Teachers
Stephanie Paolini, Owner
Portsmouth, York
Stephanie Paolini is an E-RYT 200 and the owner of 3 Bridges Yoga serving the Portsmouth, NH and York, ME communities. She took her first yoga class in 2005 and knew it would be a practice she would have with her for the rest of her life. Stephanie trained at the renowned Yoga Tree studio in San Francisco with the intent purely to learn more about the practice of yoga. Upon completion of training, she felt called to share the practices, the light and the lineage with others. She teaches a heart-based practice and truly believes that every single person can be a conduit for positive change when we move from a place of love and compassion.
email meWhitney Grover, Studio Manager
Portsmouth, York
Whitney started her yoga journey in 2009 at the University of Maine where she was studying to be part mermaid with a Bachelors in Marine Biology. Her junior year she signed up for Yoga 101 – what started out as a “sure A” elective immediately transformed into the foundation of a deep connection between mind and body. It was love at first savasana.
Cut to nine years later, after many studios and classes throughout America, Whitney was persuaded by her sister and tagged along to complete a 200hr teacher training immersion in Costa Rica through Gyspea Yoga School. And yet again – what started as only an extension to her practice resulted in a passion for teaching and sharing with the yoga community. Later that year she also received her 50hr Yin yoga certificate though Summers School of Yin.
Inspired by the natural world, Whitney is an avid gardener and house plant enthusiast. She loves creating whether it’s painting, jewelry making, cooking, the list of hobbies are endless.
Through her classes Whitney aims to encourage students to find the connection between the mind and body, to turn inward enabling oneself to become in tune with their intuition and understanding of their authentic self.
“We are all here to find who we are. And through that process we listen and do, make mistakes, learn and play. We live. I believe nothing is coincidence. When you trust and believe in yourself and the good and beauty in the world around you, anything is possible.”
Katie Buzuvis
York
Katie has been a part of the Seacoast fitness and yoga community since 2000. After being brought to a yoga class by her friend, Katie knew she’d found a great way to strengthen her body, stay injury-free and find balance in her busy life. Katie is an avid runner and swimmer and a licensed massage therapist. Trained by Mimi Loureiro of O2 Yoga, her favorite part of teaching is seeing students progress in their own practices. Katie lives in New Hampshire with her husband, John and their daughter, Scarlett.
Allison Dudas
Portsmouth
Allison started practicing yoga at Yoga Tree while living in San Francisco. Ally completed her RYT 200 certification at O2 Yoga in Boston. She graduated from Boston College in 2004 with a degree in Theology and Philosophy and later went back to BC to earn her M.A. in Pastoral Ministry. She used to teach high school and is now so happy to be living on the Seacoast teaching yoga, being a mother and writing. You can expect her classes to be physically challenging with lots of core and balance work. She loves fitness and loves drawing inspiration for her classes from various forms of exercise.
Dan Caragher
Portsmouth
Dan was first introduced to yoga through the music he found during his formative years and fortunately is still in love with today. Bands such as the Bad Brains and the Cro-Mags established the idea that energy, mindfulness and yoga could improve emotional and physical well-being. Although he found his practice throughout the seacoast area, it was the 3 Bridges community that solidified his path and interest in teaching yoga to the people that surround him. Dan was an English major at the University of New Hampshire and also has continued education in wine with the Wine & Spirits Education Trust. Through his yoga practice, Dan has found a balance of physicality and mental well-being and is interested in sharing the practice through a simple view point and with plenty of good music. Dan completed his RYT 200 with 3 Bridges Yoga in the spring of 2017.
Jenna Melgar
Portsmouth, York
Growing up a dancer, Jenna Brynn Melgar has always had a passion for movement. After holding three professional dance contracts, an injury took her life into a different direction. She moved to Las Vegas, NV, and began working there for several years. During a highly stressful period, a coworker invited her to a yoga class and she quickly fell in love with the fluid, mindful movements, and how each class relieved more stress. After a few years of personal practice, she knew that was the direction her life was moving and discovered her calling. Jenna completed her yoga teacher training at a Yoga Alliance certified school in Las Vegas, NV, and began a full-time career as a yoga instructor. After about a year, she moved to Washington, DC, where she taught at yoga studios, various government agencies as well as the White House Athletic Center. She enjoys creating strength and endurance building classes that creatively flow together and come to a close with an ample amount of time for stretching and savasana. Now that her roots have been planted in New Hampshire, she is thrilled to join the 3 Bridges Yoga community.
Jill Capobianco
Portsmouth, York
Jill discovered yoga in 2002. A family nurse practitioner at the time, she fell in love with how yoga benefits the mind and body. She had always been interested in the mind-body connection; she earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology before attending graduate school for nursing. In 2010, she completed the MBSR Teacher Practicum at the UMass Center for Mindfulness. She has taught stress reduction courses at homeless shelters, schools, community health centers, corporations and more. Jill completed her RYT 200 in the Spring of 2018 through the Illumina program at 3 Bridges Yoga. She is thrilled to join this amazing community.
Jill leads challenging, safe classes in a positive environment that allows for full expression of one’s potential. Her goal is to make yoga accessible to all, regardless of perceived obstacles to practicing.
