Meet our Teachers
Kalia Kohut, owner
As a child, Kalia “Lynn” always enjoyed movement. She began studying dance at age 4.5 and was introduced to Hatha yoga at age 8 when her mother became a yoga instructor. Kalia has over 20 years of dance teaching experience and has been a practitioner of the healing arts for over 25 years. Her vast knowledge about the body’s alignment, injury recovery and disease prevention is openly shared with loving assistance. In her private practice, Kalia Healing LLC, she specializes in healing bodywork via CranioSacral Therapy, Lymphatic Drainage Therapy,Therapeutic Aromatherapy, and Prayerful Counsel.
When Kalia was introduced to Bella Kai in 2021, The Original Hot Yoga, 26+2 series, reminded her of ballet barre exercises with its consistent series of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises. The predictability of this yoga sequence allowed her to witness progress made with regular practice which increased self esteem, flexibility and strength. Kalia, mystified by the healing effects she experienced in her own body, couldn’t wait to introduce her clients to the series! She proceeded to complete her Hot Yoga 26+2 Teacher Certification with Evolation Yoga in February 2022 and immediately began teaching and managing Bella Kai Yoga for the previous owner, Hillary Darby.
In May 2023, Kalia transitioned into Bella Kai’s new mama! She is thrilled to expand the core hot yoga classes with fitness classes and other restorative yoga classes to support this precious community in their wellness pursuits!
Kalia, a 20-year resident of Kailua lives with her husband, Chris, and tuxedo kitty, Puka. When she is not in service at Bella Kai Hot Yoga, she loves to study the Bible, read, write, sunbathe, and swim in the ocean.
Gail Bursell
Gail, E-RYT 500, has been practicing hatha yoga off and on for over 40 years. In 2003, she was introduced to the 26&2 practice (Original Hot Yoga) and quickly discovered that practicing the challenging, hot, sweaty yoga series on a regular basis provided her with the emotional, physical, and mental relief she needed to successfully and gracefully handle her very stressful working-life. Her practice also gave her a renewed sense of joy in her life, in general, which led to her resolving to making it a life-long endeavor.
Realizing that she wanted to be able share her passion for this yoga with others, in Spring 2005, Gail went to Teacher Training in LA in and graduated from the Yoga College of India. Gail has since gone on to also become certified in Trauma Sensitive Yoga from Boston’s Trauma Center, Yin Yoga from Semperviva Yoga with Bernie Clark, Vinyasa Yoga from Maha Yoga Institute with Murti Hower, Adaptive and Trauma Sensitive Yoga specific to military populations from Warriors at Ease, iRest Yoga Nidra level 2, and Children’s Yoga from Kidding Around Yoga.
Gail has found witnessing the transformative effects of the Original Hot Yoga on people’s health and well-being awe-inspiring and feels privileged and appreciative to be able to join others on their yoga and mindfulness journeys. She is deeply grateful to her teachers, colleagues, and students for everything they have taught her, and continue to teach her, about the yoga.
Gail has taught in studios in Massachusetts, California, Hawaii, and Melbourne, Australia. She has been teaching on Oahu for over 17 years. Currently, she teaches on Oahu’s Windward side, where she also lives.
Naomi Lee
Naomi was born and raised in Panama City, Florida but has lived in Hawaii for over 30 years. She has been practicing Hot Yoga since 2017 with Bella Kai. At that time Naomi was a workaholic, running her own business, and found refuge and solace at Bella Kai. She fell in love with the original hot yoga practice as it enabled to heal her overworked body and to help her silence her mind.
In 2023, Naomi completed her 250hr hot yoga teacher certification with Evolation Yoga. She is also Lagree Certified. Being a creative being and artist at heart, Naomi has taken on the role as the "in-house resident artist" at the studio and loves to offer crafting workshops from time to time.
Naomi’s favorite motto is "health is wealth". She is passionate about leading and guiding others to a healthier lifestyle through the practice of Hatha Yoga, inspiring her students to also experience the mental and physical healing benefits of the practice she loves so much.
Currently retired, Naomi enjoys traveling around the world, drawing/painting, caring for her two fur babies, and decorating/designing store windows.
