Welcome to Our Community

FOUNDER/OWNER, YOGA THERAPIST & TEACHER, CO-FOUNDER THE VRIDDHI FOUNDATION

Francesca is the founder of Breathe Ojai. She was initiated into the Himalayan Yoga Lineage (Sri Vidya, Swami Rama) in 2010. Swami Rama encourages students to “not leap ahead... tread the path systematically. Practice faithfully and let your life unfold in its own time," and teaches that experiential meditation and self-inquiry are keys to understanding life.

As an undergraduate at Carlow University in Pittsburgh, PA, she learned about and aligned her life around the teachings of the Irish Catholic Sisters of Mercy: they emphasize service to others and inclusion as some of the highest aspirations in life.

She holds a Masters Degree in Yoga Studies from Loyola Marymount University and is a clinical Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT, 1,000 hours) in addition to a 200 and 300 hour certificate. Her graduate studies include reading and writing Sanskrit and the historical, cultural, religious, and sociological dimensions of Yoga alongside in depth anatomy, physiology applied in a therapeutic setting.

Zoey is the real owner of Breathe Ojai and the CCO (Chief Cuteness Officer). She is passionate about snuggling and sniffing.

She may be small, but make no mistake—Zoey runs a tight (and very cozy) ship around here.

Bolster inspections? Floor snuggle tests Holding space for your savasana?

If you’re lucky, you might just get a little paw of approval during class or catch her mid-meditation staring into your soul (with love, of course ).

Zoey holds trainings in Trauma Informed Yoga and two 200-hour yoga teacher trainings through Gold Yoga School.

TEACHER, GOLD YOGA SCHOOL TRAINER

Melissa Arellano (she/her) began practicing yoga in 2012 to help ease chronic health issues. Yoga soon brought moments of peace to her body and a sense of lightness to her whole being. After a decade of practice she felt ready to guide others, completing her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training with Gold Yoga School at Breathe Ojai. Melissa’s classes focus on moving with awareness, expansive breathing, meditation, and deep rest. Her approach centers compassion and inner wisdom, often sharing from Buddhist and Traditional Chinese Medicine practices. Whether you’re brand new to Yoga or a longtime lover of śavāsana, everyone is welcomed with calm, encouraging guidance and friendly invitations to make the practice their own. Melissa lives in Ventura, CA, and spends her free time reading fiction, painting, camping, and booping her dogs. She holds an additional 50 hour Yoga Philosophy Certificate through LMU Yoga Studies.

BREATHWORK TEACHER

Rachael Barkley, M.A., N.C., has worked in the fields of psychology, fitness, wellness, nutrition, and the performing arts. Over the years she has come to learn, through research and personal experience, that trauma is at the root of so much that ails us, both physically and emotionally. Breathwork and energy work have been incredible tools in Rachael’s own personal healing journey, and it brings her such joy to be able to share these life-changing practice with others. She is currently working towards her PhD in Integral Transpersonal Psychology.

TEACHER

As a lifelong dancer, yoga was a fun transition for Paige to make. She began her yogic journey after discovering a passion for Ayurveda at the age of seventeen. Using ayurvedic practices and treating food as medicine, Paige began to heal her body and her mind, it wasn't until she began practicing yoga that she had the time and space to begin to heal her spirit and relationship with greater consciousness.  On her path to becoming a somatic healer Paige studied yoga in Bali where she earned her 200hr RYT teacher training certificate; it was there where she found a love for fiery Hatha classes and flowy Vinyasas. She loves to incorporate fluidity and connection to breath in her practice and allows the asana sequences to unfold like choreography.  Paige makes a point to create space for devotional practices in her classes so please feel welcome to bring a totem or talisman to place at the top of your mat for your class.

TEACHER

Tanner grew up in Ojai and moved to Montana in 2016 to attend college. Washing dishes as a side job quickly turned into a passion for cooking and he spent the better part of his 20s working in the culinary world. In need of a change, he returned to Ojai at the end of 2023 he studied yoga at Breathe Ojai to bring balance to a physically demanding lifestyle. Throughout 2024 he completed his 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training: training physically and mentally to gradually develop skills in Yoga Asana and meditation, and studied topics like Ayurveda, anatomy, and yoga philosophy. Realizing there is so much more to offer than pure physical relief, including emotional regulation, improved mental health, better sleep, relief from stress, and a template for a sustainable lifestyle, he looks to combine a passion for Ayurveda, background in cooking, and a yogis discipline to facilitate lifestyle changes for people of all walks of life.

TEACHER

Kipp was drawn to yoga practice as a child by television and movie scenes depicting people practicing. He developed a personal practice by imitating what he saw and occasionally he would meet someone who would give some guidance but he did not attend a formal class until he was 25 years old. In 1996 he travelled to Hawaii and stayed mostly on the Big Island where he connected deeply with nature, took his first yoga class, attended Kirtan and made friends with many spiritually centered people. After six months of soul searching in Hawaii Kipp returned to California full of Aloha spirit and began studying environmental science. His yoga practice was mostly casual and occasional until 2019 when he attended a yoga festival (Bhakti Fest) and attended workshops on Ayurveda, meditation, breath-work, mantras and yoga philosophy. Since then Kipp has been diving ever deeper into yoga and Ayurveda practice. Kipp finds inspiration by connecting with nature and community. He works full time as an environmental consultant mostly helping to minimize impacts from large scale energy and transportation construction and maintenance projects. Kipp loves bicycling and sailing around California’s coast and islands.

