Valerie opened Sunrise Yoga Studio in Clemmons, NC, outside Winston-Salem, NC, in 2003. She is a long-time practitioner with numerous Iyengar Yoga teachers.  She founded the Yoga Alliance-registered 200-hour Sunrise Teacher Training program in 2008 and the 300-hour program in 2011.

In 2015, Valerie co-founded the East Coast Yoga Therapy training program. It is among the first 30 yoga therapy training schools worldwide to be accredited by the International Association of Yoga Therapists. She is also a Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider (YACEP).

In addition to her Yoga Alliance and International Association of Yoga Therapists certifications, her credentials and experience include:

• 1200-hour Advanced Teacher Training and Yoga Therapeutics certification, taught by J.J. Gormley

• Relax & Renew Advanced Trainer through Judith Lasater's Restorative Yoga

• Yoga for Scoliosis Trainer, Elise Browning Miller

• iRest Yoga Nidra Level II Teacher

• Cardiac Yoga instructor®(Cardiac Yoga is a registered trademark of M. Mala Cunningham , Ph.D. and is used with exclusive permission)

• Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor

• MELT Level 2 Instructor for neurofascial pain and stress relief

• Certified Yoga for Healthy Aging Instructor

• Certified Y4C (yoga for cancer) instructor

• Lakshmi Voekler Chair Yoga Teacher

• Y4AT (Yoga for Amputees Teacher)

Cathy began her yoga practice by attending a free class at Sunrise Yoga in 2004. Over time, her interest grew from a once-weekly practice to enrollment in the Sunrise Yoga Teacher Training program.

She graduated from the Sunrise Yoga Teacher Training program and is registered with Yoga Alliance as an RYT 500 and ERYT200.

Cathy believes that “slow-and-steady wins the race”, and that persistence and honest effort deliver remarkable results regardless of age and physical ability.  Yoga helps her stay fit, feel young, and maintain a sense of peace and well-being.

Cynthia has practiced yoga on and off for thirty years, valuing yoga as a tool for personal growth, stress management, and self-care. After retirement, Cynthia decided to explore several interests more deeply than she could during years of full-time work and raising a family. In 2024 she began practicing at Sunrise to explore the Sunrise approach to yoga, which impressed her with its focus on alignment and using props to access a variety of poses safely. Cynthia then decided to enroll in the 200HR Teacher Training Program at Sunrise.

Cynthia graduated from the 200HR Sunrise Yoga Teacher Training program in 2025, and is currently enrolled in the Sunrise 300HR Teacher Training Program.

Cynthia believes that practicing yoga in all its dimensions - physical practice, breathing techniques, meditation, and core values - enables her to be a more present, compassionate, and caring person in the human community. She is grateful for the opportunity to work alongside others on their own yoga and life journeys.

Felicia Stewart Hoyle is a RYT-500, completing both her 200 and 300 hours training at Sunrise Yoga. An experienced teacher, Felicia is a Presbyterian Church (USA) minister with certification in Christian Spirituality in addition to a Master of Divinity degree. A native North Carolinian, she and her husband Bill lived in Clemmons for 22 years then recently moved to Salisbury.

Felicia enjoys teaching all levels of yoga including meditation and mindfulness practice. She is a certified Yoga for Healthy Aging teacher (Baxter Bell) and received certification in Restorative Yoga with Judith H. Lasater.

Felicia teaches the practice of yoga as a way to be strengthened in and through our Body, Mind and Spirit to a deeper relationship with the Light within us all.

Gwen began her yoga practice at home, and quickly realized that yoga would become a lasting part of her daily life. She feels yoga creates a balance between the body and mind which is calming and regenerative.

She entered the Sunrise Teacher Training program to deepen her knowledge so that she could share the joy and insight that yoga brings. She is a certified 500-hour teacher and an iRest ® Level 1 Teacher.  She attends silent meditation retreats to rejuvenate her meditation practice, increase her self-awareness, and balance her yoga practice.

Gwen believes that practicing yoga allows a person to be fully present in the moment, something to which we can all aspire.

Kelly has been in the fitness industry for 25 years. She is a certified American College of Sports Medicine personal trainer, BOSU ball certified instructor and certified cycle instructor. Kelly owns a fitness management company. She started taking yoga 10 years ago as a compliment to her strength and cardio fitness routine. She quickly discovered the mind-body connection yoga inspired in her which led to her desire to learn more. Shortly after starting her practice at Sunrise Yoga, Kelly joined the 200-hour Teacher Training program only to discover a deeper appreciation for yoga, self-discovery and gratitude in life. She believes that practicing yoga regularly inspires positive life changes, on and off the mat.

Linda first fell in love with yoga at the age of 18 when she and her brother took a class at a community college in Brooklyn, NY.

