Director of Community Outreach and Social Media

Dani Coleman is a yoga teacher, spiritual movement facilitator, social activist, and published author. She has a passion for self-expression through movement and exploring the conscious and subconscious aspects of herself.

After living with an impending need for self-discovery and searching for resilience from trauma, Dani centered her practice and teachings around feminine embodiment and somatic healing through spiritual guidance. This deeply aligns with Union Yoga’s mission of creating an inclusive, trauma-sensitive space where movement, healing, and self-exploration come together to support students on their journey.

When she is outside of the yoga studio, you might find Dani buying or selling second-hand fashion, practicing her amateur dancing skills, or enjoying all that nature has to offer both near and far.

Founder & Owner of Union Yoga

10+ years of teaching | Over 7,000 hours of experience

Rex Dean Villena began practicing yoga at Spirit Yoga 12 years ago, discovering its transformative role in addiction recovery. He completed a 200-hour Vinyasa training and a 500-hour certification at the Soul of Yoga Institute to deepen his understanding of yoga’s impact on mental health and healing.

Trained under Monique Lonner, Joe Barnett, Leela Durga, and Kate Beckel, Rex developed the Union Yoga Trauma-Sensitive Teaching Protocol, a method that shapes the way he and his team teach Vinyasa, Yin Yoga, and other styles to create an inclusive and supportive space. His approach integrates modern trauma science with traditional yoga instruction, drawing from the work of Dr. Peter Levine, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, and Dr. Gabor Maté.

He has led multiple teacher trainings, organized international retreats, and continues to advocate for trauma transparency, de-stigmatization, and accessibility in yoga. His work bridges classical yoga teachings with contemporary therapeutic insights, fostering a practice that is both healing and empowering.

Beyond teaching, Rex enjoys camping, rock climbing, Street Fighter, and traveling to Japan, continuously drawing inspiration from movement, nature, and global perspectives.

Director of Partnerships

Erin Chan has served the San Diego community as a 200 RYT Hatha/Vinyasa teacher, certified kids yoga instructor, and music teacher throughout her career. She is passionate about supporting individuals to find therapeutic forms of expression through physical movement, play, song, and creativity - and her mission is to help cultivate more compassionate, inquisitive, and healthy humans in the world.

She utilizes the impactful power of yoga practice in regulating the body’s trauma responses in her current primary work as a Marriage and Family Therapist where she specializes in transformative work with couples, children/teens, and individuals seeking change.

The mental health benefits she has drawn from yoga to ground through times of pain and struggle fuel her desire to share the practice as a tool to connect the body, mind, and spirit and empower students to become their most resilient and curious selves. She aligns strongly with Union Yoga’s social justice goals to build more diversity in our city’s wellness spaces and to be accessible and consistently utilized by those in need and those traditionally underserved.

In her free time, Erin enjoys surfing, cooking, singing, and exploring nature.

500-hour Certified Yoga Teacher | Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Mindy is a 500-hour certified yoga teacher with over a decade of experience, specializing in trauma-informed yoga, restorative yoga, and sound baths.

It was through her own personal journey that she discovered the profound impact of yoga on both mind and body. Mindy’s classes cultivate a welcoming and inclusive space, allowing students to deepen their connection to themselves at their own pace. She integrates somatic awareness, movement, mindfulness, and sound healing to support embodiment and nervous system restoration.

In addition to teaching yoga, Mindy is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Her expertise in somatic and intergenerational trauma work informs her approach, bringing a unique therapeutic perspective to her teachings and fostering a supportive, empowering environment for all.

Yoga Instructor | Specialist in Yoga for the Nervous System

Toni is a passionate yoga instructor specializing in Yoga for the Nervous System at Union Yoga. Her classes are designed to guide students of all levels into connection with their subtle bodies, paving the way for meaningful meditation. With a focus on healing and empowerment, Toni helps her students cultivate strength, resilience, and deep understanding.

Toni earned her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) from Trilogy Sanctuary and further deepened her knowledge with a 30-hour CE course, "Healing Trauma through Yoga," from OG Yoga. She has taught at leading studios including Trilogy Sanctuary, Yoga Lab, and OG Yoga, and has studied under renowned teachers such as Dominic Minervo (founder of Dhurva Yoga), Michelle Johnson (author of Skill in Action: Radicalizing Your Yoga Practice to Create a Just World), and Molly Caro May (author of Body Full of Stars).

Toni was involved in the early beginnings of Union Yoga, contributing to social media and management. She first connected with Rex after joining him on a Japan retreat, which deepened their shared passion for yoga, healing, and community.

As a first-generation immigrant from Hong Kong, Toni arrived in the U.S. in the late 1990s with her single mother, learning firsthand the challenges of navigating life’s messy transitions. This journey of grounding amidst change is one she continues to explore and share with her students.

For Toni, yoga is more than just physical practice; it’s a tool for creating safe, transformative spaces for those most marginalized in this industry—especially survivors. When she’s not teaching, Toni can be found by the ocean with her dog, writing about food, or immersed in the magic of long, epic guitar solos.

Power Vinyasa Yoga Instructor

Ishmael’s yoga practice prioritizes self-awareness, breath, and reactions. In 2010, he received his Power Vinyasa Yoga certification in Aliso Viejo, CA. His yoga journey began at the end of a long career in Chemical Engineering. He wanted change, and it came unexpectedly in the form of a layoff, bringing confusion, doubt, and fear.

People, events, and life challenges can trigger these reactions, but Ishmael found stability in yoga, where balance came with the learned ability to adapt and remain flexible—both to external situations and changes within himself. Learning how to stay calm and focused in any symbolic storm is why Ishmael shows up on his mat, both to practice and to guide others. His classes integrate poses (asanas), breath work (prana), and intention setting, helping students cultivate resilience on and off the mat.

