Meet the teachers and staff behind Dragonfly Yoga Studio

Alana Weathersbee  (studio creative director)

As an active person her whole life, Alana stumbled onto yoga in 1998…a time in her life when she was tired of going to the gym and tired of the mundane exercise program she had been doing since high school. At her very first yoga class the sign outside the door said, “welcome home.”  Little did Alana know that at the age of 21 she would be introduced to a new way of living.  In 2002, she began to practice teaching to senior citizens. Her first student was 93yrs old. Then in 2006, Alana became certified as a Kripalu Yoga Teacher/RYS 200hr instructor. Since then, she has taught yoga to people of all ages and enjoys every aspect of teaching chair, beginner, intermediate and power yoga classes. “Yoga has taught me that everybody is different and with the right modification anyone can do yoga. It’s so important to continue to move and explore both mind and body. Once you stop using it, you risk losing it.” Alana’s classes tend to be challenging and she likes to give students opportunities to move and explore their bodies. Some of her happiest moments in class are watching clients work hard at poses, then finally get to that “aha” moment--when the body and breath make a connection.  

allie henderson

Allie has a passion for connection and heart for community! Allie began her yoga journey in 2015 with self practice. She fell in love with the lifestyle of yoga and got certified in 2018. She continues to advance her learning as a forever student to the practice. What she loves most about yoga is that it holds the power to help us become present to the divinity within, connect with ourselves, and the world around us. It is my goal to spark a glimmer of that in every class. We are all coming home to ourselves every time we step on the mat.

annie coady

Annie began her teacher training journey here in Fredericksburg in 2012 at Healing Arts and Yoga. She was certified in 2015 and has been teaching in her community ever since. Annie found her passion teaching prenatal yoga here at Dragonfly and completed her prenatal teacher training in 2018.  Her background is in weight training and she is also a certified personal trainer. Her lighthearted classes focus on proper body alignment with the use of props, and following the breath to move the body and free the mind. Annie strives to provide a space for each student to find their personal practice on the mat and enjoys making yoga accessible to students of all abilities. 

Becca Childress

Becca joined the Army at 18, and returned to the military as a civilian in 2009. She found yoga through her work after seeing numerous articles pointing to yoga being effective in helping treat PTS/TBI and other stressors service members face.  She has been teaching yoga since 2013 and grows every day.  Her teaching philosophy is that yoga is for every body – regardless of what you’re bringing to the mat – there is something for everyone to find and discover.

Holley Ryan

Holley, E-RYT 200, is a compassionate and knowledgeable instructor who has been teaching in the Fredericksburg area for over 14 years. She has taught several years of Yoga Teacher Training at Dragonfly, guiding others in their passion to learn more about this ancient practice and aiding them in becoming instructors as well. Holley incorporates all of the life building aspects of yoga into her classes - physical, mental and emotional health. She teaches an energetic and creative vinyasa flow class, concentrating on building strength, balance and flexibility. She also enjoys teaching beginners and introducing them to the joyful and transformative power of yoga. Relieving stress is a key component of yoga practice, and Holley focuses on creating a connection to breath as a way to bring peace to our busy minds; and  rhythmic movement and stretching to release tension from our bodies. The result is a true sense of well-being!  Additionally, Holley has a special 100 hours of training in yoga for those with cancer, heart disease, and chronic illness.

Jess Kahn

Since her family's move to Fredericksburg in 2014, Jess has been at the heart of building what is now a thriving yoga network here in our Downtown community.  She teaches privately, publicly and provides yoga instruction along with meditation / mindfulness coaching to varsity athletes at The University of Mary Washington.  She's also currently working toward her 500 Hour Advanced Vinyasa Teacher Certificate, training directly with Rolf Gates.  In Jess' own words, she has found her calling through yoga... "I am doing exactly what I have been called to do in life.  I am living my passion and feel empowered to break down boundaries and test limits for my own personal growth. If this sounds like something you would consider doing for yourself, we should definitely have a conversation. I would be honored to help you get started on your journey within."  You can find out more about Jess at her website, jesskahnyoga.com.

kolbie rosser

Kolbie Rosser took her first yoga class when she was fifteen, little did she know that this was just the beginning of a life long journey. Once she had graduated high school she started her RYT 200 training with Dragonfly Yoga Studio. When Kolbie isn’t on her mat practicing yoga you can find her in yoga poses out on her paddle board. In all of her classes, Kolbie strives to hold an open and positive place where students are inspired to explore their minds and bodies through movement and breath. She loves encouraging her students to live a healthy lifestyle, reminding them to accept themselves on and off the mat.

MELISSA OKRASINski

Melissa discovered yoga when she was pregnant with her daughter in 2008. As a working mother with two young children, her practice came and went.  It wasn’t until 2013 when she committed to a daily practice.  Diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression and anxiety as a young adult, Melissa believes yoga was what finally brought her back to herself…and continues to this day.  Her philosophy is that yoga is not simply a physical practice, but a complete mind-body connection that is necessary in today’s world.  Melissa wishes to bring this peace to all through her teaching.  She received her 200 hour yoga teaching certificate in May of 2017 from Latitude Yoga Company in Stafford, Virginia.  She lives in Fredericksburg with her husband, Jeremy and her two children Madeline and Logan.  She is a full-time mortgage broker in downtown Fredericksburg.

