Ann and Leo Walsh, CYT-200
Owners
Ann and Leo come to Firehouse Yoga with a shared belief that yoga should feel welcoming, accessible, and deeply supportive to real people living real lives. Their individual paths to yoga began in different seasons, but led them both to the same truth: yoga has the power to steady, strengthen, and soften us, often right when we need it most.
Ann’s journey started in early motherhood, when yoga became a refuge from stress and anxiety as a young, single, working parent. Over time, she explored Hatha, Vinyasa, Meditation, and eventually functional and somatic movement, shaping a teaching style rooted in compassion, curiosity, and mind-body connection.
Leo found yoga twelve years ago, and it wasn’t long before the practice inspired him to teach. After completing his 200-hour Ananda Bhakti Hatha Yoga training with Denys Morgan and Julie Brown, he created his signature Hatha-style Vinyasa class affectionately known as Leoga – a blend of movement, music, and humor that makes yoga feel joyful and approachable.
Together, Ann and Leo bring warmth, community-minded leadership, and a down-to-earth spirit to Firehouse Yoga. They are dedicated to preserving the small, intimate charm of the studio while nurturing a space where students feel safe, supported, and part of something meaningful.
Outside their work at the studio, Ann and Leo enjoy traveling, supporting the local music scene where Leo plays drums, and spending time with their two rescue dogs, Charlotte and Phoebe. At home, you can usually find them unwinding with a cooking show and experimenting with new culinary ideas.
Ann & Leo are honored to welcome you to the Firehouse community,
a place where practice is personal, community is everything,
and everyone has a place on the mat.
Julie Brown, ERYT-500
Julie is an experienced yoga instructor, certified Thai Yoga Massage practitioner at the Intermediate Level, and founder of Bliss for EveryBody. She has over 1100 hours of training, including Sivananda Yoga, Core Strength Vinyasa, Yoga Shred, and Kids/Tween/Teen Yoga. Her teaching is intuitive and receptive. The pace is set by the title of the class, but what is worked on is tailored to how participants are feeling – both in body & mind.
Amanda R. Howland, RYT-500
Yoga is sacred and central to Amanda’s life. She has been practicing and studying yoga for twenty years. Yoga is both her rock and her font of inspiration. She completed her 200-hour certification with Yoga Central in Canton and appreciates having learned from her wonderful teachers how to share the practice with others, so that they may learn to feel into their breathing bodies and cultivate communication with their inner heart-wisdom. Amanda has developed Forest Moon Yoga, which is a class gentle enough for beginners, yet engrossing enough for experienced students. Amanda incorporates breath work, nature imagery, and other meditative techniques in her classes. Her experiences as a writer and experimental musician inform her teaching, as she is inspired by the interplay between yoga awareness and creative flow.