Nicole Deacon
I am the founder of The Foundry studios and thefoundry-online.com. In the early 90's my parents dragged me, kicking and screaming, into the Bikram studio in Old Town Scottsdale, I've been sweating in a hot room ever since. I am passionate about making the world a better place through movement, mindfulness, and transformation. I love our students and teachers and I am so grateful to be a part of our Foundry Family. I hold certifications in Bikram Yoga, Hot Pilates, Power Yoga, Anatomy, Partnership, & Transformational Leadership. I am married to Andrew Miller, we live in Flagstaff, AZ with our son, Bodhi, and our dogs, Rootie, Bisbee, and Copper. |
Todd Deacon
One of my greatest joys is being part of a community that is collectively moving toward a more enlightened world. The Foundry is a very special place. I took my first yoga class when I was 15 years old from Cintra Brown at the first Bikram Yoga studio in Arizona, now the Old Town location. I attended Oregon State University on a golf scholarship and received my degree in Business Administration. After college I played professional golf, at the end of my career I was left with chronic back pain. My sister Nicole encourage me to try a regular practice of yoga 5 times a week to see if that would help my back pain and episodes of barely being able to walk due to slipped disks. In no time I could feel the changes happening, but it took months for me to better understand my body and learn to use the practice to heal my body. I lost 40 lbs in the first year of regular practice and episodes of my back locking up reduced significantly.In my fourth year of practicing consistently, I competed in both the USA Yoga Asana Regional and National Championship, placing first in the 2016 Arizona Regional event. I'm in the best shape of my life spiritually, mentally and physically and I owe it to The Foundry. My back isn't completely healed (it may never be) but I am able to live a full life and have avoided surgery for many years now. Most importantly, I have two daughters that I get to keep up with and my practice helps me do that! I graduated in the inaugural Foundry Teacher Training and received my 200 Hour RYA Certification in 2015. I am also a certified 26+, Pilates & HIIT teacher. |
Niki Fillmore
I started practicing Bikram Yoga in 2006 after suffering a tragic loss in my life. I navigated that loss on my yoga mat - sweating, crying, learning, and growing so much that first year. Knowing how much your yoga practice can shape and change the trajectory of your life, I am constantly inspired and amazed by my students and their dedication to their health. The ripple effect that we are creating in this world is so big. I was born and raised here in sunny Arizona! After graduating from ASU in August of 2008, I left for Acapulco, Mexico for Bikram's 500hr Teacher Training! Since graduating in November of 2008, I have been teaching full-time. I studied Pregnancy Yoga (Pre & Post Natal) with Rajashree Choudhury at The Kripalu Institute in 2011. I have served on the faculty for The Foundry Teacher Trainings since its inception in 2015, where I also earned her RYT 200 with Yoga Alliance. I attended Inferno Hot Pilates Teacher Training and Hot Barre Teacher Training in 2018 as well as Modern Meditation Teacher Training in 2019. I love teaching for thefoundry-online.com and connecting with people from all over the world! |
Cintra Brown
Cintra Brown is a dedicated and knowledgeable yoga teacher with spiritual messages. Cintra met her teacher Bikram in 1987. Bikram certified her in 1991 and she holds a rare certificate from the Ghosh College of Physical Education in Calcutta. This is the same certification Bikram and Rajashree hold.Cintra was the founder of the first Bikram School in Scottsdale, Arizona. She was responsible for creating a huge and loyal following of students in love with her style, humour and deep humanity. Come to experience Cintra's class, where you will learn, laugh and come away with her 'Cintraisms' which are part of her teachings that help take yoga off the mat and into your everyday life. Cintra is the Lead Yoga Teacher at both the 200-hour & 300-hour Foundry Teacher Trainings. |
Heidi Jo Klingman
Heidi is passionate about helping others find balance in their journey of wellness – keeping her classes challenging, yet accessible – playful, yet precise. Heidi strives to help each student see their potential for greatness, balance, and wellness.Heidi has been teaching yoga since 2008, and serves on the faculty of The Foundry Teacher Training since 2015. Heidi is also a certified mat Pilates, HIIT, and Barre teacher. She discovered freedom from depression and back pain due to scoliosis and herniated discs, as a result of regular practice of yoga and Pilates, as well as experienced amazing benefits from practicing during two healthy pregnancies. “I am inspired by each and every person who shows up to their practice – whether sick or healthy, young or old, grieving or rejoicing, starting anew – it is YOU who keeps me motivated daily to teach and practice!” |
Gianna Purcell
