About Tosa Yoga Center

Studio Owner
Experienced, Registered Yoga Teacher - 500 Hours of Training

Melanie started practicing yoga in 1999 mostly out of curiosity and a fond memory of her grandmother talking about doing yoga. She simply loved it, and soon realized she wanted to share it with others. Melanie completed a 200-hour teacher training program with IYT in Garopaba, Brazil in 2004, and a 300-hour program at YogaOne Studios in Cedarburg, WI in 2013.

Melanie opened Tosa Yoga in Wauwatosa, WI, in 2006 and spent 7 years growing her classes and creating an amazingly welcome yoga space. Over the summer and fall of 2012, Melanie and her husband, Guy, completed an extensive remodel at a new location just a few blocks away and opened the doors at this new location in December of 2012.

In 2017, Melanie launched her first 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Program. Melanie and her lead trainers provide a deeply fulfilling, yet practical approach to studying yoga and its philosophies and learning to teach it.

As the studio owner, Melanie continues to run most aspects of the day-to-day business activities, but she loves teaching her weekly classes and her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Program. Her weekly classes proved a balanced, challenging, yet attainable yoga flow, led with compassion for all students, and dedication to enjoying the moment and having fun.

Registered Yoga Teacher - 200 Hours of Training

Colleen has always been fascinated with creative movement and how it affects her physically, psychologically, and emotionally. Her dance background and love for movement attracted her to yoga, and a knee injury offered an accessible way to build strength. She loves the way yoga allows us to become more aware of ourselves, creating space in our bodies for freedom of movement.

Initially meant to deepen her personal practice, Colleen completed her 200-hour teacher training in 2018. Eventually, she was drawn to teaching with the desire to help others (re)connect with themselves and have a little fun in doing so. In her practice and teaching, she is interested in inquiry rather than correction, and awareness rather than control. Colleen looks to create and maintain a supportive, secure, and stable environment to allow for personal growth—to help you become more yourself.

Colleen’s classes focus on dynamic movement rather than momentum, allowing time and space for a deeper connection to subtle shifts within. Students learn to link breath and movement as a form of meditation. You can expect a lighthearted flow, giving you the space to discover what is appropriate and effective movement. Colleen’s goal is for you to learn to meet yourself with kindness on and off the mat.

Registered Yoga Teacher - 200 Hours of Training

Lauren has been practicing yoga for over 10 years. Initially starting yoga as an adjunct to her dancing (ballet, tap, and jazz), in college, Lauren sought out yoga again as a way to relieve her stress and stay physically and mentally fit. The variety of classes available kept her returning for more.

Lauren wanted to become a yoga teacher early on in her practice to learn more and dive deeper into the physical and mental aspects yoga could provide. She waited many years for the opportunity to train to become a teacher, graduating in 2015 with her 200-hour certification. Lauren teaches a vinyasa style class linking movement to breath with each class or series of classes focusing on a specific posture or physical attribute. Lauren loves to end her classes with a few deep stretches and a quiet savasana.

Lauren believes that yoga can transcend all ages and physical abilities of the lifespan. She is passionate about creating a welcoming environment where anyone can practice in a safe space. Students can expect a good warm-up with sun salutations moving with the breath, followed by postures that focus on a peak pose or class purpose (ie: hip opening, shoulder stability, core strength).

Registered Yoga Teacher - 200 Hours of Training
& Front Desk Staff

Megan’s yoga journey began at 10 years old when she would tag along with her mom to classes. She vastly enjoyed the flexibility her 10 year old body afforded her. As Megan matured, so did her practice. In 2014 Megan started practicing yoga consistently and found that not only were there immense physical benefits brought about by the practice, but also wonderful emotional benefits.

In 2018 Megan, with much encouragement from her mother, took the plunge and completed her 200-hour yoga teacher certification at Tosa Yoga Center under the guidance of Melanie Landgraf and Jes Davies.

Students can expect classes to combine yoga flow with breath work, mindfulness, and Megan’s own personal brand of humor (you don’t have to laugh at her jokes but she will greatly appreciate if you do).

