Meet The Team
Kaila Kaufmann
Studio Owner, E-RYT200, YACEP
Trisha Wilson
E-RYT200
Justine Kaufmann
RYT Administrator
Amanda Hindley
RYT
Hannah Devries
RYT
LA Narayan
Natasha Willness
E-RYT200, RHN
Sophie Hitchman
RYT
Claire Culver
Assistant Manager
Kaila Kaufmann
Studio Owner, E-RYT200, YACEP
Kaila is a knowledgeable and well practised teacher who presents a calm and centred approach to instructing movement. In 2013 shortly before opening Bambu Hot Yoga, Kaila completed her YHot 200-Hour Teacher Training with one of BC first hot yoga innovators Kristin Campbell and Coco Finaldi of The YYoga Teachers College. A transformative journey involving the study of physical, mental and spiritual alignment. Kaila continued to study under Kristin Campbell to complete her 70hr Power Vinyasa Training and more recently completed a 20hr Redefining Mobility training with Matt Phippen.
Presently Kaila has been studying under Noah Maze & Rocky Heron on the path to complete her 500 hour Teacher Training ( graduate school for yogis— whoop whoop!) in Los Angeles, Calif. Kaila loves teaching alignment based Hot Hatha Yoga because of the accessibility it has to so many and the ability the practice has to transform and heal the practitioner. Kaila enjoys teaching to the meditative quality that aids in strengthening the mind. Her Vinyasa and core classes involve strength, cardio, balancing and conditioning to up beat worldly music. She loves sequencing fun new drills of dynamic movement & mobility in all planes to help get you out of your monkey mind and into the present moment aligning with your life force. Kaila invites you to come to your mat exactly as you are.
Trisha Wilson
E-RYT200
Trisha has been teaching yoga since 2005. Within Canada, San Francisco and India she has studied a wide range of yoga methods - from Bikram to Iyengar, Viniyoga to Anusara. She has deep respect for all these teachings and the process of exploration required to find one's own practice.
Trisha' s classes emphasize breath awareness, bio mechanic alignment and connection with one's truest self. She invites students to approach each practice as an adventure into the unknown.
Justine Kaufmann
RYT Administrator
Justine’s interest in a holistic lifestyle and seeing the body as a living, changing organism led her to be inspired and moved by the practice of yoga. Justine fell in love with the organic movement, connecting breath and self awareness in the yoga practice. These fundamental aspects of yoga continue to bring her to the mat to seek connection with the self. Justine completed her 70 hour Tapasya Hot Training with Kristin Campbell at Bambu Hot Yoga in 2015. Justine then deepened her practice by traveling to the Baja in Mexico to complete her 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training with Christopher Perkins and Nicolina Sandstedt at Yandara Yoga Institute. Justine teaches students to connect with themselves and discover what rests within.
Amanda Hindley
RYT
Amanda or ABT as many call her, is a purveyor of all things movement. At a very young age she found an intimate relationship with movement and expression through dance. It wasn't until her teens that she discovered the practice of yoga and meditation, upon her first class she found solace and a quality of peace that was both profound and intriguing.
With over 800hrs of technical yoga training, 22 years of dance training, and a diploma in Personal Fitness Training under her belt, her approach to teaching is holistic, integrated, and precise. Now located in Nelson, BC, Amanda is excited to share her passion of yoga with the Nelson community as she pursues her studies in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Hannah Devries
RYT
Hannah first found yoga in 2011 when she was diagnosed with severe Scoliosis in her spine. After going through a spinal fusion surgery at the age of 15, she followed the path of yoga for physical, mental and emotional healing. The self love, patience and compassion she began to develop in her own practice was beautifully overwhelming, this then led her to take her 200 hour YTT certification in Vancouver BC in 2015 with Christina Raskin. She is trained specifically in Vinyasa, Yin, Restorative, Mat Pilates, Shaking Medicine Yoga and both the Chakra System and Ayurvedic Yoga. Hannah's true passion lies in witnessing people slow down and move their body organically. She continues to fall in love with teaching yoga because she gets to witness her students blossom into a state of deep presence, open-hearted curiosity and playfulness on the mat. Her teaching style supports and encourages these aspects of movement. Hannah is in continuous awe of the way the breath can impact and guide us gracefully yet powerfully into surrender, release and the parasympathetic nervous system; rest and digest. Her classes will centre you, challenge you, slow you down, and gift you with a feeling of 'landing home' into your body.
LA Narayan
LA's Yoga journey began with traditional Hatha, branching off into Bikram and Ashtanga with mentorship from Sharath Jois. LA is also a long time Vipassana student and brings a meditation component into her classes. LA takes a biopsychosocial approach to teaching, connecting the physical and spiritual through linking pranayama with asana. Her classes will leave you feeling happy and refreshed!
Natasha Willness
E-RYT200, RHN
Natasha began her practice eleven years ago. Within her daily yoga practice she developed a deep sense of self awareness, clarity, focus and an outlet to release stagnant energy, emotions, or thoughts that did not serve her. Throughout this time, she recognized her purpose to connect with people through yoga and mindfulness and share the practice and teaching methods with as many people as possible and to pass the torch to those who are ready to embody the practice of yoga, reap its benefits and share it with others on and off the mat.
Her belief is based on her own experience with yoga's transformative abilities that lead her to expand her knowledge through Absolute Yoga School of Yoga Thailand where she received her RYT 200hr in 2013. Since then she received further training with Noah Maze in Los Angeles and Jonah Kest in Nelson BC and is currently on her path to completion of her 500hr training. Natasha has completed a Vipassana sitting in Java, Indonesia and incorporates what she learnt into her classes as well as into her own practice.
Natasha teaches Yin Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Restorative, Power Yoga, Reformer Pilates, and is a Yoga Alliance certified as E-RYT.
Sophie Hitchman
RYT
Sophie completed her 200hr Registered Yoga Teacher Training at Bambu Hot Yoga this August, focusing on their Hot Hatha series, Vinyasa, and Core Mobility for functional movement. Sophie loves the holistic philosophy of yoga for embodiment, health, wellness, and mindfulness, and how much happiness and balance it brings into her daily life. Sophie celebrates yoga for every body and is passionate about creating an inclusive, and welcoming space for the community, while honouring yoga’s roots. Yoga has been an integral part of Sophie’s life for 7+ years and she is so excited to be deepening her practice and sharing her new knowledge with you! Outside of the studio you can find Sophie cycling, hiking, skiing & snowboarding, and enjoying everything our beautiful Kootenay’s have to offer!
Claire Culver
Assistant Manager
Claire’s background with studio management started with a front desk position at a local spin studio in Victoria BC. Claire moved to Victoria to begin her business degree at Gustavson School of Business. Along side studying she worked part time at the spin studio. After completing her second year with UVIC she moved into a full time position with a well known Spin Studio in Victoria and began her training to be an instructor. Beginning with a key holder position to assistant manager for the studio Claire was in charge of all client communications, class management, and the hiring and training of the energy exchange team. During this time Claire completed her instructor training and became a team motivator teaching 4-7 classes a week.
