WELCOME TO JESS YOGA

About Us

At Jess Yoga, we strive for safe and unpretentious ways to bring the love of yoga straight from the mat into your every day life.

Vision & Values

Our goal is to collectively gain a better understanding of the union between mind, body and soul. This synergy brings a blanket of warmth and tranquility to one’s spirit so we can feel the peace we are all deserving of. Through gentle practice for all bodies and walks of life, yoga can transform even the most down trodden into peaceful and loving beings. Connecting and unifying with breath, movement and a quiet mind brings a serenity that must be experienced to truly embrace and understand such unification.  While practicing yoga with Jess and her team, we hope to help you find your feet on the path to apply your yogic wisdom in your daily journeys. 

  • We are all connected and should have a sense of belonging.

  • We all deserve to be at peace in our world. When the mind is calm, the spirit is allowed to experience itself and peace is at the center.

  • We all have potential to discover our best and true selves with clarity.

  • The love of one’s self and acceptance being the answer to all our problems.

Our Team

Jess Runge

Meet Jess Runge, owner at Jess Yoga. Originally hailing from the vibrant Chicagoland area, Jess embarked on her yoga journey in the 90s through the world of theater, finding an immediate connection to its calming embrace. As life inevitably grew more complex, Jess discovered solace in yoga's grounding and serenity.

In 2019, a poignant chapter unfolded when her father's dementia diagnosis became a catalyst for her deep dive into self-discovery and healing. The transformative power of yoga had already beckoned her, as she had enrolled in a 200 RYT teacher training. However, the passing of her father in 2022 propelled Jess towards a profound choice to embrace life's ebb and flow, forging a path of self-healing and forgiveness.

Her teacher training at Chesapeake Hot Yoga, under the guidance of Briana Ward, proved to be a sanctuary during this transformative period, reshaping her trajectory for the better. Jess's innate passion for teaching and her desire to uplift others found their perfect outlet on the yoga mat. Her classes are a testament to her commitment to the mind-body-soul connection, and she ardently believes that yoga is for everyone, irrespective of body size, background, or experience level. Jess offers modifications that create a safe and welcoming space for all, guiding her students to the sweet spot of joy that yoga brings.

Specializing in Vinyasa, Yin, and meditation, Jess infuses her classes with boundless encouragement, motivation, and a tranquil demeanor that fosters relaxation and focus. Her mission is to ensure that every participant leaves her class feeling not only more peaceful but also enveloped in the love we all deserve. For Jess, yoga is an ever-evolving journey within, not about mastering postures or achieving ultimate enlightenment, but about becoming a better version of oneself each day and relishing the beauty of life.

Jess calls Virginia Beach home, and as a devoted mother to four remarkable sons, she learns from them daily about the delicate balance of life, the depths of unconditional love, and the purest forms of joy.

Karen Babcock

With over 20 years of experience in yoga, Karen is a senior yoga instructor, teacher mentor, and Business Manager at Jess Yoga. Blending her background in corporate management with decades of dedicated practice and study, she brings grounded leadership, clarity, and depth to both the studio and the broader yoga community.

Karen first found the physical practice of yoga during a major life transition from corporate management to homeschooling her children. What began as a grounding outlet became a lifelong path. Yoga has supported her through autoimmune flare-ups, injuries, surgeries, depression, and struggles with eating disorders — deepening her commitment to sustainable self-care and svadhyaya (self-study), rooted in shraddha (steadfast trust in the practice).

Teaching since 2005 and mentoring teachers since 2009, Karen directs her own RYS 200 (Registered Yoga School) through Yoga Alliance, where she authors curriculum and leads comprehensive Yoga Teacher Trainings and continuing education in Virginia Beach. She also writes curriculum for an additional RYS 200 program. Karen works closely with instructors to refine skill, strengthen clarity in teaching, and build confidence rooted in integrity and experience. She curates and leads boutique retreats and is a frequent guest teacher at Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh, India.

Her classes integrate stress management, nervous system regulation, and accessibility for all bodies and life stages.

When she’s not on her mat or traveling the world, Karen enjoys spending time with her adult children, chocolate lab and senior cat, time in the mountains, on the water hiking, camping, and connecting with family and friends worldwide.

Laura Lacerna-Miller

Laura is originally from the Pittsburgh area but has called Virginia Beach home for many years.  She was introduced to yoga in 2002 when a class was offered at her place of employment.    Laura practiced pre-natal yoga throughout her pregnancy with her son and fell in love with the practice.  Over the years she explored assorted styles of yoga at various studios in Virginia Beach while balancing raising her son, being a committed baseball mom and having a career.   Her dream has been to one day be a yoga teacher to share her love and passion for the practice.  During the Fall of 2021 after dropping her son off at college she made her yoga practice a priority in her life and her dream of becoming a yoga teacher came true.  She pursued her 200-HR teacher training with Karen Babcock of Satya Yoga Academy.   Her focus is on Hatha and Vinyasa,but she plans to take Yin training in the future. 

When not on her mat, Laura enjoys spending time with her husband Craig and their combined four adult children.  She also loves the beach, kayaking, traveling, reading, and spending time with friends.  

Elaine Solaqua

Elaine is a well-practiced and trained yoga instructor. She began her yoga journey exploring many different styles of yoga before she began a regular Hot Yoga practice in 2002. This built a strong desire to intensify her practice, as a result, she completed a 200-Hour teacher training at International Yoga in 2006. After Elaine’s training, she did not feel quite primed to transition from student to teacher, so she pursued another 200-Hour teacher training program at Oceanfront Yoga. She now shares this deep-founded knowledge and years of application with her students every week. Elaine enjoys the never-ending teaching journey, and all the joy it generates, on and off the mat.

Amy Klemarczyk

Amy is a 20-year Navy veteran and Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT200) certified through Yoga Alliance. With firsthand experience of the many health benefits that come from consistent yoga practice, she aims to create an inclusive, safe, and supportive environment for all students. Amy encourages and supports students in their journey of practicing mindfulness and in cultivating their own version of personal growth and wellbeing. With experience in several styles of yoga including Hatha, Vinyasa, Hot 26+2, Yoga Nidra, and Children’s yoga, Amy designs customized practices for students of all ages and skill levels. Amy’s mission is to guide students toward greater awareness, resilience, and joy through the transformative practice of yoga.

Charlotte Rilea

A Navy Chief who stumbled into yoga in 2012 after getting her body absolutely wrecked during some good ol’ military “fun” and randomly stepping into a yoga class. 

Turns out slowing down made her faster, stronger, and far less broken 💥who knew?!?💥

Since 2015, she’s completed multiple YogaFit trainings in trauma-informed and restorative therapeutic yoga, while volunteering countless hours bringing mobility and recovery work to military units. Last year, she made it official with her Yoga Alliance 200-hour certification.

She still lifts heavy things, dabbles in CrossFit and gymnastics with varying degrees of grace, and firmly believes tight hips are a shared human experience. Yoga is where she found balance, resilience, and humility — and she’s grateful to now be teaching with Jess Yoga.