Leslee Colon
Caroline Fernandez
Yoga Instructor, RYT200
Reiki Practitioner
Ever since stumbling across her first yoga class in 2006, Caroline has believed in the healing powers of yoga. She strives to create a welcoming atmosphere in her classes by focusing on self-love, acceptance of what is, and body awareness.
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Caroline is passionate about making yoga and self-care accessible to all people. She has taught in a variety of settings including yoga studios, public schools, parks, and rehabilitation and detention centers.
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She is a long-time resident of Seminole Heights, and feels lucky to be part of such a diverse community.
Yoga Instructor, RYT200
Kate Doubler
Yoga Instructor, RYT200
Kate Doubler began practicing yoga in 2007 as a way to alleviate stress and back pain, but her practice deepened in 2017 as she started recovery from alcohol addiction. Within her yoga practice, Kate found tools to help her learn to accept distress and discomfort, and she is driven to help others access these tools (whether they are in recovery or not).
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Kate loves to teach beginning, yin, and slow flow yoga in particular. In her classes for beginners, she relies heavily on the use of walls and blankets, making sure to protect and strengthen joints and fascia. Drawing from her experience as a weightlifter and boxer, Kate understands the power of simple movements and stretches to help her students connect with the dynamism and beauty inherent in their bodies. Her playful attitude, which encourages mid-pose adjustment and experimentation, seeks to debunk the idea that yoga is only for the “Instagram-perfect” body.
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Kate completed her 200-hour training under the loving guidance of Kelly Watson and Meghan Hornstrom at Sattva Yoga in Tampa, Florida.
Libby Creagh
Yoga Instructor, E-RYT500, YACP
Libby has been practicing and sharing yoga, Reiki, and meditation for more than twenty years. She is the lead teacher and creator of Jai Dee’s Yoga Teacher Training program as well as yoga and meditation instructor at Moffitt Cancer Center.
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Since becoming certified to teach, Libby has shared yoga in 5 different countries and throughout the United States. She now calls Tampa Florida home and Jai Dee her home studio.
When she’s not in the studio, Libby is in the kitchen attempting to recreate the foods she fell in love with during her travels.
Our Team
Danielle Sweet
Owner & Yoga Instructor,
E-RYT200
Sharing the benefits of yoga is a passion of Danielle's, so when the opportunity to buy Jai Dee Yoga & Wellness knocked in the middle of a global pandemic, she answered the door. Making yoga accessible to people at all levels is at the heart of her practice. By connecting the breath to the body through asana, Danielle fosters a space where every level of student can explore their mind, body, and spirit in the present moment.
Crista Ellis
Yoga Instructor, RYT200
Crista has a passion to encourage students to connect with their breath to invigorate and revitalize the body and mind.
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Her classes include elements from Hatha yoga that offer opportunities for fluid movement and moments of stillness.
Crista is especially interested in slowing down, finding the breath, and letting go of what no longer serves our body, mind, and spirit. When Crista is not on the yoga mat, you can find her wandering barefoot in the forests of Florida or singing at a local karaoke night.
Leslee Colon
Yoga Instructor, RYT200
Beginning with Leslee’s very first yoga class, she has been blessed to have amazing, caring and exceptional teachers. To her delight and wonderment, yoga not only increased her flexibility, focus, and energy, yoga also clarified and redefined the strength and peacefulness in her body and mind.
The moving meditation of her practice soon followed her off the mat and into all of her life. As her practice continued to deepen, sharing the blessings became her next step in the journey.
It is her honor to guide and encourage students to share the joy, freedom, and discovery in celebrating yoga’s many blessings with everyone along the path.
Tara Laval
Yoga Instructor, E-RYT200, RYT500
Tara’s passion is to encourage students in finding a balance between strength and stability, and endurance and ease. She is particularly interested in slowing down, focusing on the present moment, and reducing stress. Her yoga classes are a mixture of movement and stillness, with an emphasis on the breath, foundation and safe alignment of the body.
As a Yoga Nidra Facilitator, Tara guides her students through deep levels of relaxation to heal and restore mind, body, and soul.
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​When she is not on the yoga mat, you can find Tara cheering on her hockey team, the Tampa Bay Lightning. Go Bolts!
Florence Giacalone
Yoga Instructor, RYT200
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Florence’s “slow flow” style is a mix between vinyasa and hatha yoga; she enjoys the challenge of staying in a posture and really exploring the effects of that posture on the body and mind.
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She truly believes yoga should be accessible to everyone, which is why she chose to pursue an education in chair yoga and restorative yoga, under the leadership of Hanaq Prana Yoga’s founder, Lorena Saavedra Smith.
Florence is also a certified reiki master and is eager to explore opportunities to couple the transformative powers of reiki and yoga.
Thomas Chestnutt
Yoga Instructor, RYT200
German born, with terminal degrees in two arenas, he is a graduate of Sattva Yoga teacher training (200 RYT), his curiosity with yoga began in 2010. In what started out as a way to increase his university soccer team's flexibility, yoga began to resonate more and more with him, physically and philosophically. Hatha, Vinyasa and Yin practices, from teachers such as Kelly Watson, John Columbo, and Anny Noratto have shaped his practice. He has taught previously at Sattva Yoga, Trinity Yoga and, since the start of the pandemic, online.
As a lover of music, he enjoys creating a harmonic environment to match the physical movements. Thomas is committed to being thoughtful of all that join him for movements on the mat. It is his intention to offer a space that is inviting during your time together. Breathe, move, breathe, stillness.
Andrea Cheeks
Yoga Instructor, RYT200
Andrea fell in love with yoga in college when she started practicing as just a way to exercise. She had no idea it would have such a positive impact on her life. Andrea’s practice has continued to evolve over the years and in 2015 she completed a 200 hour yoga teacher training at Half Moon Yoga in Medina, OH. Andrea enjoys leading a variety of styles and levels and loves learning new things from fellow teachers and practitioners! Andrea from Pittsburg, PA and is brand new to Florida!