Our Staff
Alicia Blackburn
Alicia Blackburn, 235-RYT
Alicia Blackburn is a passionate yoga instructor with over 20 years of practice and a deep commitment to the art of yoga. Under the guidance of esteemed teacher Vicki Vanderlinden, Alicia completed her 235-hour certification at Yoga with an Edge. She has spent nearly a decade immersed in the teachings of her principal mentor, Amy Campbell, whose wisdom
continues to inspire her practice. Alicia’s classes embody a rich, “old school” approach to yoga, emphasizing the subtle nuances
and deep traditions of the practice. She is dedicated to helping her students cultivate a strong foundation in alignment, technique, and the language of yoga through Sanskrit pronunciation. Her classes incorporate a thoughtful blend of hatha, vinyasa, Iyengar, and Anusara styles,
reflecting her reverence for the diverse lineage of yoga. Alicia places a special emphasis on pranayama, chakra systems, and guided meditation,
creating a holistic experience that invites students to explore the profound lessons yoga has to offer. It is her honor to share this timeless heritage, guiding students on their journey toward self-discovery and inner peace. Join Alicia to deepen your practice and connect with the rich traditions of yoga.
Ary Bautista
Ary Bautista Hernandez is a local to Newton and began his yoga journey while in high school. He has practiced at various studios on and off over the last ten years. Over the last three years he has maintained a consistent practice within the Catawba county area. With a focus on
alignment, breathwork, and building the mind-body connection, his classes will deepen your yoga practice and build strength. As a recent graduate of a 235 hour training at the Edge in Hickory, he is excited to bring his perspective of the practice to the Hot Yoga Newton community.
Bri Spallino
Bri started her yoga journey when she was 12 years old! She convinced her mom to buy her a yoga and Pilates DVD pack from MTV and has been practicing since. In October of 2017 she traveled to Costa Rica for a 200 hour YTT and began teaching locally. In June 2018 she completed a 95 hour kids yoga training in Florida. Bri’s classes focus on slow alignment based flows, but loves to incorporate a challenge. She became a high school science teacher in January 2019. When not practicing yoga, she loves reading, being outdoors, and spending time with her dogs and loved ones.
Jennifer Norwood
Katie Gaither
Katie started teaching yoga in July 2015. She received her 250 hour certification at Asheville Community Yoga and her Children’s Yoga certification at Heartwood Yoga Institute in Florida. She is a mental health professional when not teaching yoga, and helps young individuals achieve their goals and visions for themselves. Her professional career bleeds into her yoga classes, as she also tries to help her students achieve their goals in life through the movement of yoga postures, but also just movement in general. Her yoga classes will have you feeling sweaty, invigorated, and truly at peace with your mind, body, and spirit connection. Her connection with God is very important to her and present in her yoga experience as it is the foundation of her personal practice.
Experience Katie’s Pilates Flow Tuesday at 6p. Expect a 60-minute cardio Vinyasa flow, with lots of pulses and movement in between. Her classes are definitely pilates-inspired which is great for toning the body and also the mind! Her intention is to challenge your bodies. This challenge resembles our everyday challenges of life. If we can get through our yoga practice (which I know you can!), we can get through the challenges in our lives. Remember, this too shall pass!! Good, vibing music and people will also be present during this class.
Shannon Sherfey
Dr. Shannon Sherfey has practiced family medicine in Newton, North Carolina since 2005. She loves providing care and connecting with multiple generations of families through her independently owned small-town practice. She is board certified in Family Medicine and
Lifestyle Medicine. She is passionate about wellness education, preventative medicine, and whole-food plant-based nutrition and fitness.
Shannon has recently been on a personal journey of self-discovery in pursuit of more wholehearted living and authenticity. She has completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training and has offered several wellness retreats incorporating yoga, breath work, meditation, and group discussions on topics such as nutrition, sleep health, and challenges facing women in middle age.
Shannon and her husband, a United Methodist minister, have been married since 1997. They both enjoy running, cycling, cooking, and traveling.
Born and raised in Maryland, Dr. Sherfey obtained her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Duke University in 1996. She received her M.D. from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in 2000 and completed her family medicine residency at Wake Forest in 2003.
Kellie Allie
Kellie began her yoga journey in 2013 and never looked back. It was the start of a life long journey of self study and bettering herself.
“The postures were challenging and exciting when I first started and they still thrill me today. But setting intentions and observing my thoughts have played an equal role in understanding myself and finding contentment. Teaching students that each time on their mats is a chance to start fresh is the most rewarding part of my job. Linking breath to movement and finding new challenges are part of my teaching style. Everything from strength flows to slow flows bring a powerful connection between the mind, body, and spirit. This connection and the energy that builds in class is exhilarating.” Kellie has been teaching for 3 years and has over 500 hours of registered Yoga Teacher Training certifications. She plans to continue to train and study to offer her students knowledge. Kellie lives in a beautiful community here in Newton with her husband Jon and 2 children: Evan and Charlotte . She is an App State graduate with a BS in Foods and Nutrition. Kellie loves nature, her dog, plants, chocolate, coffee, red wine, and cooking. But mostly she loves connecting and laughing with friends and meeting new people.
Ashley Moose
Ashley Moose took her first yoga class in 2009 and has been hooked ever since. She enjoys all types of movement from completing a marathon in 2017 and several half marathons to spin class to boot camps but her love is yoga, “no matter what activity or workout I am doing at a particular time in my life, I always return to yoga. Its my first love.” Her favorite type of yoga to practice is hot power flow however she knows the importance of a balanced practice including deep stretch and meditating practices. Ashley completed her 200hr ytt in 2015 and 300hr ytt in 2019 at Yoga with an Edge in Hickory, North Carolina Baptiste Power Yoga teaching credential in January 2020. Her classes focus on alignment, pranayama (breath control) and dristi (line of vision). When not in the studio you can find Ashley hiking, cooking or playing with her 3 daughters.
