About Us
The Adventure Yoga Studio
Wellness | Adventure | Community
Wellness In Every Adventure
Founded in 2014, Runa Yoga has always been passionate about meeting our community right where they are, whether deep within the woods, next door in local Duluth shops, or up the Northshore for an unforgettable retreat. It's time to experience wellness in every adventure, regardless of location!
Runa Yoga is found in complete collaboration with our community, offering our yoga services at varying Northland locations. Thank you for joining us and inviting wellness into every adventure!
Thank you so much to our wonderful photographers who capture the life of Runa Yoga!
Shawna Vine | Sarah Herrick-Smisek | Rachel Lea | Emma Rothwell | Cassandra Schwantz
Meet Our Team
We are so grateful for our talented, supportive, and passionate team. Everyone has such a unique background and set of skills that can not be replaced. To all our teammates, you are so valued and we are grateful to have you! Take a look below to read more about each individual, and maybe try out their personalized Spotify playlists while you are at it!
Madeline Fisher
Owner + Yoga Instructor
Madeline believes adventure is accessible to all. Madeline’s mission is to bring joy and laughter to others on and off the mat. She thrives on connection and her classes offer a safe space to feel kindness and acceptance. She offers a space to play and feel confident in any class or pose. Madeline believes that yoga can be as much a creative outlet as a mindful practice. She honors that yoga is for everyone and everybody, bringing that sense of belonging with her in life on and off the mat. Madeline has experience with Vinyasa, Yin, Trauma Conscious, and Kid's Yoga.
When off her mat, Madeline can be found exploring with her family, spending time with a favorite book, or splashing around Lake Superior.
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Phoebe Turgeon
Yoga Instructor
Phoebe discovered her love for yoga unexpectedly when she stumbled upon her first yoga class at a YMCA in Brooklyn, NY. Over the course of 15 years, she discovered the profound healing and transformative effects of yoga, which benefited her both physically and mentally. Motivated by her own experiences, Phoebe hopes to inspire others to uncover the life-changing power of yoga through her teaching.
Phoebe's classes offer an energetic and fluid flow, that aims to inspire feelings of freedom and stability. She encourages her students to tap into their own wisdom, inviting them to listen to their bodies and honor their individual needs. Her goal is to create a nurturing and safe environment where students can explore their yoga practice, embrace their strength, and express themselves authentically.
Beyond the yoga mat, Phoebe finds joy in outdoor activities, gardening, mountain biking, making art, and spending time with her husband and daughter. Her love for nature and movement serves as inspiration for her teaching style. Whether you are a new or experienced yogi, Phoebe welcomes all individuals to embrace their unique selves and approach their practice with curiosity and self-compassion.
See These Icons?
Click them! Each Instagram and Spotify icon is personal to the team member. Get to know us better through Instagram. Or follow along to your favorite teachers' personal Spotify playlist!
Sophie Clock
Yoga Instructor
Sophie believes that yoga is for every body and strives to make yoga accessible, approachable, and possible for all who seek it.
She completed her RYT200 with Runa yoga and also has certification in Yin and Trauma Conscious Yoga. Sophie is currently pursuing her RYT500 with Svalja Yoga in Duluth.
Sophie is a passionate reader, writer, and nature lover. She loves hiking and spending time with her husbank, Noah, and cuddling with her cat, Loon. She brings he yoga off the mat in her day job with a local nonprofit.
You can expect to leave her classes feeling grounded, strong, and relaxed. Her flows connect breath to movement, while opening the heart and connecting with the body.
Yvonne Rutford
Yoga Instructor
Yvonne completed her training through Sutra Seekers/Runa Yoga in May 2022. She has also completed training in 5 Elements Yoga Practice (Janet Stone Yoga, July 2022), Yin Yoga Training (Svälja Yoga, November 2022), and will complete Trauma-Conscious Yoga Training through Svälja Yoga in March 2023.
Prior to training in yoga, she worked 20 years as a writing teacher, guiding students as they explored creative expression and discovered—or uncovered—their voice. She brings that same philosophy to yoga, providing a safe and supportive (and hopefully fun and casual) environment as students explore movement, breath, and presence.
Yvonne is particularly drawn to yoga that fosters connection to the outdoors, explores creative movement in nature, and deepens our respect and reverence for the natural world and our place within it.
