Meet your teachers

Danielle is the Founding Owner of True Nature Yoga Collective and Director of True Nature School of Yoga. Since 2001, she has taught in various settings including yoga studios, corporations, non-profit organizations, and schools. Previously, she has been the co-owner of two studios, Yoga Vista (2005-2009) and Yoga Oceanside (2010 to 2019) . 

Leading transformational retreats and facilitating group circles for over 2 decades, Danielle's approach is rooted in the belief that with steady practice and sincere study, we all have the capacity to heal our pain, navigate change and awaken our compassion. Bringing seekers together and creating supportive community is at the heart of her work.

Danielle's classes, workshops, trainings, and retreats are accessible for all abilities and emphasize an embodied experience of the rich philosophy and psychology rooted in ancient traditions. Her pilgrimages to India have embedded her in a spiritual lineage of the tradition, which shines through in her sincere approach to sharing Yoga with others.

Danielle graduated with a Master of Arts Degree in Yoga Studies from Loyola Marymount University in May 2015. She is also attuned as a Reiki Master and enjoys tapping into energy as a source for personal healing and spiritual growth.

When she's not teaching, you will find her in the kitchen preparing plant-based meals, volunteering  for Voices for Children as a CASA, studying, and tending to her personal practice. 

Danielle's Schedule

Sundays @ 9:00am

Tuesdays @ 4:15pm

Wednesdays @ 9:30am

Fridays @ 9:30am

Katie has taught yoga across the planet in diverse environments, from corporate wellness days to roof top decks in the South Indian Ocean, to sweet little studios right here in Oceanside and feels that every yoga offering is an opportunity to pour a bit of her heart into the world :)

Katie is a lover of life and her classes are infused with this infectious energy.  Her teaching style is playful yet gentle. In her class you can expect breath centric somatic movements layered with heaps of yoga philosophy. Intentional based practice is always a foundation for her. With a deep love and reverence for the yoga teachings in their entirety, the asana, (the poses) simply become a portal for deeper levels of self inquiry. It’s the wisdoms she had learned from the yoga teachings through TNY that have transformed her own life to one of playful presence, healing & peace.

Through her classes, Katie hopes to invite you through the door of self discovery.  She teaches with kindness, compassion and from the joy in her heart. She hopes to help share this joy with you. Her passion for creating community as well as safe spaces for people to learn and heal and shine is what she is thrilled to share with the TNYC.

In addition to yoga classes Katie hosts monthly wellness experiences and annual retreats. She’d love to connect in studio or over coffee! You can find her at IG @saltearth.co or at https://saltearthcollective.com

Katie's Schedule

Thursdays @ 9:30am

In 2006 Anna quit her journalism job in Los Angeles and moved to India to study yoga with esteemed teacher TKV Desikachar. She had no intention of teaching yoga – just an insatiable curiosity about the practice she loved and its deep roots. But after seven months of eating, sleeping, and breathing yoga, it seemed selfish not to share the teachings. Anna returned to the US, completed a 500-hour teacher training, and began leading classes that combine the fluid, playful style of her LA days with the measured, therapeutic approach she embraced in India. The one-time political journalist also became a frequent contributor to Yoga International, Yoga Journal, and other health and wellness publications.

Anna was living the dream – getting paid to jet to yoga conferences and pick the brains of America's top teachers – until she had two babies in less than two years (insert screeching tire sound effect). These days, you're more likely to find her at a soccer match or dance recital than a yoga conference, but she still makes time for the mat. In 2021 she founded Delve Wellness Collective, a mobile studio specializing in outdoor yoga classes, private yoga instruction, and one-of-a-kind wellness experiences. She also offers consulting services to hotels and resorts interested in developing wellness programs. https://www.delvetogether.com/

Anna is honored to be part of the True Nature Yoga community. She shares her lighthearted, breath-focused, BS-free approach on Monday mornings and select Fridays. 

Anna's Schedule

Mondays @ 9:30am

A dedicated student of yoga and meditation since 1999, Natalie brings  a deeply integrative approach to her teaching, blending the traditional  Eight Limbs of Yoga with her extensive training in psychology. Teaching  since 2009, she guides students through breath, movement,  self-awareness, and energetic alignment, helping them cultivate  intuition and presence both on and off the mat. 

With a master’s  in clinical psychology from Pepperdine University, Natalie seamlessly  weaves yogic philosophy with modern psychological insights, creating an  experience that nurtures body and mind. She believes in making yoga  accessible to all, offering modifications and personalized guidance so  that every student—regardless of experience—can find ease, balance, and  self-discovery in their practice. 

Beyond the studio, Natalie  understands firsthand how yoga supports well-being in all aspects of  life. As a consultant in medical communications and technology, she has  witnessed the transformative power of integrating mindfulness and  movement into daily routines. In today’s fast-paced world, she sees yoga  as an essential tool for releasing stress, anxiety, and fear, paving  the way for a more joyful and connected life. 

If you seek a class  that provides tools to self-regulate the nervous system, strengthens  the ability to breathe and move freely, and fosters deep connection—to  yourself and those around you—Natalie’s teaching may be exactly what you  need. She considers yoga to be the greatest gift in her own life and is  passionate about sharing its wisdom with anyone open to growth,  healing, and transformation.

