Meet Lauren Chandler

/in /by

 

  • How long have you been with Urban Balance?
    Since the fall of 2022
  • What part of the country do you teach/present from?
    Portland, OR
  • What services do you offer?
    I teach plant-centered cooking to groups in person and virtually. I cover a wide range of topics, everything from Seasonal Cooking to Healthy Holiday Holiday Classics to Setting Intentional and Realistic Health Goals. All of my classes emphasize eating more plants – we know vegetables are where it’s at! And we’ll eat them more if we know simple, fast, super delicious ways to prepare them.
  • What do you love most about teaching in the corporate wellness sphere?
    I LOVE seeing my students become more engaged over the course of our time together and get psyched over tips and tricks they learn. Or a new way to eat cabbage. Seems so silly, but you would not believe the oohs and aahs over how delicious a humble vegetable like cabbage can be.
  • What are some of your favorite pastimes/hobbies?
    Rock climbing outdoors! Climbing gets me to see places in nature I wouldn’t otherwise visit, it’s social, fun, and good for my mental and physical health.
  • How would you describe yourself/your teaching style?
    My teaching style is casual, passionate, and interactive. I love engaging with my students and having class be conversational.

Learn more about Lauren on our team page.

 

Meet Lizzy Gamberdella

/in /by

 

  • How long have you been with Urban Balance? I began teaching chair yoga with Urban Balance in June 2022.
  • What part of the country do you teach/present from? I teach from my home base of Santa Barbara, CA.
  • What services do you offer? Along with chair yoga, I regularly teach Classical Ashtanga, Hatha, Vinyasa and Restorative yoga classes in person in my hometown. I work for a well-known yoga school in California, where I assist within an Advanced Studies (Yoga Teacher Training 300-Hour) program, lead weekly morning pranayama and meditation classes and teach chair yoga for their online studio. One of my favorite services is working one-on-one with yoga clients as a yoga therapist! I offer consultations in Ayurvedic medicine and Reiki sessions as well. I am also a special education teacher, a profession I only recently left.
  • Name one fun or unexpected fact about you.
    Je parle français! Or at least I used to. I lived and spent a year of college in France.
  • What are some of your favorite pastimes/hobbies? I am definitely not wanting for pastimes or hobbies. In fact, I wish I had more time to do them all. I love to see the world and find new places exhilarating! I love art and studied painting in college. Bright colors in nature make me happy and you’ll often catch me taking walks around the lake near my house, gazing at the moon and stars, or smelling the roses. I have had my nose buried in a book since I was a child. I’ve competed in triathlons, (almost) ran the Boston marathon (broke my leg 2 weeks before the race), kickboxed, and surfed, but you won’t catch me spending too much time in the murky depths of the ocean – I’m terrified of the creatures! These days, I mostly love time with my three kids and my yoga practice, and I have dreams of living on a farm.
  • What’s one experience you’re hoping to have in 2023?
    This is the year I hope to start my “yoga farm!” Stay tuned…

Head to our team page to learn more about Lizzy!

Meet Maddie Adams

/in /by

  • How long have you been teaching with Urban Balance?
    Since October 2022.
  • What part of the country do you teach in?
    Portland, OR
  • What services do you offer?
    Currently teaching chair yoga and a blend of gentle yoga, yoga Nidra, and restorative yoga.
  • What do you love most about teaching in the corporate wellness sphere?
    I love helping to contribute to yoga and wellness that’s more inclusive and accessible. I love that my classes at Providence are also free to the general public! Yoga for everyone!
  • Name one fun or unexpected fact about you:
    I am passionate about permaculture and I currently have 3 Nigerian Dwarf Goats which I keep for milk and make my own cheese and yogurt as well.
  • What are some of your favorite pastimes/hobbies?
    In addition to permaculture and gardening, I love hiking, reading, and knitting, and I am a huge D&D fantasy nerd.
  • How would you describe yourself/your teaching style?
    Warm-hearted and gently welcoming, offering inclusive and adaptable practices with an emphasis on syncing breath and movement together. I enjoy making everyone feel at home, included, and radically welcome just as they are in my classes.

Head to our team page to learn more about Maddie and the rest of our team!

Meet Rebecca “Sunny” Sunshine

/in /by
  • How long have you been with Urban Balance?
    3 months
  • What part of the country do you teach/present from?
    Portland, Oregon
  • What services do you offer?
    With Urban Balance specifically, I offer Gentle Yoga, Chair Yoga, Restorative Yoga and Core Yoga.
    More generally, I offer Yoga, Dynamic Mindfulness, Meditation, Dance, and Foam rolling.
  • What do you love most about teaching in the corporate wellness sphere?
    I love having access to a diverse group of students at all different stages of life. As a teacher, I’m a forever student and thus gain so much knowledge from all of the people that show up to class. I value having access to people who may not always feel welcome or included in a traditional yoga studio setting. It brings me so much joy to share the Yoga practice with real people going through real things. As someone who started my career in the corporate world, I feel like I can truly empathize with others who have demanding jobs and are looking to find more harmony in their lives.
  • Name one fun or unexpected fact about you.
    I spent my 20s and early 30s living in Tel Aviv, Berlin, and Siem Reap, and traveling around to other amazing places.
  • What are some of your favorite pastimes/hobbies?
    My favorite pastimes include apple picking with my family, making up dances with my siblings, family road trips, working in the entertainment industry for a couple of years, and skydiving.
  • How would you describe yourself/your teaching style?
    My style is kinda like that saying “variety is the spice of life.” I lead with a “life less serious” approach and aim to help people lighten up in body, mind, and heart.
  • What’s one experience you’re hoping to have in 2023?
    Spending some quality time in Europe again – I already have my trip booked!

Head to our team page to learn more about Sunny.

Meet Linda Spaulding

/in /by
  • How long have you been with Urban Balance? 
    I recently joined this past year.
  • What part of the country do you teach/present from?
    As of now, mostly on the west coast.
  • What services do you offer? 
    I develop safety and wellness strategies including an injury reduction program called RAMP CAMP. I also teach a variety of group fitness formats and present on safety and wellness topics.
  • What do you love most about teaching in the corporate wellness sphere?
    Finding collaborative ways to engage, inspire and empower people to live a safe and happy life!
  • Name one fun or unexpected fact about you.
    My mom and I both got certified to teach group fitness together from AFAA in 1984. I was a competitive roller speed skater when I was nine years old. I am a big animal lover and especially love cats.
  • What are some of your favorite pastimes/hobbies?
    I love vintage cars and own a canary yellow 66’ V8 289 convertible Mustang. Her name is Eleanor Kristence named after my grandmother.
  • How would you describe yourself/your presentation style?
    I am a high-energy, collaborative, and intuitive instructor. I like to recognize and celebrate people’s efforts and create an inclusive class environment. My class focus is on function, injury prevention, and of course having a lot of fun, too.

Head to our team page to learn more about Linda!