Meet the team

Sam Williams Stilwell

Owner/CEO

Sam's first love was dance and that put her on the path of body awareness, music therapy, and the practice of embodiment. She took all of this things and poured them into something she was so badly craving and created YoBa Studio.

Sam set out to create something much more than a studio but a brand to share, build, and grow. She is here to help share these practices that are rooted in learning how to listen to the body.

Sam is passionate about using the body as the gateway to process emotions and listen to your heart. She believes that movement is a powerful tool for listening to your heart and truth.

Sam is ERYT-200, NASM-CPT, ACE, & RYT certified and blessed to have the opportunity to help share her passion, love, and healing through YoBa Studio in Raleigh and surrounding areas.

Get to know Sam:

Music plays this role in my life:

Music is healing. Music is universal. Music can pull us out of a depressed state while bringing us to tears. It's a way to communicate. Feeling the rhythm and beat in your body, both start to work towards your soul.

Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner?

BRUNCH all day every day. I love a good hash and waffle, but will never turn down a biscuit.

My teaching style is:

Heartfelt, passionate, energizing, strengthening, while learning to welcome and appreciate stillness and quietude.

The most fulfilling part of teaching a class:

Being able to share my real heart and soul with our community. Being venerable enough to show up raw and honest with all of our students. Giving myself permission to show up as I am hoping that will inspire others around me to do the same. It in some ways forces me to take care of myself the best I know how, it keeps me in check with my heart, spirit, and soul daily. Many days I myself want to run from my mat or practice but at the end of the day, I’m grateful to be able to do this for myself and other people.

Nicola Ferraro

General Manager/Lead Instructor

Nicola is originally from Falmouth, Massachusetts. She grew up dancing and was in her first ballet class at age 3. She had an instant love for dance and spent many years in the studio taking ballet, pointe, and modern dance classes.

In high school, Nicola taught ballet classes at her local studio and at an after school program at an elementary school. Nicola's love for dance continued at East Carolina University as a dance major where she took technique classes, choreographed, and performed. Nicola graduated from East Carolina University in 2015 with a Bachelor in Fine Arts in Dance Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education.

When Nicola moved to Raleigh, she began teaching kindergarten in Apex for over 6 years while also teaching class at YoBa and enjoyed the excitement and energy BOTH types of her students brought to the classroom!

In the summer of 2023, Nicola joined YoBa as the Studio Manager! She's excited to spend even MORE time with this community!

Get to know Nicola:

The most fulfilling part of teaching a class:

The connections with clients! I love having new clients fall in love with barre and existing clients return for something they whole heartily enjoy.

My enneagram is:

Type 1, The Reformer: Principled, Purposeful, Self-Controlled.

Mantra:

Stay present in each moment.

What has YoBa Studio meant to you?

It is my second home and my family by choice.

Grayson McAden

Front Desk Lead

Grayson, an Eastern North Carolina native, is originally from Wilson where she grew up playing soccer, tennis, dance and cheerleading. She received her undergrad online from East Carolina University while working full-time at a law firm.

Life presented many challenges in her early adulthood that led her to question the norms and seek other forms of wellness. Grayson started taking group fitness and yoga classes at her local YMCA in high school but considers the start of her practice when she moved to Wilmington in 2011 and took her first hot yoga class.

Shortly after moving to Raleigh in 2018 Grayson found herself at a cross-road and leaning into yoga but hadn’t found a studio she loved. She was introduced to YoBa through a close friend who raved about the community, atmosphere, and how free she felt at the studio. Grayson had to experience it for herself and quickly moved from ClassPass to an Unlimited Member. She graduated YTT in June 2020 and joined the front desk team.

Grayson’s passion for wellness extends into her professional life as a Human Resources Manager where she helps people navigate difficult situations, grow their careers and be their best self. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, listening to live music, painting and crafting, and snuggling with her fire-tip Siamese cat Simon.

Get to know Grayson:

What role does music play in your life?

Music has played a big part of my life. I love concerts, live music, festivals. Depending on the mood I could be listening to rap, country, southern rock, bluegrass, EDM, pop, hip-hop.. I like it all. Every song brings a different emotion or feeling.

Mantra or quote you live by?

Chin up, chest out. Day in, day out. Open Heart, Breathe.

The most fulfilling part about working at YoBa:

The people I have met and become friends with are the most genuine, funny, smart, caring, amazing humans. No matter my day, as soon as I walk in the air is lighter! I never leave without a smile on my face.

If I could invent a holiday it would probably be:

Summer break!

Devin Coomer

Instructor / Instructor Development Assistant

Devin grew up in Maryland and spent her early years doing competitive cheerleading. After graduating from Coastal Carolina University, she moved to Raleigh with her now husband.

