“ On occasion a teacher will tell me if one of my students is labeled ADD or ADHD. In performing tree pose preparations, I suggested kids use the wall as a prop. The child who is labeled ADHD told me, "I need to focus". So, I asked him, "What do you want to request of the group?" He said, "I request quiet so that I can focus." The class fell silent and I stood in front of the child while he practiced the pose. After he did it, I asked him how he felt and he said, "I feel real quiet now." The class gathered around him and gave him a high five. ”
4th grade TWI teacher at Creekside Elementary
“ During savasana, I was explaining that each student had within their soul a wise teacher and a creative genius. After a quiet few minutes, one boy with his eyes still closed, blurted out loud that his creative self was talking very loudly inside and wouldn't stop but that his wise self was asleep…”
3rd grade TWI teacher at Peak to Peak Charter School
Mission Statement
The mission of The Wellness Initiative is to improve the physical, mental and emotional health of children and young adults through integrated yoga, nutrition and stress reduction wellness programs.
Wellness Team |
Board of
Directors Board of
Advisors |
The Wellness Team
Mara Rose
Mara Rose, an experienced educator and social entrepreneur, is the new Executive Director of The Wellness Initiative. Prior to moving to Colorado in 2007, Mara spent ten years living and working in New York City. Most recently, Mara was the Director of Social Entrepreneurship at NYU's Stern School of Business, where she provided seed funding, business planning support, and networking opportunities to student and alumni social entrepreneurs.Mara’s previous work experience includes assisting with new school startup and expansion as part of the New York City Department of Education’s “Children First” reform program; conducting organizational development and human capital management research with Deloitte; producing educational software at Scholastic; and teaching at the Beacon School in Oakland, California. In addition, Mara was the Executive Director of Playing2Win, a community technology center in Harlem.
Mara received a BA in Religious Studies from Macalester College, an MA in Education from Columbia University's Teachers College, and an MBA from Columbia Business School. Mara was first introduced to yoga in 1992 while studying abroad in India and is thrilled to be part of an organization that brings the tools and experience of yoga to students and teachers in Colorado. Mara lives in Boulder, Colorado with her husband, Andrew, and three-year old son, David.
Mara can be reached at mara@wellnessinitiative.org.
Heather is the Volunteer Coordinator at The Wellness Initiative. She has lived in Denver for fourteen years and is a mother, wife, social worker, and yoga teacher in the community.Heather has worked for several nonprofit organizations providing counseling, facilitating groups, program development and project management. She was drawn to yoga fourteen years ago when working with adolescents who had been abused and neglected. Yoga became a practice that helped to balance her mind and body. She became certified to teach in 2001 and has incorporated yoga into many therapeutic settings since that time.
Heather graduated from undergraduate school at Colorado State University and completed her MSW from The University of Denver in 1997. She currently lives in Denver with her husband, Chris, and her two beautiful daughters, Rhae and Isabella.
Heather can be reached at heather@wellnessinitiative.org.
Amy is a credentialed high school teacher with over eight years of experience working on the Navajo Reservation as an Americorps volunteer in Arizona, in the inner city of Los Angeles, and in rural Boulder County. Amy began practicing yoga in 1998 and has completed Yoga Angels Level one and two teacher training in Los Angeles as well as the Yoga Alliance teacher training at Denver's Samadhi Center for Yoga.Amy is inspired to teach because she wants to cultivate more peace in the world. Practicing yoga helps her not only soften toward her own true nature, but also to find more gentleness with each person she encounters, thus living the truth in Thich Nhat Hanh's motto, "Peace in oneself, peace in the world."
Amy has gratitude each day for the overwhelming joy she feels parenting Santiago, her 8 month old, expanding in relationship with her soul mate and husband, Thomas, nurturing her sacred relationships with family and friends and embracing each moment as mindfully as possible. She is honored to be part of The Wellness Initiative team.
Amy can be reached at amymcmaster@hotmail.com.
Kristen is an optometrist and certified adult and children's yoga teacher. Kristen began practicing yoga in Charleston, SC and loved the balance of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual components it naturally provides. She has since practiced various styles of yoga, and continues to learn and grow through each unique yoga experience.Kristen's yoga training include Yoga Ed with Lori Bergi, YogaAngels, Yoga Kids, and Holy Cow yoga center. Her playful, yet centering classes may include a blend of poses, chants, affirmations, breath, and games to uplift and inspire children to live in their highest potential.
Kristen is the author of Kids Angel Chakra Meditation audio CD and 2 upcoming books for children. She passionately strives to educate children and adults regarding appropriate choices for their health and well-being. Kristen has been practicing optometry since 1998 with special study in children's vision and holistic health.
Kristen is excited to be teaching children in the Boulder area with The Wellness Initiative and grateful for such an amazing, supportive environment.
