Biz Casmer
Fitness Director and Yoga Instructor, RYT, ACE-cGFI, Pre/Post Natal Certified
Biz has been teaching yoga for five years and practicing for over ten and enjoys dedicating her time and energy to sharing yoga with her students.
Biz is a Registered Yoga Teacher (230 hour) through the Yoga Center of Minneapolis/Yoga Alliance, a certified Pre and Post Natal Yoga Instructor through Global Yoga Center in Chicago, a Certified Group Fitness Instructor through the America Council on Exercise (ACE) and is currently pursuing her 1000 hour Professional Yoga Therapist certification through Integrative Yoga Therapy. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business, Advertising and Spanish from the University of Saint Thomas in Saint Paul, MN and recently let go of her corporate career to focus her energy on helping people get closer to their true self through the practice of yoga.
If you are interested in working with Biz for private yoga, please visit the front desk and schedule a consultation today. If you have any questions or comments about the fitness center or the Yoga program at Invivo, please contact Biz at biz@invivowellness.com.
Garrett Van Auken, MS, ACE-cPT, CSCS
Personal Trainer, Fitness Instructor
Garrett is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and is also an American Council on Exercise certified personal trainer. He holds a bachelor of science degree in kinesiology-exercise science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master of science degree in kinesiology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Garrett has been a personal trainer and CSCS since 2003. His work experience includes an internship with the Milwaukee Brewers as assistant to the strength and conditioning coordinator, group exercise leader at the University of Wisconsin Health Sports Medicine Fitness Center and recreational sports supervisor for the University of Wisconsin Intramural Department.
Brittney Gitlewski, BS, LAT, AFAA, cPT
Personal and Athletic Trainer, Fitness Instructor
Brittney is a Licensed Athletic Trainer through the National Athletic Trainers Association, and a Certified Personal Trainer through the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America. She holds a Bachelors degree in Kinesiology/Athletic Training from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.
After receiving her Personal Training Certification in 2007, Brittney worked as Personal Trainer privately and through Bally Total Fitness. After receiving her degree and Athletic Training license, she worked as an Athletic Trainer in area high schools/colleges providing injury prevention and treatment services, and helped design conditioning programs for various sports teams. Brittney has a passion for teaching people how to establish a functional fitness program, and helping people achieve their fitness goals.
Paula Biasi, CYT
Certified Yoga Teacher, Certified Pilates Instructor
Paula is a certified yoga instructor through Kanyakumari. She has been practicing since 1997 and has studied Anusara, Iyengar and Ashtanga styles of yoga. She has been teaching full time since 2006 and shares her knowledge of this practice as an instructor at Invivo, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Danceworks, and Yama Yoga. Her classes are taught with an emphasis on mindful anatomical alignment, presence of mind, and humor so that all activities in life can be done with more awareness, energy and health.
Paula holds an BA in Dance and Performing Arts with a minor in Holistic Health from Prescott College and an MFA in Dance from UW-Milwaukee. For the past ten years she has worked as a professional modern dancer, teaching and performing for various companies, schools and choreographers. She currently performs with Your Mother Dances and Wildspace Dance Company. Besides yoga and dance she enjoys riding her bike and spending as much time in nature as possible.
Tracy Hart, CYT
Certified Yoga Teacher
Tracy Hart is a certified yoga instructor, trained in an intensive 14-month certification course through the Temple of Kriya Yoga in Chicago. Her initial interest in yoga began over 18 years ago while studying fine arts and dance at Arizona State University. Her love of Hatha yoga, the physical practice of yoga, along with its ancient philosophical teachings inspired her to become an instructor. Continuous study led her to the realm of Buddhist and Yogic meditative technique. Her practice and instruction continually evolves through further study and application.
Shari Comstock, RYT
Registered Yoga Teacher
From gymnastics to dance, Shari has been a student of movement all her life. Her passion for mind-body harmony has led her to yoga. In January of 2005 she was certified and registered through the Yoga Alliance teacher training program at the Nosara Institute in Costa Rica. She is excited to continue her growth of the mind-body connection by teaching and exploring yoga.
Alicia Hitzler, RYT
Registered Yoga Teacher
Alicia has been practicing various forms of Hatha Yoga since 1999. She completed her Yoga teacher training at Kanyakumari Ayurveda Education & Retreat Center.
In her classes, Alicia focuses on all openings of the body, breath awareness, safety and alignment, strength and stability, as well as relaxation. She works to practice uniting Yoga with all areas of her life to gain a deeper understanding of herself and the world in which we live. She works to integrate this into her teaching style.
Alicia Hitzler is registered with Yoga Alliance.
Nicole Eull, RYT
Registered Yoga Teacher
Nicole discovered yoga in 1998 in Washington, DC while in graduate school and has practiced various types of Hatha yoga including Ashtanga, Iyengar, Anasaura, Sivananda, Vinyasa Flow, and American Power Yoga. She completed her 250-hour yoga teacher training and certification with Gaia Budai in Miami and taught classes in the Miami area until relocating to Milwaukee in the summer of 2008. Nicole is also a licensed health psychologist and founder of the HODI Center. She integrates yoga and meditation principles into her therapy sessions while bringing relaxation and stress management skills into her yoga classes.
