Kim Paolucci
Director of Operations & People, Co-Owner
Kim grew up in East Hartford, CT. The Connecticut shoreline is where I first fell in love with the water—exploring the coast, wondering what was beyond the horizon, and developing a sense that there was always more out there to discover.
In my early 20s, I found yoga workout DVDs—Crunch: The Perfect Yoga Workout, The Joy of Yoga and Fat-Burning Yog— and she was hooked. She practiced every day and noticed how yoga built a different kind of strength while also quieting her anxious mind. It was her first glimpse of how movement could be both powerful and calming—and she has kept coming back to that ever since.
Doing hot yoga brought a new kind of love for the practice. Kim hated every moment of her first class and silently cursed the friend who brought her there. But when she walked out, she felt something new—a rush and exhilaration coupled with an incredible sense of deep relaxation. She wanted to go back. She learned that her breath and my body were tools she could use to stay with herself.
Over the years, in exploring different practices, her mat has become a safe place to explore who she is. It is a space to try on different parts of herself, notice where she wants to grow, recognize what she’s ready to release, and then begin again.
Kim is here to journey with others toward recognizing their own capacity. Because she sees her mat as that safe place, she loves creating that space for her students too—a place to notice their patterns, experiment with a different approach, and perhaps take something they discover on the mat with them when they leave.
She is excited to create this kind of space here in Hillsborough—where I live and am growing a family. Her hope for Begin Again is that it gives people a space to move. She wants it to be a place for people across the age spectrum, from different backgrounds, those of us who are a little unconventional socially, and those of us who are more typical. A place where you don't have to fit a certain mold to belong.
Kim hopes that Begin Again gives us a space to become aware and listen to ourselves consciously, with intention.
When she is not teaching or running operations at Begin Again, you can find her at the beach, on an RV trip with her family, or out exploring new places. She loves her three cats, who like to tag along on family walks. She also enjoys supporting her community through her job with Habitat for Humanity, Orange County.
Contact Kim at kim@beginagainyoganc.com
Hannah Ford
Studio & Communications Manager
Hannah spent her first 26 years of life in Kentucky, growing up primarily in the suburbs of Louisville and with deep roots in the eastern, Appalachian area of the state.
After retiring from her gymnastics career at the ripe old age of eleven, Hannah stumbled upon a Denise Austin Pilates and Yoga DVD (or was it a videocassette?) and wore it out over the next ten years as she struggled to be in her growing body. Like gymnastics, yoga and Pilates made her feel strong in her body and clear in her mind—the repetition, challenge, and smooth patterning were a respite for her over-academic focus and perfectionist tendencies.
When she was 20, she was introduced to Yoga Nidra in a college class comparing contemplative traditions, and she was immediately fascinated by its ability to bring her into a not-asleep-but-not-awake transformative state. She found deep rest and stillness in a new way, but practiced irregularly.
At 21, Hannah found traditional hot yoga and experienced the bliss that came from sweat, breath, focus, and the building of physical strength. She continued for seven years before entering yoga teacher training in 2012 through MindBody Centering Yoga in Durham, NC. During this time her love for Yoga Nidra was re-awakened and she went more deeply into the philosophy of Ashtanga. She found Yin and Restorative practices to calm her nervous system. She delved into the effects of trauma on the body and the spirit and learned about yoga as a healing modality that extends far beyond the physical realm.
In 2013, Hannah finished her yoga teacher training while she finished divinity school— her love for embodied spiritual practice is at the heart of her work in the world. Since then, she has worn many hats while traveling a winding, woven path. She is a mother, a trained death doula, sound healer, writer, cancer survivor and spiritual health consultant. You’ll find her leading yoga nidra, sound experiences, creative movement classes, and running the day-to-day operations of Begin Again. She loves to hear your stories over a warm beverage and is thrilled to be a part of this charming community.
Contact us if you are interested in a conversation about joining our team of movement and meditation teachers!