JennyBess (RYT-500) is the founder of Santosha at Hillholm Estate in Kingfield, ME. Formerly a corporate attorney with Latham & Watkins LLP, JennyBess left her law practice on a path of entrepreneurship. JennyBess is a graduate of Middlebury College and Boston University School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts and Maine. She is also a certified mediator trained in collaborative dispute resolution. JennyBess is pursuing her Master of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School (MDiv ‘26) where she studies the intersection of meditative states and psychedelic experiences. She serves as a chaplain at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham & Women’s Faulkner Hospital Ketamine Clinic. She has practiced yoga for 15+ years. With deep gratitude to her teachers, she certified to teach yoga with ShambhavAnanda Konalani (RYT-200) and with Caroline Wybar (RYT-500). She is also an essayist and the founder of the Santosha Writers’ Sangha. JennyBess’ happiest place, though, is in our kitchens. Outside Santosha, she lives in coastal Phippsburg, ME, with her two doodles, she enjoys grooving to the Grateful Dead in thick wool socks on the kitchen dance floor.

Connect with JB here.

Born and raised in Maine, Matt (RYT-500; yoga therapy YTT-1,000) graduated from Holy Cross and earned an MFA in poetry from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In 2004, he and Camille Dungy cofounded From the Fishouse, a non-profit audio archive of emerging poets that focuses on the oral tradition of poetry. A former collegiate rower and football player, Matt turned his focus to running, cycling, and yoga. He holds Professional Ski Instructor of America Level 3 certification in alpine and telemark; Professional Mountain Bike Instructor Association Level 1 certification; is a certified Spinning instructor; and a qualified TRX trainer. Matt joined JB full time at Santosha in July 2022 after more than twenty-two years at Bowdoin College, where he was editor of Bowdoin Magazine, and where he directed a telemark and learn-to-ski program for the Bowdoin Outing Club.

Connect with Matt here.

(Photo courtesy of Tara Rice.)

Carrie (LMT) is a licensed massage therapist, certified Reiki II practitioner, and the proud mother to a wicked cool Maine graduate student. She grew up in Moscow, ME, a tiny village nestled along the Kennebec River and the eastern shores of Wyman Lake. She spent her childhood days playing outside in the woods and on the water. In these places, she still feels most at home. Always intrigued by the healing power of touch, Carrie studied Reiki in 2006. Her training ultimately led her to leave a career in teaching and attend massage school in 2010. She received her certificate in Holistic Massage from Namaste Institute and has been in private practice ever since. Carrie uses energy and intuition to guide her massage as she works toward the goals of each client. Sessions are often a combination of slow flow massage with deep tissue focus where necessary, generating relaxation and movement in tight areas while awakening weaker, sleepier muscles. Carrie’s work is rooted in her intention to create flow, balance, movement, and freedom for each individual client.

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Emily (RYT-200) is a yoga instructor and certified Ayurvedic Health Advisor (500+ hr). She grew up on the coast of Maine where nature was her playground. After an education and career in marketing, her adventurous spirit led her to vanlife in 2012. For 7 years, she drove in circles around North America, surfing, mountain biking, storytelling, growing community, and gathering ancient practices for optimal health. Her journey connected her to teachers including Dr. Amruta Athale, Simon Borg-Olivier, Carlisle Amlak, and Zaplin Vermie. The lifestyle of constant travel, plus website development and social media influencer work, challenged her with burnout. Now she's passionate about sharing yoga and Ayurveda to support humanity. Emily lives in Kingfield, ME with her partner, toddler, and dog. And a converted skoolie sits in her driveway, ready for the next adventure.

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Alex (RYT-200) moved to Maine from Massachusetts in 2022 and never looked back (except to visit family, of course). Alex had the honor of obtaining her certification to teach yoga in Rishikesh, India. She also holds a Bachelor's degree in Biology, motorcycle and bartending licenses, and has professional experience in carpentry, wedding photography, and hospitality. In her free time, she participates in burrito-eating contests and runs marathons (not simultaneously, yet).

Connect with Alex here.

Kat (RYT-200) is a Registered Maine Guide, private pilot, and certified yoga teacher who rarely says no to a good adventure. When Kat isn't helping people get curious about the natural world as a means to deepen their relationship with themselves, she is off exploring with friends, or she's hunkered down, working remotely from her off-grid yurt where she lives with her son, George. Kat's teaching style and drive for founding Juniper Moss Guide Services, LLC are rooted in the decade she spent as a PSIA/AASI certified ski and snowboard coach. Alongside snowboarding and XC skiing, Kat enjoys snowshoeing, hiking in all seasons, camping, paddling, gravel biking, experimenting in the kitchen, finding creative solutions to challenging problems, and getting cozy with a good book.

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Holly (RYT-200) has been teaching both yoga and barre classes in the Greater Portland region since 2014. Her teaching style is rooted in alignment and strengthening functional movement through intelligent sequencing. Holly’s classes consistently showcase her dry sense of humor, solid playlist-building abilities, and her fierce aspiration always to speak with intention and clarity.

Connect with Holly here.

