Our Team
Meet the people who make
Heartspace feel like home.
Jesika Shekleton
FOUNDER & LEAD INSTRUCTOR
Jes has always been drawn to movement. Even as a child, she found joy in feeling strong, capable, and deeply connected to her body. As life evolved through marriage and motherhood, caring for herself became less of a choice and more of a necessity.
When she discovered yoga at 25, everything shifted. The practice became a mirror—teaching her to stay present through life's challenges while revealing the inseparable connection between body and mind.
Jes began her teaching journey through one-on-one training with Baptiste instructor Christian Trueb, where she learned to meet physical challenge with grace by surrendering the ego. She later continued her studies with Barbra at West Hartford Yoga, deepening her appreciation for discipline, intention, and the transformative power of a consistent practice.
Today, that philosophy shapes every class she teaches. Through Heartspace, Jes has created a space where people can reconnect with themselves, move with purpose, and discover what's possible when they feel supported in both body and spirit.
Jan Jeremias
THERAPEUTIC YOGA
Jan brings more than 20 years of teaching experience, offering a gentle, therapeutic approach to yoga that honors each individual's body, pace, and path. Her classes create a welcoming space where students feel supported, safe, and empowered to move with confidence.
She specializes in Gentle Therapeutic Yoga, thoughtfully designed for all levels, including beginners, seniors, those with physical limitations, and individuals recovering from illness or injury. Through mindful movement, breathwork, and supported postures, she helps students improve flexibility, mobility, strength, and overall well-being.
Jan also teaches Yoga for Strong Bones, a class focused on building bone health, balance, posture, and stability—especially beneficial for those with osteopenia, osteoporosis, or anyone seeking long-term strength and resilience.
With a background in biology and advanced studies in immunology from the University of London, Jan brings a science-informed perspective to her teaching. Her training also includes restorative yoga, Ayurveda, reflexology, Reiki, and other holistic practices, allowing her to blend knowledge with intuition.
Throughout her career, Jan has taught in studios and wellness settings, working closely with senior populations and individuals navigating health challenges. She has also supported organizations including Gilda's Club and Kula for Karma, reflecting her lifelong commitment to healing through compassionate movement.
Christian Siller
BREATH & FLOW
Christian has spent more than eight years exploring the connection between breath and body, and his teaching reflects every step of that journey. Drawing from his 200-hour yoga certification, years of personal practice, and his work as a contractor, he brings a grounded, approachable, and practical perspective to the mat.
His classes blend traditional yoga with breathwork techniques inspired in part by surf training, helping students build endurance, regulate the nervous system, and remain calm under pressure. With an emphasis on presence over perfection, Christian creates a welcoming space where students can quiet the mind, reconnect with their bodies, and move with greater awareness.
Whether you're new to yoga or continuing a lifelong practice, Christian's classes offer an opportunity to slow down, breathe deeply, and cultivate strength from the inside out.
Allison Vorchheimer
STRENGTH & RESTORATION
Allison Vorchheimer is a Connecticut native who was born and raised in Vernon, where she still calls home today. Her path to teaching yoga unfolded naturally after being inspired by a trusted friend, leading her to complete teacher training through West Hartford Yoga. She is currently completing her certification in Y Power Yoga, has earned her certification in Restorative Yoga, and looks forward to continuing her studies across multiple modalities.
Her journey with mindfulness began much earlier. As a middle school student, a biographical film about the Buddha sparked a lifelong curiosity about the mind and the transformative effects of meditation. What began as a personal practice of stillness eventually evolved into a renewed relationship with yoga—one she describes as both healing and empowering.
Beyond the mat, Allison is pursuing her goal of becoming a licensed psychologist, with hopes of integrating yoga therapy into her future clinical work. Having experienced the profound impact yoga and meditation can have on mental health, she is passionate about helping others discover those same tools for healing, resilience, and self-understanding.
When she isn't teaching or studying, you'll likely find Allison creating art, spending time with her niece, or caring for her chickens, cats, and garden. Her thoughtful, grounded approach reflects the same curiosity, compassion, and intention she brings to every class.
Maria Elena Raviele
SPACE TO BREATHE
Maria Elena describes herself as a recovering Type A overachiever. Yoga has become the practice that keeps her grounded, present, and able to let go of what no longer serves her.