Through the years she dabbled in yoga exploring the practice through books, videos and occasional classes. After having children and working full time, her practice was put on hold. She returned to the mat in 2016 after purchasing a certificate to Sunrise Yoga at a high school fundraiser.

Since then her love was rekindled and her practice has deepened. She is a graduate of the 200 and 300 hour teacher training programs. She is a certified Yoga for Healthy Aging and Yoga vs. Osteoporosis instructor.  Yoga has brought balance, strength and flexibility to Linda’s life - physically, mentally and spiritually. She is eager to share her love of yoga and hopes to kindle that love in others as well.

Lisa first experienced yoga as a teenager and has practiced on and off since then. As a gift to herself after retiring from teaching 8th grade, Lisa joined Sunrise Yoga Studio and soon found that she felt better physically and mentally than she had in years! The contentment that she attained was unexpected and led her to enroll in the teacher training program at Sunrise Yoga to learn more.

Lisa graduated from the Sunrise Yoga Teacher Training program in 2024 and is registered with Yoga Alliance as an RYT200.  She is currently enrolled in the 300HR Teacher Training Program at Sunrise Yoga Studio.

Lisa believes that regular yoga practice is truly life-changing and is excited to share her knowledge with others.

Mary Ellen began her yoga journey over 15 years ago while navigating the challenges of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Seeking a path to healing and balance, she found in yoga a powerful tool for managing stress, fostering self-awareness, and restoring a sense of control in daily life.

Inspired by the profound impact yoga had on her own well-being, Mary Ellen pursued formal training, completing both her 200-hour and 300-hour certifications at Sunrise Yoga Studio. She is now registered with Yoga Alliance as an RYT 500 and is also a certified Yoga vs. Osteoporosis instructor.

Mary Ellen believes in the transformative potential of yoga for every body and every stage of life. With compassion and purpose, she invites others to explore their own inner strength, resilience, and growth through practice.

Terri (Tereia Cook-Shirley MA, LCAS, LCMHC, CCS, RYT-500) is a 500 Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) with Yoga Alliance. She has been practicing yoga since 1998, starting with a home practice and then transitioning to more dedicated practice as a student at Sunrise Yoga in 2005. She is a licensed mental health counselor with over 35 years experience working with people seeking recovery from addiction. A primary focus in her work has been based on Whole Person recovery which promotes balance in physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of being. Terri completed 500 hour teacher training through Sunrise Yoga in 2022. Her current interest lies in combining yoga philosophy and practices with whole person recovery principles to help others develop a healthy balanced life.

Terri (MFA, BFA, Evans Laban-Bartenieff) is a 500 hour certified yoga teacher, completing her 300 hour Teacher Training with Sunrise Yoga Studio. Her interest in yoga began years ago as a complement to her dance training. Finding Sunrise Yoga provided a deeper dive into the practice and philosophy of yoga.

Through yoga, Terri finds inspiration to live mindfully in the present moment, practice compassion and kindness toward herself and others, and sustain a lifetime of purposeful practice. She remains committed to sharing the rich, transformative experience of yoga with others, encouraging them to embrace its benefits for lifelong well-being.

Tom started practicing yoga in 2012 as a way to stay active and more importantly, to help manage chronic back pain. After several years of yoga practice, Tom's back pain disappeared and he discovered even more benefits from his incorporation of yoga philosophy in his everyday life.

Tom graduated from Sunrise Yoga’s 200-hour and 300-hour teacher training programs, is registered with Yoga Alliance as an RYT500.  He is a certified Yoga for Healthy Aging instructor.

He hopes to share his passion for yoga with others so that they can also experience the positive changes that regular practice can bring.

Elizabeth's journey into yoga began with her grandmother, who dedicated her mornings to the practice. Since then, Elizabeth has engaged with yoga intermittently, initially choosing it as an alternative to traditional physical education classes during her high school years. Holding a degree in hospitality management, she has primarily built her career in the foodservice industry. Elizabeth is enthusiastic about the opportunity to work and grow at Sunrise Yoga Studio!

Rachel began practicing yoga while attending Winthrop University, where she received her degree in English with a focus in Secondary Education. Since that time, Rachel has pursued a variety of professional paths, working as a high school English teacher, Event Planner, Communications Coordinator for a national non-profit, and a freelance Graphic Designer. Most recently, Rachel has focused her time on her family, including homeschooling her three children. In addition to family time, Rachel loves reading, thrifting, practicing yoga, learning new things, and exploring the natural beauty of our region.

Val is currently filling our morning receptionist role. She has spent the last 30 years working in healthcare. Val looks forward to bringing balance back to her overall health with Yoga.

In her spare time she enjoys gardening, hiking, fishing and trips to the beach.