Michelle etcho

Michelle Etcho, E-RYT 200 & YACEP, started practicing yoga with the intention of losing weight and getting leaner muscles. What she found was so much more than that. Through yoga she discovered a mental, emotional, and spiritual balance that went way beyond the physical benefits. Michelle says that, “Yoga is a personal journey towards loving yourself, not just despite but because of your flaws, and appreciating the moments along the way. With the hope of helping others on this journey of self-discovery, I pursued my RYT 200 at the Heal Me Institute. My yoga philosophy is that yoga is for everyone, every shape, size, age, and background.So often we rush through life or let life rush by us without taking the time to enjoy the present moment. Yoga is a way to slow life down and truly be grateful.  My teaching style challenges students to try new things and step outside their comfort zone.”

Stephanie Coiner

Nurtured and raised on her family’s farm, Stephanie has always felt a deeply rooted kinship to the land. Roaming the fields, basking in the vastness of open space, and being barefoot outside have always been essential grounding components in Stephanie’s life. Stephanie is a yoga teacher, reiki practitioner and lover of all types of movement—especially running, CrossFit and yoga! Stephanie was first introduced to yoga in high school and after years of inconsistent practice it finally all came together in 2013. In the summer of 2016 she completed her 200RYT with Jess Kahn Yoga and has been teaching since. Stephanie believes our bodies are strong, remarkably capable and always willing to work for us. With a sense of humor, curious mind, and a wide open heart, Stephanie is on a mission to share and open the door to a practice that has potential beyond our wildest comprehension. When she’s not teaching or on her mat she’s probably outside on an adventure.

suzanna hasnay

Suzanna is a retired FBI agent, life-long fitness nut and professionally trained dancer. She believes that life is about living it...being truly interested, positive and compassionate despite the pain and setbacks that will inevitably happen. Teaching yoga and mindfulness meditation is her way of giving back in this next chapter of her life. Suzanna continues to instruct police and federal agents in the areas of crisis leadership, resilience and human performance at the FBI National Academy, FBI's Critical Incident Response Group and police agencies around the country and internationally. Having received her RYT-200 certification from Jess Khan Yoga and RYT-500 at Zen Den Yoga School in Boca Raton, FL, under Ira Schneider and Valerie Leeds, she works with students from where they are physically and emotionally. She challenges and encourages her students...and herself...to find ease with strength. She feels honored to teach at Dragonfly with its fantastic instructors. Suzanna holds a BA in Dance, MA in Business and has completed extensive post graduate work in Exercise Science. In 2018, she was trained as a Mindfulness-Based Peer Coach through UC-San Diego and Mindful Badge.

Tara Borlodan

‘The bee is more honored than other animals not because she labors, but because she labors for others.'

 As a wife of a retired Navy service member and mother of three, being of service to others comes naturally for Tara.  In 2016 she began her journey of self-discovery and fitness through yoga.  She immediately fell in love with all aspects of the practice which led her to complete her RYT-200 hr training in Fredericksburg, VA in the summer of 2020. She looks forward to helping others create the mind-body-spirit connection through movement and breath while providing a space where students feel nurtured, supported, and safe. Tara believes in teaching from the heart, creating classes that are welcoming and accessible to everybody. She looks forward to seeing you on the mat!

Front Desk Staff

Substitute Teachers

Laura fazzaro

Laura Fazzaro earned her RYT 200 from Yogaworks in Richmond, Virginia in 2010. She also holds an Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training certificate through David Swenson of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Since her initial training, Laura has has devoted herself to personal growth and continuing education in both Vinyasa and Ashtanga forms of yoga. Laura’s Ashtanga training includes five trips to Mysore, India working under the tutelage of Authorized Teacher K. Pattabhi Jois at the Ashtanga Yoga Institute. Additional continuing education includes training under well-known yogis such as Kino MacGregor, Eddie Stern and through Yogaworks. Laura’s teaching experience includes leading classes at Woodley Park Ashtanga Yoga in Washington D.C., Yoga Foundation of Fredericksburg, and of course at Dragonfly Yoga Studio. Beyond her yoga credentials, Laura holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Mary Washington University and she is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

michelle dorer

Michelle Dorer is a veteran Ashtanga Yoga practitioner and teacher with almost 20 years of teaching experience and a direct study under Pattabhi Jois and his Senior Teachers. She is dedicated to the tradition of Ashtanga Yoga being taught in a way that is accessible to all students of different age, body type, and ability level. Her ability to adapt the practice in an intelligent way to help heal and continue practice safely is one of her unique gifts. She loves working with students, sharing her knowledge, and supporting and guiding the growth that Yoga brings.