Kristen can be reached at eyesintoyoursoul@hotmail.com. Website: www.bepresentkidsyoga.com
Erin's love of yoga began while living in Santiago, Chile, teaching English. She then traveled to India to seek direct instruction from senior teacher Vinod Dulal of the BKS Iyengar Institute in Puna and Karen Haberman in Auroville. In 2001, Erin received her MAT from Lewis and Clark College in Portland,OR, where she taught yoga to adults and her classroom students until June 2007. Erin now calls Boulder her home, and teaches at Meadowlark Preschool. Erin believes that yoga itself is the true teacher, which helps her to recognize wonder and joy in the world. Her dedication to yoga continues to be supported by the personal growth inherent in a practice.Erin can be reached at erincameron29@hotmail.com.
Michelle teaches TWI's program for teenage moms at Denver's Florence Crittenton School. She has been teaching yoga since 1996, and practicing since 1992. Her main teachers have been John Friend (Anusara) and Richard Freeman (Ashtanga). She studied with Pattabhi Jois in May 2000. She holds a master's degree in psychotherapy, and has presented at several psychological conferences on mental health and yoga. She works at The Children's Hospital (TCH) in Denver as a yoga therapist in the Ponzio Creative Arts Therapy program. She is also involved in research exploring the benefits of yoga for adolescents with physical and mental health concerns at TCH, and teaches yoga to teen moms through Denver Public Schools. Her goal is to provide yoga to kids of all ages as a way to develop strong bodies, sharp minds and resiliency.Michelle can be reached at mjfury@hotmail.com.
Elie was first introduced to yoga in 1995 where she was a counselor in a children's home. An outside teacher brought yoga into the group home for the children to try. Elie instantly loved yoga. Elie spent over six years working with children and their families. She worked as a counselor in the residential treatment setting as well as in lock down juvenile facilities. Elie was a case manager for young mothers attempting to break their drug addictions. Elie went on to serve as a caseworker doing Child Protection for Adams County Social ServicesElie battled her own demons in her teens and early twenties, which lead her to a path of recovery from alcohol addiction. Elie has been sober now for over 12 years. She feels that yoga is a natural extension for a recovering person.
Elie Johnson is a dedicated wife and mother of three. She is now a stay at home mother with her three children ages 8, 2, and 8 months. She has made yoga a regular part of her own children's lives and loves bringing the many gifts yoga has to offer to those whom might not encounter it. Yoga has allowed her to continue a path of soul searching and introspection as well as broadening her spirituality and physically challenging herself. Elie views yoga itself as a great teacher. Elie teaches Power, Vinyassa, Mommy and Me and pre and postnatal yoga. She is a certified yoga instructor. Elie completed her teacher training program through Samadhi Center for Yoga in Denver, Colorado. Elie resides in Parkhill and is a Denver native. She feels very strongly about bringing yoga to the children of her community!
Elie hopes to continue her yogic journey with a childlike curiosity and willingness for constant change.
Elie is honored to be included among an amazing list of gifted and experienced teachers with an organization with such pure intent!
Elie can be reached at elie@elieanddavid.com.
Allyson Levine is a Colorado native who grew up in Evergreen. She has studied yoga for over seven years and holds both Vinyasa and Yoga Ed. certifications. She also has received the Anusara-Inspired designation. Allyson currently teaches for TWI at Colfax Elementary and the New America School. She also teaches weekly classes at Park Hill Elementary and Rodef-Shalom Preschool in Denver. Additionally, she teaches adult classes at the Charles Whitlock Recreation Center and at Udaya Yoga Studio.Prior to becoming a yoga teacher she received her B.A. in psychology from the University of Colorado. She has worked as a Montessori teacher, a study abroad group leader, and has spent over two years studying, working, and volunteering around the world. The knowledge gained from these experiences influence her dynamic and exciting teaching style.
Allyson plans to continue her Anusara studies with her teachers Jeanie Manchester and Chris Muchow. Allyson incorporates playfulness, alignment, partner work, and celebration of each individual into her classes. She teaches yoga in an effort to spread some of the peaceful bliss that yoga brings to her life.
Allyson can be reached at allylevine@gmail.com.
Robin McCoy recently received her yoga instructor's certificate from Prana Yoga and Ayurveda Mandala Training Center in Denver, where she is currently teaching yoga to adults. She recently retired from Jeffco Schools where she was a school psychologist, most recently at Oberon Middle School in Arvada, for the last 16 years. She used many yoga techniques in her daily work with the students, teachers, and parents at Oberon and had a yoga club after school for students. Prior to that, she was an elementary school teacher in Adams County Five Star Schools where she taught first, second, fifth and sixth grades for 12 years. She also teaches yoga once a week to the teachers at Oberon and is currently working part time as a school psychologist for HOPE Charter School in Arvada.Robin is very active and has exercised regularly since she was in her early twenties. She was a runner for 25 years but has recently switched over to walking. She enjoys lifting weights, hiking, skiing, scuba diving, snorkeling, bike riding and does yoga regularly. Asana, meditation and chanting have helped Robin learn how to slow down and have provided her with much needed stress reduction and an opportunity to deepen her spiritual practice. She loves working with both adults and children providing Hatha and Kirpalu yoga experiences.
Robin is a Colorado native and is currently living in North Denver. She recently completed her Storytime yoga training with Sydney Solis and is excited to start teaching for TWI in January at a Longmont school.