Daniel Phillips
At 17, Daniel’s father took him to his first hot yoga class. It was life changing. Practicing Bikram yoga for 15 years now, Daniel Phillips completed his Hot Yoga 26&2 teacher training in November 2023 with Evolation Yoga. Working in Construction for almost 2 years now, the benefits of practice are ever more evident to his lifestyle.
Daniel's background has been in Martial Arts. Trained and taught Western boxing, Muay Thai, Jiu jitsu, and Jeet Kune Do. Yoga has always been consistent in his training, practicing almost everyday for the last 5 years.
Daniel is continually discovering new styles of yoga such as Ghosh Bishnu 84 asanas to expand his practice and exploration of himself. He is passionate that people discover yoga and the myriad of benefits it holds for each and everybody.
If you're in class, chances are he is too!
Erin Cortez
Born and raised in Oregon, Erin moved to Oahu in 2017 and instantly fell in love with the community here on the windward side. She has always found working out as a positive outlet and place to go whenever challenges arise both mentally and physically.
With a goal to share this passion with others, she received her NASM Certified Personal Trainer certification in September 2023 and her Barre Fitness Alliance certified Barre training in February 2024. Her Barre training includes pelvic floor health and hands-on adjustments. She has received continued training in sculpt and cardio Barre.
Her healthcare background, love of fitness, and mission to help others with their overall wellness has created a passion in her to not only teach, but inspire and encourage others in all walks of life through her classes. Erin strives to bring energy, love, and aloha to all of her classes and create a safe and fun community for her students.
Erin feels closest to faith in God through fitness. Physical challenges remind her of life’s obstacles and provides opportunities for prayer reflection and growth. Through movement , she seeks to strengthen not only her body but also her mind and faith. Check out her pop-up class “Sanctuary Barre” which blends faith, fitness and restoration.
When she is not in the office or at the barre, you can find Erin on a mountain somewhere!
Micaiah Ganz
Micaiah is a former professional ballet, jazz, and modern dancer. During her 15+ years dancing professionally, she also worked as a personal trainer, yoga teacher, fitness instructor, and dance teacher - and at this time has over 20 years of teaching and fitness experience.
She also created and taught the leading Barre method in Canada called “Barreworks”, as well as designing their teacher training manual and course for teacher certification.
Micaiah was also the Co-Artistic Director of DeviationDance and the humanitarian program, Healing Through Dance - a 503(c)(3) non-profit organization that brings dance and healing to communities at risk.
As well as being an accomplished dancer, teacher, and trainer, Micaiah earned an Honors BA in Psychology from York University graduating Summa Cum Laude. Micaiah’s background in dance, fitness, yoga, and psychology have all contributed to her striving to provide health, happiness, and the highest possible quality of life to all people.
She is now excited to bring all of these passions to this community at Bella Kai. See you all in class!
Rachel Stone
Rachel was born in Kailua and raised in Kaneohe, Hawai'i. Classically trained in ballet for 10 years, she has always had a passion for dance and movement since she was 2 years old. The Dragon Tales theme song was and (probably still is) her jam.
She has been a licensed and practicing board-certifiedclinical pharmacist since 2020. In July 2024, after being away from home for 10 years, Rachel was finally able to move back home and currently works as a cardiology pharmacist on island.
Rachel became barre certified in March of 2025. Her journey from barre enthusiast to barre-instructor started by attending barre, yoga, and sculpt classes to improve her mental health and increase her physical activity throughout the week. She believes in a holistic approach to wellness by addressing not only one's physical wellbeing but also mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being.
Her personal goal is to inspire others to lead a healthy and active lifestyle, and she is so happy she can perpetuate this as a pharmacist and now as a barre instructor.
When she is not in the clinic or at the barre, you can find Rachel spending time with family and friends, taking her shih tzu Lucky Boy to the dog park, or you can find her at the beach!
Wolf P.
After 14 years of practice in the field of Sports Medicine, Wolf felt the call towards the ancient teachings of yoga, the art of Natural Holistic Healing and Shamanic Practices. While attending school for Naturopathic studies, Wolf discovered that teaching the physical practice of yoga (asana) was the way to merge his background of Sports Medicine and Spiritual Healing. Then in 2013, Wolf graduated from Loyola Marymount University with their "Yoga and Healing Sciences” accredited program.