Her classes are friendly and fun with a focus on awareness of the body and the breath. She encourages her students to create a dynamic practice and work towards progressively more challenging poses. She believes that yoga teaches discipline, patience, self-acceptance, physical awareness and mental clarity which translates to a healthier happier life. Nicole enjoys travel, cooking, organic gardening, reading, SCUBA diving, watching movies, singing in the car, and talking with friends across the country. Nicole has also received a speciality certification for Prenatal Yoga through Global Yoga in Chicago, IL.
Maria Bello-Travis, RYT
Registered Yoga Teacher
Maria is a certified and registered yoga teacher through Yoga Alliance. She also has formal training and certification for Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga. Maria regularly attends workshops and teacher intensives to continually enhance her knowledge and teaching. She emphasizes the linking breath with movement. Her teaching style builds strength, flexibility and self-awareness. She encourages her students to listen to their bodies and attend to proper alignment during her challenging, but fun-filled classes.
Maria has dedicated herself to a life of balance, awareness and compassion. She has a tremendous amount of gratitude for this practice and has devoted herself to learning how to use the practice of Yoga to heal, empower and inspire others!
Jaimi Patterson, CYT
Certified Yoga Teacher
Jaimi Patterson is a certified yoga instructor through CorePower Yoga in Boulder, CO. She holds a B.F.A. in dance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where she now teaches classes within the dance department. Jaimi came to yoga searching for a raw physicality that led her to fall in love with the dynamic Vinyasa Flow classes. It wasn’t long before she noticed the strength, stability, curiosity and calmness that was happening in her life both on and off the mat.
Jaimi builds an atmosphere where her students can work hard and push their limits while still maintaining a sense of humor and playfulness. She encourages her students to listen to their body and bring more awareness onto the mat, leading them to make more conscious decisions off the mat.
Jen Emold, RYT
Registered Yoga Teacher, Private Yoga Instructor and Personal Trainer
With nearly 15 years of fitness industry experience, Jen has developed a passion for helping the community to live a healthier and more balanced lifestyle. After being mentored and influenced by Fitness, Pilates and Yoga instructors around the country, Jen has now earned the title Studio Director for Studio Neshama at the Harry and Rose Samson Milwaukee Jewish Community Center (JCC). She also teaches private yoga clients as well as community yoga classes at Invivo. Jen has also served as directors of Spinning and Pilates studios for several facilities in Milwaukee and in the Connecticut over the past 10 years. Jen also has been studying movement disorders, specifically MS and Parkinson’s Disease over the past 5 years. She had the honor to do observation work at the University of Florida’s Movement Disorders center as well as with physical therapists in Milwaukee. Additionally, Jen also possesses a comprehensive background in Marketing and Public Relations and has served as Marketing Director for both a real estate development company in South Florida as well as for an overnight camp in the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts. Jen holds a BA in English Literature with an emphasis in creative writing and Holocaust studies. In her spare time Jen enjoys reading, about Eastern Philosophy, being out on her bicycle and traveling.
Jen’s Philosophy: “Being healthy is not just about physical exercise; it also requires a balance of connecting with one’s spiritual self.”
PJ Heffernan
Ashtanga Yoga Instructor
PJ Heffernan is the owner and head instructor of PJ’s Yoga Shala in Waukesha for the past 9 years. He has also taught at UW-Milwaukee for the past 8 years as well as various studios around the world including Invivo in Milwaukee for the past year and a half. PJ began his studies of yoga in 1990 studying Hatha yoga with John Wild. He continued his yoga education studying Iyengar yoga with Janet Lilly and Gabriel Halpern until 2005. Since 2005 he has been traveling to Mysore, South India to study with his gurus, Shri K. Pattabhi Jois and R. Sharath, at The Ashtanga Yoga Institute. During these last five years PJ has made 7 trips to Mysore training there for a total of 20 months. PJ has been honored by becoming Wisconsin’s only Authorized Ashtanga Yoga teacher. Through his intensive training, PJ has developed an in depth knowledge of the Ashtanga practice,yoga philosophy, Samkya philosophy, Ayurveda, anatomy and traditional Ayurvedic massage. PJ is also certified in personal training, sport yoga and Ayurvedic massage. PJ has also studied numerous martial arts and holds his black belt (Shodan) in Japanese Jujutsu. PJ has a lifetime of martial, yoga and healing arts training that he would like to share with you
Larissa Beckenbaugh
Ashtanga Yoga Instructor
Larissa Beckenbaugh has apprenticed under PJ for the past six years, and has made two extensive trips to Mysore, South India studying at the Ashtanga Yoga Institute. She has successfully run PJ’s studio and taught at UWM while PJ has studied in India. She has also completed David Swenson’s Ashtanga Yoga teachers training in Chicago. Larissa has taught at Invivo for the last year and a half. She is interested in spreading her passion for Ashtanga to Milwaukee and the world.