Robin can be reached at rmccoy55@comcast.net.
Sara, a Brooklyn native, currently likes to wake up at five in the morning and practice her yoga by the kitchen sink so she can watch the silver maple in the backyard slowly come into re-being while the light does the same. Sara adores this kind of light which she finds in each of her students and teachers. She thinks working with young people in any capacity is a thrilling way to spend one's life.Sara can be reached at saraknowsyou@gmail.com.
Kim Oliva, a yoga teacher, is certified to teach both children and adults. She is the proud mother of two boys, Morgan, age eight and Mason, age three.Prior to becoming certified, Kim practiced yoga for 15 years and was always trying to find ways to bring more balance to her life. She had a successful career at Nordstrom merchandising, buying and most recently a store manager for 19 years. During each one of her pregnancies, yoga remained in Kim's daily practice until the day each of them were born. As time went on Kim started to notice physical changes such as shortness of breathe, food allergies and an over all increase in stress. She was tired of continually feeling stressed out. Life was too short to be stressed out about lip stick, panty hose and meeting company daily target numbers. Therefore, Kim decided to retire from Nordstrom and find a way to give back to the world. One can't eliminate stress from our lives but we can teach our children how to become aware of the breath, to take the time for one to quiet the crazy "monkey" mind and find ways to become more intuitive.
Kim received her B.A. in Communications from the University of Colorado in 1991. In 2007, she studied and trained with Karen Quinn at Rishis Crossing, receiving her Yoga Alliance Certification. She also received her certification with Abby Wills with Yoga Ed. providing certification to teach a K-8 curriculum and Tools for Teachers in the classroom as a piece for professional development. She has recently created an after-school program at Highland Elementary in Centennial entitled, "Mind, Body & Fun," using the curriculum from Yoga Ed. Kim is excited to join the talented team of TWI and teaching at Brown Elementary in Denver.
As a Colorado Native, in 2005, Kim returned back to Denver after living in Seattle with William and her family for eight years. "It's wonderful to be back in Colorado and sharing my yoga passion with our future leaders. Everyday my heart is feeling more complete as I am finally striving to make a difference."
Kim can be reached at kimsoliva@gmailcom.
Anne-Alex Packard, owner of Laughing Yogi, is a Registered Yoga Teacher, and has an extensive background as a choreographer/performer/movement educator. Her work has been presented throughout the U.S., in China and Israel. She was a dance/theater professor at Connecticut College and University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and has directed dance companies in Denver and Baltimore. She has studied structural kinesiology, dance and sports medicine, and body therapies (Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais, Body/Mind Centering, Laban/Bartenieff Fundamentals, and Trager®).The yoga styles which Anne-Alex teaches are traditional Hatha, Kripalu, Astanga, and Kundalini. Her teaching style is spiritual, grounded, serious and fun, all at the same time. It is important to her that a yoga class be a vibrant, co-creative, inclusive sanctuary where accepting one's perfection is a community goal. Together, we create an atmosphere where we can all be ourselves and like who that is.
Anne-Alex can be reached at
anne-alex@laughingyogi.com.
Jen has her double Masters degree in Counseling Psychology and Education, her 500 hour training in ISHTA yoga, and most importantly the knowledge that all roads lead to yoga. Jen worked for 8 years as a teacher and a counselor in the public schools of CA and NYC where she implemented a yoga program as well as a peer mediation program in East Harlem's Jr/Sr High School PS 635. She moved back home to Boulder almost two years ago where she has been teaching with TWI since, and this past year was very excited to be the teacher in TWI's first yoga video for Teens. Jen also teaches workshops, public classes, and to companies throughout the Boulder/Denver area.Jen believes whole heartedly in experiential education, positive reinforcement, teaching by example, speaking the truth, that knowledge is power, and teaching to the individual whole. Most of all she believes that yoga is a true blessing to learn and incorporate into your life as early as possible, and hopes to share with her students her passion and knowledge of yoga as a way of life.
Jen can be reached at jenjrossny@yahoo.com.
Linda has a long and varied association with the American yoga community where she is known as a writer, yoga teacher, mentor, and practitioner who truly understands the spiritual and the physical dimensions of yoga practice. Her graduate work centered on the Vedas, the Yoga Sutras, and the Sanskrit language. She was managing editor of Yoga Journal for many years and a long-time contributing editor. Previously she directed the yoga program for all of Western Athletic Clubs, and currently is editor-in-chief of Alternative Medicine magazine in Boulder. Her latest books include A Woman's Book of Yoga and Health, which teaches women to support themselves with yoga no matter what condition or stage of life they're in; Yoga for Healthy Bones; Yoga for Healthy Menstruation; and Yoga: A Yoga Journal Book, a coffee table book which chronicles the history of yoga and showcases more than 350 photographs of awe-inspiring yoga poses (by David Martinez). She is a certified OM teacher and continues to teach and inspire women of all ages on and off the mat. Linda teaches elementary as well as teen classes for TWI and she also serves on the TWI Advisory Board.Linda can be reached at linda@alternativemedicine.com.