Along the journey, Wolf has been blessed with many teachers. For three years, he studied with an Abbot of the Rinzaiji Buddhist Monastery located in Los Angeles where he advanced his personal spiritual practice by taking residence there. During this time, Wolf also began working with two unique shamans who helped him to connect deeper to his native indigenous roots. In 2015, Wolf ventured to the Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville for their “Living Yoga" Internship Program located Virginia, furthering his personal spiritual journey.
In 2022, Wolf was invited to study the Teachings of Kundulini Yoga under the guidance of Guru Singh. Alongside this study, he became a level 1 Teacher of Qigong in the RenXue Lineage.
Wolf’s enthusiasm for healing infuses his yoga teachings. At Bella Kai, he teaches restorative fusion yoga & Qigong classes focused on foundational alignment and connection within. Wolf prefers to complete his classes with sound healings and meditation techniques. His classes have been described as, “Healings… sprinkled with yoga”.
Madison Jasperson
Madison is a mom of three and a military spouse who believes in the power of movement to build both strength and connection. Originally from Corpus Christi, Texas, she brings an inviting, community-focused energy to every class she leads.
She became an AFAA certified group fitness instructor in 2020 and specialized with a certification in Upbeat Barre in 2021. Her classes are thoughtfully designed, music-driven, and accessible to all levels—blending low-impact strength, intentional movement, and a steady burn that challenges both body and mind.
Madison is known for creating an uplifting, inclusive atmosphere where clients feel supported, energized, and fully present. Her goal is for every person to leave class feeling stronger, more confident, and deeply proud of what their body can do.
Pua Sablan-Lee
Meet Pua - a born-and-raised Kailua girl -raising her family nearby in Kāneʻohe for the past 13 years, Pua is a proud mama of four and has been married for over 21 years. By day, she anchors her community roots as the finance manager for a local non-profit dedicated to providing vital workforce development for youth and young adults in the justice system. Dedicated to leadership and local service, she also serves on the church council at Anchor Church in Kāneʻohe. While she loves managing numbers and serving her community, fitness has simply always been something Pua has enjoyed and found genuine joy in.
A natural encourager long before stepping into the professional arena, she spent years lifting up others in their health journeys before cementing her expertise as an ISSA Certified Personal Trainer and Glute Specialist. With over three years of explosive experience commanding high-energy Strength & Conditioning and Boxing Fitness classes at Hibred House alongside targeted Group Sculpt sessions at Uplift, Pua is constantly sharpening her craft and is currently pursuing her professional Barre Certification to bring a truly comprehensive movement experience to Bella Kai.
Pua is the architect behind the Sanctuary Strength + Sculpt method—a signature, multi-generational format engineered to bridge the gap between high-performance fitness and deep, grounded intention. Driven by the philosophy that movement is about stewardship rather than vanity, her method empowers clients to shift away from superficial trends to build a resilient, powerful body primed for life's greater purposes. To serve every member of the community, Pua delivers her signature method through two distinct class formats:
Sunrise Grit: Built for the early morning group, this high-energy, efficient format masterfully fuses raw physical grit with heavy compound lifts and explosive bursts of boxing cardio set to the beats of R&B, hip-hop, and rap. It is a fast-paced, transformative safe haven designed to challenge the muscles and release external stress.
Sanctuary Grace: Utilizing her core strength and sculpt principles, this dedicated faith-and-fitness format transitions the room into a space of inner grace. Set entirely to contemporary worship music, it removes the heavy cardio bursts and slows down the pace, incorporating intentional, reflective pauses, praise, gratitude, and prayer to restore the mindset and honor the body.
Lynn Hudorovich
Lynn is a 500-hour certified yoga teacher, breathwork facilitator, and intuitive guide passionate about helping students reconnect to themselves through mindful movement, breath, and presence.
Her classes blend intelligent alignment, soulful flow, nervous system regulation, and deep restoration to create an experience that is both grounding and transformative.
Drawing from her background in trauma-informed healing, meditation, and holistic wellness, Lynn creates a welcoming space where students can strengthen the body, calm the mind, and cultivate inner connection.
Hannah Smith
Hannah brings over a decade of experience in movement, rooted in a personal weight loss journey of 100 pounds that reshaped not just her body, but her relationship with it.
