Our Teachers

Julie Brown

  • Julie Brown started her yoga journey after spending many years as a group fitness instructor. Realizing that her inner body needed strengthening too, she began focusing on her own personal practice and that’s when the magic happened. The spirituality, the connection of breath and the movement, came full circle and she was hooked. She received her 200 hour RYT certification, and today Julie is a 500 hour RYT with Yoga Alliance.

    Julie uses her knowledge of both fitness and yoga to create a class that can be challenging for the physical body, yet very thoughtful and balanced to help you connect your heart, your mind and soul. What we learn about ourselves and cultivate on the mat we carry out into the world.

    As part of the Yoga West family, she teaches children yoga at a local school and enjoys watching the kids learn and practice.

    Her free time is spent at home with her family, Tony and her dogs Tia and Grizz. She enjoys being outside in the sunshine, taking walks and gardening. She loves to cook and try new recipes, and volunteer at the local animal shelter.

Kailey Mellen

Kelly Evans

  • Kailey was first introduced to yoga as teen over a decade ago. She stumbled upon a class in a local studio with her aunt and has been practicing ever since.. The physical asana practice drew her in but she soon discovered the many health benefits of the practice, including helping to focus and reducing anxiety.

    Kailey is a certified Yin Yoga Teacher, completing her training with author and YinYoga.com creator, Bernie Clark. She also recently began studying under the instruction of her aunt, Kelly Evans at Yoga West, where she is working towards her 200-hour yoga teacher certification.

    Kailey is a Licensed Esthetician and feels passionate about working with her clients to help them feel and look amazing. In her free time she loves to travel, read, and spend time with friends.

    Kailey strives to create a safe and comfortable environment in her classes. And although she feels she will aways be a student, she is excited to share her knowledge and guidance as a teacher at Yoga West studio and as part of the Yoga West "Yoga in School" team.

  • Founder & Director, Yoga West | E-RYT 500 • RCYT • YACEP

    Kelly Evans is the founder and director of Yoga West, which she established in 2016 with the belief that yoga should be accessible, practical, and relevant to everyday life.

    Over the past decade, Kelly's work has evolved from teaching traditional studio classes to bringing yoga and mindfulness into schools, special education programs, professional trainings, and community settings. Her work with children and educators has become a particular focus, with an emphasis on providing practical tools that support self-awareness, emotional regulation, resilience, and overall well-being.

    Kelly is an E-RYT 500, Registered Children's Yoga Teacher (RCYT), and Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider (YACEP). Her extensive training includes advanced study through the Himalayan Institute and The Kaivalya Yoga Method, children's and trauma-informed yoga, Yin Yoga with Bernie Clark, Ayurvedic Yoga, yoga therapy, and an intensive study of Ashtanga Yoga at Miami Life Center with Kino MacGregor and Tim Feldmann.

    Her background also includes a B.A. in Psychology, which continues to influence her interest in the connection between movement, mindfulness, emotional well-being, and the ways people learn and grow.

    At the heart of Kelly's teaching is a simple philosophy: students are the experts in their own experience. Her role isn't to tell someone how they should feel or who they should become, but to provide tools, experiences, and opportunities for greater awareness and connection.

    Whether she's working with a child in a classroom, an educator seeking tools for student wellness, or a professional learning how to incorporate yoga and mindfulness into their own work, Kelly brings the same combination of knowledge, curiosity, humor, and real-world practicality to her teaching.

    Her goal is simple: make yoga useful beyond the yoga mat.