Our Staff
In addition to yoga and meditation, our team of teachers and assistants bring varied experiences as educators, social workers, mindfulness coaches, and youth recreation leaders. They come to us with a variety of backgrounds, like fine arts and science. Our yogis provide instruction to youth and support staff, promoting self-care and the benefits of yoga and mindfulness. Each class is staffed with a lead teacher and and assistant; all of our staff have experience and training in youth yoga, racial equity, and trauma-aware and healing-focused yoga methods.
Our Organization
We recognize the power dynamics inherent in all systems and strive to be equitable at all levels of our organization. This is why we are choosing to organize as an interdependent nesting circular system rather than hierarchical structure. Every voice is significant and open, feedback, transparency and mobility is a critical part of our organizational structure. We provide ongoing training and development for our staff to support growth, self-care and community. It is our ultimate goal that this organization be staffed in the future by the youth leaders in our programs
MEET OUR STAFF
Raegan R.
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Director of Programs & Yoga Teacher
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Raegan is a Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 500, RPYT, RCYT, YACEP). and holds a BA in Fine Arts. She is a NeuroSomatic Intelligence (NSI) Practitioner; Certified NSI Coach; a Yoga 12 Step Recovery Leader & SpaceHolder; a Brain Longevity®Specialist at the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation; and an Accessible Yoga Ambassador.
Allison C.
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Yoga Teacher
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Allison is a poet and certified yoga instructor who enjoys exploring the ways in which language, movement, and breath can bring people into stronger contact with self and paradoxically greater connection with others.
Christian R.
Yoga Teacher
Christian Ryan is an environmental educator, sustainabilista, a 200hr - RYT yoga teacher, and a 95 hour Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher – Trauma-Informed Focus. She and her hound dog, Grace, have recently realized their dream of making New Orleans home.
Verne K.
Yoga Teacher
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Verne Kemerer has been practicing yoga since 2004 and teaching since 2016. He has taught yoga in New Mexico prisons and facilitated meditation at drop-in centers in Santa Fé & New Orleans. He received
lay Zen ordination in 2023 and continues to serve in
his 20 year career in global health, traveling throughout
Africa and Asia
Ivy P.
Yoga Teacher
Ivy was born and raised in New Orleans, La. She is a MSW, Educator, Certified Yoga Instructor, and owner of Creeya Yoga LLC. Ivy is a firm believer that Yoga is for Everybody and Every Body! "My students come in a variety of shapes, shades, skill levels, sizes, spiritual backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, sexual orientations, social backgrounds, and specialities. Therefore, I strive to offer a Safe Space where ALL are welcome!"
Betsy W.
Yoga Teacher
Betsy is an educator, social worker, certified yoga instructor, and media artist. She teaches media production and studies at Tulane University. Her media work and research focus on social, human, and community issues in New Orleans and on a global level.
James B.
Yoga Assistant
Curriculum Development
Meditation Teacher
James is a New Orleans native and local group meditation host. His passion is for people, and for implementing, sharing, and experiencing various ways to deeply enjoy life.
Nicole R.
Director of Strategic Partnerships
& Yoga Teacher
Nicole, LMSW, CIHC is a long-time yogi with extensive professional experience as a social worker in the criminal justice system. She is 200 hr- RYT certified and is a music, nature and justice enthusiast!
Diana S.
Yoga Teacher
Diana is a performing artist, writer, director, producer and arts educator. She is a certified Kripalu Yoga instructor with a focus on trauma recovery. She has had both specialized training and experience working with incarcerated youth, homeless youth, veterans, the elderly and students of the Arts.
Victoria C.
Yoga Assistant
Victoria, LMSW, is a Bay Area native with a passion for approaching mental health care from a holistic perspective. They enjoy photography, live music, and hanging out with their two cats, Huxley and Ozzy.
Steve K.
Yoga Teacher
Steven is a yoga instructor, musician, and loves being in nature. He is a volunteer at a local hospital co-hosting a Wellness Group program. Steven gratefully shares music therapy, meditation and chair yoga. He has a passion for sharing his practice to help others feel a sense of peace and reconnect to Self.
Co-Founder/ Director of Operations and Strategic Initiatives.
Ex-Officio Board member
Camille B.
Camille has been working with youth across the Gulf Coast since 1998, as an art teacher, as a K-12 Literacy Consultant, and as a yoga teacher.
