Alyssa Garza
My name is Alyssa Garza (she/her) and I am currently pursuing a Master of Science in Counseling at Louisiana State University in Shreveport. I am a charter member of the LSUS Active Minds Chapter and one of the Nash Family Scholars. Having lived overseas for 10 years, I hope to bring a multiculturally competent perspective to conversations about mental health.
Steven currently serves the New York City Department of Education in the Office of Safety and Youth Development with a citywide portfolio supporting Student Services and the continued growth and development of the Department’s Yoga and Mindfulness Teacher Preparation Program which he co-directs. Previously, Steven was the Director of Student Support Services for the Brooklyn North catchment area of 235 schools supervising Educational Administrators in the areas of School Guidance and Social Work, Climate and Culture, Crisis, Attendance, and Student Health. Prior to his work in Brooklyn, Steven piloted and facilitated the Leaders in Education Apprentice Program (LEAP) a pre-service principal preparation experience leading to administrative state licensure. Additionally, Steven served as a Local Instructional Superintendent in the Bronx and as a Leadership Coach with the New York City Leadership Academy. Formerly, Steven directed the National School Reform Faculty, creators of the Critical Friends Group approach. Steven has extensive experience in curriculum development, school reform, adult learning, and central and field office supervision and leadership and has been involved with the small schools movement for over 20 years.
Monique Schubert, MFA, E-RYT 500, sees life as an extended project to make the world a kinder and more beautiful place. She uses the tools of yoga, mindfulness and music to inspire, educate, and connect. A Kripalu certified yoga teacher since 2001, she currently works with Kripalu as Lead Faculty involved in teacher trainings and facilitating transformational experiences in the RISE program, she is also a member of the equity team. She is the founder of OM Society Yoga, a holistic lifestyle company that expands the reach of yoga through classes, workshops and programs. Over the past 20 years Monique has established a diverse teaching practice in New York City and the surrounding boroughs. Monique taught incarcerated teens in detention centers in the South Bronx with the Lineage Project, and later received funding to launch a program for teens after they were released from detention. She taught a free, outdoor yoga class at Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City, Queens for 15 years. Monique weaves her background in visual arts into her mindfulness teaching and has brought yoga to diverse cultural spaces including the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporic Art, and the Fashion Institute of Technology. Through collaborations with non-profits, museums and schools Monique creates engaging public programs for young people and adults. For Monique, the overall concept of wellness is a balanced blend of movement, meditation, creative expression, and community. She is committed to teaching and sharing those ideals through multiple platforms.