Our Team
Our Story
APEX | Yoga Pod exists because of Gainesville—and because of what we learned along the way.
In 2018, we—Alex and Rae Jarboe—moved to Gainesville with a clear goal: to build a heart-driven, deeply rooted yoga and fitness community in a city that values intention and connection. We put down roots in the Oakview neighborhood and committed to showing up not just as studio owners, but as active members of the Gainesville community.
Yoga Pod began in 2003 as a one-room studio in Boulder, Colorado, founded on the belief that thoughtful movement and breath can change lives. Over the years, the brand grew and evolved, offering invaluable lessons about leadership, scale, and what it truly takes to protect culture and quality in wellness spaces.
Through years of hands-on experience building studios, leading teams, and shaping the brand alongside our partner Dan Carbonell, one truth became clear: this work thrives best when leadership is centralized, present, and rooted in the daily practice itself. That realization sparked a renewed vision—Yoga Pod 2.0—one grounded in centralized ownership, integrity, and long-term care for both people and community.
Yoga Pod Gainesville SW opened in June 2018 as the first full expression of that revised vision. It is not a franchise. It was intentionally built, owned, and operated by us from day one. The response was immediate—classes filled, waitlists grew, and a strong sense of belonging took hold.
Growth followed intention. When we expanded to Gainesville’s NW side, an opportunity emerged to build something complementary yet distinct. In 2019, APEX was born—developed by Rae Jarboe to bring modern, intelligent Pilates to Gainesville through challenging, intentional movement that blends strength, precision, and artistry.
Today, APEX | Yoga Pod is locally owned and operated by people who live here and care deeply about this city. We believe in growing from within. Every leader on our team began as a student first—many as Karma Yogis or teachers—before stepping into leadership through lived experience. We hire for attitude and aptitude, and we invest deeply in our people.
We have an incredible, robust team of passionate leaders that have found their way to Yoga Pod first as students and grew into leadership roles. Explore our team below and get to know them a little better, and best, go take their class.
At our core, we exist to positively impact Gainesville through breath, strength, and sweat. Guided by the principle of Kaizen—continuous improvement—our ongoing effort is to be a magnificent place to work, an incredible place to practice, and a meaningful part of the fabric of this city.
Learn more about us by exploring our culture, our classes, and our team below.
Ownership Team
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Alex Jarboe
OWNER
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Alex is a co-owner of Yoga Pod Gainesville and a lead facilitator of the Yoga Pod 200-Hour Teacher Training. His path into ownership and leadership grew directly from lived experience—first as a student, then as a teacher, mentor, and builder of community.
Originally from the East Coast, Alex moved to Colorado in 2003 seeking a deeper connection to nature and a slower, more intentional pace of life. It was there that he took his first Hot yoga class—an experience that challenged him physically and opened the door to a practice that would become a moving meditation and lifelong anchor. Before yoga, Alex worked in high-pressure environments, including roles with the U.S. Secret Service and Lloyd’s of London. Yoga became the space that quieted his mind, created room to grow, and ultimately reshaped his direction.
In 2018, Alex and his wife Rae moved to Gainesville with a clear intention: to build on the heart-driven Yoga Pod foundation they built nationally, into a city that values connection, and to be closer to family. They put down roots in the Oakview neighborhood and committed to showing up not just as studio owners, but as active members of the Gainesville community.
Alex completed his 200-hour teacher training with Jason Bowman and his 300-hour training with Gina Caputo in Boulder, CO, and has continued his education through Hot Yoga Training at Yoga Pod, Trauma-Informed Yoga Trainings, and Prison Yoga Project trainings. He now lives in Gainesville and travels back and forth to Colorado, staying connected to the roots of his practice while remaining deeply grounded in the day-to-day life of the studios here.
