True Nature Team
Joshua Canter
Founder and Director
Joshua is the Founder and Director of True Nature. Growing up in Los Angeles, he was worlds away from the small village of La Florida, Costa Rica, where True Nature began as an Intentional Community and Retreat Center in 2003. Along with traveling the world while supporting and leading retreats, Joshua also is a teacher of Mindfulness Meditation, a writer, musician, and holds a Masters in Contemplative Psychology. In the past few years, his practice has shifted with a focus on the Yoga of Raising Family. Joshua lives in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina with his wife Luna and two daughters Jaya and Sasha.
Joshua’s True Nature
My True Nature lies in the depth of the present moment. Whether I am on a silent retreat, snowboarding a peak in the Sierra’s, engaged in a competitive tennis match, or dancing with my daughter; I am most alive, when I in the Here and Now, living my life.
Prema
Director of Participant Operations
Prema's love of travel started at an early age on trips with her family. That passion carried over into her career. She has years of experience in the travel and retreat industry including being a destination representative, retreat reservations manager, and business development director. Prema firmly believes in the power of travel to reset one's life through intention, presence and openness. She has lived and worked in Latin America for over 35 years and currently resides in the Maya Heartland ~ Lake Atitlan, Guatemala with her husband and cat.
Prema’s True Nature
My True Nature is nourished when I am in the silence and beauty of nature. My 'happy place' is discovering new places to hike, birdwatching, sharing a meal with friends, creating herbal tinctures and designing jewelry.
Lola Rephann
Participant Operations Coordinator
Lola has been travelling since she was an infant. Raised bi-culturally in Peru and the United States, by the time she was a teenager, she had already experienced several countries in Europe and Latin America.
Later in life, a stint as an international touring house and techno DJ took her to many more countries. Presently, as a travelling yoga teacher and transformational event leader, she has the honor and privilege to travel and live part-time in Costa Rica, where she owns a home in Montezuma, on the Nicoya Peninsula.
A passionate yoga teacher, meditation guide, and practicing coach using the modalities of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, creative visualization, and somatic processing, Lola escaped a 20+ year corporate career in New York City and found her true nature as a yogi. She is grateful every day that she found her dharma and lives an aligned life helping others find theirs.
Lola's True Nature
My True Nature is inquisitive, freedom-loving, creative, intuitive, and empathic. I am happiest when learning, moving, sharing yoga, being in nature, and spending time with my rescue dogs.
Jessica Grion
Retreat Coordinator
She/Her/Hers
Jessica thrives on adventure and new experiences. She has spent many years facilitating retreat operations and large-scale events. She was blessed from a young age with the opportunity to travel and experience many outdoor adventures.
Jessica’s True Nature
Live music, dancing, and spending time in nature with my family!
Tori Allenspach
Retreat Coordinator
She/Her/Hers
Tori’s love for exploring the world was ignited when she left her hometown in Southern California to work out of the Denver airport as a flight attendant in her early twenties. She was moved by witnessing different ways of living, cultures, and how the art of travel can broaden our limited perception and open us up to what is greater than our own selves. During this time, she became a devoted yoga practitioner, sparking the beginning of her career in teaching, yoga studio management, and now retreat operations. She is full of gratitude for having found herself in a sector of work that provides her with the opportunity to lead and curate the kinds of experiences that she has been so changed by. Tori is also a writer and poet who finds inspiration for her work in anything from the most mundane of moments to the grandest of adventures.
After living in Colorado for many years and falling irrevocably in love with the mountains, she has now joyously landed amongst the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, NC.
Tori’s True Nature
Making sense of the human experience through pen and paper, the quiet solace of the mountains and forest, belly laughter with loved ones, bare feet on the earth, and finding union with breath and body atop a sticky rectangular piece of rubber.
Claire Good
Retreat Coordinator
Claire grew up in Northeast England. Her childhood family vacations in the Greek Isles inspired her passion for exploring other countries and cultures. In school, Claire studied French and German, and lived in Germany for four years. After living and traveling throughout Europe, in 1991, Claire finally settled in America to raise her beautiful daughter. Drawn equally by glorious mountain living and the city’s culture, Claire moved from Dayton, OH to Asheville, NC in 2019. Claire is a Functional Medicine Health Coach and has taught Yoga & Meditation since 2012. She loves facilitating, participating in, and leading retreats. Claire is passionate about creating supportive, nourishing and healing spaces for others. She spends her time enjoying the outdoors, listening to live music, and riding cross country on two or four wheels!!
Claire’s True Nature
Adventure! Learning! Spending time with my daughter and other loved ones. Music, dance, movement, laughing, being connected with nature. …Being anchored in my calm, clear Yoga Mindset.