She holds an ACE Group Fitness certification and has spent years building her teaching foundation; volunteering to teach kickboxing to youth through a local non-profit, and most recently assisting with cardio kick/box instruction here at Bella Kai. Her classes draw on a strong background in kickboxing and strength training, weaving together functional core work, compound movements, and cardio bursts that challenge you without leaving you behind.
A dedicated student herself, Hannah has been practicing hot yoga at Bella Kai for the past year and a half. This practice has continued to deepen her understanding of breath, body awareness, and showing up consistently.
She teaches from a belief that movement should feel like coming home. In a world full of noise and distraction, her goal is simple: to create a space where you can show up exactly as you are, connect to your body, and find joy in what it can do.
Angela Bellerose
Angela is a 200-hour certified Hatha and Kundalini yoga teacher, Reiki Master, and lifelong student of healing. After completing her initial TTC in India, she continued exploring the many paths of self-discovery through meditation, energy work, nature, and mindful movement. She is currently completing an additional 20-hour certification in Yin and Restorative Yoga, to deepen her understanding of the nervous system, stillness, and the art of holding space. Her journey on this path has taught her that healing isn’t about becoming someone new or someone “fixed”, its about honoring who you are in this moment, and remembering who you have always been beneath the external noise that tells you otherwise.
Specializing in Yin and Restorative Yoga, Angela offers slow, intentional classes designed to regulate the nervous system, invite much needed rest, and create space to go inwards for deep reflection. She believes that in a busy world full of expectations and hard emotions, there is profound medicine in simply being. Through long held postures, conscious breath, meditation, and moments of stillness, she gently guides students inwards, to help them reconnect with their bodies, quiet the mind, and return to themselves with greater clarity and compassion.
Living on the Windward side of Oahu, Angela finds inspiration in the rhythms of the ocean and the natural world, with nature being her greatest teacher. Her classes are infused with a sense of grounding, softness, and presence, inviting students to move with intention and honor the wisdom already within them. Her hope is that students leave each class feeling a little lighter, a little more connected, and reminded that everything they need has been within them all along.
Victoria Pak
Victoria was first exposed to yoga at the age of 5 when her ballet instructor would lead the class through a series of stretches and holds before each class. These fundamental movements became the foundation of her personal practice from that point forward.
It wasn’t until 20 years later at San Francisco State that Victoria began to explore and formally train in Hatha Yoga, as well as Buddhist Studies, Taoism, and Chinese Medicine out of personal interest. She holds Master’s degrees in Liberal Arts & Sciences and Human Development, has taught developmental psychology for many years, and worked at the Center for Integrative Psychology, where she deepened her understanding of mindfulness and the mind-body connection.
Victoria’s previous training and education found its perfect synthesis in the Yin Yoga classes at Bella Kai, where her passion for yoga truly blossomed, and she undertook her CYT-200 along with separate certificates in Restorative Yoga and Yin Yoga. Victoria’s classes focus on mind, body, and spirit, offering a meditative journey to soften the body and lighten the spirit. She creates a supportive space for students to slow down, release tension, and reconnect with themselves through deep, intentional practice.
Victoria currently lives on the windward side with her family and two dogs. She works in the technology sector and cherishes the reprieve and balance that Yin Yoga offers in her daily life.
Michelle Chow
Michelle started practicing Hatha yoga in high school using a VHS tape. Over the years, she built a foundation in multiple yoga disciplines, eventually finding a home in the 26+2 series in 2024. She finds comfort in the routine of the 26 poses and views the sequence as a true moving meditation. She appreciates seeing how her body feels from one day to the next, embracing the opportunity to explore something new with each practice.
Michelle received her 200-hr yoga teacher certification with Odyssey Yoga in 2026. She believes that yoga is for every body and strives to create a welcoming, supportive space where students can show up exactly as they are. This intention helps students discover the physical and mental benefits of the sequence while moving at their own pace.
Teaching at Bella Kai is particularly special to her, as the studio is located just across the street from the neighborhood where her grandparents lived for over 60 years. During the day, she works as a marine biologist focused on supporting ocean communities across the Pacific. Her love for the ocean started right here on Kailua Beach, and she carries that same spirit of care and connection into the yoga studio every day.