Meet Our Staff

Our Staff

Asheville Community Yoga’s staff members are grateful to serve our wonderful community alongside amazing board members, teachers, volunteers, partners and practitioners. We care deeply about the organization’s mission and strive every day to fulfill our mission to make yoga accessible to all.

Michael Greenfield

Executive Director

Michael has been in the practicing school of yoga for more than 23 years. He began teaching yoga in 2003 and has been dedicated to serving others in the path of yoga and relationship work. Igniting passion and demonstrating love are Michael’s two favorite subjects. Michael is the founder and executive director of the center.

Amber Acheson

Teacher Training Director

In 2007 I was given the opportunity to move to Asia to teach English as a second language. Without a doubt I knew I had to go. I knew there was a bigger purpose to this opportunity. I had been in search of something vital I felt was lacking from my life for a long time but I could never quite define what it was that was missing. Within just a short time of living overseas it seemed as though my search was finally over. I found yoga and through yoga I found what I had been unconsciously searching for my entire life – myself!

Jot Anant

Associate Director & Teacher Liaison

As a devoted practitioner of karma and bhakti yoga, Jot Anant is deeply humbled by the opportunity to guide students on their unique spiritual journeys. She is passionate about highlighting the importance of bringing mindfulness into action, encouraging us to take the lessons learned on the mat and apply them in the way we interact with one another and the world around us. A lover of life and seeker of wisdom, Jot Anant continuously deepens her own practice through seva, self-study, and by remaining an open-hearted and eager student of life. Her path is one of grace, humor, and purpose, as she strives to walk lightly through the world with a heart full of intention and a spirit of joy.

Ariel Garcia

Outreach/Zen & Now Coordinator

Before I moved to Asheville in 2020 and found Asheville Community Yoga, and before ever taking regular classes at a studio, I had been practicing asana for a few years on my own through online classes. What started as simple exercise for low back pain relief quickly became an aide for anxiety and other mental health symptoms, which then transformed into a daily practice that opened me up to meditation, study, and a deeper connection to the Divine. My pronouns are she/they and besides yoga, I enjoy learning and having conversations about neurodiversity, queer culture, and music.

Nicole Barschaw

Studio Manager & Volunteer Coordinator

I’ve been practicing yoga since I was a teen and always knew I wanted to teach. Yoga has been the foundation of learning who I am and has given me the confidence and courage to share my true self with others. My life’s purpose is to share what I have learned and continue to grow. Helping others on their path to knowing that we are all enough, we are all beautifully connected and are incredibly powerful beings is truly a gift. I am eternally grateful for my teachers and fellow students.

Josie Hoban

Youth & Family Program Coordinator

Josie is grateful to join the ACY community as the Youth and Family Program Coordinator. Moreover, she is thrilled to offer classes for toddlers to teens and share her experience of mindfulness, yoga and holistic education with the community. Josie has been an educator since 2006 with a BS in Elementary Education. Combining her love of children and passion for travel, she’s taught in Spain, Taiwan and locally at Rainbow Community School.

In addition to all things yoga, Josie also fills her cup by spending time frolicking in her garden, paddling on rivers and lakes with her husband and dog and showing and sharing love with the people and animals in her life.

Alex White

Social Media Coordinator

Alex White is a 200 hour RYT through Yoga Alliance; she completed her training in 2016 at Mission Yoga in Charleston, SC.

For four years, Alex worked with Empowered Minds, an outreach program teaching yoga to underserved students in the low country area. Alex teaches a sustainable, enriching practice with elements of flow, breathwork, and meditation.

Kelsey Gilbert

Workshop & Event Coordinator

Kelsey’s yoga practice began in 2013, when she found her niche after exploring a few different styles and studios in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her practice flourished at an ashtanga-based studio. She spent years volunteering there, building community and deepening her relationship with the asanas, pranayama and mindfulness. It was only natural that after she, her partner, and their two dogs moved to Asheville, she would find Asheville Community Yoga. Since 2022, she’s been a part of the community, volunteering and practicing on a regular basis. In February 2023, she completed her first 200-hour Certified Yoga Alliance program in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca. These days, you can find her in most any style class, flowing along with the community of ACY. When not at the studio, she enjoys dancing, sharing meals with friends, and being outside, specifically in or around water, and/or with dogs.

Jocilyn Baker

Raffle Coordinator

My practice on the mat began in 2016. In the summer of 2018 I graduated from my first 250-hour teacher training at Asheville Community Yoga. Yoga, along with other forms of healing arts, ultimately led me to a deeper understanding of my self, my truth and my purpose on this planet. I believe a devoted yoga and meditation practice can lead to profound healing of the mind-body, self-regulation through conscious breath and awareness, and a deep connection to and synchronicity with the Divine. I am thrilled and honored to be a part of a uniquely compassionate community and to learn and share the wisdom yoga has to offer.

Stephen Volkman

Front Desk Associate

A graduate from Asheville Community Yoga’s teacher training, Stephen is drawn to yoga for the positive community, emotional regulation, low impact exercise, and spiritual depth. He comes with a background of nearly 10 years of experience in the mental health field and has a deep interest in story telling. He enjoys utilizing a slower pace and tapping into the senses to create soothing, rejuvinating practices.

Shay Strawster

Front Desk Associate

As an endurance athlete who has navigated the challenges of various injuries, Shay found guidance in her Hatha yoga practice in 2021 amidst the Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania. Her practice ultimately led her to the embrace of Asheville and its welcoming community. While she is not yet a yoga teacher, her devotion to yoga infuses her daily life with presence, gratitude, and purpose. Her mindfulness practice serves as a reminder that she can always return to her breath to be in the here and now. Most likely, you’ll find Shay trail running barefoot, swimming in freshwater, playing basketball, or laughing with friends.

Kathryn Old

Front Desk Associate

I first found a love for the movement of a yoga practice after pursuing a lifelong passion as a dancer. While living in Charleston, SC, I completed my 200 hour certification and began pursuing vinyasa as a connection to Self. My teaching philosophy is rooted in the graceful fluidity of movement, the harmony between body and mind, and the profound connection to the present moment. I aim to empower others to find a safe space to explore their inner selves, embrace their unique journeys, and find balance, strength, and peace both on and off the mat. As a new Asheville local, I am looking forward to making new connections with others in this beautiful community.