Meditation Teacher, Masters of Social Work

Russell first enjoyed yoga and meditation when he went to college. Practicing helped him greatly reduce the stress of studying and taking tests.

In wanting to share these benefits with others he went to Kripalu Yoga Center in 1985 to become a yoga teacher. He traveled to India to learn how to meditate from S.N. Goenka, the head of the Vipassana International Academy, in Igatpuri, India in 1989-90.

Russell says, “The gift of yoga and meditation brings us a beautiful feeling of peace as we strengthen our self-acceptance and strive towards being who we truly are.”

Experienced, Registered Yoga Teacher - 200 Hours of Training

Stephanie has been practicing yoga since 2007 and teaching yoga since 2013 after completing a 200-hour training program at the former Kanyakumari Ayurveda and Yoga Center in Milwaukee, WI. Stephanie earned additional certification in the area of pre/postnatal yoga through Yoga Education Institute and has participated in applied neuroscience trainings pertaining to movement with Dr. Cobb of Z-Health. Stephanie is a Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider.

In yoga classes, Stephanie prioritizes instruction with flexible sequencing that is both challenging and accessible; she encourages her students to take physical options that will best serve them at that moment. Students can expect flowing posture sequences anchored by aspects of traditional yogic philosophy alongside contemporary approaches to brain-based movement.

Stephanie worked in the field of K-12 education as a teacher (deaf education, special education, and art education) for nearly a decade before making a leap into self-employment. Off the yoga mat, Stephanie is a painter and muralist and resides in Wauwatosa with her family.

Registered Yoga Teacher - 200 Hours of Training
& Front Desk Staff

Seeking a way to stay fit and improve her flexibility and posture, Helen took her first yoga class fifteen years ago. She soon realized that the benefits of yoga went far beyond physical. Yoga provided a time and space for her to calm her mind, let go of schedules and to-do lists, and simply focus on moving her body.

When she retired, Helen found that yoga was a meaningful and enjoyable way to spend her extra time. She began taking more classes and grew to love the Tosa Yoga community, so much so, that she obtained a staff position working at the check-in desk. Observing other students enjoying the practice of yoga and seeing the satisfaction of those engaged in the teacher training, inspired Helen to expand her own practice and learn more about the history and philosophy of yoga. She completed her yoga teacher training and became a Registered Yoga Teacher in 2019.

Following her teacher training, Helen has enjoyed sharing her practice with others. She particularly enjoys the creative aspect of developing classes. Her goal is to lead a yoga practice that is challenging, safe, and fun. In her classes, she likes to flow through postures emphasizing a specific physical aspect while maintaining balance in the whole body.

Practicing with people of various ages, careers, lifestyles, and cultures has enhanced Helen’s yoga experience, and she brings this same welcoming environment to her classes.

Registered Yoga Teacher - 200 Hours of Training
& Front Desk Staff

Sara’s yoga journey started in 2009, and as she continued to take classes and workshops, she noticed how great she felt physically and mentally. Yoga not only made her feel strong and flexible, but it also gave her the tools to help her cope with stress and anxiety, and reminded her to breathe, both on and off the mat.

The excitement of these positive effects on her life encouraged her to deepen her practice, learn more about yoga and herself, and made her realize how she wanted to share yoga with others. In 2017, she continued her yoga journey and received her 200-hour teacher certification from Tosa Yoga Center.

Sara loves the personal growth yoga promotes and how it continually teaches us to bring life into balance, one breath at a time.

Registered Yoga Teacher - 200 Hours of Training
& Prenatal/Postnatal Registered Yoga Teacher

Sara began her personal yoga practice as a way to cope with anxiety and found that it gave her a sense of inner calm and confidence she hadn’t been able to find elsewhere. She began practicing regularly and noticed that the personal growth she was experiencing in the studio was translating off of the mat as well.

In 2014, Sara, a school counselor, decided she wanted to share her love of yoga and its benefits with her students, giving them an outlet she wished she had found earlier in life. Sara received her 200-hour teacher training certification from the Maui Yoga Shala in Hawaii. She used her position in various schools to teach the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of yoga to her students.

