Meet the team

Meet the Heart Behind SOULIFT

We’re a team of certified instructors, health coaches, and ambassadors—each bringing different strengths, experiences, and specialties to the SOULIFT community.

Some of us lead through mindful-movement. Others focus on health coaching, restoration, or inspiration. But what we all have in common? What unites us is the way we show up—with purpose, presence, and the belief that how you feel here truly matters.

Group of women engaging in a yoga or fitness class in a studio with the word 'SOULIFT' on the wall. They are using mats, weights, and engaged in various poses, with a woman instructor guiding the class.

Founders

  • A woman with blonde hair, blue eyes, and red lipstick, smiling at the camera, wearing a purple sleeveless top and sitting indoors.

    Belinthia Elder

    CO-FOUNDER OF SOULIFT

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    Belinthia is an E-RYT 500, YACEP, Certified Ayurvedic Wellness Coach, Lead Teacher of SOULIFT Academy, Certified Color Analysis Expert and a Registered & Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist. She is dedicated to guiding individuals, especially women, back into a loving relationship with their bodies, minds, and spirits. Belinthia offers personal nutrition consultations and Ayurvedic lifestyle coaching. ​

  • A smiling woman with dark brown hair wearing a blue workout top and leggings, sitting on the floor in a fitness studio with exercise equipment in the background.

    Grace Timms

    CO-FOUNDER OF SOULIFT

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    Grace has a background in dance and fitness. She studied classical ballet and modern dance, and has experience in cross country running. Grace holds a HAWT Pilates certification and others including AFPA Pre & Post Natal Certified Trainer and AFAA Group Fitness Instructor. She began teaching barre in 2014, combining her passion for fitness and dance. 

Managers

  • A woman with dark brown hair and a tattoo on her shoulder, smiling and posing with her hand on her hip, inside a boutique or fitness studio, wearing a turquoise sleeveless shirt that reads 'Sculift'.

    Jeannine Franco

    INTEGRATIONS DIRECTOR
    YOGA, PILATES

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    Jeannine has practiced yoga for over 20 years and completed her 200-hour teacher training through Baptiste Power Yoga in Nashville in 2021. She first joined SOULIFT as an ambassador before stepping into the role of instructor in early 2022. With a background in education and a love for the mind-body connection, Jeannine brings warmth, wisdom, and a sense of curiosity to every class. She is a HAWT Pilates certified instructor. Now retired from a 30-year career as a high school English teacher, she is currently working towards her 500-hour yoga certification. You can usually find her on her mat or at the front desk with SOULIFT's studio dog, Brandy.

  • A smiling woman with short brown hair wearing a black sleeveless top with a geometric design on the front.

    Meggie Baker Daniel

    LEAD TEACHER
    YOGA, PILATES, BARRE

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    Meggie brings fire, form, and fun to every format she teaches—trained in LIFT Barre, HAWT Pilates, and as a RYT-200 through SOULIFT Academy. A former ballerina, she found Pilates after an injury and has been passionate about mindful movement ever since. Whether she’s teaching on the mat or performing on stage at the Florence Little Theatre, Meggie brings a spark that lights up any room. She’s a devoted mom of three, wife, and lifelong learner who believes the best workouts are also “work-ins.”

  • A woman with dark hair, smiling, wearing a black sleeveless top, standing in a retail store with clothing on racks in the background.

    Lindsey Chapman

    SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
    YOGA

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    Lindsey is a RYT-200 yoga teacher and social media voice of SOULIFT. She found the studio in 2020, completed teacher training in 2021 through SOULIFT Academy, and hasn’t looked back. Now based in Georgia, Lindsey returns monthly to stay grounded in the studio’s vibe—and to hype the community in real life and online. She’s currently working toward her 500-hour certification and is known for her playful, heartfelt energy (equal parts soulful and slightly unhinged).

Teachers

  • Hannah Dixon

    Yoga

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    Hannah is a 200-hour registered yoga teacher at SOULIFT. She has completed her 300-hour training program from My Vinyasa Practice and is working on teaching 100 hours to become a 500-hour registered yoga teacher! She graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with her MS in Psychology and has worked in higher education since 2014. She is currently a stay-at-home mom to her baby boy, Beckett. When not teaching or practicing yoga, she loves to read, play board games with her husband and spend time with friends and family.

    Although she loves taking upbeat, vinyasa-style classes, her passion lies in teaching yin yoga, restorative yoga, and adaptive yoga for practitioners of all ages and all body types.

  • Smiling woman with shoulder-length brown hair wearing a sleeveless black top.

