Meet our team of beekeepers, yogis and more!
Annie Peace
Annie Peace began practicing yoga at the age of 12. Having found yoga beneficial for flexibility and strength of the mind as well as the body, she was drawn to teach, first training in gentle and restorative yoga, then studying more active styles like Vinyasa and Rocket Ashtanga. Her personal practice and teaching balances active practice with gentle, restorative work, with the aim of always feeling better, freer, and stronger after practicing yoga. Always drawn to music and sound, Annie also offers sound meditations at Living Water on the first and third Sundays of each month. Annie serves as Program Administrator at Living Water.
Omar Moros Taylor
Omar Moros Taylor is an avid lover of all things outdoors, whether it’s gardening, backpacking, sailing, beekeeping, and more. Having gone to college for environmental studies and global health studies, Omar is driven by exploring inquiries encompassing the intricate connections between people and nature; focusing on community engagement, community resilience, and sustainability. Omar has been practicing meditation for 6 years and also serves as Living Water’s Farming Assistant.
Shanna Latia
“I’m an extroverted personality teaching myself and others how to turn within to experience our true authentic selves.”
Shanna Thornton began on the path of yoga in January 2016 and hasn’t looked back since! Her first exposure to yoga was during a college course and after a trip to Yogaville with her professor, Shanna knew she was destined to share the science that had been so transformative for her. In the Spring of 2017, Shanna earned her 200-hour Basic Certification from Integral Yoga under the tutelage of Nora Vimala Pozzi. Shanna then went on to study Sound and Vibrational healing at the Atma Buti school of Soul Medicine. Shanna guides both sound meditation and yoga practices at Living Water.
Alexza DeCroix
Alexza has been practicing yoga since 2002. She started by practicing from a book on the roof of a friend’s house in Puerto Rico because there weren’t a lot of classes available and she didn’t have money to pay for them at the time. She was certified as a teacher in 2004 at the first yoga teacher training in Puerto Rico ever at Samadhi Yoga. Most lectures and classes were in Spanish (which she speaks pretty well).
Alexza has drawn on yoga and meditation for inspiration and healing in many ways, especially after a motorcycle accident in 2012, when it was unclear whether her knee would fully heal.
Alexza is a dancer, a rave and club dj, and an adventurer. She has traveled in Europe, Central America and Indonesia and lived outside of the continental U.S. for 8 years, studying Anusara yoga along the way. She has managed yoga studios in Tribeca and RVA, and taught regularly in Costa Rica. Alexza is also a serious student of astrology, breathwork, occult, energy, healing and mysticism.
“I have felt total desolation/alone-ness and the oneness of it all running through my heart at different stages in my life. I am a self-made person. I believe what I have to impart to people is unique because of this...and the stuff listed above.”
James McDonald
James McDonald is an avid gardener, beekeeper and community organizer. He helped organize Owl Orchard community garden and he volunteers at Living Water in a variety of ways, one of which is managing hives in our host-a-hive program. James also serves on Living Water’s Board of Directors.
Drew Nagy
Drew Nagy manages the apiary and bee sanctuary at Living Water. Drew loves beekeeping and gardening because they help him stay connected to nature. Drew also serves as Living Water Executive Director and Pastor of Westover Baptist Church.
Julian J. Desta
Always having a passion for the creative arts, Julian J. Desta was introduced to the practice of Sound Healing and Therapy when given his first singing bowl as a birthday present from a friend. Julian began researching the depths of sound and its powerful healing techniques. After a few years practicing, Julian received his Sound Healing Certification from Mentor and friend Mark Toregson in 2019. Specializing in a variety of instruments from the didgeridoo, to flutes, singing bowls, and drums Julian has created a unique Sound Healing Experience called Elemental Sound Healing. Discovering relationship between sound healing and nature he calls on the 4 elements of Air, Wind, Water, and Fire to channel through each practice to bring balance to the human system, or what he likes to refer to as homeostasis. Julian guides sound meditations at Living Water.