In addition to yoga, Jill enjoys gardening, skiing, hiking and spending time with her family and dog, Coco. She is a level II Reiki practitioner and is proud to serve on the board of SATYA (Seacoast Area Teachers of Yoga in Action)
Caroline Alaimo
Caroline has been part of the Seacoast yoga community first as a student, and then as a yoga teacher for the last several years. Caroline first discovered yoga in her early twenties when she was recovering from a back injury while competitive dancing. She instantly felt the connection of how yoga provided not only a safe way for her body to move, but for her mind to find an inner sense of peace. Caroline is passionate about the mind, body and spirit connection. She has her Master’s degree in Counseling, and has been working in the mental health field for the last eight years as a high school counselor and private coach. Caroline is a 200HR certified yoga teacher, mindfulness instructor and reiki level 1 certified. When she isn’t on the mat, Caroline can be found at the beach most likely with a new book in her hands, or spending time with loved ones.
Sarah Oleson
Portsmouth, York
Sarah was introduced to yoga at a young age when her mother brought her along to yoga and meditation classes in their hometown studio in Newburyport, MA.
An active runner and athlete, she has kept a daily practice for over the years, diving into many different types of yoga. Sarah completed her 200 hour Vinyasa Flow Teacher certification with Frog Lotus Yoga International in Bali, Indonesia in 2015, training and teaching alongside some of the best instructors in the world. She also completed her Childlight teacher training, and is certified to teach ages 2-18. Sarah is also OM births certified to teach expecting mothers. In 2017, Sarah ventured to Bali again to complete her 300 hour YTT with Zuna Yoga, to further advance her skills and knowledge.
Traveling and teaching all over the world has allowed Sarah to be constantly inspired by nature, spirituality, and the elements, linking movement, breath and life through the graceful practice. Classes combine kirtan, mantras, mudras, pranyama, and asana… deepening the full yoga experience. Her playful, energizing classes challenge the body while still relaxing the mind. Sarah encourages growth and interconnectedness of the physical and spiritual self within her students, and incorporates accessible levels and modifications for each individual.
Sarah seeks to help others thrive by nurturing body and soul through yoga, and her hope is that her students will step off the mat and into everyday life with that same nourishment and balanced attitude.
Whether it is your first class or your five-hundredth, Sarah will help you to build your yoga practice, and re-energize your life!
Peighton Winder
Peighton Winder is a 200 RYT currently residing in Greenland, NH. She was introduced to yoga by her sister-in-law Sarah Oleson when she was only 16 years old. It wasn’t until she graduated high school that her practice flourished with the help of the wonderful community of students and teachers at 3 Bridges Yoga. After a few years of independent learning and practicing, in 2021 Peighton decided to embark on the journey to become a certified yoga teacher in hopes to not only deepen her practice but be gifted the opportunity to share the experience of yoga with others. She continues to learn and grow through her teaching and has plans to complete more trainings in the future. Additionally, she’s has the degree of Associate in Arts of Psychology which has provided has a wonderful mechanism for a deeper understanding of individuals in her career path as a yoga teacher. In her free time Peighton loves spending time with her partner Chris and her family along with cooking, reading, and watching every movie under the sun 🙂
Ankati Day
Ankati has been practicing yoga since she was 19, and has been teaching since that fated day in 2012 when she hopped a plane to a training in Costa Rica and her entire “life plan” shifted dramatically. She is an eternal student of movement, music, poetry, Shamanism, and her insatiable curiosity. She believes that we are here on Earth to awaken our innate joy through play and exploration, so her classes are infused with exploration and a steady, strong flow.
Anjali Mehta
Anjali holds her RYT-200 certification from the New School of Yogic Arts in Boston, MA led by Laura Ahrens. She has taught at non-profit organizations and Down Under School of Yoga before coming to the 3 Bridges community. Anjali found her practice in college when a dear friend brought her to a yoga class during the middle of a hectic term. It was there that she fell in love with yoga and its ability to create a fun & safe environment where she could explore her creativity and fall on her face. She fondly remembers walking away from that first yoga class feeling like she had gotten a much needed brain massage. Since then, Anjali’s yoga practice has simply been her best friend, helping her find her way to the truest most genuine form of herself. Anjali teaches an alignment-centered practice that introduces students to the foundational techniques of breathwork and meditation. Her only wish for her students is that they use their experiences on the mat as a guide for walking the path towards their truest selves.
Suanne Ringlein
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Suanne has pursued a life of adventure through various forms of activity, from gymnastics and sports early on to marathon running and biking in her young adult life. It was the need to understand fitness and recovery that ultimately led her to yoga. Now the mother of twins, yoga has been such an important tool for navigating the physical and mental demands of everyday life and she loves to share with others what she continues to learn from her own study and practice of yoga, meditation, and journaling.
Suanne received her 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Certification from 3 Bridges Yoga in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 2018.
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Bjorn Turnquist
Bjorn began practicing Yoga in 2006 because he wanted to touch his toes and feel better. There was a calling to be a teacher all his life and founded 3 Bridges Yoga in 2011. Bjorn is a E-RYT 500 and has trained extensively with Rolf Gates and Jacqui Bonwell. He is currently studying and incorporating Energy Medicine (Donna Eden) techniques into his classes.