    Merrette Dowdell

    BARRE

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    Merette has been teaching barre for nearly a decade and brings contagious energy and a love for music to every class. She’s all about movement, connection, and making fitness feel like a celebration. Outside the studio, she works in Strategic Partnerships for MUSC Health and is a proud wife and mom of two. Her classes are upbeat, empowering, and full of community spirit.

  • A smiling woman with light brown hair in a ponytail, wearing a white sleeveless top with a red circular graphic, standing indoors with her right hand on her hip.

    Vera DuBose

    BARRE

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    Vera is a pediatric nurse practitioner, artist, and since 2018, a SOULIFT barre instructor. With training in ballet, flamenco, ballroom, and Pilates, she blends artistic expression with wellness in every class. She brings a holistic, nurturing approach to movement, informed by her clinical work and global experiences—from Hamburg’s National Opera House to New York City Ballet’s Costume Shop.

  • Woman with long dark hair smiling and folding her arms in front of a large geometric wooden wall art.

    Sigita Galliene

    YOGA

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    Sigita became a RYT-200 in 2024 through SOULIFT Academy. Originally from Lithuania, she moved to Florence in 2018 and began her SOULIFT journey as an ambassador. Her yoga practice grew alongside her English fluency, friendships, and personal growth. With degrees in surveying and a heart for reflection, Sigita brings gratitude and grounding to every class. Outside the studio, she enjoys family hikes, gardening, and early mornings with coffee.

  • A smiling woman with long, wavy brown hair standing indoors, wearing a beige sweatshirt with white design and black pants, next to a wooden geometric wall decoration, a clothing rack with blue clothes, and a green plant.

    Grace Harwell

    YOGA

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    Grace is a Florence native. She is a medical coder during the day, and a yogi by night! She’s a mother to 2 teenagers and a big Carolina gamecock fan. Grace came to SOULIFT to explore the mindset and physical benefits of yoga. She quickly discovered how deeply impactful yoga is to her inward and physical wellbeing. She’s now an RYT-200 and is proud to call SOULIFT home. In her free time, you can find Grace spending time with her 2 teenage sons, traveling, or on her yoga mat!

  • Woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a black sleeveless top, smiling with her right hand on her hip, standing in an office or studio space.

    Rachel Howell

    BARRE, PILATES

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    Rachel is a NASM-Certified Personal Trainer and Mat Pilates instructor through Balanced Body University. A longtime SOULIFT member-turned-instructor, Rachel joined in 2019 and began teaching during the pandemic. Now a mom of two, she continues to lead early morning and weekend classes while working full-time as a graphic designer. She’s known for her clever wit, welcoming spirit, and honest approach to life—especially when balancing books, babies, and houseplants.

  • Ellen Knight

    Ellen Knight

    YOGA, HEALTH COACH

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    Ellen joined SOULIFT through the 6 Weeks of Renewal program and quickly fell in love with the practice and the community. Now a yoga instructor, she draws inspiration from the local landscape—blending breathwork with grounded imagery. When she’s not teaching middle school English or wrangling her three dogs, Ellen is tending to her garden or flowing on her mat.

  • A young woman with red wavy hair and blue eyes, wearing a black sleeveless top, smiling with her tongue slightly out, standing indoors.

    Shelby Lewis

    YOGA, PILATES, BARRE

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    Shelby is a certified barre and Pilates instructor, a RYT-200 yoga teacher, and an Ayurvedic Health Coach. She brings creativity, joy, and musicality to each class. When she’s not teaching, she works as an elementary music and art educator and performs regularly with the Florence Little Theatre. She’s also the proud cat mom of Salem.

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    Catherine Lucius

    YOGA

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    Catherine is a RYT-200 yoga teacher who completed her training through SOULIFT Academy in 2021. With over two decades of personal practice, she teaches powerful, heated flows that encourage students to balance effort with ease and connect breath to movement. Catherine’s classes are rooted in mindfulness, intuition, and self-agency, often inviting playful exploration. Off the mat, she’s a wife, mom to three daughters, and lover of books, bikes, pickleball, and time spent outdoors.

  • Elena Mertens

    BARRE

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  • Smiling woman with long, wavy blonde hair wearing a sleeveless maroon top and gold necklace in an indoor setting.

    Michelle Murphy

    YOGA

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    Michelle is a RYT-200 yoga teacher and SOULIFT Academy graduate who believes in the power of breath and presence. Her classes are welcoming, grounding, and rooted in authenticity—inviting each student to uncover their inner light. Whether she’s at the front desk, leading a class, or practicing alongside you, Michelle shows up with warmth, joy, and her favorite reminder: “Just breathe.” Originally from North Carolina, she made Florence home in 2016 and has been an integral part of SOULIFT ever since.

