interest in and practice with yoga started several years ago when she started with Ashtanga style yoga.  She was drawn to the positive effects of the practice on her body and mind. While initially drawn to Ashtanga, Tammy soon explored additional styles of yoga as well. The more she learned and practiced, the deeper her appreciation for yoga and its benefits became. After several years of practice and personal study, Tammy decided to further develop her own practice and enrolled in a 200-HR Yoga Teacher Training at the Flying Lotus Yoga Center. After completing her teacher training Tammy joined the Massena Yoga Studio team in 2021.

Tammy believes that yoga is for anyone and everyone to enjoy and benefit from. In fact, her favorite classes to teach are those with a vinyasa style flow because it allows for a wide range of abilities from beginner to advanced. Having also enjoyed settling into her own Yin practice, she offers this meditative, slower practice as well. Having personally experienced the tremendous benefits of yoga herself, Tammy believes the power of physical movement and meditation can help heal the mind, body, and soul of those who practice and looks forward to working with and assisting others with the journey.

Lauren has practiced yoga on and off since 2008. When the Massena Yoga Studio began, Lauren started to fully incorporate yoga into her life on a regular basis and truly understand the overall benefits. She went to Costa Rica to complete her 200-hour training in September of 2019. 

Lauren has been in long term recovery from alcohol and substance use since 2008. She believes in making brain health a priority. She is trained as a She Recovers Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher. Supporting womxn recovering from addiction, anxiety, depression, grief, divorce, and supporting Moms of high needs kids is where Lauren’s passion is. 

Lauren turned her love of books into action. She organizes and facilitates Massena Yoga Studio’s virtual Unity Book Club. 

Lauren is married and has three children. She volunteers for the She Recovers Foundation holding space for womxn all over the world. She enjoys reading books that inspire, writing essays, and trying to embroider. She also adores spending time with her big furry sidekick, Blue, who never lets her practice yoga alone at home. 

Julie completed YA approved 200h yoga teacher certification and is working toward her Yoga Therapy certification. In addition, she is a licensed New York State mental health counselor who presently is a school administrator and has over 20 years of experience as a school counselor.

“It gives me great pleasure to help people see that beyond even their most severe confusion, helplessness, and anxiety they are innately healthy. In my yoga class, I will teach breath work, Vinyasa flow, and relaxation techniques that will assist you in healing your negative thoughts, feelings, and emotions.” ~Julie Austin-Kormanyos

Samantha has completed her RCYT (chidren's yoga) and 200 hour yoga training. She is certified as a POUND Fitness instructor, and is always finding new ways to connect the mind and body. In addition, she holds her MA in Psychology and is training as a Behavior Analyst in a local school district, working directly with students dealing with developmental delays and disabilities. 

“Through the practice of mindfulness and yoga, so many wonderful things can be found inside of ones self. Sharing this realization with others has made my career in yoga and mental health one of the most rewarding positions to hold.”