Gianna is an international yoga teacher, traveling around leading workshops, trainings, retreats, and classes. As a broken gymnast, her first passion was healing her herniations and intense joint pain. As an asana champion her passion was training and discovering different modalities and techniques to help achieve deeper shapes and perspectives. As a motorcycle accident survivor her passion was living and integrated yoga into every aspect of her being no matter the present life state. As a yogini devoted to practice, her passion is to share yoga as an adaptogen; a healing modality willing to meet you where you are. Gianna is a USA National Yoga Asana Champion, a Bikram Yoga Certified teacher, an Ashtanga/Vinyasa E-RYT 500 hour certified teacher, and continuing education provider. With 15 years of athletic coaching and teaching experience, she teaches asana, pranayama, and meditation practices rooted in holistic movement, hatha yoga and ashtanga yoga in the light of her teachers David Swenson, Emmy Cleaves, Mary Jarvis, Swami Satchidananda, and Lord Shiva. Gianna started the Siddhi School of Yoga, wrote the teacher trainings for 105F, created Queer Retreats LLC, is co-owner of Original Hot Yoga 305, and partners with Yoga Unbound and Open Lotus Retreats. |
Casey Urban
Due to her unbridled teenage rebellion, Casey was pushed into practicing yoga at a young age. At first, she hated it! Eventually her daily practice became a way of life as it helped her to overcome clinical depression and bulimia. Now Casey has well over 1,000 hours of yoga teacher training, including an initial 200-hour certification, 2008 Bikram YTT in Acapulco, 2013 advanced YTT at Dharma Yoga in Austin, Texas, 2017 10-day silent Vipassana course, 2018 Yoga for All YTT with Dianne Bondy and Amber Karnes, and a 2020 200 hour RYT from Biju Yoga out of Hot Yoga hOMe Pompano, Florida. Four years ago, Casey developed her Bodylove! Yoga workshops to spread awareness of eating disorders and the Body Acceptance movement. Now also an eating disorder coach, she teaches from a Body Liberation and anti-diet culture perspective. She advocates as she teaches from these perspectives so that her daughters may grow up feeling even more empowered. Casey is honored to be part of the incredible community that is The Foundry! |
Livier Delgadillo
About 7 years ago was when I first stepped foot into a hot yoga studio and it instantly changed my life. I know it sounds cheesy, but it’s true. I thought I was walking on clouds after class. I had this pep in my step and this permanent smile that I knew I never wanted to get rid of. Other than the physical benefits I saw and felt, it was mostly the mental benefits that pushed me to be consistent with my practice. My background is in business, languages, and social work- so I needed something that brought more balance, grounding, clarity, peace and overall quality of life- and that is what Bikram Yoga and The Foundry is for me. I’m a giver by nature- helping others fills my cup. So, I felt that I needed to share the benefits of yoga with everyone and become more knowledgeable with the practice. In 2019 I started Yoga Teacher Training at the Foundry! I cried, I laughed, I wanted to give up, but I am so grateful I didn’t and that I stuck to it. One of my favorite instructors always said, "if you’re comfortable, you’re not growing," and that is exactly how I felt. The great thing about yoga is that every single day is different. One day you can do a 3-legged wheel and the next day you can barely touch your toes- and that's ok. It's what your body needed at that time. Every day is a humbling experience on that mat. Growing up in a small border town we didn’t have many options or places to learn and practice yoga. I am so excited that now we offer online classes so that everyone can enjoy it no matter where they are, even a small border town! |
Veronica Booth
Crecí en Venezuela y Curacao, y aunque siempre he sido activa y me ha gustado el deporte, no me metí en el Yoga si no hasta los 30-y-pico, después de haber tenido dos hijas y mudarme a Tempe, Arizona. Yoga me enseñó a cuidar mi salud mental mediante el movimiento físico. Quedándome quieta en las posiciones adquirí fuerza muscular y fuerza mental. Girándome y estirándome le di flexibilidad a mi columna y aprendí a respirar en momentos incomodos, aprendi a guiar la mente mediante la respiración. Acostada en Savasana me di cuenta que mi mente es más fuerte que muchos malestares físicos y aprendí a dejar el ruido que existe afuera y adentro. Ir al estudio en los días que me sentía bien y en esos en los que no, me enseñó que la disciplina me puede llevar a donde la pasión, la creatividad y el entusiasmo no han podido. En el 2019 tuve la oportunidad de tomar el Curso de Formación de Profesores del Foundry y la tome! Así empezó mi camino como instructora de Yoga y Pilates en este notable estudio con instructores excepcionales y estudiantes increíbles. Estoy feliz de estar aquí para ustedes y con ustedes, los que también buscan su poder, fuerza, belleza, alegría y bienestar. Estoy muy orgullosa de ser parte de la Familia Foundry. I grew up in Venezuela and Curacao and although I’ve always been physically active, I did not welcome yoga into my life until my 30s, after becoming a mother of two and moving to Tempe, AZ. Yoga tuned me into caring for my mental health through physical movement: Being still in the poses added strength to my muscles and strength to my mind. Twisting and stretching added flexibility to my spine and taught me that breathing in moments of discomfort can make everything bearable, I learned to guide the mind through breath. Laying in Savasana showed me that I am stronger than many physical pangs and began to prep me for meditation by quieting the noise. Going to the hot room in good days and bad ones taught me that discipline can take me where passion, creativity and enthusiasm cannot. When I had the opportunity to join The Foundry’s Teacher Training and I took it! This is how I began my journey as a Yoga and Pilates instructor in a remarkable studio filled with outstanding teachers and incredible students. I am happy to be here for and with others who are also in their quest to find their power, strength, beauty, joy and wellness. I am honored to be a part of The Foundry Family. |