Erika Lawrence
Marketing Associate
Erika’s passion for marketing and travel began during her time at the University of Delaware, where she studied marketing and operations management. Her love for travel was sparked while studying abroad in London, an experience that gave her a new perspective on the world. Erika believes that immersing yourself in new cultures is invaluable and that travel has the power to transform lives.
When she’s not crafting campaigns for True Nature, Erika enjoys taking dance classes in Washington, D.C., attending concerts, and spending time with her husband Nick and their dog Tito. Whether traveling to see live music or exploring new destinations, Erika is always seeking new experiences with the people she loves most.
Erika’s True Nature
My True Nature is experiencing new places and adventures with the people I love, whether exploring nature, trying a new hobby, or discovering a new city.
Bridget Felix
Travel and Wellness Program Specialist
Bridget's two greatest passions are health and travel. Since 1999, she has been a flight attendant for a major US airline, eagerly exploring new corners of the globe whenever she can. She holds a degree in Recreation and Tourism Management from Arizona State University and is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach as well as an ADAPT Certified Functional Health Coach. Bridget believes that travel on its own can be a transformative experience, but when intertwined with yoga, mindfulness, adventure, service, and/or education, the potential for personal growth becomes truly limitless. She lives in the beautiful mountains of Asheville, NC, with her husband and two sons.
Bridget’s True Nature
Being in the present moment, connecting with nature, hiking, rock climbing, dancing, seeing live music, snuggling with my boys, traveling to new places, and the quiet, creative moments when new ideas take root.
Jude Suarez
Marketing Designer
Jude Suarez is a marketing designer and an art director from the Philippines, with experience working in Australia and Malta. Passionate about branding, web design, and digital marketing, Jude has worked with multicultural companies in diverse industries creating standout campaigns. Outside of work, Jude has a deep love for modern ballet, cycling, and travel.
Jude’s True Nature
I have a natural desire and motivation to transform art, whether it's through performance or media, by drawing inspiration from music. I love creating works that are deeply influenced by the power and emotion of music.
Yoshi Aono
Finance, Vision, and Strategy Development
Yoshi is a mindfulness visionary, company builder, musician and humanitarian, whose mission is to bring high-level presence and consciousness into global entrepreneurship and community. Through his passion for music and communal wellness, he has participated in various social impact projects around the world. His humanitarian work has led him to Africa, Haiti, Cambodia, Thailand, Peru, India, Bali and Louisiana. He has coordinated and led tent city aid distribution projects along with leading teams into disaster zones.
Yoshi is the founder of the Hanuman Community (Festival, Academy, and Adventures). He serves on the Yoga Alliance Board of Directors. Throughout his professional career, Yoshi has served as CEO for various mid-sized companies, with his deep understanding of vision and brand development along with strategic road-mapping to help pave the way for impact and success. He is also a 45-year student of the guitar.
Yoshi's True Nature: My True Nature is where my highest expression flows through without any walls or blockages. It is a place where I feel the utmost presence in this life.
Mark Moffitt
IT /Web Developer
Mark is a full scale web developer from the coast of North Carolina. Mark started his career in Atlanta, GA and continued to develop his skills in Los Angeles, CA. Seeking a quieter lifestyle Mark returned to one of his favorite places in WNC to take up a more permanent residence and develop a more peaceful and calming spirit.
Mark's True Nature
Animal rescuer, fermenter, cheesemaker, amateur mycologist, brewer and new media enthusiast.
Jenny Oviedo
Senior International Guide
Jenny is a naturalist tour guide who loves her job and enjoys sharing her knowledge with new friends. Her love for nature, people, and languages has given her the opportunity to be involved in many people's experiences around the world. Her academic adventure in life started with her first major, which was a bachelors degree in English as a Second Language from the University of Costa Rica. Jenny enjoys spending time with her son, going to the movies, running, hiking, and traveling.
Jenny's True Nature
When I'm able to relax and enjoy the moment. I've learned that life is very beautiful if you just let go of your worries and trust that everything is gonna be fine. The universe has great things for all of us; we just need to be open enough to actually see it.
Marcela Leon
Senior International Guide
She is a naturalist guide in Costa Rica and has loved nature since she was a little girl. She loves to share her culture with people and share those moments of discovery that we all have when we travel. She loves photography and high impact training as well as pilates, yoga, hiking, and traveling.
Marcela's True Nature
Comes from learning about native traditions and the beautiful way people live life and the connection they have with nature.
"I like to take a little bit from teachings and traditions around the world, helping me to become a better person and to help others to feel good and happy every day."
Julian Sasari
Senior International Guide (Peru)
Julian is an Andean guide from Peru who has spent his life connecting with the spiritual wisdom of his ancestors and now shares those experiences with others. Growing up in a small Quechua village south of Cusco grounded him with a deep sense of community and a profound respect for Pachamama (mother earth) and the Apus (mountain spirits).
Julian's True Nature
Tending his family's land and exploring the healing potential of plant medicines.
