Instructors

Caroline Felix E-RYT 200, RYT 500

Caroline is the owner of Shine Yoga and enjoys her time at the studio as an instructor and a student. During her study under Ursula Cox at the Inner Power Yoga 200hr Teacher Training, she cultivated a deeper love and respect for the ancient practice and its continual physical and mental benefits. In 2016, Caroline completed the 500 hour "Life of a Yogi" training with Sri Dharma Mittra in New York City and is honored to share what she learned under his direct instruction. Caroline believes that yoga should be accessible to all and strives to create a diverse yoga space through creative instructors and various classes. It is a true joy for her to share this passion with others.

Tiffany Coombs

Tiffany’s classes are inspired by her teachers, her students, her practice, and the natural movement of the people and world around her. She views yoga as an artistic discipline which gives us the opportunity to explore and experience our full potential. Tiffany combines ten years of ballet training with over 1,000 hours of yoga and massage studies to guide students from pose to pose in a safe, creative, and challenging manner. She asks that students find the courage to step outside of their comfort zones and be open to their own possibilities.

Amy Gwinner E-RYT 200, RYT 500

Amy received her 200 hour yoga certification through Shiva Rea’s Prana Flow teacher training program in 2010. In 2016, Amy completed her 500 hour certification at Beloved Yoga. Amy’s love for yoga has shown her peace, love, balance, and a strong foundation to grow from. She believes yoga is a vehicle for change and growth. A way to create space within ourselves to find our strength, beauty, and abundance through the union of breath, body, and mind.

Gina Byrd

Gina Byrd was born and raised outside of Boston, and completed her Fluid Yoga Teacher Training at Stil Studio in Dedham, Massachusetts. A life long dancer, Gina was looking to transition out of performing and fell in love with the practice of yoga. She opened her own studio, Yoga at the Field House, in the mountains of Maine before moving to Virginia in 2013. Gina's dynamic Vinyasa Flow classes focus on alignment, breath and meditation. As a mother to 2 young sons, Gina is also passionate about teaching yoga to children.

Carolyn Gartner

Carolyn was born and raised in Baltimore, Md . She moved to Winchester to run a clinic for migrant farmworkers (a Long time ago) . A Physician Assistant for over thirty years, she has a deep understanding of the physical body and the need for balance in the body, mind, and spirit for authentic health. Carolyn first came to Yoga (with Caroline Felix ) to improve strength and flexibility. Quickly, she recognized the deeper inner practice that truly is “Yoga”. In 2015, she completed her 200 hour teacher training with Tiffany Combs. Carolyn has been a practicing Reiki Master since 2010, completing multiple trainings since that time. In 2017, she completed the Holy Fire II Karuna® Reiki Master training with William Rand (ICRT) in the U.K.This powerful experience of healing and grace ignited her passion for sharing this practice on an all new level. In addition to group Yoga classes, she offers Reiki Circles, and private Reiki/Yoga sessions .She is passionate about teaching others the healing practice of Yoga and Reiki -it makes EVERYTHING easier! In Fall 2017, she joined the first group of National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coaches . Carolyn brings an intentional blend of challenge, ease, rhythm, and deep relaxation to her Yoga classes which always include Reiki, an Extended Savasana, and lots of LOVE!

Stephanie McKinley LCSW RYT200

Stephanie has just moved to Winchester after spending the last year camping the US with her 9 year old daughter and is excited to share her yoga with you!! Stephanie was first introduced to yoga in her early teens and has practiced off and on since then. She was drawn into the practice by the asanas and quickly realized the healing benefits for her emotional and spiritual life. Stephanie became “busy” with a career in mental health, dedicating her time to creating a healing experience for individuals who experienced trauma in their lives. After finding a love for competitive CrossFit and building an in depth knowledge base of body mechanics and movement patterns she felt it was time to slow life down; a new dream was born. Stephanie saw the space to incorporate her 15 years of work in the mental health field with her love of movement in her yoga teaching and practice. She completed her 200 hour teacher training with Dashama Konah, founder of the Pranashama Yoga Institute, during a 30 day intensive in Bali and wants to continue her life’s passion to be of service to others and inspire living a life of bliss.

Carinne Smoot RYT 200

Carinne first practiced yoga during her college years at Virginia Tech. Since then she has practiced on and off at different studios and at home. Now as an avid weightlifter and runner she found the need for something else to help aid in recovery. Not only did adding yoga back into her life help with that but It also improved her flexibility, mobility and helped calm her mind. By completing her 200 hour teacher training at Shine Yoga with Caroline Felix and Amy Gwinner in March 2018, she can’t wait to share with others how yoga can help heal the body and mind. Join her for a fun and energetic class that is sure to leave you feeling refreshed and alive!