Sandee Steenstra Byrd
Sandee is an intuitive wellness practitioner and laughter yoga guide. Never heard of laughter yoga? It’s a little like improve, a little like breathwork, and a little like play. By combining laughter with pranayama (breathwork), we bring more oxygen into the body, reduce stress, and reawaken play. No yoga mat required!
Holly Sepety
Holly discovered the LWCC community in early 2022. Participating in a variety of LWCC events since then has brought her much joy and she is excited to give back. Certified in Reiki, Ayurveda, and trauma-informed sound healing, she has practiced yoga for over 20 years. Holly obtained her first yoga teacher certification in 2021 from Siddhi Yoga in Rishikesh, helping her to regain strength after multiple foot surgeries to be more active in her daughter’s life. Becoming a yoga instructor greatly improved her quality of life so much that she left a corporate desk job to share her love and knowledge of the benefits of yoga and living mindfully with others full-time.
Holly has trained in various yoga styles including Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Restorative and children’s yoga. She enjoys combining yoga, pranayama (breathing techniques), meditation and music to create a unique and soothing space welcoming beginners, those with pain management and mobility improvement needs, and yogis of all levels.
A biologist and a Chesapeake Bay Watershed native, she is also passionate about environmental conservation and living holistically. In her spare time, she is an avid gardener and artist, enjoys playing the piano and handpan, homesteading and creating jewelry.
Grandmaster Lorenzo Gibson
Grandmaster Lorenzo Gibson has studied martial arts for over 35 years. His foundation and focus is traditional Tae Kwon Do, a Korean art of self-defense. He holds the rank of 7th degree black belt, thus earning the title of Grandmaster.
Grandmaster Gibson has also studied Korean weaponry, Kumdo (Korean Kendo), Aikido, Judo, Ju Jitsu, Karate and Grappling. He has instructed over 400 black belts and has earned recognition and lifelong devotion from his students. Many of his students have competed in and won state and national competitions.
Grandmaster Gibson continues to instruct martial arts in the tradition of the ancient masters, through patience and humble dedication. He now teaches at Living Water Community Center. Contact Master Gibson to join the class!
lorenzo.gibson@comcast.net
804.304.7088
Katie Lemmert
Katie Lemmert leads Community Breathwork and Sound on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month. Breathwork has been transformational for Katie and she loves sharing the practice with the community. In 2021 Katie wanted to expand her personal breathwork practice and dive deeper into self-healing so she attended the Healer Training at Omega Institute. She has since studied at the Atma Buti® Sound & Vibrational School, completed her 200 YTT at The Yoga Dojo, and studied Meridian Yoga Therapy and is a NADA Detoxification Specialist. Katie also designed the Living Water logo through her company Katie Did Design. She is always welcoming new students and finding fresh ways to engage with and share her skills with the community.
Jonah Marsh
Jonah has enjoyed studying and practicing Qigong since 2008. A Richmond native, he graduated from College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, with a Bachelor's Degree in Human Ecology in 2009. His studies focused on traditional Western ecology as well as philosophy of nature from a Taoist perspective. Much of the wisdom of Chinese Medicine is summed up in the phrase, "Return to Nature." By discerning patterns and natural laws, ancient practitioners of Qigong and Chinese medicine found the keys to longevity and harmony in life. It is this spiritual and philosophical aspect, along with the movement practices of Qigong, which Jonah is passionate about sharing with others.
Beginning in 2011, Jonah has studied Blue Dragon (Qing Lung in Chinese) Qigong and Chinese internal martial arts with Shifu Glen Moore here in Richmond. Blue Dragon is a type of Ba Gua Zhang, a Chinese internal martial art which also excels in healing and spiritual development. He still attends weekly classes with Shifu Moore and is an assistant instructor. Jonah also enjoys hiking and camping, skateboarding, attending live music events outdoors, and spending time on the beautiful James River.