She is a 500Hr RYT YA-certified yoga teacher with trauma-informed and youth-yoga training. She earned her MA in Organization Design and Renewal from Seattle University and an MA in art from Texas Tech University.
Julie H.
Yoga Teacher & Outreach
Julie CHLPN, 200 RYT, CTT, AA TV/MPP, is a dedicated Wellness & Fitness provider of 34+ years, she specializes in serving underserved populations For 34+ years, she has served as a Yoga Instructor and Nurse in the specialty of Hospice and Palliative, Grief Recovery and Therapeutic Breathcare, Mindfulness and Meditation. Certified in a variety of healing modalities and endorsed by the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA). Julie proudly served on the National Yoga Alliance Education Committee for 4 years and aims to create an environment of non-judgment and inviting space for all ages and stages as a self-care advocate and peaceful wellness activist.
Lee L.
Yoga Teacher
Lee, born and raised in New Orleans, is full of passion and enthusiasm. They focus on accessibility, personal expression, and freedom so that students can grow at their own pace and in their own way. Lee is a certified yoga teacher and Teacher trainer, and is a co-founder of Crescent City Yoga
Diana T
Yoga Teacher
Diana has been a practitioner of yoga for over a decade and teaching for 2+ years. She received a 200 hr power vinyasa certificate from Yoga to the People in NYC. She is an advocate for the wellness that can be attained through yoga and is passionate about sharing this with a youth community..
Emilia A.
Teacher Training Curriculum Development
Emilia is a multilingual, skilled educator with expertise in public health and youth development.
As an alignment-focused Hatha yoga teacher and Yamuna® Body Rolling instructor, she enjoys helping others to reconnect to Self and break down barriers to the free flow of energy.
MEET OUR BOARD
Lacey B.
Board Member
Lacey is an attorney with Mental Health and Child Advocacy Service serving Orleans Parish. She is a children's attorney who has worked extensively in matters involving child abuse and neglect. She also has experience as a CASA volunteer.
She is a member of the American Bar Family Law Section, the Louisiana Bar Association, the Southwest Louisiana Bar Association, and the Louis A Martinet Society. She earned her J.D. in 2013 from Louisiana State University’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center, and her B.A. in 2010 from Southeastern Louisiana University, where she was a member of Sigma Gamma Rho.
Bonita D.
Co-Founder, Interim Board Chair
Bonita received her BFA from LSU and an MFA from Tulane University. She is a certified Hatha yoga instructor, and also trained in Kundalini Yoga at Golden Bridge in India. Bonita has trained in Kundalini Yoga Therapy, youth yoga and trauma-informed yoga.
Bonita is a studio artist and a successful Real Estate Agent for the past 20 years, and is also studying to be a Jungian Life Coach .
Cameron D.
Board member
Cameron received her undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice and focuses her efforts on Restorative Justice in her community. Her goal is to help others using her personal experience and knowledge to make her community a better place. Cameron is a Social Justice Adviocate with FFLIC and she is FFLIC's Youth Organizing Manager for Black Girls Rising, She is a Rastafarian Womban who loves music, shooting pool, and sight seeing.
Kala R.
Board Member
Kala is a U.S. army veteran, global citizen, is a certified yoga teacher, and a public practitioner who answered the call to serve her community through holistic wellness and community-based services. She earned her MPH from Tulane University in International Health and Development with a certificate in Disaster Management, a B.S from Dillard University in Public Health, and a certificate from Georgetown University in Executive Coaching. For the past 15 years, Kala has worked with communities across the U.S. and internationally supporting various pillars of public health related work.
Kala is an entrepreneur who currently works as a public health consultant and executive/health coach.
Heather E.
Board Member
Heather is passionate about human rights and restorative justice, as a means of reducing incarceration and racial discrimination in the criminal justice system. She is a human right attorney with experience in impact investing, with a focus on innovative investments that effect positive social and environmental impact. Heather received her J.D., summa cum laude, from The George Washington University Law School, and she earned her B.A. in Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy at the James Madison College of Michigan State University.
Courtney S.
Board Secretary
Courtney has worked in juvenile law for 17 years. In 2013, she helped establish a yoga program at Rivarde Detention Center and has experienced first hand the positive effects of yoga on youth.
She graduated from Louisiana State University and Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. She lives in the Irish Channel with her rescue dog, Waffles. Her interests include juvenile, criminal and social justice, running, yoga, current events, and LSU and Saints football.