Recently, while spending time at home with her own children, Sara's passion for supporting individuals through pregnancy and the early stages of parenthood has grown. She completed her pre and postnatal yoga training in 2021 and is currently working on certification as a birth and postpartum doula.

Sara loves sharing yoga with students of all ages. She strives to provide her students with a safe and welcoming space to slow down, breathe and connect with their beautiful true selves.

Registered Yoga Teacher - 200 Hours of Training

Caitlin isn’t afraid to pave her own way in life. She’s an athlete, a yogi, a dog mom, a biker chick, and a bourbon connoisseur. Caitlin originally got serious about yoga because it was a great balance to her running, biking, and lifting – and she decided to take the 200-hour teacher training at Tosa Yoga to deepen her practice.

To her surprise, Caitlin found that she loved helping others break through stereotypes like, ‘I’m not flexible enough for yoga’ and bringing the practice into their lives. Her classes will make you sweat, laugh, and find a balance between building strength and finding length (flexibility).

Registered Yoga Teacher - 200 Hours of Training

Samm was initially drawn to yoga as a means to heal and recover from various injuries sustained through a lifetime of playing sports year-round. It didn’t take long for him to venture from the Nintendo Wii Fit, to online videos and ultimately into a studio space. Although Samm started his yoga journey as a means to build strength, he continued with his practice because of the mental and emotional benefits he discovered.

After moving from the East Side to the Washington Heights neighborhood in 2019, Samm quickly found his place at Tosa Yoga Center. After a few years of practicing there (and with a gentle push from his partner), Samm enrolled in Tosa Yoga Center’s 2022 Teacher Training Program. Samm says, “Yoga has benefited me in more ways than I can put words to, and I often find myself using breath in my day-to-day life to find moments of calm and peace.”

Samm loves the idea of pairing breathwork and flow. In his class, Samm uses static stretching as a foundation before combining breath with movement to create flow and rhythm between postures. He uses humor and anecdotes during

Registered Yoga Teacher - 200 Hours of Training

Kaitlin was initially drawn to yoga as an extension for her love of dance and cheerleading. And although the subtly of connecting movement with beat transferred to movement and asana, the connection of mind, body and breath have kept her practicing for over 15 years.

She is passionate about sharing her practice with others and enrolled in Tosa Yoga Center’s 2022 Teacher Training Program to deepen her own practice and learn how to share it with others. She believes that yoga can be practiced by everybody and enjoys bringing accessibility and optionality into her classes. Recognizing that there is bravery in trying something new, she fosters a welcoming environment in her class to allow her students to learn and grow within their own practice.

Off the mat, Kaitlin loves learning about culture through travel and food, and resides with her husband and two dogs in Pewaukee.

Registered Yoga Teacher - 500 Hours of Training

Sports and physical fitness have been a focus for Elynn since she was young. But when a hip injury limited her ability to do higher-impact activities, she began exploring yoga as a way to stay active. What she came to find though was that yoga was as good for her mind as it was for her body. 

Yoga helped Elynn navigate injury and two pregnancies and helped her gain a deeper connection with her body and mind each time she hit the mat. In hopes of committing more formally to her own practice, and sharing it with others, she completed her 500-hour yoga teacher training at Down Under Yoga in Boston, MA. 

Elynn teaches vinyasa flow and slow flow style classes that are crafted to help students meet the needs of their bodies on that day. She strives to incorporate accessible language and pose options so students feel empowered to make the class their own. Whatever the class looks like, she hopes to bring in a little bit of fun and help students leave the class more nourished than when they arrived.

Front Desk Staff

Nick has been taking classes at Tosa Yoga since 2009, so naturally when we moved to our new space, we asked Nick to help out our front desk. He loves yoga so much that he even participated in our first yoga teacher training in 2017. Nick enjoys working at a our front desk because he gets to meet and chat with all of you before and after class.

Front Desk Staff

Love started practicing yoga around 2013 to work on flexibility from sitting in a desk all day at work and for a bit of stress relief. She eventually made her way to Tosa Yoga and began practicing regularly. At the request of one of our teachers, she started working at the front desk at Tosa Yoga and she’s been here for close to 10 years. Her favorite part of working at Tosa Yoga is getting to learn from the teachers here and getting to meet people in her community who love yoga as much as she does.

