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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.
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 Amy Andrews-McMaster
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.
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 Anna Applebaum
Anna's passion for yoga was ignited in 2000 in a Guatemalan retreat center. It was this divine moment in Guatemala on the eve of the New Year that she discovered yoga would be her practice for life. In 2002 Anna moved to Boulder in hopes of following this new found yogic path. She has studied extensively in the Ashtanga tradition, traveling to India in 2006. Anna holds a BA in Sociology from the University of California at Santa Cruz, a Diet Counselor Certificate from Bauman College in Berkeley, California, a Montessori Directress Certificate, a Level I certificate of the Radiant Child Yoga Program and completed Richard Freeman's Teacher Intensive in 2007. Anna has been a Montessori teacher for 6 years. She enjoys sharing and cultivating peace with children through song, movement, yoga, deep listening and stillness.
Anna can be reached at
annaapplebaum@yahoo.com.
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 Kristen Cain
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
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 Julie Campilio
Upon discovering her passion for yoga, Julie instantly knew that she wanted to bring this gift to children. Having seven years experience as a preschool teacher and nanny as well as substitute teaching in public and private education, she knew that helping children was her life’s purpose. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Educational Studies, took a year off to travel, and then decided to move to Denver. She completed an internship as a school psychologist and had the opportunity to work with large and small groups of children, creating lesson plans based around confidence, respect, and appreciation. Helping children build awareness at a young age to instill a strong foundation for the future is a huge incentive for her teaching.
Julie earned her 200 hour Yoga Training Certificate through Samadhi Center for Yoga and is currently teaching adults Vinyasa Yoga around the Denver area. Her children’s training is through Story Time Yoga and Yoga Ed. Julie feels blessed to be working with such an inspirational team at the Wellness Initiative.
Julie can be reached at
JCampilio2@yahoo.com.
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 Emily Harmon
Emily found yoga in 2000 and knew immediately that she wanted to share the joy and benefits of the practice with others. Upon moving to Denver in 2007, Emily began exploring the city’s vast yoga community and was impressed with the breadth of teachers and programs. After eight months of research, Emily found the teacher training program that perfectly fit her needs and personality at Samadhi Center for Yoga and became a certified yoga instructor in December 2008. Continuing her yogic education, Emily completed pre- and post-natal teacher training in 2009. Recently freed from corporate responsibilities, Emily is embarking on her journey as a full-time yoga teacher. She teaches vinyasa, pre- and post-natal yoga, as well as yoga for children and teens. Emily is passionate about spreading the joy of yoga to all ages with kindness and gratitude.
Emily can be reached at
eharmonyoga@me.com.
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 Annette Kissinger
Annette Kissinger has been practicing yoga for over 20 years and has been teaching yoga to children for the past 10 years. She teaches classes in schools and in private sessions. In addition, Annette has served as a consultant and trainer for schools that want to implement a yoga program. She produced a yoga video for children in 2004 titled “Yoga Journey Around the World”.
She uses the basic principles of hatha yoga and makes the poses FUN by imitating animals and objects from nature. Annette also uses games, aromatherapy, and music to help children utilize all their senses in the yoga experience. More information is available at her website: www.classroomyoga.com.
Annette can be reached at annette_k@pipeline.com.
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 Allyson Levine
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.
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 Tara MacKeigan
Raised in Boulder, Colorado Tara was brought up on salads and “free movement”. It is almost thirty years later and she still loves both. Tara received her bachelor’s of science, in elementary education with an emphasis in multicultural education from the University of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, AZ. As a dual citizen with Canada Tara had the opportunity to complete her student teaching and take a lead teaching position with an alternative school called Wondertree. She spent the next three years teaching within that organization. It was also in Vancouver that she began practicing Kundalini Yoga and completed her teacher training in 2005. In 2006 Tara moved back to Boulder and began teaching adult Kundalini Yoga classes as well as children’s classes through The Wellness Initiative. She completed her Yoga Ed. K-8 and Trainer Tools for Teachers, in March of 2007. She then spent a year of teaching four and five year-olds as a lead Pre-K teacher with Bright Horizons.