Sue originally hails from Germany: her mother is German and her American father served in the U.S. Navy. After moving across the globe with her four siblings—from Puerto Rico to Maine—Sue landed at Sugarloaf in 1987 and worked in hospitality at the mountain resort for more than 30 years. There, Sue served as a board member for nine years for the Special Olympics, and she cofounded the Fred Webster Snow Softball Tournament in support of that mission, raising more than $1,000,000 in proceeds for the cause. Her passion, though, is farming and cooking: she has fond memories of gardening with her father as a child in Maryland. Her farm in New Portland, ME, a stone’s throw from Hillholm Estate, opened in 1991. She loves to cook homegrown nosh for her mother, siblings, two daughters, and the.r families When she’s not in Hillholm’s kitchens, you can find Sue on the Nordic ski trails of the Carrabassett Valley, snowshoeing, or spending time in Nature.

Connect with Sue here.

Sakari, a native of Kingfield, ME, grew up just a stone’s throw from Santosha. A member of Mount Abram Regional High School, Class of 2026, Sakari spends most of her time playing Varsity and JV basketball and softball. The youngest of five siblings, Sakari loves to spend time with friends in downtown Kingfield.

Connect with Sakari here.

Jayden joins us from Phillips, ME, and is a member of the Class of 2025 at Mount Abram Regional High School. She loves art, English, and science classes most in school, and after she graduates, she hopes to be a professional artist or work in nature. She keeps herself busy outside Santosha by playing video games, crafting and drawing, and camping.

Connect with Jayden here.

Joselyn hails from Strong, ME, and is a member of the Class of 2025 at Mount Abram Regional High School. She throws javelin, discus, and shotput on the Track and Field team. She loves her Pre-Engineering coursework and she hopes to be a mechanical engineer or a wildlife biologist.

Connect with Joselyn here.

Kristin has a long, meaningful relationship with Hillholm as the Assistant Innkeeper and Bar Manager for the better part of the last decade. Although she has moved on to build a career in renewable energy systems, Kristin is known throughout the community for making her extraordinary shrubs, used in many of our craft cocktails and mocktails. Kristin also cofounded Precessional Apothecary. Kristin’s work embodies Santosha’s philosophy in encouraging women to create, grow, and nurture businesses that focus on reconnection to nature, spirit, and community.

Connect with Kristin here.

Trinity, born and raised in nearby Farmington, ME, now hails from Salem Township, ME. A member of Mount Abram Regional High School, Class of 2025, Trinity is a talented math student, graduating early and hoping to attend college to study Business and Finance. When she’s not here with us at Hillholm, Trinity enjoys painting, spending time with her little sister, and swimming with friends at the dam in downtown Kingfield.

Connect with Trinity here.

Kai hails from Strong, ME, where she lives with her family, all longtime Mainers. She is a graduate of Mount Abram Regional High School. Kai’s extensive background in housekeeping, especially at nearby Sugarloaf Mountain Resort and properties in the Carrabassett Valley, is an incredible asset for Santosha. She is hard working, detail oriented, and efficient, always working to prioritize our guests’ needs. She loves spending time with her partner and their two cats, crafting, drawing, camping, and watching horror movies.

Connect with Kai here.

Mary, hailing from North Anson, is a member of Carrabec High School, Class of 2025. She loves art class and plays soccer for Carrabec. The youngest of nine siblings, she loves painting and drawing, and spending time with family and friends.

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Matt Ellsworth hails from Strong, ME, and is a member of Mount Abram Regional High School, Class of 2025. You’ll find him all over Hillholm, taking care of everything from construction projects to snow removal. Matt’s favorite schoolwork relates to metal fabrication, and after graduation, he hopes to work in the automotive industry. His top three interests? “Working on vehicles, working on vehicles, working on vehicles.” He couldn’t help but include this photo of the beloved vintage truck he’s restoring.

Connect with Matt here.

Claudia is a registered nurse who has a passion for travel, music, and food. She also loves to spend a lot of time with her adorable cats. She has a varied career history, starting with nursing and moving on to customer service, becoming a quality analyst, finally working her way up to the role of team leader. Her experiences have helped her become a better listener, problem, solver, and decision-maker. She takes pride in her career and strives to make a positive difference in the lives of our guests. We truly don’t know what we’d do without her.

Connect with Claudia here.

Pamplemousse, one of our two house doodles, brings more than 12 years of expertise in key strategic roles, including teaching sustainable gleaning practices (from the floor); athletic endurance training using advanced tennis ball methodologies; and modeling the benefits of vulnerability by showing our softer sides to the world (rub my belly) to establish meaningful, soulful connections. A lifelong adventurer, Pamps has lived aboard a sailboat and even crossed the Atlantic Ocean in her quest for living her best, most authentic life. When she’s not busy breaking hearts, she loves long walks on the beach, romantic snuggles on the couch, and heavy petting.

Connect with Pamps directly, hand to belly.

Since December 2021 when Winnie joined our team, she has demonstrated a keen set of skills in security systems management. Winnie brings boundless enthusiasm to her role. Winnie has implemented audible alert protocols with respect to the following everyday situations involving human resources on site: people entering and leaving the premises; people walking toward the pups or away from the pups, or people just walking in general; people who may be holding food in hand; encounters with vehicles, cyclists, squirrels, and shadows; and plenty more. The zeal with which Winnie fulfills her role is unparalleled. We credit her oversized ears for her vigilance.

Connect with Winnie directly, prepared for a tail that truly wags a dog.