Cindia Stewart RYT 200

Cindia’s introduction to yoga began over ten years ago. She discovered the positive impact yoga has on life. Desiring to share her passion and practice with others, Cindia completed Shine’s YTT 200 hour with Caroline Felix and Amy Gwinner. Subsequently, Cindia completed Beloved’s Compassionate Senior Training Certification expanding her knowledge and skills to teach Senior Yoga with compassion for the aging process. Cindia’s calm and gentle manner is well-suited to inspiring students of all levels. She hopes her students will find balance—mentally, physically, and spiritually that they can embody in their daily lives off the mat.

Jackie Dawson RYT 200

Jackie was drawn to yoga as a way to end the cycle of suffering and burnout she was feeling as a stay at home mom and wife. After struggling with codependency, anxiety, and depression for most of her adult life her coping strategies didn't seem to cut it anymore. One sixty minute power flow class later, she was hooked. Jackie's life was transformed from the powerful combination of movement paired with intentional breath. The space her practice gifted her allowed Jackie to slow down and create a life from joy and love rather than fear and "shoulds". Also a Usui Ryoho Reiki Master & Hibiscus Moon Certified Crystal Healer, Jackie trained under Caroline Felix & Amy Gwinner for her RYT - 200 certification at Shine Yoga (Winchester, VA) in 2019-2020. Jackie's classes provide a dynamic , slower flow, helping to build strength, balance the nervous system, focus the mind , and deepen her student's own personal practice. Her mission is to create a supportive , loving space for others to ignite their own healing , mind body & spirit on and off their mat.

Hannah Lewis RYT 200

Hannah went to her first yoga class in 2019 hoping to relieve stress and tension in her body from many years of playing sports and working as a hairstylist. She never realized how quickly her practice would change her life.. physically, mentally and spiritually! She completed her 200 hour teacher training from Shine Yoga under Caroline Felix and Amy Gwinner in 2021. When not at the studio, she enjoys spending time with her two kitties, running, paddle boarding, hiking and creating beautiful hair for her clients in the salon. Hannah welcomes practitioners of all levels to her classes, and hopes to offer a safe and uplifting space for everyone to experience the amazing benefits of yoga.

Christina Rash RYT 200/500

Christina Rash found yoga at the perfect time. She had quit her job to homeschool her son in 2013. Yoga allowed her to find the ability to disconnect from stress and find a way to refresh her mind. Her love for the dynamic movement of power yoga mixed with a cardio workout led her to get her certification in Buti Yoga. She is the only Buti Yoga certified instructor in the Winchester area. Finding Shine Yoga, deepened her love and gave her a well balanced practice with a traditional vinyasa style. She completed her 200 hour Teacher Training with Caroline and Amy in 2020. Then in 2021 she completed her 500 hour training with Briohny Smyth of Aligned Yoga. She can’t wait to help you find your inner strength and peace.

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Rachel Merle-Smith RYT 200

Rachel has been practicing and loving yoga for over a decade. She received her 200hr teacher training from Shine Yoga under the instruction of Caroline Felix and Amy Gwinner. Before delving into her training, she incorporated yoga into her Montessori elementary classroom, finding a connection with children and yoga. Rachel brings her Montessori teaching experience with her into the yoga studio and also uses music and the breath in her teaching style. When she’s not on her mat, you can find Rachel cooking, on a walk with her golden retriever, Gobi, and hanging out with her husband, Zander.

Yvette Carlucci (E-RYT-500)

Yvette took her first yoga class as a freshman in college. Over the years, the inspiration to return to the mat came from the internal transformation that began in that first class, and that inspiration continues to this day. Through the years yoga has provided an antidote to the rigors of long distance running and to the stressors of every day living, proving transformative both on and off the mat. Yvette received her 200hr RYT in 2008 and in Aug. 2012 completed her 500hr RYT training, both through Beloved Yoga in Reston, VA.

As an instructor, Yvette loves to share her enthusiasm for yoga and strives to provide her students a safe space to explore and grow, perhaps even to fall. In all of her classes, Yvette encourages her students to listen to the teacher within, to explore the transformative effects of the breath, and to be open to change in the body, mind and spirit.

Lauren Barton RYT 200

I began my yoga journey in 2017, starting and stopping practice many times along the way. Beginning with a gentle yoga practice and eventually taking the leap to my first hot vinyasa class. I was hooked! The heat, the new found awareness of my body, the mental clarity and the blissful ending in shavasana was all addicting and amazing!
My yoga practice taught me so much as I navigated through life in my mid twenties. Being in the studio felt like home.
In the fall of 2020, I had the opportunity to take the 200 hr YTT with Caroline Felix and Amy Gwinner at Shine.
Teaching yoga has been an unexpected, wonderful journey and I’m honored to be able to hold space for students to experience all of the wonderful benefits yoga has to offer.
When I’m not practicing or teaching yoga, I'm either
talking on the phone, at a festival, at work creating beautiful hair on my amazing clients, outside on a walk, or at home hanging with my kitties :)