TEACHER, THE VRIDDHI FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBER

Born and raised in Ventura County, Whitney’s yoga journey began in 2016, when the stress of her job in social work made her frequently sick, anxious, and disconnected from her body. Although she was not athletic or flexible by any stretch of the imagination, she committed to a daily yoga practice and soon saw incredible changes in her physical and mental health. Once she experienced the magic of yoga, she knew that it was her calling to share its healing powers with others. Whitney obtained her 200hr yoga teacher certification in 2018 and has been teaching, and loving it, ever since. She is passionate about empowering people, regardless of background or athletic ability, to realize their true strength. In 2021 she completed a Yoga for Trauma Training through the Center for Yoga and Trauma Recovery in Oakland. Through life’s ups and downs, yoga has always been a life raft keeping her afloat. She is thrilled to bring Trauma-Informed Yoga principles into her teaching style, intentionally creating sequences that restore the nervous system to a healthy equilibrium. In her class, individual choice is highly emphasized and she strongly believes that we are all our own greatest teachers.

TEACHER

Doona is an E-RYT 500 yoga teacher with an innate love for movement—deeply inspired by the beauty of the human body and its endless ability to heal, adapt, fail, transform, readjust, and rise again. A lifelong mover and fitness enthusiast, Doona began her yoga journey as a marathon runner seeking balance and recovery. What started as a way to undo damage quickly became a lifelong practice rooted in awareness and curiosity.

Now a mom of two, Doona deeply understands the need for movement that supports real life—movement that builds resilience, restores energy, and creates space for presence. Every movement is intentional and intelligent—inviting more strength, fluidity, and confidence. She believes that posture is the foundation of presence, and that standing well is just as powerful as moving well.

TEACHER

I have been practicing yoga for almost 30 years and teaching yoga for well over a decade. I am a forever student of all things movement and I believe that understanding our physiology is such a valuable part of leading a healthy and vibrant life. I lead a practice that explores and deepens the mind-❤️-body connection and supports a regulated nervous system…. With an emphasis on strength and mobility for longevity, movement that activates different parts of the brain and increases neuroplasticity, and a lot of opportunities to practice breath and presence.

I just want everybody to be able to move through their lives with a little more ease and freedom! I believe that how we feel in our bodies directly affects the way we interact with the world around us. I’m really looking forward to being part of the Breathe Ojai community…I can’t wait to meet you and to move with you.

TEACHER

Alyssabeth was lucky enough to be introduced to yoga in middle school, through a family friend who opened a yoga studio; she began practicing restorative yoga and became fascinated with the way breath control practices, particularly ujjayi pranayama, could have such an immense impact on reducing stress and anxiety. The spiritual practice of yoga became a guiding force in her life early on. During college, she deepened her study of both yoga philosophy and Buddhism; simultaneously, she developed a love for vinyasa and yin yoga.

She is a 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-500), Warriors at Ease Certified Teacher, and iRest Level 1 meditation instructor. When she’s not practicing yoga, leading retreats, or writing poetry, she’s likely camping, hiking, and enjoying nature with her spouse and 6-year-old ‘puppy,' Jaxon, any chance she gets!

TEACHER, SOUND BATH PRACTITIONER

My name is Ruby Fox and I am a yoga teacher from Ventura, California where I live with my husband and our 2 young boys. I have been teaching yoga and guiding meditation for over 2 years. Sound has always been something that was therapeutic to me. Since I was a child, music was always in the background, wind chimes were everywhere and the sound of water soothed my soul. As I got older and started to really learn more about sound therapy and what sound waves do to our entire being, I knew this was something I needed to share with people. I now provide sound baths with crystal sound bowls which can be an incredibly powerful experience. I believe we all have beautiful white light within us. I’m here to help you find that light so that you can shine it into the universe and onto those around you.

MEDITATION TEACHER AND SOUND HEALING PRACTITIONER

D. Lisa is a certified meditation teacher. Self described as an "artist, teacher, life coach, meditation guide, and speaker with big dreams."

TEACHER

Darci grew up surrounded by the wild beauty of Colorado before heading to New Orleans for university, where she studied and fell in love with Anthropology, Philosophy, and Religious Studies. She has been practicing yoga for over twelve years, and with a curiosity to deepen her practice, she recently completed a 200-hour teacher training at Sattva Yoga Academy in Rishikesh, India, where she studied under Anand Mehrotra and the Sattva community, rooted in the Himalayan Yoga tradition. The philosophical and spiritual teachings of the Vedic tradition resonate deeply with her, inspiring her to share the practices that have profoundly transformed the way she feels and moves through the world. In her classes, Darci offers an integrative approach, weaving together kriya, breathwork, movement, and meditation.

She invites students into a playful and blissful exploration of practice, encouraging a connection to what feels nourishing and supportive for both body and mind while also challenging students to engage fully with each practice.

TEACHER

Nina has been practicing and studying yoga for over a decade. After immersing herself in many aspects of the yoga practice (philosophy, alignment, sequencing, history, and Yoga Nidra), Nina is now sharing an integrated and meditative approach to yoga, specializing in restorative practices.