Devin has worked in the Fitness industry for her entire career in a clinical stand point and has always had a passion for wellness and movement. When she found YoBa, it truly felt like she found a studio that combined her love for movement with the joy that it can be to move your body. She loves moving to music and having fun with her fitness routine.

After continuing to fall in love with YoBa through an unlimited membership Devin decided to get even more involved by taking a position as Front Desk Ambassador. Eventually she took the leap to train to be an instructor at YoBa and has loved every minute of it!

When she's not in studio, Devin is usually spending quality time with friends, reading a great fantasy book, spending time with her husband Christian, or cuddling her dogs Dexter and Leo.

Get to know Devin:

The most fulfilling part of being a part of the team?

I love seeing clients LOVE their movement and feel good in their bodies!

If I weren't so damn good at my job, I'd probably be:

Travel blogger writing about all the amazing places and things my husband, dogs, and I are seeing and doing in all our worldly travels.

Favorite class at YoBa:

Strength, YoBa, Cardio, Yoga, Barre... so all of them. All of the classes at Yoba are so intentional and built with your wellness in mind and that is felt through every movement. Love to find energy in classes where I need it and peace and breath when my body is craving it.

If I could invent a holiday it would probably be:

I truly believe no one should ever have to work on their birthday.

Diamond Bethea

Instructor

Diamond is a Raleigh native - born & raised! She started her regular yoga practice in 2017 & found YoBa in 2020 via Live Stream when the entire world had to pivot. She uses yoga and her movement practice as an opportunity to both spend time reconnecting with herself—body, mind, and spirit—and to celebrate the ability to move her body in a way that she truly and wholeheartedly enjoys!

She recently took the leap and completed her YTT at YoBa in May 2023! In her daily life, she is passionate about placing books into the hands of small children to promote literacy from an early age.

When not at work, she enjoys visiting farmers’ markets, taking yoga classes, and spending time reading in local coffee shops.

Get to know Diamond:

By Day or Night I'm a...

A Children’s Librarian (bring your kiddos to a storytime!)

What has YoBa meant to you?

YoBa means the world to me! It is a studio with heart and you truly feel that from the moment that you walk through the front door. It is a space to freely move your body in a way that fits and works best for your body that day. The ever-present options for variety and modifications are what drew me to YoBa and what keeps me craving more. I'm forever grateful to have found this studio!

If I weren't so good at my job I'd be:

Hands down, I would be a flower farmer in another life – fresh local flowers make my heart oh so happy!

What's your ideal movement schedule?

Yoga at least 3 times a week with Strength, Barre, &/or YoBa sprinkled in as well!

Emma Thyer

Instructor

Emma found her passion for yoga after taking a Baptiste hot yoga class. The sweat, the endorphins, the mental and physical challenge – she was hooked.

In college, Emma earned her ACE Group Fitness Instructor certification and began sharing her love of yoga with others through teaching at NC State’s Wellness and Recreation Center. During this time, she also earned her 200-hour RYT certification at YoBa Studio and is thrilled to be back sharing the practice with this community.

Emma’s classes are accessible and uplifting, striking the perfect balance of dynamic movement and intentional stillness. Her teaching is driven by a core belief in intentionally moving the body to connect with your heart.

By day, Emma works full-time at a strategic communications agency, where she enjoys working with clients to spread meaningful messages. Outside of the YoBa and work, you can find Emma spending time with her dog, Minnie, binge-watching reality TV, and exploring Raleigh’s restaurant scene.

Get to know Emma:

Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner:

100% Breakfast. Give me all the scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, and coffee.

Mantra or quote you live by?

Your direction is more important than your speed.

If I weren't so damn good at my job, I'd probably be::

An interior designer

What has YoBa Studio meant to you?

When I was looking for a studio for yoga teacher training, I took one class at YoBa and immediately knew it was the place for me. YoBa is so much more than a fitness studio to me – it's a place where I'm always able to show up exactly as I am each day and feel held by the community and movement.

Erin Rood

Instructor

Erin found YoBa Studio shortly after they opened their doors in the Spring of 2016. She was immediately drawn to both the mental and physical side of yoga. With four kids at home, Erin is a mother first above all else, but as she was preparing to send her youngest off to kindergarten she knew she wanted to explore yoga further. Erin joined the YTT program at YoBa Studio in early 2018 and a new journey began for her. She wants people to know that no matter where they are in life, there is space for them to grown, learn, and try new things. Erin truly believes that everyone has a story to share and a journey of growth in front of them, and she brings this to every class she teaches. She loves that yoga is truly for everyone, its does not discriminate age, race, gender, or physical ability. Through being both a student and an instructor, Erin has found that YoBa Studio is a safe place for herself and so many others. She truly feels like no matter where you are in your life, yoga is beneficial and she can't wait to share this with you in her classes!