yoga instructor · mover · forever student
let curiosity lead, intention guide, and wonder emerge
Movement has always been in my life. I grew up in Winston-Salem, NC, and started dancing when I was 3 years old. Dance shaped who I am today, strengthening my work ethic and fostering my creative identity. More importantly, dance empowered me to share movement with others.
At 16, I was introduced to hot yoga in the style of 26 postures — and I was hooked. While studying Psychology and Computer Science at Duke University, I studied Kundalini yoga under Dr. Keval Kaur Khalsa and researched the impact of yoga on adolescent mental health.
After 10 years of ebbing and flowing, I earned my RYT-200 certification. Now I'm building community in Raleigh and deepening my relationship with the 8-limb path — most comfortable in Vinyasa and passionate about helping others find strength, curiosity, and freedom.
Yoga is for every body — and every body is welcome here.
For now, I'm teaching at home for friends and family, but I would love to find a Raleigh community to call home. Reach out below if your space has room for one more.
Get in touchInterested in a private session for your friends, team, or bachelorette party? Have a pop-up event? I'd love to help make your vision come to life.
Get in touchI'm always making new playlists for practice. Add me on Spotify & let's trade soundtracks!
take a scroll break & follow the orb for a 6-second box breath
6-second inhale · 6-second exhale
inhale...
I'm actively looking for teaching opportunities — studios, corporate wellness programs, or community events. Reach out and let's talk about what's possible.
product manager · writer · ex-SWE
Product manager with a software engineering foundation based in Raleigh, NC.
I'm Michaela, and it's nice to meet you! I'm a Raleigh-based product manager and yoga teacher from Winston-Salem, NC. I hold degrees in Psychology and Computer Science from Duke University, where my work sat at the intersection of mental health and technology.
My four years at Duke were mostly focused on behavioral health research, which you can read more about in the publications section below. I picked up a few computer science classes during my sophomore year to better understand statistical analysis and data visualizations. A side quest quickly became a computer science degree and an early career in software engineering. I've since transitioned into product management and am currently working on a product suite at Bandwidth made for developers, by developers.
Outside of the workplace, you might find me on my yoga mat -- hence the 5-to-9 mode -- or parked at a coffee shop, reading or putting pen to paper. I'm an avid journaler and an aspiring writer. I also love to hike, dance, and spend time outside with my dog, Kaia.
Everything from published research to blogs no one asked me for.
Product Manager
Bandwidth - Developer Experience
Ongoing
Software Engineer
Bandwidth - Voice Routing
2021 – 2025
Data Science Intern
Duke University
Summer 2020
Undergraduate Researcher
Duke University
2019 – 2021
B.S. Psychology & Computer Science
Duke University
Graduated 2022
RYT-200 Certification
Dose Yoga, Yoga Alliance
2026
I'm especially interested in work that sits at the intersection of human behavior and technology.