Ishmael’s favorite pastimes are hiking and spending time with Charlie (Labradoodle) and Max (Retriever). At the end of every trail, he marks the moment with a selfie in a yoga pose. He views life experiences and people like the stones on a hike—some offer temporary support, some fall away, but those that remain become smooth, familiar, and foundational.

Join Ishmael in a Vinyasa Yoga flow, where the lessons learned on the mat become tools for your journey beyond it.

Vinyasa Yoga Instructor

Tamara is passionate about helping students cultivate a deeper connection with their bodies and minds. Trained by Gerhard Gessner at Prana Yoga Center, she specializes in Vinyasa yoga, though her personal practice spans Ashtanga, Yin, and Hatha.

Her personal journey with sports injuries has deeply influenced her teaching approach. She values honoring traditional yoga philosophy while integrating modern adaptations of Asana with an emphasis on mobility. By blending these elements, she strives to create a welcoming space where students can feel present and explore their practice.

Tamara has experience teaching weekly Vinyasa and Gentle Yoga classes at studios including Tranquil Tree Yoga, Prana Yoga Center, and Semper Fit, as well as working with private clients. She has also assisted in multiple teacher-led classes, refining her skills in classroom guidance and student support.

In addition to yoga, Tamara has a background in dance and movement, having previously coached and choreographed for colorguard teams. This experience enhances her ability to create dynamic, intentional movement in her classes.

Yoga Instructor | Yoga for the Nervous System

Mayuri is a yoga instructor specializing in Yoga for the Nervous System at Union Yoga, where the focus is on learning to regulate anxiety and the nervous system through an understanding of neurophysiology. Mayuri has lived experience with a neuromuscular disorder that comes with a variety of unusual symptoms, which she describes as a, “mind-body connection that functions like glitchy Wi-Fi.” In her yoga classes, Mayuri incorporates rehabilitation techniques that are designed to help correct neuromuscular disorders, which can be used from infancy through adulthood, particularly for individuals with traumatic injuries or autoimmune disorders. While these techniques are typically introduced only in rehabilitation settings after a diagnosis, Mayuri believes that applying these strategies proactively can help prevent problems before they even arise. When she's not teaching yoga, Mayuri works as an ADHD calculus and physics coach in San Diego, and she enjoys toproping in her free time.

Vinyasa Yoga Instructor

Meet Naomi! Originally from the seaside town of Brighton, England, she set her sights on yoga teacher training as soon as she arrived in San Diego, graduating from Gaia Yoga School in February 2023. From her very first class, she was amazed by the capabilities of the human body and aims to help others discover the same. As a teacher, Naomi’s goal is to lead energetic and engaging classes while fostering a welcoming space where students can move at their own pace, always concluding with a calming and peaceful cooldown. Her students leave her classes feeling grounded, strong, and connected in mind, body, and spirit.

Vinyasa Yoga Instructor & Sound Healing

Lucía Bunge Guerrico is a yoga teacher, writer, psychologist, and meditation guide, originally from Argentina. Having grown up between the USA, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic, she brings a diverse and holistic approach to her teachings. Her classes integrate breathwork, mindfulness, and movement, creating a practice that nurtures both body and soul. With experience guiding students from all over the world in pranayama, tarot, and manifestation, Lucía helps students cultivate presence, balance, and inner strength on and off the mat.

C-IAYT Yoga Therapist | Certified Health Coach

Rita Angeloni discovered yoga during a pivotal time in her life, seeking better health but ultimately finding a profound path to recovery and self-discovery. Yoga became the foundation of her sobriety, helping her cultivate self-worth, healthy boundaries, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Inspired to share this transformational path with others, Rita became a certified yoga teacher and went on to earn her E-RYT® 500, YACEP®, and C-IAYT® Yoga Therapist credentials, along with certifications as a Health Coach and Recovery Coach. Her work focuses on trauma and addiction recovery.

In 2015, Rita founded TRY.YOGA—Trauma Recovery Yoga—in Dallas, TX, offering yoga therapy and recovery coaching in treatment centers, sober living residences, group classes, and private sessions. Now based in San Diego, she continues to offer these services to the recovery community across Southern California.

She feels blessed to have studied with some of her heroes in the fields of trauma and addiction recovery, including Dr. Arielle Schwartz, Tommy Rosen, Durga Leela, Dr. Peter Levine, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Dr. Gabor Maté, and Jenn Wooten of Viasomatic.

Rita loves teaching public classes and is honored to be part of the teaching team at Union School of Yoga. Her teaching focuses on creating a supportive and inclusive space where students—whether in recovery or not—can explore the transformative power of yoga.

Outside of teaching, she enjoys e-biking, social dancing, and taking in California’s breathtaking sunsets.

Vinyasa Yoga Instructor

Fair is a 500-hour RYT originally from the East Coast, who made the move to the West Coast a few years ago to embrace the sunshine and opportunities that San Diego offers. She practices yoga to deepen her mind-body-spirit connection and to cultivate breath control, which helps her stay present in the moment. Yoga brings Fair feelings of bliss, serenity, and profound connection, and as a teacher, her goal is to share those same feelings with her students in a safe and respectful manner.

In Fair's classes, students can expect to seamlessly pair intention, breath, and movement, leaving them with a sense of balance in both their body and mind. The primary focuses of her classes include finding and maintaining the breath while building self-trust, acceptance, and strength. Fair emphasizes that yoga is accessible to everyone—one doesn't need to be flexible or experienced, only open-minded and ready to deeply explore their mind, body, and soul.

Join Fair in welcoming each day with one of her amazing sunrise yoga classes!