She began her yoga journey in graduate school as a way to manage stress, and it has remained a steady anchor ever since. Believing yoga is truly for everyone, Maria Elena creates classes where students can breathe, honor where they are, and approach their practice with curiosity, self-compassion, and grace.
She completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training through Samadhi in 2025. When she's not on the mat, you'll likely find her reading, baking, tending to her garden, or enjoying a quiet day at home with her spouse and dog. Her hope is that every student leaves class feeling just a little more grounded than when they arrived.
Jen Keenan-Jolie
PRESENCE & PEACE
Jennifer's yoga journey began the moment she stepped into her first class, and she never looked back. After a fulfilling career in higher education, she followed her passion for yoga and has been sharing its transformative benefits ever since.
Jennifer holds a 200-hour Teacher of Raja Yoga certification from Dhira Yoga Center and has continued her studies in Restorative Yoga, Chair Yoga, and Sound Bath Facilitation. She is currently pursuing an additional 200-hour Yoga Alliance certification to further deepen her practice and teaching.
Her classes thoughtfully weave together slow flow, vinyasa, chair, and restorative yoga with pranayama and gentle threads of yoga philosophy, creating an experience that meets students exactly where they are. Jennifer is passionate about fostering a welcoming, inclusive space where every student feels supported, often reminding her classes that there are no levels in yoga—only the breath and the present moment.
When she's not on the mat, you'll find Jennifer gardening, hiking, or creating pottery. Her steady, encouraging presence invites students to slow down, breathe deeply, and discover what their practice can become.
Jillian Ellefson
GENTLE STRENGTH
Jillian's classes offer a thoughtful, well-rounded yoga experience rooted in the 8 Limbs of Yoga. Her teaching invites students to explore yoga not only as movement, but as a practice that cultivates presence, self-awareness, and intentional living.
Passionate about making yoga accessible to every body, Jillian incorporates props, modifications, and personalized guidance so students of all experience levels can practice with confidence and ease. No prior experience is necessary—only a willingness to show up.
Mindfulness is at the heart of every class. Through breath, movement, and quiet awareness, Jillian encourages students to slow down, connect inward, and experience yoga as a moving meditation.
Her warm, grounded presence creates a welcoming environment where students feel supported, accepted, and free to grow at their own pace.
Jade
SOUND & STILLNESS
Jade is a creative whose relationship with sound began long before she could name it. From an early age, she was drawn to singing and discovered that sound has the power to awaken, heal, and bring life to everything it touches. That childhood wonder grew into a calling she now shares through immersive sound experiences that calm the nervous system and help people reconnect with themselves.
Beyond Heartspace, Jade brings the gifts of music and art to individuals with special needs, creating connection through a language that exists beyond words. She believes sound and creativity belong to everyone, and that every person deserves access to their healing power.
At Heartspace, Jade leads immersive sound baths every other Tuesday, blending crystal singing bowls, vocal tones, grounding instrumentation, and the gentle rhythm of a hand-carved rain stick. Each session is designed to quiet the mind, release tension, and invite deep rest, presence, and renewal.
When she isn't leading sound baths, Jade enjoys tending her garden, thrifting for hidden treasures, exploring culinary creativity, hosting meaningful gatherings, and spending time with her beloved cat, Sterling. She moves through life guided by three simple values: beauty, truth, and love.
Meaghan Szilagyi
EMBODIED MOVEMENT
Meaghan Szilagyi is a licensed massage therapist and grounded, approachable instructor who considers herself a facilitator of meaningful sensory experiences. Whether she's teaching yoga, leading intimacy workshops, or working with massage clients in a clinical setting, she thoughtfully blends science and intuition.
Her work is rooted in nervous system awareness, embodiment, and the belief that meaningful change begins when people feel safe, present, and connected to their bodies. Through every offering, Meaghan creates experiences that invite curiosity, deepen self-awareness, and foster genuine connection—helping others slow down, reconnect, and feel more at home in themselves.
Jess w.
FOUNDATIONAL YOGA
For Jess, yoga is an invitation to slow down, reconnect, and approach each day with curiosity. After completing her 200-hour teacher training through West Hartford Yoga in 2023, she found a practice that beautifully complements her work as an elementary STEM educator—one that encourages mindfulness, compassion, and lifelong learning.
Jess believes every practice offers an opportunity to meet ourselves exactly where we are. Whether she's guiding a class or stepping in as a substitute instructor, she hopes students leave feeling a little more grounded, connected, and at home within themselves.