Amanda Oja
Yoga Instructor
After many years of diving in and out of yoga, Amanda began a consistent yoga practice in 2017. The desire to deepen her practice led her to take the leap into completing Sutra Seekers 200 hour yoga teacher training at RUNA Yoga in 2022. She believes yoga is transformative through bringing peace to our busy minds and joy to our bodies through the meditation of movement. She strives to provide classes that are welcoming, nurturing, fun and with a bit of fire. She believes the whole point of being human is connecting with ourselves and others with warmth and compassion.
Outside of yoga, she enjoys hiking, skiing, officiating weddings, cabin time, and spending time with her family, pals, and genius dog, Monty. She also loves laughing—laughing is her favorite.
Aubrey DeBettignies
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Yoga Instructor
Aubrey believes in the ability to heal your body and achieve optimal wellness through breath, movement, and nutrition. She credits yoga for bringing physical, mental, and spiritual wellness to her own life.
It is her hope that the classes she leads serve as an opportunity to slow down, connect to breath, and leave feeling relaxed and recharged. Aubrey completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2020.
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When she is not on the mat, she is likely out exploring the trails with her Labradoodle Opie.
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Brynne Pass
Yoga Instructor
Brynne Pass (they/she) is a nonbinary yoga practitioner and guide. 200-RYT through Yoga Alliance with additional certifications in Yin and Trauma Informed guiding, Brynne seeks to provide equitable access to somatic healing through Yin and restorative practices. Brynne fell in love with yoga because of the somatic healing it can bring.
Yoga is for EVERY BODY.
Brynne guides and practices through a lens of patience and kindness towards ourselves while holding space to be curious and playful. Please share any concerns with Brynne before class to discuss modifications! Remember, yoga is YOUR practice. We are simply here to offer options for your journey.
Michelle Cartier
Yoga Instructor
Michelle Cartier has always held a strong belief that optimal health and wellness is achieved when the mind and body are treated and supported as one.
She feels grateful to be a lifelong student of the practice of yoga and for the opportunity to share that passion with others.
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She holds space in her classes for students to explore the tools of breath + movement to peel away the outer layers and connect to themselves and the world around them on a deeper level.
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She strives to remind herself (and others) not to take life too seriously by getting out of her head and seeking adventure wherever and whenever she can!
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In Michelle’s classes you can expect a journey inward to be guided by an inspired playlist, strong cueing in alignment and anatomy, and an authentic heart.
Jenice Meyer
Yoga Instructor
Jenice has practiced yoga for over 20 years and initially joined teacher training to deepen her own practice only to discover a true passion for guiding others. With nearly 20 years of experience in higher education leadership and curriculum design, along with a master’s in counseling, Jenice brings a unique, student-centered approach to teaching. Her classes help students build strength, cultivate a deeper connection to themselves, and feel more grounded both on and off the mat.
Known for her lighthearted and fun teaching style, Jenice creates a welcoming and supportive space where yoga is accessible to every body, at any age or stage of life. Holding a trauma-conscious yoga certification, she strives to make each class a deeply restorative experience, one that leaves students feeling refreshed, balanced, connected, and empowered.
Annalise Peck
Yoga Instructor
Since 2011, Annalise has turned to yoga as a way to manage chronic pain from arthritis. What began as a means to stretch and move stiff limbs has grown into a powerful practice of perseverance—helping her navigate both physical and emotional challenges. Earlier this year, she deepened her commitment by earning her 200-hour RYT certification, allowing her to share the benefits of yoga with others.
Annalise finds joy in the outdoors—mountain biking, kayaking, hiking, and camping—often accompanied by her golden retriever, friends, and family.
She welcomes students of all levels to step onto the mat, release the stresses of daily life, and experience yoga’s ability to transform both body and mind. Annalise hopes to leave you feeling calmer, more connected to yourself, and empowered to create meaningful change in your life and the world around you.
Mary Oliver
Yoga Instructor
Mary Olivers mission is to cultivate compassion forward spaces that allow students to approach their practice, their bodies and their mindset with curiosity and wonder rather than judgment. Mary provides the opportunity for challenge to feel joyful and creative while encouraging students to grow those qualities on and off the mat.