Our Team

We bring different perspectives to the table, but we’re united by a love for purposeful work, thoughtful design, and real connection.

FOUNDER & CO-OWNER
Signature Style: Intentional movement, soulful intuition, and a deep connection to the wild.
Kelsi began her yoga journey in 2007, first practicing at home with DVDs before exploring studios and pop-ups around town. Over time, her practice deepened, leading her to earn her 200-hour certification at a Baptiste studio in 2012. Since then, her teaching has moved through many seasons – power vinyasa, slow flow, yin – each reflecting where she was in her own life. For Kelsi, yoga has never been static; both her practice and her teaching continue to evolve alongside her own personal growth. What she values most is the internal journey yoga invites us into, and the resilience it builds over time.
That inward exploration ultimately inspired Kelsi to found Wilderness Yoga Company in Boone, NC in 2018, where she combined guided hikes with outdoor yoga experiences. It was a deeply meaningful season that taught her so much about building community and running a purpose-driven business. After closing that chapter in 2020 and relocating out west, she carried those lessons forward – and in many ways, they planted the seeds for what would come next.
In 2025, Kelsi returned to that vision through Happy Finch Yoga, offering yoga online, in nature, and in intimate settings. At its core, the goal of Happy Finch was to create spaces for connection – with ourselves, with nature, and with one another.
When the opportunity arose to bring Happy Finch Yoga into a physical studio space in early 2026, the timing felt aligned. It was Kelsi’s home studio of four years, and she was already surrounded by a community of friends and fellow yogis. What better way to let Happy Finch take flight.
As always, life was perfectly on time.
Off the mat, Kelsi is a Senior Certified Professional in Human Resources, specializing in leadership development, organizational culture and strategy, and team engagement. She is based in Clayton, North Carolina, where she lives with her boyfriend, three cats, and one very lucky dog. She can usually be found outdoors, in the air as a private pilot, or you know – doing yoga. :)

CO-OWNER
Signature Style: Musically inspired, authentically present, and a profound appreciation for life.
A student of yoga and mediation for over 25 years, Jess has been curious to learn about these modalities as a path to internal freedom and liberation. Over the years, she dabbled in the practices, as well as teaching Vipassana Meditation, but her growth accelerated as she came out of a deep depression in 2012. Teachings from Ram Dass, Eckert Tolle, Sharon Salzburg, Pema Chodron, and Jon Kabat-Zinn began to lead her in a new direction, toward her highest self.
It was at that time that she began to more deeply explore Ashtanga Yoga, which she practiced most days in her then hometown, Orlando, FL. Through six years of consistent practice of the primary series, she tapped into discipline and awareness like never before. It was the catalyst which led her to begin teaching Vipassana Meditation locally - in the corporate environment, around town, in parks, and privately.
In 2017, to join the love of her life, Ken, Jess moved to the Raleigh area. While she missed practicing yoga in a group environment, she did not find her local studio until years later. She continued studying at this time, visiting Ram Dass in Maui, meeting several of her Buddhist teachers around the country, and going on silent retreats as often as possible to soak in all of the ancient knowledge she could.
But her yoga practice was still missing something…. Inspired by her mother’s experience with dementia, Jess decided to dive into end of life work, going through training to be a death doula in an effort to help folks find freedom as they face the end. Alua Aurther, owner of Going with Grace, was her guide, showing the way of death mediations, leaning into grief, and how to appreciate all of the little things before the end.
Then in Summer of 2024, a fateful meeting with a member of the True North Yoga, Kelly, happened at a Michael Singer talk in Gainesville, Florida. Kelly spoke so highly of the True North community, Jess couldn’t resist a visit.
A few months later, she began attending classes regularly and very quickly felt right at home. New friendships blossomed at the speed of light!! Her practice deepened yet again, this time through Power Vinyasa and Flow classes in a heated environment, which she had resisted for a long time. Then owner, Lisa, approached her about teaching a monthly Meditation and Mindfulness class, which kicked off in January 2025. This monthly series has been helping community members tap into living An Aware Life, leading them to self inquiry, greater self mastery, and a deeper understanding of the connectedness and impermanent nature of all things.
Jessica remains a student, always. This is a key principle in her life: we should always be learning. Her current teachers are Michael Singer, Joseph Goldstein, and Venerable Robina Courtin. She is an avid student of Taoism, Buddhism, and more recently, Astrology. Jess is currently working on her YTT 200 hour and will be offering asana classes as Happy Finch Yoga soon.
All of her work really boils down to one key point: Awareness - of mind, of emotion, of our inner state, and of the world around us. She is grateful to continue to learn from those before her and to share these liberating practices with others.
Random fun facts about Jess:
- Music is 90% of her personality (her nickname in college, she studied Voice, was J-Funk.
- She’s a bird nerd: listening to birdsong has been one of her favorite activities since childhood.
- Vegan for almost a decade, her compassion for animals (and all beings) runs deeper than ever before.
- Plants are part of her purpose: an avid gardener and plant mom, Jess loves to tend to them and learn about life cycles through theirs.
- She’s passionate about astrology and understanding the rhythm of the cosmos.

INSTRUCTOR
Signature Style: Strength, breathwork, and intentional movement.
Kristy is a passionate yoga teacher who blends strength, mindfulness, and intentional movement into every class. She begins each practice with grounding breathwork to help students connect inward before flowing on the mat.
Her classes are challenging vinyasa flows that build strength, balance, and confidence – while remaining accessible for beginners through experienced yogis. Kristy has completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training and is currently pursuing her 300-hour certification, along with a wellness coach certification.
With a background in healthcare, she brings a strong understanding of physiology and body mechanics, offering thoughtful guidance to support safe, effective, and empowering movement for every student.