“People aren’t your most important asset. They’re your only asset.”
One of the best people leaders I’ve ever worked with
Sunny Street’s faculty is comprised of a diverse family of individuals with unique areas of expertise, backgrounds and styles, all sharing a deep connection to yoga and a genuine caring for their students. Click the images below to learn more about these fabulous folks with whom we are lucky indeed to be working.
Alison Gurevich
Alison is an E-RYT / RYT-500 yoga teacher based in Atlanta, Georgia. She has received additional specialized trained in teaching meditation, yoga for seniors, chair yoga, aerial yoga (level 2), and yoga for osteoporosis (the Fishman sequence). She loves working with people at all ages and stages of life to explore what and where yoga can bring them, and is passionate about the balance of yang (power/vinyasa) with yin in both her teaching and personal practice.
She began practicing yoga as a teenager in Florida, and thirty years later can regularly be found on her mat and at trainings, yoga festivals, and events, continuing to grow her practice and seeking the best to share with others. In addition to regularly teaching a variety of traditional yoga classes, Alison also offers weekend yoga retreats, class series, and a wide variety of workshops on everything from head stands to mala making and meditation.
Learn more about Alison’s yoga path at @breathtomotion on instagram and at www.breathtomotion.com. The one-of-a-kind malas she offers can be found at @alikatcreations and www.alikatcreations.com.
Elissa Day
Elissa began her yoga practice in 1990. Her first introduction to yoga was with the Iyengar style which focused on alignment. As she progressed, she was drawn to a Vinyasa flow where she felt more comfortable. Gradually gaining strength and a true passion she found a real direction in her practice which allowed her to find physical strength and mental awareness.
In May 2021 she completed her 200-Hour Vinyasa Yoga teacher training. Currently she is able to combine all her skills to make the practice of yoga accessible to all her students.
From 1999 to 2016 Elissa was a Massage Therapist in Northern California. During this time, she was able continue her training in workshops including Ayurveda, Reiki, Huna principles and Lomi Lomi massage.
Elissa’s personal interest include baking, cycling, hiking, photography and travel.
Hamad Shirazi
Hamad Shirazi is a wellness consultant and fitness coach. He leads individuals toward optimal health and performance by focusing on body-mind intelligence and a balanced lifestyle. Hamad earned a B.S.Ed. in Exercise & Sport Science from the University of Georgia and a M.S.Ed. in Exercise Physiology from the University of Miami. Additionally, he is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine as a Personal Trainer and trained by the C.H.E.K Institute as a Holistic Lifestyle Coach. He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Chiropractic degree at Life University.
Hamad’s personal experience includes healing from traumatic experiences and overcoming health challenges; while his professional experience spans over ten years of results with clients and leadership roles with wellness centers. He has hosted classes, workshops, events and retreats to educate, inspire, and empower the community. Hamad prioritizes spiritual, mental, and physical integration with the goal of helping individuals become the healthiest and strongest version of themselves.
Kerry Quigg
Kerry is a native New Yorker, turned Southern California girl. After 30 years in Huntington Beach, CA, she moved to Atlanta to try something new – something to enrich her mind, body and spirit. It was in Atlanta that she took her first yoga class. It was love at first practice. Knowing how greatly her yoga experience has changed her life, Kerry has a strong desire in her heart to share these practices with others.
After taking as many different types of yoga classes and workshops as possible, she enrolled in a 200 hour yoga teacher training program with lead teacher Kim Saunders. Still wanting to learn more, Kerry completed her 300-hour advanced certification in 2022.
Kerry’s has been a healthcare professional throughout her career, and this lends itself in her understanding of anatomy and alignment in her sequences and cues. Kerry loves hiking, mountain biking, surfing, and forest bathing.
Kim Hamilton
I am a yoga instructor and holistic health coach based in the Atlanta area. Growing up as a severe asthmatic and being frequently hospitalized throughout childhood gave me a deep appreciation for pranayama and how yoga is centered around the breath.
At the age of 3 I began dancing where I learned early on the importance of cultivating a mind/body connection and remaining physically fit through exercise and proper nutrition. One central aspect of yoga and meditation that has always appealed to me is how the mind and body come together to create mindful action on and off the mat in daily life.
I completed my 200hr yoga teacher training certification at Peachtree Yoga where I learned the history of pranayama, practical & subtle anatomy, and yoga philosophy. I received my nutrition specialist certification through ACE Education. I use these tools, along with my BFA in Theatre and Performance Studies to create thoughtful yoga sequences and calming breath work practices to a variety of different students.
For years I’ve been teaching yoga and meditation for corporations such as Kaiser Permanente, Excellence in Exercise, and a number of different studios in the Atlanta area. It elates me to help performance artists warm up before a show or unwind afterward. It brings me great joy when students express how much my teachings have enhanced their art, their work, and their daily lives.
I’ve devoted my energy to these credentials because of my lifelong passion for helping people live their healthiest lives. I want to evoke a positive, peaceful feeling that motivates people to take charge of their health and become the very best version of themselves mentally, physically, and emotionally.
