Our Instructors
Jessica Friedman
Jessica Friedman is the owner of 3 Down Dogs Yoga, a i am a 200 Hour E-RYT, YACEP yoga instructor, WPA Tier 1 Paddle Board instructor, certified Pre- and Postnatal yoga instructor and currently working on her 500 hour E-RYT. Jessica is also a married mother of two beautiful children, Adeleigh and Zander. Jessica has also combined her love of water and yoga to become a paddle board instructor—taking her practice to the mat and to the water.
Jessica took her first yoga class at 19 when she was attending college. That first experience taught her that yoga calms her mind and makes her body feel powerful and competent. It is these feelings that Jess strives to pass on to her own students. She firmly believes that you can feel comfortable in your body at any age through yoga. After the birth of her second child, yoga helped her get back into shape and to deal with the stress of raising two small children.
Jessica is passionate about helping others stay flexible and strong through the practice of yoga—and her classes are designed to encourage others to feel confident about their bodies and their level of fitness, no matter where they are on their journey. Because there is a lack of support for pregnant women and new mothers in her area, Jess pursued pre- and postnatal certification at The Asheville Yoga Center in order to provide specialized yoga services for pregnant women and new mothers. Jessica's desire to constantly learn more has her now working on her 500 hour E-RYT in Yoga Medicine.
When the Covid Pandemic hit it devastated the yoga community. In 2021 Jessica decided to open up 3 Down Dogs Yoga to try and help rebuild the community that she loves so much. It is very obvious to all who know her that Jessica is passionate about what she does—and she looks forward to sharing her passion for yoga, good health, strong bodies, relaxed minds, and well-earned confidence with all who walk into her class.
Brooke Padilla
Brooke is an E-RYT 200 (Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher), YACEP (Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider), Reiki Master, and Sound Healer.
She completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in Suryalila, Spain, with Vidya Jacqueline Heisel of Frog Lotus Yoga International in 2013; her Reiki Master training with Lisa Powers in 2018; and she’s currently working on her 500-hour YTT in Kundalini Yoga with Yoga Farm Ithaca and a Master Sound Healer Training with Simone Vitale.
“I love transformation. I love digging deeper and deeper. I love the truth. My whole life has been about seeking for the truth.
This is why I love yoga.
I love that it gives you exactly what you need, exactly when you need it. I love that there is no magic fix or perfect diagram, we learn by making mistakes, by falling on our face-literally and figuratively- and that’s the Path to the truth. To find one’s own truth, one’s own connection to divinity; we must be honest with ourselves and feel uncomfortable about it.
I can tell you openly and honestly that the truth is the Spirit. The desire of the Spirit is to give and once She touches you, you must share Her. She will not let this longing go.
I am here because the longing demands it. Because all I can desire is to be here for you who seek. I open myself to hold your hand and walk with you while you guide us all to your true Self. That’s all that I do. I feel what’s coming towards me and I let it move and breathe and speak. And I will give you as much as you wish to receive.
There is nothing else that I can be and nothing else that I can do.
This world can be mad, painful, and harsh; but it can also be joyful, magical, and beautiful. I am here for all of it.
Because I know that we are never alone, and I want you to know, as well.”
Kim Looney
Kim Looney is a 200 hour trained yoga instructor. She continues to seek out and learn more about her understanding of yoga. She recently attended a yoga retreat in Greece with Blue Lotus Yoga to learn new ways to extend her practice. She specializes in working with older yogis, people with special needs, and children. You can expect her classes to give you a feeling of empowerment and calmness.
She found yoga after years of competing in triathlons and marathons. When her physical therapist told her that if she wanted to be walking at 60, she'd have to find a new way to be active without injury, she found yoga. Yoga has allowed her to continue to build strength and flexibility. Yoga has added deep meaning and growth to her life.
Her goals as an instructor are to provide a safe place for her students to practice. She wants everyone to find their inner yogi. In her classes, you will be successful, no matter where you start. She wants her students to be strong and flexible. She is a spiritual seeker and shares insight. At the end of class, you will feel better about yourself and the tools you have to use once you are off the mat in everyday life.
Lauriel Malone - Johnson
Lauriel Malone is a highly skilled Licensed Massage Therapist based in Atlanta, Georgia. With a background in the retail and beauty industry, Lauriel has a wealth of experience assisting clients in developing natural and beneficial skincare and makeup routines, leaving them feeling refreshed and beautiful in their daily lives.
During her time working with clients and forging personal connections, Lauriel recognized a deeper need for holistic well-being beyond skincare concerns. She observed that individuals were grappling with bodily aches and pains that could lead to detrimental daily patterns affecting their overall health. Fueled by empathy and a newfound passion, Lauriel felt compelled to help others seeking healing on a holistic level.
