Introduction: With over 10 years as a competitive gymnast and another 10 years coaching, my athletic ability came to an abrupt halt in 2000 when I had to have a spinal fusion. After 2 years of recovery, I was looking for something to ease my back pain and regain flexibility & physical strength. I discovered yoga in 2002, fell in love with the practice and quickly realized it is so much more than physical ability, but a path to free the mind from its incessant chatter. Embarking on this journey meant a lifelong quest for self-knowledge, love, and humility. In 2010 the opportunity was presented to live in India, work for an NGO and get my yoga teaching certification at Chennai Yoga Mission, Tamil Nadu Physical Education & Sports University of India. My practice draws influences from Hatha, Iyengar, Ashtanga and Kundalini. India left such an impression; it inspired me to establish a nonprofit organization that connects and inspires kids around the world to initiate positive change through service, and opened the first Kids Club for at-risk youth in 2011 in Uvita, Costa Rica, where I take student groups on service trips each year.
I love to share the practice of yoga in all its forms because it exemplifies the interconnectedness of all things, opening our hearts to a profound universal love, changing lives to experience the divine consciousness within.