  • A smiling woman with long wavy brown hair, wearing a black sleeveless top, standing in a fitness or yoga studio. She has a smartwatch on her wrist, a ring on her finger, and a tattoo visible on her upper arm.

    Madisen Nichol

    BARRE, HEALTH COACH

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    Madisen joined the staff at SOULIFT in 2023 with a goal to share her passion surrounding fitness, health and wellness. What she loves most about teaching group fitness is empowering others to push themselves out of their comfort zones. What you can expect when taking a class with her: to sweat, have fun, and hear constant encouragement.

  • A woman with wavy blonde hair smiling with arms crossed, wearing a black tank top, standing indoors with a large round decorative mirror in the background.

    Karalee Oldenkamp

    YOGA

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    completed her RYT-200 through the SOULIFT Academy in March 2023 and later earned her RYT-500 from another registered school. She began her journey with SOULIFT during the Summer of Soul Challenge and quickly found a home on the mat and within the community. Karalee teaches Yoga R&R, a class she originally crafted for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, that has since become a studio favorite. Outside of SOULIFT, she enjoys time with family, traveling, reading, and wrangling her two rambunctious dogs.

  • Smiling young woman with long, wavy brown hair wearing a black sleeveless shirt with a white geometric logo, standing indoors with wooden beams in the background.

    Sallie Vaughn

    YOGA

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    Sallie earned her RYT-200 in 2017 after first falling in love with yoga under the guidance of Belinthia, her dietetics preceptor-turned-mentor. Though she lives out of town, Sallie remains a foundational member of the SOULIFT community—returning quarterly to teach and mentor trainees in sequencing and class design. Her Get Hot & Chill Out classes are packed with energy, insight, and care. For Sallie, yoga is connection, creativity, and a lifelong path worth walking together.

  • Dina Berg

    YOGA ASSISTANT

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    A Carolina girl at heart, Dina has called South Carolina home for over 45 years. After earning her degree in Education from Francis Marion University, she taught elementary school before transitioning to work in her family business.

    A melanoma survivor, Dina has always been devoted to caring for others—whether through hosting and coordinating exchange students across the state or nurturing her family and farm life in Effingham.

    Her journey with SOULIFT began in 2017, when she reluctantly attended her first class with her daughter—and never looked back. Today, she is a devoted Soulifter who embodies the power of showing up for yourself, even when it feels outside your comfort zone.

    You’ll often find Dina alongside her husband, Barry, in an evening Yin class, living the SOULIFT lifestyle both on and off the mat.

  • A woman with wavy, shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a red sleeveless top, smiling indoors with a mirror and decorative wall art in the background.

    Heather Shelton

    PILATES APPRENTICE

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    Heather is currently apprenticing with Grace Timms and Dr. Megan Brown for her HAWT Pilates certification. A former ballerina and practicing family physician, Heather also holds advanced certifications in functional and lifestyle medicine. Her approach to wellness blends science and movement, empowering students to rediscover health and vitality. She’s happiest dancing, biking, crafting, or enjoying time with her family.

Front Desk Barretenders

  • Taylor Broach

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    Taylor, a Florence native, has always led an active lifestyle, but it wasn’t until discovering Soulift in 2023 that movement became the highlight of her day. While college taught her the concept of return on investment, Soulift showed her its truest form—that the greatest investment is in oneself and their community. Outside the studio, she enjoys traveling with her husband for nearby concerts, hitting the tennis courts, attending city council meetings, or unwinding on evening walks with her golden retrievers, Henry and Percy.

  • A woman with long red hair, glasses, and a bright red sleeveless top smiling in an indoor setting with a large logo in the background.

    Abbey Perritt

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    Abbey brings warmth and relatability to the SOULIFT community. A salon stylist by day and mom to two little girls, Abbey is passionate about inner healing and carving out space for self-care. You’ll often find her chasing her girls at the beach, spicy margarita in hand, or showing up to class with intention and authenticity.

  • Kammie Pettigrew

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    Kammie grew up in Florence, SC and spent nearly a decade on the road as a nuclear power mechanic before returning to school to major in Biology. Trading a life of travel for consistency was a tough transition, but Soulift became a grounding space where she reconnected with herself and built community. A lover of reading, singing, and lifelong learning, she’s passionate about creating space for others to feel seen, supported, and strong. Her hope is that everyone who walks through Soulift’s doors leaves with a full cup, and the reminder that there will always be a mat waiting for you.