This calling led her to explore the fascinating world of massage therapy, and she obtained certifications in Reiki 1 & 2, enhancing her ability to provide comprehensive healing experiences. Her journey continued with enrollment at the prestigious Atlanta School of Massage, where she graduated at the top of her class, solidifying her expertise in various massage modalities.
Lauriel's extensive range of offerings includes: Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Neuromuscular Therapy, Seated Massage, Myofascial Release, Prenatal Massage, Sports Massage and Stretch Therapy
Lauriel finds immense fulfillment in witnessing her clients leave her table with radiant smiles, improved mobility, strength, and boosted confidence. Her work reaffirms her passion for empowering the body through attentive care and patience.
Join Lauriel's self-care team and embark on a journey of healing and relaxation. She eagerly awaits the opportunity to be part of your transformative experience, guiding you towards complete well-being and renewed vitality.
Debbie McNamara
Debbie McNamara has been dancing in the Atlanta area for over 30 years. She joined Southern Ballet of Atlanta at the age of nine, where she received extensive training from noted dance masters Karen Conrad and Pittman Corry. She soon became an associate dancer and accomplished soloist. Debbie has taught at various dance institutions and is currently Ballet Mistress at Triple 7 Dance. Debbie has received scholarships to the Dance Educators of America Training School and Workshop and to the prestigious Joffrey Ballet in New York City.
In her dancing career, she has also studied at Birmingham Southern, North Carolina School of the Arts, and Duke University.
She began her yoga journey in 2016 when her kids gave her lessons for a Mother’s Day Gift and fell completely in love with it. She has been practicing and doing workshops since then. She most recently completed her YTT 200 hour training in Yoga. She was trained by Brooke Padilla. She loves teaching and is excited to combine her love of ballet with yoga in a yoga/ballet barre fusion class.
Whitney Tarver
Whitney Tarver’s affinity for yoga began with her first experience on the mat. Regular practice quickly transitioned into a professional pursuit, as she recognized a calling to instruct others. In January 2017, she commenced a journey that deepened her technical knowledge and appreciation for the discipline in all its forms.
Tarver earned her 200-hour teaching certification in September 2017. Concurrently, she enrolled in a Master’s program for Clinical Mental Health Counseling. This clinical background fundamentally informs her teaching philosophy; she prioritizes creating a safe, inclusive space where students can mindfully connect with their present experience. By integrating insights from her personal practice, she encourages participants to appreciate their physical capabilities while honoring their bodies' internal signals.
In Tarver’s classes, students can expect a balanced progression of strengthening and stretching, synchronized with the breath. Her sessions are further characterized by a variety of curated playlists designed to complement the flow of the practice.
Joe Hanrahan
Joe initiated his yoga practice in 2007 as a New Year’s resolution. Previously an avid backpacker and tennis player, he sought a gentler, more spiritual activity. He found that yoga provided the precise intersection of physical, mental, and spiritual challenges necessary to maintain his personal well-being.
In 2017, Joe earned his RYT 200 certification at The Yoga Source in Snellville, where he immediately joined the instructional staff. Guided by the principle that a teacher remains a perpetual student, he pursued further advancement through a 300-hour program at Johns Creek Yoga Studio under the leadership of Sheila Ewers.
Joe holds specialized teaching certifications in the following disciplines:
Restorative Yoga
Yin Yoga
Yoga Nidra
Trauma-Sensitive Yoga
Aerial Yoga
Now retired, Joe focuses his efforts on community service, utilizing his diverse instructional background to give back through the practice of yoga.
Emily Knife
Emily Knife, RN, MSN-Ed, CYT-500, is a nurse educator, international speaker, five-time published author, and Dean and Founder of the School of Modern Nursing.
By day, Emily leads the School of Modern Nursing, where she educates nurses, develops innovative programs, and helps healthcare professionals imagine new possibilities for their careers and the future of nursing. With more than 14 years of nursing experience, she brings a clinical understanding of the body, mind, stress, and human connection into every space she leads.
With more than 25 years of movement experience—from circus arts and somatic movement to nearly every style of yoga in between—Emily brings creativity, curiosity, and deep body awareness to every class. Her diverse background allows her to create a welcoming environment for people of all experience levels, abilities, body types, and walks of life.
Emily’s own journey of self-discovery has given her tremendous compassion and intuition for the art of yoga. She loves yoga because it invites us to slow down, listen inward, and meet our own thoughts, fears, and habits. It offers a space to notice what arises without judgment and become curious about the stories we carry.
Her classes thoughtfully blend movement, breathwork, nervous-system awareness, playfulness, and rest. Even her playlists are intuitively curated to complement the energy of each class, creating an experience that feels meaningful, immersive, and alive.
Emily believes yoga is for every human. Your body is not a problem to fix—it is a source of wisdom, information, and possibility.