Melissa is a Yoga Alliance registered E-RYT200 and YOGAqua Certified Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) Yoga Teacher from Pittsburgh, PA. Growing up, she was an avid waterskier and true mermaid at heart, feeling at ease and at home on the water, near the ocean, or exploring the world with wanderlust. Teaching yoga since 2010, Melissa sees the practice as a tremendous source of balance and healing. It is a gift that has helped her overcome the life-altering medical challenges of stroke and chronic migraines.

She was first introduced to SUP while living in Southern California. But it wasn't until she returned home to Pittsburgh and its three rivers that she truly became an avid paddler. Soon, she was combining her love of yoga and her newfound passion for paddle boarding, routinely challenging herself to practice poses on her board. Eventually, this would inspire her to combine her two great loves and add SUP yoga to her regular teaching schedule.

As an instructor, Melissa believes in the importance of creating a non-judgmental environment that provides a safe place for students to explore, break boundaries, and release layers of physical and emotional weight as they challenge themselves physically and mentally through her focus on Sthira and Sukha - the balance of effort and ease. She is thrilled to share her experience and passion for SUP Yoga at this year's Wanderlust festivals.

At home, Melissa teaches weekly yoga classes at Inhale Pittsburgh, as well as seasonal SUP Yoga and Fitness classes for L.L. Bean and through her organization benefiting rescue animals, PuppyLove SUP + Yoga.

Follow her on social media and you'll soon discover that she's also an avid foodie and a lover of good wines who enjoys spending time with Darryl and their family of four-legged fur kids Titus, MacGreggors, and Gracie.