Our Teachers

Pachi Shanaberger

Pachi Shanaberger is our fearless leader/Studio director who has a great passion for the practice. Pachi’s journey started as a Fitness Professional and in 1999, she became a dedicated yoga student.  Her passion grew and in 2001 she completed her Bikram’s Teacher Training certification.

There was nothing stopping her and in 2002, she opened her first studio in Hawaii.   With over 20 years of training and teaching, Pachi is passionate about helping others develop and unfold in their practice.  She is honored to teach yoga, helping to bring balance, awareness, health, and happiness into other’s lives.

Ben Shanaberger

Ben has been a full-time Deep Tissue therapist for ten years, specializing in relief of lower back, hip, and neck pain, sciatica, headaches, and postural correction around the shoulders. He works with people of all ages from all walks of life and has extensive experience with endurance athletes and yoga enthusiasts. He also does our traditional Thai massages and teaches our sunrise yoga class Monday thru Friday.

Alec Mederios

Alec’s yoga journey began in January 2012. A lifelong involvement in sports and martial arts had begun to wane and when a friend suggested that he try the local hot yoga studio, he figured “why not?”  Yoga immediately became a regular part of his life and Alec was in the studio nearly every day. What Alec found there went way beyond a good stretch. Every class brought a different benefit such acceptance, humility, love, joy, determination, and gratitude, to say nothing of the physical transformation that a dedicated practice brings or that he met his wife (Sophia) at the studio!

In the spring of 2018, Alec completed a 500-hour yoga teacher training led by Lizzy Hoffman of Urban Bliss Yoga and Pachi Shanaberger of Prana Hot Yoga. The depth of his practice and knowledge expanded, but Alec is always aware of how much his practice can grow and how much more there is to learn. Alec has been teaching vinyasa and Bikram classes since finishing his teacher training. Alec encourages his students to explore the limits of their practice without comparison or judgment and to treat every class as an opportunity for growth, as well as a celebration of what is possible for them. Alec hopes to see you someday soon in the hot room and that your yoga practice rewards you as much as does his!

Sophia Mederios

Sophia’s yoga journey started in January 2011 after she signed up for an intro month at a Bikram studio in Fairfield, CT to help work off some overly indulged holiday cookies, and little did she know she was stepping into her future! She never had something kick her butt so much but yet leave me coming back for more immediately. Sophia was hooked. In a matter of months, Sophia’s body had transformed physically but the mental benefits that she experienced were endless.

Yoga has brought so much more into Sophia’s life than just a workout, in 2012 she met her husband, Alec, in class. They were both just students at the time but since then they have become teachers and currently teach at Prana. It’s been the greatest joy of Sophia’s life to practice with, learn from, and teach with her husband, and yoga has become such an instrumental part of their lives together. In 2016, they moved to Florida and became members of Prana Bodyworks, where in addition to Bikram yoga, other styles such as vinyasa and yin yoga were offered and those became part of their weekly practices as well.

It’s been such a great experience to practice at a studio that offers so many yoga options to help expand their yoga knowledge and practice. In 2020, I finally took the next step and completed a 200 hr Hot 26 & 2 teacher training through Evolation Yoga. Now as a teacher, she hopes to guide and make a difference in the journey of other yogis by being a positive influence in their practice so they keep coming back to do the work and become the best versions of themselves. Sophia’s hope is to spread love, kindness, & compassion to her students and in return continue to carry that into her own practice as well!

Adriana Montano-Jordan

Meet Adriana Montano Jordan! Adriana was invested in dancing and gymnastics, her love of dance and movement can be reflected in her practice and her teaching style. She started her yoga journey 2 years ago.  She received her inspiration from Elizabeth Hoffman (Urban Bliss). Yoga was a game-changer for her so she decided to become a practitioner.  She completed her training with Urban Bliss yoga school and her goal is to share her passion because it has been a gift to her.

Isabela Oliveira

An artist at heart, Isabela has ventured into many types of work since she moved from Brazil to the U.S. in 2002.  She began practicing Yoga in 2004 and in March 2019 she attended a teacher training led by Pachi Shanaberger and Elizabeth Hoffmann.   With excitement, she started teaching and managing Prana Hot Yoga + Bodywork full time. She believes yoga is in full alignment with who she is at heart and is passionate about sharing it!

Pauline Peralta

Pauline Peralta discovered and fell in love with yoga in 2007. In 2012 she became a certified yoga instructor under Elizabeth Hoffmann, Director of Urban Bliss School of Yoga. The ancient art & the science of yoga completely changed her life allowing her to turn inward. Pauline has since taught several hundred studios and private yoga classes while gaining insight, in-depth knowledge & experience with anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology. She is an active health and yoga advocate and is a prevalent part of the exposure of yoga in her community. Two years after obtaining her 200-RYT and becoming so passionate about her teaching career she decided to carry on her endeavors and obtained her 300-RYT in Holistic Yoga therapy training with her beloved teacher Elizabeth of Urban Bliss.

Aside from yoga, she is an advocate and practitioner of many forms of fitness. She believes our bodies are meant to move, and it is through the physical aspect of practice that we are able to quiet our minds and tap into the inner world of self-discovery. Her classes are invigorating & challenge students to embrace their fears as a pathway to growing physically, mentally, and spiritually stronger. Her light-hearted energy and confident vocal presence invite you to feel comfortable and at ease in her class. Through this journey, she hopes her students are able to discover inner strength, self-love, and compassion.

Penelope Torres

Penélope began her dynamic, artistic journey early on.  Exploring her personal expression through movement by dancing, performing, drawing, creative writing, she eventually found purposeful meaning through yoga, professional dance, fitness, and nutrition.

By pursuing a healthier, mindful lifestyle, she achieved a personal weight loss of 60+ pounds; and inspired to motivate, inspire others as well, becoming a wellness practitioner. She is a professional dancer and has completed her training/certification in Mat Pilates, Virya HIIT, Bikram/ Hot Yoga 200RYT, Reiki Level 1, Gratitude Level 1 Training, and currently pursuing Vinyasa Yoga 200YT.  Penelope is dedicated to holding space for her students to practice mindful curiosity and to come alive through embodied practice.