Natalie's Schedule

Tuesdays @ 6:00pm

In Sara’s class, you can expect a strong focus on using the breath to guide each movement and allowing it to support the space within each posture so that each student can take the time to explore their own unique capabilities. Her classes are intentional and uplifting, with a deep reverence for the teachings of yoga and a lighthearted sense of humor. Sara creates a warm, welcoming & safe environment where every student can connect more deeply to themselves both on & off the mat. Come as you are! 

Sara has been a student of yoga since 2007, taking her first class through a community offering in her hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 2015, she completed her teacher training through Yandara Yoga Institute, where Sara learned the importance of "teaching from the heart", which for her, means always leading from a place of compassion and authenticity. In 2018, she moved to California and has expanded her education to include trauma-informed yoga & somatics, grief work, mobility/injury prevention and more. She volunteers with Waves of Grief, a California-based nonprofit organization that provides grief support at local beaches and internationally. Sara also works for a local hospice as well as with groups & individuals for grief & loss support. 

Follow Sara here https://linktr.ee/sara.comp

Sara's Schedule:

Saturday Shift, May 9th, 9:00am

Yin & Sound Healing, May 9th, 10:30am

Barb's first job out of high school was at a women's gym in her hometown of Hemet, California, greeting members and showing them how to use the equipment. When an aerobics instructor didn't show up for work one day, Barb was thrust into leading her class. She winged it— and loved every minute.

In the years since, Barb has worked as a personal trainer and taught countless group classes, including step aerobics, sculpt, and kickboxing.

But yoga has her heart. More than a fitness program, yoga targets mind, body, and spirit. She loves how it makes her feel and sharing the practices with others. She has taught yoga for more than 20 years and completed a 500-hour teacher training through Oceanside's True Nature School of Yoga.

Barb also loves spending time in nature, from meditating at Harbor Beach to hiking Potato Chip Rock to participating in triathlons. She and her husband split their time between Oceanside a the mountain town of Idyllwild.

Barb's Schedule:

Thursdays @ 5:30pm

Peggie Moore is a Yoga Instructor RYT500, certified in Yoga for Cancer Recovery, Grief Recovery Yoga, Chair, YIN, Restorative, Gentle, Hatha and a Reiki Master.

Peggie has practiced yoga her entire adult life and is passionate about working with every age, size, shape, and ability who has the desire to find their way to yoga and to a healthier, happier life. While attending her classes you will learn ways in which you can reduce stress, improve well-being, and increase strength and flexibility. Appropriate modifications are provided for all students.

Peggie graduated RYT500 from True Nature School of Yoga in Oceanside, CA and has loved teaching since 2015. 

Peggie's Schedule:

Sundays @ 5:30pm

Originally from Hawaii, Melanie moved to California in the late 90’s and began to explore different styles of Yoga. She was infinitely inspired, and loved how each of her teachers had something unique to offer the beautiful tapestry of Yoga. Wanting to take her practice and understanding further, she became a registered yoga teacher through True Nature School of Yoga in 2008. Since then, Melanie has taught yoga in hospitals, schools, Yoga studios, and on the road for touring musicians. She strongly believes in, and has directly observed in herself and her students, the great potential of yoga to relieve stress, help heal our bodies by igniting the immune system and create a more loving and compassionate outlook on life. Her passion for Yoga and its healing properties led to an in depth study of functional anatomy, holistic nutrition and clinical herbalism.  

Melanie is on faculty at True Nature School of Yoga, where she trains yoga teachers in Anatomy, Ayurveda, Yin Yoga, vinyasa, and alignment in asana. She was the co-founder and owner of Yoga Oceanside Studio for over 10 years.  Her love of travel has Melanie leading wellness programming around the world through her company Rebel and Muse.  www.rebelandmuse.com

Leslie Denny is a yoga and fitness instructor who has been practicing in the Oceanside, California area for over fifteen years. Her qualifications include the E-RYT 500, registered through the Yoga Alliance, 200-hour training through YogaFit and advanced studies through the True Nature School of Yoga, of which she is a faculty member. Leslie is a member of the Advisory Committee for Standards with Yoga Alliance and has successfully mentored and trained many yoga instructors. In her previous role as a Master Instructor with 24 Hour Fitness, she developed yoga workshops that were implemented successfully nationwide. Leslie has brought yoga to many diverse groups: cancer patients at Scripps in La Jolla, California, struggling teens at the YMCA and the Wounded Warriors Battalion West Marines at Camp Pendleton. She also co-developed the KOCT series, “Health and Harmony Yoga” which can be seen on Oceanside community channel. One of her specialties in yoga is a therapeutic approach with postures and the use of therapeutic balls for the purpose of myofascial release and self-massage. She is a strong believer that, through meditation and yoga, we can all find peace where we least expect it.

Pawan has been involved with the contemplative arts for nearly 30 years but his training in eastern spirituality goes back to his early childhood in India. Pawan teaches various classes and workshops on Yoga philosophy, āsana, kuṇḍalinī, prāṇāyāma, and meditation, spanning from many of the traditional schools of India (Sivananda Yoga, Himalayan Institute, Bihar School of Yoga, Ashtanga, and Iyengar to name a few).

Pawan also holds a Master of Arts in Yoga Studies from Loyola Marymount University. His research and passion spans classical Indian philosophy with a focus on the acoustic and neuroscience aspects of mediation and consciousness.