Haleybird StudiosYoga & Natural Wellness Studio

Haley Picotte-Stozek,
an avid music educator and Yoga enthusiast, is the founder of Haleybird Studios.

Haley was born and raised in Wauwatosa, WI. She has studied the cello since the age of nine. She began teaching private lessons during her junior year of high school. This experience guided her pursuit of a career in Music Education.

Haley studied Music Education at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, graduating with honors. While pursuing her Bachelors, she performed with the University Symphony Orchestra, participated in chamber ensembles, and performed and recorded with local bands. Presently, Haley teaches elementary strings in the Wauwatosa Public School System as well as private lessons. She is known within the schools for her creativity and infectious enthusiasm!

Haley’s passion for music is matched only by her belief in Yoga’s ability to improve one’s health in body and mind. In addition to completing a 200-hour RYT Yoga Training Program, Haley believes Yoga to be a life long journey and has enjoyed continuing her studies. Haley is currently a 500 RYT student of Shiva Rea. She has attended workshops and intensives with Yoga masters including Seane Corn, Rodney Yee, Desiree Rumbaugh, Simon Park, Todd Norian, & David Keil. Haley has also completed additional training in Yoga Therapy, Children's Yoga, and Prenatal Yoga.

In addition to Yoga & Music, Haley is a supporter and practitioner of Transcendental Meditation, is a Reiki Level II, and offers Thai Yoga Massage/Bodywork.

Haleybird Studios is committed to ENRICHING THE LIVES of the residents of Wauwatosa and its surrounding communities through music-based education and hatha yoga.

Kate Yanke:  Yoga Instructor 200 Hr RYT

Christine Eckblad: Yoga Instructor 200 RYT

Christine has completed a 200 hour Yoga Training and been teaching yoga for 6 years. She is also ACE Certified in Personal Training. She enjoys teaching fun and challenging classes that will work one's mind, body and breath. Christine's style tends to be a mixture of Vinyasa (poses flowing together) and Iyengar (alignment focused). She welcomes all levels to her classes as she encourages everyone to listen to their own bodies and tailor their practice to their needs.

Christine also enjoys the theraputic side of Yoga and working one-on-one with people helping them to find their "Yoga edge", a place where they are physical challenged while maintaing mind & body awareness. We invest in a lot of things in life, our money, our time but we need to start with our bodies, the foundation of it all.

Tina Romenesko: Yoga Instructor & Yoga Therapist 500 RYT

Tina Romenesko PYT/RYT  is a Professional Yoga Therapist and Teacher, and has been studying and practicing yoga for over 30 years. Her focus is on the therapeutic potential of yoga to heal body, mind, and spirit. 

Tina is a certified YogaMotion instructor (200 hour) and completed her second 200-hour certification with Tias Little at Prajna Yoga, in Santa Fe New Mexico in 2006. Both of these trainings, along with a strong and dedicated personal practice, have provided a deep foundational study of yoga alignment, philosophy, meditation, and breath technique that are the basis for Tina’s classes.

In 2007, Tina completed her Yoga Therapy certification ( 500 hour), with Joseph and Lillian LePage of Integrative Yoga Therapy (IYT). She has assisted at IYT Teacher Trainings and specializes in the study of mudras, or hand gestures, used in meditation and practice.

Tina owned and was the primary instructor at Trillium Yoga Studio in Appleton, Wisconsin for the past 7 years and has recently moved to Milwaukee to deepen her commitment to the value of Yoga Therapy as a Complimentary and Alternative Healing Modality.  She looks forward to working with individuals and groups, helping clients look past their diagnosis and symptoms, by learning to release stress and open to relaxation, acceptance, and balance in their lives.

Molly Sommerhalder: Yoga Instructor 200 RYT

Since Molly’s introduction to Yoga over 7 years ago, she has had the privilege to learn a variety of styles of Yoga with many great teachers.  In addition to completing her 200 hr certification in Vinyasa Yoga, Molly participated in an apprenticeship at Turbodog Spirit Center in Chicago in the summer of 2009.  At Turbodog, she studied Yoga assisting with Steve and Talya, senior Forrest Yoga teachers.   During this time, Molly learned the practice of Forest Yoga and found the healing force of yoga.  She believes if that if you put your practice first, everything in life will follow the way it's supposed to.  Molly brings her love of music to her classes, as she encourages her students to create their own music with their breath. She teaches her students to utilize their Yoga practice as a source for healing and to travel inward and explore their emotions using their body.  Molly’s classes invite all to let go, smile and find inner happiness!

