Jessi Smith, Founder of Be the Change Yoga Studio 

Yoga is my passion. I believe that Yoga is a powerful tool which aids in the overall process of living. I have been a teacher and student of Yoga for the past twelve years. Although we all find something uniquely different from the practice, it serves the world as a whole when we are able to be more flexible in our minds and bodies, find peace from within our hearts, and allow inspiration to be a daily occurrence. 

Originally certified under Baron Baptiste of the Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga Institute, I continue to grow from the many teachers I have met along this ever changing journey. My greatest teachers are the students themselves. That is why Be the Change is a donation based studio - so that everyone has the opportunity to practice yoga. There should be no barriers, when the essence of the word yoga is "to join", "to unite".

I teach Vinyasa Yoga, a style based on the principles of Flow. To be able to flow like water in all it's forms, from snow and rain, to a bubbling spring or raging rapids.  Water moves from the Earth to the Sky and returns again, only to repeat that cycle simply because it is the Nature of Water.

I believe it is the Nature of every living thing to move, to flow. Come explore what this practice means for you, on the mat.

Michelle Smith Born, raised and educated in southern Indiana until I was 25, I moved to Portland, Oregon to attend culinary school. After graduation, I worked in the food and wine industry, which led me abroad to New Zealand. From here I spent the next five years traveling around the world combining both cooking and wine experience to work in a variety of exotic settings.

 Yoga found me in New Zealand at a quiet hostel in 1999. After that I was hooked. With every new location, and often a new country, I sought out a studio discover more about this new unknown in my life.

 Upon returning to the US in 2004, I found work in Big Sky and shortly after arriving I met my mentor Linda Hallinan who introduced me to vinyasa flow. She guided me for next two and half years eventually leading me Ganga White at White Lotus for the RYT 200 hour certification. In 2007, I began teaching vinyasa flow in Big Sky, and in 2008 established Mountain Yoga.

My current mentors are Rolf Gates and Johnny Gillespie. I attended week-long retreats in Costa Rica with both as well as numerous weekend workshops where I eventually trained as a workshop assistant for Rolf Gates. My style blends alignment principles and the breath with eclectic vinyasa flow to create a naturally grounded connection to the earth and the body and ultimately to the inner being. By awakening the awareness of this connection, not only will the inner journey begin, but also the development of a greater understanding of the universal oneness that bonds each of us together to create a whole will unfold. 

Lisa Laird did a majority of her training at the White Lotus Foundation and at Kripalu Center for Yoga. She is a 200 RYT through the Yoga Alliance and continues to study with various teachers including, David Swenson, Michael Stone and most importantly  her students.  In class she encourages her students to have fun and explore their practice, often reminding them that it is just yoga.

If shes not practicing yoga, she is hiking with her adorable dog and enjoying all that Bozeman and life have to offer.  

Susan Ramos has been a Bozeman resident for 30 years. She is passionate about yoga. She is a certified Bikram yoga instructor and used to teach at the local Bikram studio. Just recently she completed the five-day teacher training of Live, Love, Teach and is thrilled to be teaching an upbeat and challenging power-vinyasa yoga class. She also teaches locally at Community Yoga Bozeman. Please, come to Susans classes and be prepared to sweat, work and have fun. We are honored to have her at Be the Change. 

Kirk Poser

I was raised on a ranch in rural Montana, showing the diversity of people who practice yoga. But as different as we may seem or where we are from, when we practice yoga we find we are the same whether you have done one class or a million!

I am certified in Vinyasa & then in the Barkan Method of Hot Yoga. But what I share with you is truly from the people I have practiced under over the years!

I have taught classes at Breathing Room Yoga in Livingston, Fire Hall Fitness, and the Ridge Downtown.

For me, the practice of yoga & sharing it is a passion of the heart. I look forward to meeting and stepping on the mat with every one of you.