OCY Teachers
Scott Williams, E-RYT 500, YACEP
Scott Williams has been teaching yoga since 2004 when he completed Miami University's yoga teacher training course. He is registered nationally with the Yoga Alliance through the 200-hour course offered by the Cincinnati Yoga School and 500-hour course offered by Eddie Modestini and Nicki Doane.
Scott teaches vinyasa (movement linked to breath) style yoga and has experience teaching classes from basic for beginners to challenging for advanced practitioners, and for all ages.
Gail Hautau, RYT 200, Certified Longevity Coach
Gail was born in Virginia, but moved to Ohio as a young child. She has been an Oxford resident ever since. Gail attended local schools and graduated from Miami University with a Masters Degree in Education. Gail taught in the public school system for 25 years before retiring. Prior to that she worked as a Visual Display Manager, and Assistant Store Manager for the Macy’s in Oxford, OH.
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Gail practiced yoga in her 20's and 30's and has maintained a regular meditation practice over the years. Taking care of a family and working full time brought a halt to her yoga practice for a number of years but she decided to begin again, and became certified to teach yoga.
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Gail has been teaching locally since 2018 and currently teaches Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Qi Gong. She loves the benefits for the mind, body, spirit, and the energetic body gained by these practices.
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Gail’s interests are (in no particular order) yoga, Qi Gong, gardening, pets, (indoor) plants, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
Stephany Plantz, RYT 200
Stephany is delighted to share her practice within the OCY community, where her yoga journey first began. She was introduced to yoga and meditation in 2022, and quickly developed a great appreciation for mindful movement, self-observation without judgement, and the power of breathing. As she noticed a positive shift within herself, she grew excited to share these experiences for the benefit of others.
Stephany is an emerging yoga teacher, completing her RYT 200 in 2023 at OCY's Tree of India School of Yoga under Jessica Lohrey. She continues to follow her curiosity by being on the mat within the yoga community, practicing self-inquiry, and tackling an endless reading list. She plans to pursue an RYT 500 certificate in the future.
Outside the studio Stephany loves being in nature, trying new things, creating, reading, and enjoying the company of family and friends. She has fun adventuring with her preschool aged son, who inspires her to look at the world with great enthusiasm and interest.
Piper, RYT 200
With a passion for holistic well-being, exploration, and a heart deeply rooted in the Oxford community, Piper has been a dedicated yoga practitioner since 2004.
In 2018, she embarked on a transformative journey, incorporating meditation and yoga into a daily practice, which she continues today. In May 2023, Piper completed the 200-Hour Yoga Teacher training at OCY's Tree of India School of Yoga.
Piper is a licensed massage therapist with her own business since 1999. She is also a Registered Nurse, working in the specialty area of psychiatric/mental health nursing. Her blend of medical expertise with a focus on healing brings a unique perspective to her yoga teaching.
Through the years, meditation and yoga have been a guiding light, enriching Piper's life in a profound way. She loves planting seeds of enrichment, empowerment, and healthy living! She is excited to share the many benefits of yoga, including breath work (so powerful) and meditation with the Oxford Community. Join Piper on the mat for a journey of self discovery, wellness , inner peace and fun!
Naaborle Sackeyfio, RYT 200
Naaborle is a dedicated yoga and sound practitioner who is thrilled to be part of Oxford Community Yoga. Her yoga journey began in her teens, when she discovered the transformative power of hatha yoga and meditation. These practices not only brought her a sense of calm and empowerment but also ignited her lifelong passion for holistic wellbeing, and self-transformation.
In 2022, Naaborle began a two-year Mindfulness and Meditation Teacher training, in which she uncovered the profound connection between the body, mind and awareness. This realization inspired her to complete a 200-Hour Yoga Teacher training at OCY's Tree of India School of Yoga in 2024.
In her free time, Naaborle enjoys Yoga Nidra, sound baths, and reading. She is also an enthusiastic Zumba dance instructor, sharing her love for movement with others. When not teaching yoga, Naaborle is an associate professor of Global and Intercultural Studies at Miami University.
Laurie Traveline Neyer, Tai Ji Instructor
Laurie Traveline Neyer began her journey with tai ji over 25 years ago when she began learning a Wu form and deepening her understanding and relationship with energy. She has studied and practiced many styles and forms of tai ji, and with many teachers over the years, the last ten with Master Chungliang Al Huang dancing his circle forms, and a short form known as Five Moving Forces along with Calligraphy and Philosophy.
Laurie has been sharing her tai ji teaching for almost twenty years in several establishments: Bally’s Fitness centers, Miami University Wellness programs, the Oxford Community Arts Center and in schools. She taught water tai ji in the pool at Miami University’s Recreational Sports Center for 13 years.
Diana Byrd, RYT 200
Diana Byrd grew up in Oxford Ohio from the age of eight. She retired from Miami University in 2023 after 40 years in Housing and Dining Services as an Executive Manager of Marketing, Merchandise and Retail. Diana completed her 200-hour teacher training at Oxford Community Yoga (Tree of India School of Yoga) in 2024.
Diana serves on the boards of the Oxford Senior Center Board where she volunteers as a dispatcher and the Talawanda Oxford Pantry Social Services (TOPSS.) She is an advocate for those fighting cancer and other chronic diseases, the homeless and those who experience food insecurity. In 2001, Diana ran a full 26.2 mile marathon with Team in Training for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to raise money and awareness of cancer research. Diana is grateful for the opportunity to support those in need.
Diana teaches Chair Yoga at the Oxford Senior Center. She started practicing Hatha Yoga in 2014. Yoga helps Diana see things from a different perspective, becoming more mindful and present in the now. Yoga has inspired Diana to learn and grow and to live in the moment fulfilling the tenet and the practice and philosophy of yoga.
In her free time Diana plays pickleball, biking and attends group fitness classes at Miami's Rec Center. She considers herself a fitness enthusiast.
Jessica Lohrey, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT, YACEP
Jessica Lohrey is the founder of Tree of India, which encompasses her handcrafted aromatherapy line, Oxford Community Yoga, and the Tree of India School of Yoga. A lifelong student of yoga, Jessica has been practicing since 2000 and draws from both Vedic and Saiva Tantra traditions. She specializes in private yoga, teacher training, and mentorship, and is certified at the highest level through the International Association of Yoga Therapists (C-IAYT) and Yoga Alliance (E-RYT 500, YACEP).
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An Oxford native and Miami University graduate, Jessica returned to her hometown in 2020 after nearly three decades living in cities across the U.S. She now shares the transformational teachings of yoga with her community, both locally and globally. Jessica leads annual retreats to India and other awe-inspiring destinations that emphasize cultural immersion, self-discovery, and the deeper dimensions of yogic living.
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Outside of teaching, Jessica enjoys time in nature, family, listening to music, and exploring the world with curiosity and reverence.
