Jebbye Bonnet Lemons
E-500 RYT, Owner, Your Pace Yoga Studio, CTTC(IDW/SW) U.S.N. (Retired)
Jebbye Bonnet Lemons ‘25, owner of Your Pace Yoga in Milton, Florida, is redefining what it means to be "military friendly." The retired Navy veteran and UWF alumna has transformed her movement sciences and health training into a business that champions inclusivity in fitness. Through specialized chair yoga and adaptive classes, she creates a safe space for fellow veterans, seniors and those facing mobility limitations to stay active and connected.
What inspired you to open your own yoga studio?
I started doing yoga in 2014. After retiring from the Navy, we moved to Milton, and I began attending yoga classes in Pensacola. The instructor there inspired me to become an instructor myself, and after completing training, I decided to open my own studio in Pace. We offer various classes, my favorite of which is chair yoga, which is helpful for anyone who has trouble getting on the floor or has an injury. Your Pace Yoga Studio recently celebrated seven years. With only about half of small businesses making it past the first five years, this seven-year mark has been a huge success for us.
How did your military experience impact your current path?
I served 23 years in the Navy and retired in 2016 as a Cryptologic Technician Technical Chief. Although I didn’t think that I would be on this path when I retired, I believe that the skills the military taught me have helped me in opening my own business and creating a yoga teacher training program. It also influenced my decision to provide discounts to veterans so that yoga was affordable to them. In 2018, I completed Mindful Resilience Training with Veterans Yoga Project, providing me with information, resources and teachings to help veterans who have been through trauma.
What inspired you to pursue a master’s in movement sciences and health at UWF?
I was looking for an online degree in health and wellness that worked well with my schedule and enabled me to certify as a Certified Health Education Specialist. After researching several programs, I decided to pursue my master’s at UWF. Being a student at UWF was a great experience for me. The course was well laid out, easy to follow and very informative. If there are any students considering the MSH program, I would say go for it. You will learn a lot about creating wellness programs for your community, health behavioral theories, conducting research and promoting your programs.