Registered Yoga Teacher - 200 Hours of Training & Front Desk Staff

Calee started her regular yoga practice in 2022 and knew that she had found her next right thing. She was encouraged to listen to the wisdom her body held and take variations of poses that felt good to her.

Since Calee started practicing regularly, yoga meant giving herself the space to practice the self-love and self-care she needed. It’s a practice in noticing and tending to the mind, heart, and body.

After practicing regularly for about a year, Calee knew that she wanted to deepen her practice and be able to teach others how to do so. In her practice as a Registered Dietitian, she finds that most people don’t get a lot of opportunities to check in with their heart, mind, and body throughout the day. Calee’s goal is to help others learn to adjust poses for their benefit and to provide cues to deepen their physical, emotional, and mental yoga practice.

Registered Yoga Teacher - 200 Hours of Training

Katherine began practicing yoga at the age of 9, when she attended her first yoga classes with her mom, through a parks and recreation program. In college she found the strength and flexibility yoga builds greatly supported her body while studying classical viola performance. In graduate school she began to rely on yoga not only for the strength and flexibility, but also on the mental and emotional calm yoga nurtures.

Off the mat, Katherine is a professional violist/violinist and performs throughout Southeastern WI with groups including the Wisconsin Philharmonic. She also has a private music studio where she teaches violin, viola and piano. In 2023 Katherine took her passion for teaching and graduated from the 200-hour Teacher Training Program at Tosa Yoga Center and is now a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT200).

Students can expect a feeling of flow in Katherine’s classes. She enjoys curating classes with a theme in mind and postures that flow together with ease. She strives to leave students feeling balanced and at peace.

Front Desk Staff

Chad started practicing yoga to compliment other physical activities, such as running, and soon realized it was helpful for mental calmness, clarity, and focus as well. Chad started working at the Tosa Yoga front desk in 2023, though Melanie and Guy have known Chad for years. He and Guy went to college together at MIAD. Chad enjoys connecting with students while working at the front desk!

Front Desk Staff

Marlee has been practicing yoga in one way or another since she was in grade school. She was actually featured on one of the earliest Tosa Yoga brochures advertising a kids yoga class! Marlee loves yoga because of its ability to connect the body and mind through movement and breath. She loves being of service at the front desk and helping to welcome students to Tosa Yoga!

Front Desk Staff

I began practicing yoga in high school as an adjunct to Irish dance. I eventually found my way to Tosa Yoga in March of 2023 as a way to reduce stress and anxiety in graduate school. Yoga has given me the space to connect the body and mind through movement and breath as a form of self-care and self-love. I enjoy working at the front desk because I get to be a part of the inclusive, welcoming community at Tosa Yoga.

Front Desk Staff

Keri has been hooked on yoga since 2008, drawn to how well it complements her active life and the calmness it brings to her mind and body. The incredible instructors and variety of classes make Tosa Yoga Studio her favorite. She appreciates the welcoming community and uplifting after-class chats most, and she aims to bring that same sense of welcome to everyone she greets at the studio. Her favorite classes are the Mellow Flow and Friday Night Specials. Outside of yoga, she spends her time dancing, drawing, traveling, and working as a graphic designer. 

Front Desk Staff

Jessie Mae has a background in dance and has been practicing yoga since a young age. The many benefits of yoga have helped in numerous areas of her life. She's excited and grateful to join the Tosa Yoga community as a front desk staff member. In her free time she enjoys art, traveling, reading and anything that gets her outdoors.

Front Desk Staff

Carissa has loved yoga for many years. When she started the 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training program here at Tosa Yoga, she also fell in love with the community and knew she wanted to become more a part of it. She enjoys greeting and welcoming students into the studio and being a part of their own yoga journeys alongside them!

Front Desk Staff

Marie began her yoga journey in 2001, developing a deep appreciation for the physical and mental benefits of practice. After years of practice at many studios here and around the country, she knew she found something truly special at Tosa Yoga. She enjoys contributing to her "yoga home" by working at the front desk and helping to keep the studio beautiful and welcoming.