Now in 2009 Tara is launching her own business called “Flying Feet” that focuses on teaching yoga and movement to children and teenagers. She also works with the non-profit Imagine! teaching movement and yoga to adults and children with special needs.
Tara can be reached at tjoymack@yahoo.com.
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 Kim Oliva
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.
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 Alex Peterffy
When Alex took her first yoga class eight years ago, she was amazed at how joyful and alive her body felt. Practicing yoga required an inner focus that she had never experienced before. As the awareness, grace, and gentleness that she practiced on her mat began to seep out into her life, she felt grateful for what she knew would become her life-long practice.
Alex moved to Boulder in 2007, after receiving her BA in Philosophy from Colgate University in New York. She completed a teacher training program at the El Dorado Mountain Yoga Ashram, and started teaching with The Wellness Initiative in the Fall of 2007. Following that semester, she traveled to India and spent time at the Sivananda Yoga Ashram. She is currently working towards her Masters degree in Environmental Leadership at Naropa University, and is excited to be teaching with The Wellness Initiative again! Alex feels extremely grateful for the continual opportunity to learn from her students, and to share with them the joy that yoga brings to her life.
Alex can be reached at alexpeterffy3@gmail.com.
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 Erica Viggiano
Erica Viggiano has been a wellness practitioner for over 20 years and has lead innovation throughout the country in practice with high risk youth for the past 15 years. She has been on faculty with the University of Colorado Medical School and Metropolitan state college throughout this time and serves as a trainer, teacher and consultant in the implementation of evidence based practices with youth in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Erica founded Integrative Life Services LLC to provide quality training, coaching, counseling and mind-body health services to professional organizations serving youth and families and individuals seeking improved quality of life. As a registered yoga teacher Erica is delighted to combine her expertise as a clinical social worker, addictions counselor and clinical nutritionist to help youth and adults integrate yoga and mindfulness practice into their lives. Currently she teaches youth and adults in child welfare, juvenile justice, educational, and public settings.
Erica can be reached at erica@integrativelife.net.
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 Melissa Williams
Melissa teaches and assists with marketing for The Wellness Initiative.
She is also an editor and certified yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance.
She is the editor of Healing Lifestyles & Spas magazine as well as
What's up with Wellness, The Wellness Initiative's newsletter, and
writes for a variety of health and spa-related publications.
She received her undergraduate degree from the University of California,
Santa Barbara, studying both Communications and Exercise and Health
Science. Her yoga training at the Santa Barbara Yoga Center included
studying with such teachers as Erich Schiffman, Judith Hanson Lasater,
Lisa Walford, and Paul Grilley. She is certified to teach children's
yoga through Yoganesha, a Santa-Barbara based organization, as well as
YogaEd. In addition, Melissa teaches prenatal, postnatal, and vinyasa
yoga classes in Boulder & Louisville.
Melissa has been teaching yoga since 2004 and loves giving both adults
and children an outlet for their stress as well as a tool for life. She
lives in Louisville, Colorado, with her husband Steven and their
daughter, Sena.
Melissa can be reached at melissa@healinglifestyles.com.
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 Heidi Zellie
Heidi Zellie, RYT, had her first experience with yoga in 1999. After studying on her own for the next 4 years, she decided to deepen her knowledge and practice by completing a 250-hour RYA certification based in the Iyengar tradition from Lighten Up! yoga studio in Asheville, NC. Since then, she has taught Iyengar and Vinyasa Flow classes to adults in Highlands, NC, Pittsburgh, PA, and Louisville, CO. She has extended her practice to teaching yoga to youth of all ages, K-12, whether in after school programs or in her high school anatomy & physiology classes. She is certified in Yoga Ed.’s High School Teacher Training, Yoga Ed.’s Tools for Teachers, Lotus Palm’s Thai Yoga Massage, and currently studies Anusara Yoga through various teachers. Heidi finds absolute joy in playing yoga with kids of all ages! Yoga keeps her balanced and energized as she works to make the world more sustainable, healthier, and spirited. Practicing and living this ancient art form also makes her more aware of the people and energy around her, deepens her breath, and keeps her flexible in mind and body.
Heidi can be reached at zellie79@hotmail.com.
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