Elizabeth “Biz” Casmer, Yoga Instructor & Yoga Therapist, RYT 500

Biz recently moved to the Milwaukee area from Saint Paul, MN with her husband Ian and their two dogs, Walter and Willow. With her recent move, she decided to focus more of her energy on helping people get closer to their true self through the practice of yoga. Biz has been teaching yoga for almost five years and practicing for over ten and she is very excited to dedicate more of her time and energy to sharing yoga with her students. 

In her free time, she loves spending time with her husband, her dogs, practicing yoga, learning something new about yoga and/or sharing yoga with others. She also enjoys running, biking, cooking, gardening, reading and spending time with her friends and family. 

Biz is currently pursuing her 500 hour Professional Yoga Therapist certification through Integrative Yoga Therapy and will be a certified Yoga Therapist in October of 2010.

Certifications and professional credentials:
• BA in Business, Advertising and Spanish from University of Saint Thomas in Saint Paul, MN
• Registered Yoga Teacher (230 hour) through Yoga Center of Minneapolis & Yoga Alliance
• Certified Group Fitness Instructor through American Council on Exercise (ACE)
• Certified Pre & Post Natal Yoga Instructor through Global Yoga Center of Chicago
• First Aid, CPR and AED certified through American Heart Association
• Currently Pursuing 500 hour Professional Yoga Therapist Certification through Integrative Yoga Therapy

Jes Davies : Yoga Instructor 200 RYT

Jes Davies graduated from UW Madison in 1996 with a degree in physical therapy.  She has been teaching group exercise classes for more than 10 years, focusing on yoga since 2003.  She is recognized by Yoga Alliance as a 200 hr CYT, and is working to complete her 500 hour certification.

“I love to bring together a flowing vinyasa practice with alignment based principles.  My classes are infused with good music and intention.  I believe strongly that yoga is a valuable tool to learn about your individual body's needs, both for injury prevention and healing.  I feel that my knowledge of anatomy and kinesiology bring something unique to each class.”

Bonnie Frenkel -Certified Nia Instructor & Certified Ageless Grace® Educator

Blending traditional and complimentary wellness options to others has become a passion for Bonnie since 2002. As the owner of Healthy Lifestyles, LLC Bonnie was able to communicate the importance of appreciating how and what one chooses affects one's entire body and well-being. As a Certified Nia Instructor and Certified Ageless Grace® Educator Bonnie is able to continuously assist others on their quest for overall wellness with a specific goal of assisting others to become aware of past habits and learning what might be needed to tweak in order to move forward towards one's goals.

Carolyn Potter – Yoga Instructor 200 RYT

Carolyn Potter, RYT, received her Yoga Alliance certification in early 2004 in Hatha yoga. Later that year, she found Anusara yoga  through a workshop given by Desiree Rumbaugh, and ever since, has been pursuing an additional (200-hour) certification in this style. This journey has taken her as close as Illinois and as far away as Costa Rica and Hawaii to study and earn hours towards her certification with outstanding Anusara-certified teachers.  Anusara, which means “to flow with grace” was created by John Friend who invites his students all over the world to open their hearts and “join his merry band.”  This style is equal parts attitude, alignment and asana.  Following in her teachers’ footsteps, Carolyn’s goal is to see each student the same  –  perfectly Divine – and encourages each student to invite this quality into their practice through poses centered around a themed class.  She teaches to all levels and often challenges students to try something new.  Look for heart openers, fun sequencing, and deep hip openers. At Haleybird, Carolyn teaches a level 1-2 class on Thursdays at 7pm and she teaches advanced students through private sessions by request.

Sara Neall - Yoga Instructor 200 RYT

Sara Neall has been an active yogi for the last 5 years practicing hatha, vinyasa flow and Bikram yoga. She  graduated from the 200 hour program at YogaOne, studying with Mag Galarza and Bernie Rosen.  She has recently moved to Wauwatosa and loves walking her dog along the Menomonee River. Sara has a small on-line shop where she makes and sells yoga mat bags among other beautiful  things.