Our Instructors
Kristi Shaw, Ph.D., MHS, Yoga Instructor (RYT500), Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT), Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT), Founder, Owner
Kristi Shaw began her yoga teaching career in 2006 at the local YMCA, community centers, art centers, in people's homes, the local hospital, lunch rooms of coworkers...you name it, she's taught there! Following the path of yoga therapy as an integrated approach in her teaching style, Kristi completed her RYT 500 and C-IAYT hours with University of Maryland Medical School, Center for Integrative Medicine, and decided to open her own studio to fully embrace her love of integrative medicine, therapeutic movement and complementary practices under one roof. Kristi became certified as a comprehensively trained Pilates teacher following the opening of Coastal Retreat, with a focus on finding new ways to manage her Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) - a connective tissue disorder that causes the body to have loose ligaments, leading to easy joint dislocations and a myriad of other symptoms and conditions. The ability to challenge the smaller stabilizing muscles of the body, while training the larger muscles, is a key feature of Pilates and one that Kristi swears-by as part of her EDS "maintenance" plan. Today, you might find Kristi teaching an early morning Pilates class, a Sunday afternoon Restorative Yoga session, hosting an EDS support group, or working with a client in a personalized session. You might also NOT find her - because she still works a full-time career outside of the studio, has two children (middle and high school), a horse, five dogs, a small parrot and a husband of 20 years. The studio is her HAPPY PLACE and she hopes you'll find it to be YOUR happy place too!
Kristin Todd: Yoga Instructor (RYT500), Pilates Instructor, Aerial Goddess, Studio Manager
What inspired you to become a yoga/Pilates instructor?
I had been a student at Coastal Retreat for years and knew how much I had benefited, physically and mentally, from the practice and community there. When we had to close the studio for the Covid pandemic it really highlighted how important my yoga practice and the relationships I had formed at Coastal truly were to me. As we began to reopen I took the opportunity to become an instructor in order to help others reap the same benefits that I have enjoyed!
How long have you been teaching, and what keeps you passionate about it?
I've been teaching aerial yoga for 4 years. This year I've added aerial and reformer pilates to my repertoire! My students are one of my main sources of inspiration. Whether they come to me with an injury or show me something they've seen on Instagram that they'd like to try, I'm constantly learning from them just as they are learning from me. Watching them achieve a victory or seeing their practice grow and evolve keeps me passionate about teaching!
How would you describe your teaching style?
My teaching philosophy is all about meeting people where they are. I want to offer everyone the opportunity to push themselves in their practice but in a way that feels like a manageable challenge, not a punishment. "Pick your spice level.", is one of my often used phrases. I like to approach each class with enthusiasm, curiosity, flexibility and a sense of humor.
What’s a fun fact about you that students might not know?
I have taught preschoolers for 21 years and they've taught me to stay curious, practice patience, and seek joy in the everyday.
Do you have a favorite book, mantra, or quote that inspires your practice?
As someone with an anxious "busy brain" I frequently return to the Shanti Mantra for Peace: May there be well-being for all,
May there be peace for all.
May there be wholeness for all,
May there be happiness for all.
—Translation by Zoë Slatoff-Ponté
What are your favorite self-care rituals outside of yoga/Pilates?
In addition to yoga and pilates I also do functional weight training. My other self care rituals include a love of cooking/meal prep and walking/hiking at local parks.
What do you love most about teaching at our studio?
I love that we are a small boutique studio not a massive gym. This means I can connect more fully with students and address their individual needs more readily. We also promote an all inclusive, light atmosphere. While we take our practice seriously, we also enjoy a lot of laughter.
What’s your favorite pose or exercise to teach, and why?
One of my favorite poses to teach is aerial inversion. I love making inversions accessible to people that may have struggled with them in a traditional yoga class.
Can you share a memorable moment with a student or class that impacted you?
I love seeing student's eyes light up when they make a breakthrough in their practice. Recently one of my students commented that she remembered when she was nervous about aerial inversion and could only maintain the position for a couple moments. Now she confidently enters into them with a smile and has progressed to more complex variations!
Christina Bowman, MD: Yoga Instructor (RYT200)
Christina Bowman, MD, RYT-200 has been practicing yoga for nearly 20 years and recently completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training at Red Lila School of Yoga in Baltimore. She is also a psychiatrist in private practice with 8 years of experience, and she is passionate about the intersection of mental and physical wellbeing. Christina grew up in Easton and returned in 2021 after time away for training and career growth. She lives here with her husband, two young boys, a dog, two cats, and two guinea pigs. Yoga has been a steady source of strength and grounding for her through life’s many seasons, helping her stay physically fit and emotionally centered, and she is excited to begin teaching to share these benefits with others.
Karen Knauss: Yoga Instructor (RYT200++), Physical Therapy Asst, Pilates Instructor
Karen Knauss, RYT 200, Comprehensively-trained Pilates Instructor, Physical Therapy Assistant, Certified Ashaya Yoga Instructor and Radiant Child Yoga Teacher, Karen blends her physical therapy background with alignment-based yoga instruction. Trained at Willow Street Yoga Center by Maria Hamburger, Joe Miller and Natalie Miller, Karen continues studies in children's yoga through Radiant Child. Karen is a Pilates mat and equipment teacher, a certified stand-up paddle board instructor, and a certified Yoga of 12-Step Recovery (Y12SR) leader.
Donna Real: Massage Therapist, Pilates Instructor, MELT Instructor
Elizabeth Riordan, Pilates Instructor
Gina Schwickrath: Yoga Instructor (RYT500), Mat Pilates Instructor
Gina Schwickrath is a certified yoga teacher (RYT 500) with a passion for creating a supportive space for students of all levels. With a focus on hatha, vinyasa, and restorative styles, Gina creates inclusive and grounding classes that meet students where they are. Whether you’re stepping onto the mat for the first time or deepening an existing practice, Gina is dedicated to guiding students with presence, compassion, and authenticity.
Emily "Tea" Teale: Yoga Instructor (RYT200), Meditation Goddess
Deanna Van Skiver , Barre & Pilates
Deanna transplanted to the Eastern Shore of Maryland from the midwest in 1999, and knew she had arrived at her true home. She never considered herself an athletic person, and always had a sporadic, frustrating relationship with exercise. Wandering into a Group Exercise class changed everything! The instructor guidance, the music, and the energy of working in a group with a common cause shifted her perception of exercise, and of her capability.
After years of attending classes as a member, she wanted to help others build that same confidence, and became a certified fitness instructor in 2017. She is excited to share Barre at Coastal Retreat because of its uniquely joyful movement, and its focus on grace and stability. In her Barre classes, members can improve their strength, posture, balance and confidence!
