Our Instructors
Jill Turanski, MA, YT500
Owner
Jill brings HeartBreath Yoga Studio to Ardmore, PA after years of carefully considering how she could best use her knowledge and experience to serve her own community.
Yoga has been an important component in both her personal and professional life for 15+ years. As a contemporary dancer, yoga shifted her relationship with her body and helped her access a more grounded, more authentic movement repertoire. In terms of personal growth, yoga helps Jill profoundly connect her mind and body while learning to deeply trust intuition.
In her previous professional career as a trauma informed creative arts therapist, Jill brought yoga into sessions to teach mindfulness skills and help clients connect breath with body as a means to manage stress and anxiety.
As a dance teacher, Jill structures an environment where self-acceptance and group connectivity is paramount. And as a yoga teacher, Jill approaches her classes with a flexible mindset and a plan to make each class accessible and safe for anyone practicing with her. The vision for HeartBreath Yoga Studio is to provide a safe, supportive environment for any human who wishes to make a little quiet space in their body and mind.
Nichole Coulter
Yoga Teacher
Nichole tried her first yoga class 13 years ago after the birth of her daughter, having been on bed rest for many months. She fell in love with the mindfulness that the practice provided but more importantly, she connected on a personal level with her first teacher. Nichole believes yoga is about much more than the pose and that human connection and self-discovery is what keeps people practicing. Nichole's classes focus on flow, connecting the breath to movement, and mindfulness.
Leonard Checchio
Yoga Teacher
Lenny was first exposed to yoga in 2007 as a member of the Colgate University Men’s Lacrosse team. After years away from the mat, he was drawn back to yoga to complement rehabilitation and strength training following a number of injuries. In addition to the physical benefits he connected deeply with the more subtle aspects of yoga. Having had a regular meditation practice and study for many years prior, he was instantly hooked.
Eager to develop a daily personal practice, he completed Yoga on Main’s 200 Hour Inner Fire Yoga Certification with Shiva Das in 2021. Experiencing the full depth of yoga beyond the physical postures, he was inspired to share and teach right away. He furthered his studies by completing a 300 Hour Bhakti Yoga Immersion Certification under Raghunath Cappo at Govardhan Ecovillage in India in 2023.
His practice incorporates intentional movement and connection with the breath to balance energy and take students to deeper levels of awareness of the body, breath, mind, and spirit. He is enthusiastic about integrating the teachings and practices from all paths of yoga into his classes and loves to share kirtan at any opportunity he can get.
Marielle Stankiewicz
Yoga Teacher
Marielle has been devoted to the practice of yoga on and off the mat for the past three years. She integrates its teachings into every aspect of her daily life, approaching the practice with intention. What began as a personal calling for physical health, evolved into a deeply rooted practice centered on study, embodiment, and devotion.
Her studies include training in Hatha Yoga, the Ashtanga Eight Limb path, and Hridaya meditation. Marielle deeply honors the traditional roots of yoga and is devoted to preserving its Eastern philosophies through authentic, traditional teaching and practice.
She is also trained in sound healing and enjoys facilitating collective sound bath experiences at HeartBreath.
Passionate about uplifting others, Marielle creates a grounded space where students can connect with themselves and feel supported in their practices.