My favorite classes to teach are based on personal requests of the students. So if someone requests to learn a specific pose or focus on a particular body part or is working on overcoming an injury, or wants a mental focus, I enjoy tailoring the sequence towards their needs. If a student has a specific problem they want addressed, I make sure to integrate that into the class. I always offer quotes and mindful suggestions that reflect yoga philosophy so they can integrate into their work in their daily life. All my classes no matter how active or passive they may be are centered around the breath, so every flow becomes moving meditation.
Lilian Leone
I discovered Yoga in 2006. At that time I was overweight and felt terrible, my health was not good and I was looking for a more meaningful life. My first yoga class was Bikram Yoga. I practiced it for about 3 years every single day, and very quickly, the daily practice became an important part of my life.
I was ready for the next challenge. In 2009 I tried Ashtanga Yoga. In 2013, I took my 200-hour yoga teacher training and earned my RYT-200 credential. From that moment on I never stop studying and learning more about Ashtanga, anatomy, movement and the mental benefits of yoga. I’ve trained with leading yoga, anatomy, and philosophy teachers including David William, David Robinson, Taylor Hunt, Tymi Howard Bender, and Kino MacGregor.
For me Yoga is about the balance between strength and flexibility, exertion, and release. My classes combine both strength and mobility work in an Ashtanga Vinyasa style. Expect to move, sweat, and breathe. I am a dynamic and also very compassionate teacher with a true regard for my students’ healing. I love to encourage self-empowerment and self–awareness in them.
I hope to meet you on the mat soon!
Namaste
Mechelle Tunstall
Mechelle grew up in London, England. She made her way to the United States with her mum and younger brother, when she was 12. Always involved in a sport of some sort, Mechelle loved to move. Her official movement studies began at the University of Houston, in Texas. Intrigued by the power of movement, she switched her major from biochemistry to dance, and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts. From Texas, to Arizona, and then, the Bay Area, Mechelle has performed and choreographed, while concurrently working as a paralegal.
Mechelle moved to Atlanta, Georgia, in 2016, and is currently a moving artist with glo. Her love of yoga began that same year, when she became part of the CorePower Yoga community as a studio experience team member. She completed her 200-hour RYT in 2017, and has been exploring yoga ever since. She shares her love of movement with her daughter. Their curiosity has led them to teaching family yoga classes, kids’ movement classes and parties.
When Mechelle is not teaching, she is enjoying life with her family. Sharing her passion for yoga, dance, reading, and film with her kiddo. Rarely can they be found still. Almost always together, and almost always moving.
Monique Saitowitz
Yoga is an integral part of my life. 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 and to recognize that each moment is a gift.
In my classes, I love to combine creative sequencing 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. My hope is that you step off the mat feeling refreshed, nourished and balanced.
Olivia Shoffner
Olivia has been a student of yoga for almost 20 years. She has five teachers in and around the Atlanta area that she’s had a steady practice with over the last 11 years. In addition to practicing multiple types of flow, her practice has developed to include yin yoga, restorative yoga and a recent focus on pranayama/meditation. Olivia has attended multiple workshops, retreats, self-care circles and continues to look for educational opportunities that can enhance her practice. She has recently obtained her 200 hour YTT certification via Brett Larkin Yoga and is registered with the Yoga Alliance.
Stacy Joslin
Hi. I’m Stacy, owner of Sunny Street Yoga. I’m a mom, partner, wellness advocate, yogi, and corporate warrior.
I’m a proud Pittsburgh native, and came to Atlanta in 2018 after having lived and worked in several states, most notably New Jersey and South Florida. I’ve spent the last 20+ years in strategic operations and consulting with large-scale corporations (hence the moving), and a few years ago decided to make a long-overdue left turn into wellness. I first earned certification as a functional medicine health coach, (FMCHC) and began my coaching business prior to becoming a yoga teacher. From the yoga side of things, I completed my 500-hour certification from Asheville Yoga Center, and am also certified as a mindfulness practitioner with Mindful Leader and a trauma-informed yoga teacher with the Veteran’s Yoga Project. I love supporting my clients’ mind-body-spirit wellness as both a yoga teacher and wellbeing coach, and am happy to be able to combine all of these elements in Sunny Street.
The amazing faculty and I would love to see you at Sunny Street Yoga and get to know you better. Feel free to explore the site to learn more about us, our classes and our culture.
Namaste.
Teni Butler
I received my RYT-200 training at Asheville Yoga Center under the direction of Stephanie Keach. Yoga helps me maintain some sense of balance and centeredness in the chaos of what modern day life looks like – health, home, job, family, laundry… the list goes on! I love sharing yoga with others who have the same goals of finding space and grace to move through life a little more calmly and clearly. Yoga is an incredible way to bring ourselves back into our bodies and to cultivate gratitude and compassion for ourselves so that we can begin to extend that gratitude and compassion to others around us. I look forward to sharing what I have learned through my yoga journey, and I hope to continuing learning with and from those who practice with me how to face the world with more ease and grace.