Alex teaches FLOW and HOT classes, with a special love for FLOW 2. His classes emphasize intelligent sequencing, breath-to-movement, moments of stillness, and thoughtfully curated music - challenging yet accessible, and designed to build both strength and awareness. Leading the Yoga Pod 200-Hour Teacher Training is one of his greatest passions, and he finds deep fulfillment in supporting students as they step confidently into their voice and leadership as teachers.
At his core, Alex believes yoga is a practice of relationship—between mind, body, breath, and spirit—and that when practiced with intention, its impact ripples far beyond the mat.
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Rae Jarboe
OWNER
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Coming Soon
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Dan Carbonell
OWNER
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Coming Soon
Director Team
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Amanda Allen
DIRECTOR OF INFRASTRUCTURE
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Coming Soon
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Emily Tharp Pendley
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
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Emily is the Director of Operations at APEX | Yoga Pod and a lead faculty member in the APEX and FIT Teacher Training Programs. She joined Yoga Pod in 2019 as a student and quickly fell in love with the challenge the classes provided and the community that the studio attracted. She took the first public FIT Teacher Training in 2019 while in graduate school at the University of Florida and continued her fitness education by attending one of the pre-opening APEX Teacher Trainings. During these trainings, Emily realized her passion for teaching group fitness classes and made the decision to follow her heart and pursue fitness as a career. Shortly after completing her Master’s degree in early 2021, Emily began working full time at Yoga Pod, first as an Assistant Manager, then as the Northwest Studio Manager, eventually becoming the Regional Studio Director before being promoted to Director of Operations in 2025.
Emily currently teaches FIT, Sweat, Heat, & Beatz, and APEX classes while also overseeing the entire regional operations of both studio locations, the APEX | Yoga Pod staff, facilitating teacher training, and heading multiple subcommittees including our Athlete Program, Events Team, and Retail Team. She considers this role to be the biggest blessing as it’s a combination of everything she loves: movement, community, teaching, and having fun!
FIT was what initially drew Emily to Yoga Pod, and it’s been the class style that’s kept her heart all these years later. Now, being the Lead Faculty for the FIT Teacher Training program, Emily recognizes the privilege she has of educating others on proper movement patterns, intelligent sequencing, and the joy of moving to the beat of the music. After taking Yoga Pod’s 200hr Teacher Training in Spring 2021, Emily’s respect for FLOW classes grew immensely and she began to slowly identify as a yoga teacher through the Sweat, Heat, & Beatz avenue. Here, the combination of a challenging vinyasa practice combined with the invitation to lean into traditionally non-yogic music feels like home.
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Sage Schaefer
DIRECTOR OF DESIGN
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Sage is the Director of Design at APEX | Yoga Pod and serves as a faculty lead for FIT, HOT, and YIN teacher trainings. She joined the team as a Karma Yogi in 2022 and has steadily progressed into the Leadership team, driven by passion for what we do and who we do it for. In addition to serving our studio community in the front of house and on the mat, Sage holds it down behind-the-scenes as the lead curator of the studio's creative and marketing materials and supports operations through staff training and back-end system development.
Sage has been practicing yoga for nearly 10 years, with hot yoga being her first love, and yin yoga a close second. Upon moving to Gainesville in 2019, seeking out a hot yoga studio was a priority - and she found the perfect place at Yoga Pod. While she tries to incorporate all of our class styles into her routine, she especially loves the HOT practice for the consistent challenge, Beatz for the bumpin’ tunes, and YIN for the introspective pause.
Sage is especially passionate about the mental health benefits of yoga and the constant learning and growth involved in creating an inclusive wellness space, and shares this with the studio community as a lead for FIT, HOT, and YIN teacher trainings. Sharing her love for the practice, helping blossoming teachers find their voice, and creating a safe space for students of all walks of life is a gift.
Outside of the studio, you can find Sage reading a new book, vibing at a concert, playing D&D, or hanging out with her partner and their 3 tabby cats.
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Kyle Snowden
REGIONAL ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
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Lindsey Guarisco
REGIONAL ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
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Taylor Williams
REGIONAL ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
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Coming Soon