Meet Our Team
IVONNE PELAEZ
INTEGRATIVE NUTRITION HEALTH COACH | PROGRAM & WELLNESS DIRECTOR
Ivonne is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, AASDN Nutrition Specialist from the American Academy of Sports Dietitians and Nutritionists, a certified AFAA group fitness/yoga instructor, and certified Holistic Health Coach. Since 2012, Ivonne works with a diverse range of clients including men, women, young professionals, corporate executives, retirees, athletes, and inactive or over-weight individuals. Her philosophy is that there is no one way of eating or living that works for everyone, and consequently, she has had success working with people from all walks of life.
Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, Ivonne is a dedicated nutrition communicator that educates the public through public speaking, writing and media work. She has conducted interviews with local media outlets, including MiTV Network, MegaTV, and SuperQ 1300 Radio.
In 2020, Ivonne transitioned her remote online wellness business and started her new journey at Hanaq Prana Studio. As Studio Manager and Director of Wellness of Hanaq Prana Studio, she is eager to assist students and our team with years of experience in customer service and professional operational development. In addition, Ivonne guides and mentors individuals to take responsibility for their health and supports them in making sustainable lifestyle choices.
Some common areas where she can assist include weight management, food cravings, sleep, energy, digestion, stress, and time management.
AMANDA LASETER
RTY200 | LEAD INSTRUCTOR
Amanda started practicing yoga and meditation 20 years ago in college to help her cope with depression and anxiety. After graduating with her BA in Liberal Arts, Amanda traveled and worked in theatres throughout the Southeast. After settling down in South Florida, she studied Bikram Yoga for a while before returning to her first love, Hatha Yoga. After moving to Tampa with her husband, she found her new yoga home at Hanaq Prana Yoga Studio, where she began to study yoga and meditation under Lorena Saavedra Smith. After 2 years of mentoring and one-on-one training, Amanda decided to step into the role of becoming a teacher.
She is a received her YTT200 certification under the Lorena Saavedra Smith's school of yoga. She has also studied under Yoganand Michael Carrol and Dr. Stephan Rinaldi of the University of Holistic Theology and has received a Certification in Restorative Yoga and Meditation. Through her training, Amanda has created a practice of bringing Mindfulness to each class by inviting the student to come into their bodies with breath awareness, allowing oneself to awaken the physical body and the emotional body into the present moment. Cultivating this mindfulness practice with yoga is one of the tools she has found to bring peace and comfort into her life to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Amanda enjoys being playful and when she is not practicing yoga, she is spending time with her family and friends, writing, and creating.
FLORENCE GIACALONE
RYT200
Originally from the south of France, Florence began her yoga practice nearly a decade ago, deep in the Amazon Rainforest in Perú (where she lived for eight years), after feeling a calling to strengthen the connection between her body, spirit, and mind.
A deep desire to help others discover the transformative powers of yoga led Florence to Málaga, Spain, where she completed 200 hours of Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Training at the “Tao Center,” studying under the leadership of Gleb Loginov. Florence then met her now-wife, which is what brought her to sunny Tampa!
Florence’s “slow flow” style is a mix between vinyasa and hatha yoga; she enjoys the challenge of staying in a posture and really exploring the effects of that posture on the body and mind. She truly believes yoga should be accessible to everyone, which is why she chose to pursue an education in chair yoga and restorative yoga, under the leadership of Hanaq Prana Yoga’s founder, Lorena Saavedra Smith.
You can enjoy Florence’s slow flow style (and deeply soothing voice) during one of her classes.
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JASMINE RUTLEDGE
RYT200
Jasmine began her yoga journey at the very start of her early college career, where
she truly felt her first connection with the practice. Jasmine is drawn to a very spiritual lifestyle which
has led her to find a way to spread love and healing to others through Yoga, Reiki, Meditation and other
spiritual practices. Jasmine has practiced and trained in Ashtanga Level 1 and is also a Reiki Level 3
Practitioner.
She is very eager to continue to grow, not only as a teacher but as a student. Jasmine truly
has a passion for people! She loves to help and guide others to be the best versions of their selves and
to realize their infinite potential. Jasmine is not only a spiritual lover but also a techy geek! She also has
her Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering and has been working as an Sr. Infrastructure
Engineer for 5+ years, all while still engaging in her heart’s true passions.
Jasmine has a deep desire for teaching others how to find inner peace, self-love and confidence in the
midst of the chaos that we sometimes live in. Yoga has truly done that for Jasmine in many beautiful
ways, and she looks to spread that knowledge to the rest of the world. She feels like that is her genuine
purpose and has already helped others to find peace of mind with or without Yoga/Reiki assistance.
Jasmine also has a pretty cool hobby of making crystal jewelry, candles and her own DIY skin care
products too!
GINA RODRIGUEZ
RTY200
Gina is a fully bilingual (English and Spanish) registered RYT-200 with credentials from Lorena Saavedra Smith's School in Tampa, FL. Gina believes in the benefits of hatha yoga and her practice focuses on balancing a hectic and fast paced lifestyle into a mindful state where you can transform, center and reconnect with your true self.
Originally from Puerto Rico, Gina was introduced to meditation 20 years ago which became an anchor in her life. She fell in love with yoga in the midst of pregnancy over 10 years ago, where she found a place to nurture herself and the seeds of her growing family.
Gina has a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and an MBA from University of Puerto Rico and Interamerican University, respectively. She works as a VP in one of the top 10 largest Banks in the US. Gina loves camping and going on nature walks with her family. She’s happily married with her high school sweetheart and a loving mother of two sweet kids as well as a puppy and a squirrel.
PAM WALLACE, PH.D.
RYT300
Dr. Wallace began practicing yoga over 15 years ago. Yoga and meditation offered a holistic mind, body and spirit connection that enabled her to find balance and inner peace in the midst of raising four children. She is a registered R-YTT 300 hour teacher with Yoga Alliance who received her training in the lineage of Integrated Hatha/Vinyasa Yoga from Hanaq Prana Studio in Tampa, Florida. The practice of yoga can be an important part of an overall wellness plan at any age.
Pam's classes reflect compassion and a clear understanding of how these practices embrace the overall wellness of the mind and body. With years of experience in the field, she is committed to supporting her students to reach well-being.
Dr. Wallace received her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from Cornell University, and also completed a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of South Florida. She is employed as a technology teacher. She and her husband Mike are the proud parents of four young adults. Dr. Wallace is a lifelong learner who strives to instill a love of learning and acceptance among her students.
NORMA MORENO
ADULT 50+ GROUP FITNESS
Norma has been involved in the wellness industry for the last 10 years. She started practicing fitness at a young age. Teaching and learning about fitness and health is her true passion.
She is certified Group Fitness Instructor with AFAA, Silversneakers and Zumba. She is also trained and has years of experience teaching fitness for seniors.
She is currently enrolled in local Teacher Mentoring Programs
LORENA SAAVEDRA SMITH
500HR E-RYT. THERAPEUTIC YOGA EDUCATOR | FOUNDER
Therapeutic Yoga Educator and Entrepreneur Lorena is a 500hr E-RYT, CYT-1, Reiki Master, Wellness Coach, and a Mindfulness and Sound Healing Facilitator. She is fluent in Spanish and English, and leads yoga teacher training classes, spiritual retreats and workshops virtually and at multiple locations and around the country.