Candace Lites, born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, was introduced to yoga in high school so that she could maintain balance and flexibility during the offseason of competitive cheerleading and track and field. No longer a student-athlete, she recognized years ago that yoga is much more than a supplement to competitive sports and training. As such, she decided to deepen her commitment to her yoga practice, which led to her completing 200-hour teacher training in February 2024.