Amanda's joy for learning is what inspires her along a path of continuous study – learning by teaching a variety of students in yoga classes, learning from the wealth literature on yoga, learning through continuing education and training courses, and learning through her own personal practice.  A happy coincidence brought her to her first yoga class while still in high school, and she continued to practice throughout her years in college.  One year after graduating from Southern Methodist University with a BFA in Theatre, Amanda enrolled in her first yoga teacher training course – a 500 Hour Hatha Yoga course with Sunstone Yoga, now Sunstone Fit, in Addison, TX.  By October of 2009, she was teaching hot yoga classes for Sunstone.

In 2010, Amanda moved to Austin, TX to teach at a satellite Sunstone studio.  She progressively acquired the education and skills necessary through continuing education to teach a variety of classes, including an Intro class for beginners, a hot Pilates and muscle activation class, and a hot power flow Vinyasa class.  From November 2010 to July 2011, Amanda was a Designated Manager at the Sunstone studio in Austin, TX.  In May of 2011, Amanda graduated from another teacher training course – a 200 Hour Kundalini Yoga course through Yoga Yoga in Austin. 

At the beginning of 2012, Amanda moved to San Francisco, CA and by August of that year she began teaching all level Vinyasa flow classes at three different facilities for the city’s Recreation and Parks department.  In May of 2013, Amanda relocated to Oroville, CA and was one of the initial teachers at Oroville’s first ever yoga studio, Exhale Studio, which opened in June 2013.  Since living in Butte County, Amanda has had the pleasure of working with teen girls at Hearthstone, teaching Vinyasa Yoga at Oroville Cross Fit, and Yin Yoga, Gentle Yoga, and Intermediate Flow Yoga at Paradise Yoga Center, which is now ‘Ohana Health.  She is filled with gratitude for the opportunity to serve such a wide variety of students as well as for the experience she has gained.

In 2014, Amanda founded Spira Yoga School, a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga School.  To date, she has graduated five training classes, totaling 35 yoga teachers, and is currently teaching another 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Chico, CA.  Since 2015, she has furthered her studies by completing multiple teacher training courses: a Yoga Nidra Course with Dr. Marc Halpern in Grass Valley, a Prenatal Course with Marisa Toriggino in San Francisco, and a Restorative Yoga Course – Relax & Renew (T) – with Judith Hanson Lasater in Los Angeles.

At present, Amanda teaches weekly classes at The Pilates Barre in Chico, CA.  Amanda is repeatedly amazed by the bounty of gifts given to her by this practice and is awed when hearing stories of transformation for her students and colleagues.