Overview

    Yoga Alliance is more than an organization—it’s a community dedicated to ensuring yoga remains safe, accessible, and inclusive.

    From our staff to our board and committees, each person brings expertise, lived experience, and a shared commitment to strengthening the global yoga community. Together, we empower teachers, foster connection, and advance the future of yoga.

    Staff

    Guided by Purpose, Connected by Yoga

    Our staff works daily to bring Yoga Alliance’s mission to life—supporting members, developing resources, and advocating for the global yoga community.

    Allison Mattingly

    Director of Membership Strategy & Engagement

    she/her

    Ashanty El Hajj Lau

    Communications & Engagement Manager

    she/her

    Banke Akinmolayan

    Business Analysis & Technical Project Manager

    she/her

    Carmen Colombo

    Systems, Data, & Analytics Lead

    she/her

    Charlotte Raich

    Director of IT Projects & Portfolio Management

    she/her

    Chris Norris

    Director of Digital Experience

    he/him

    Christie Kelly

    Community Learning & Education Specialist

    she/her

    Dani Reese

    Head of Community Engagement

    she/her

    Elizabeth Rowe

    Marketing Coordinator

    she/her

    Emmanuelle Jouvent

    Community Learning & Education Specialist

    she/her

    Hamed Badiei

    Director of Technology

    He/Him

    Helsa Thompson

    Learning & Development Program Manager

    she/her

    Hilary Mughloo

    Chief Operating Officer

    she/her

    Kady Lafferty

    Director of Social Impact

    she/her

    Kevin Karas

    Board Governance Manager

    he/him

    Kristina Graff

    Head of Social Impact

    she/her

    Lindsay Weininger

    Senior Manager, Member Benefits & Programs

    She/Her

    Michelle Kelsey Mitchell

    Head of Strategy

    she/her

    Michelle Thurston-Harvey

    Director of Community Learning & Development

    she/her

    Natosha Safo

    Director of Strategic Projects

    she/her

    Scott Senauke

    Digital Product Manager

    he/him

    Shannon Roche

    President, CEO & Ex-Officio Member

    she/her

    Sharon Cyrus

    Director of Storytelling

    she/her

    Sophia Loza

    Senior Accountant

    she/her

    Toni Carey

    Head of Strategic Communications

    she/her

    Vivian Selles

    Community Relations Coordinator

    she/they

    Board

    Leadership With a Global Vision

    Our boards of directors guides the strategic vision of Yoga Alliance and the Yoga Alliance Foundation, ensuring we serve the community with integrity, sustainability, and purpose.

    Their work focuses on:

    Strategic Planning: Defining and upholding our mission, vision, and goals.
    Governance: Ensuring policies and practices align with our values.
    Financial Strategy: Approving budgets and allocating resources to sustain long-term impact.

    Ana Dutra

    RYT 500

    Benjamin C. Varadi

    RYT 200

    Britt Lake

    RYT 200

    Catherine “Cat” Chang

    RYT 200

    Chandana Achanta

    RYT 200

    Chantelle Diachina

    E-RYT 200, RYT 500

    Glenna Tinney

    RYT 500

    Jo-Ann Bance, Chair

    E-RYT 500, C-IAYT, BBA, MHRM

    Kathryn Luna

    E-RYT 200, RYT 500, RCYT

    Kristoffer Carter

    Manmeet “Mona” Kaur

    E-RYT 200, RYT 500, YACEP

    Mark Rutledge

    RYT 200

    Nisha Devi Rodrigo

    E-RYT 500

    Radha Metro-Midkiff

    Shannon Roche

    President, CEO & Ex-Officio Member

    she/her

    Siddharth Kulkarni

    Secretary

    Stacey Haley, Ed.D.

    RYT 200

    Tracie Keesee

    RYT 200

    Committees

    Strengthening Our Mission Through Collaboration

    Our committees, led by volunteer board members, focus on specific aspects of organizational success, ensuring we achieve our mission with care and accountability.

    • Executive Committee: Implements board policies and provides oversight between meetings.
    • Governance Committee: Recruits and supports qualified board members to ensure effective leadership.
    • Finance Committee: Oversees financial planning and reporting, ensuring fiscal responsibility.
    • Audit Committee: Supervises independent audits for transparency and compliance.

    For board-related inquiries, contact Kevin James Karas, Board Governance Manager, at kkaras@yogaalliance.org.

    Take the Next Step

    Yoga thrives through connection, and we’re here to support your journey and strengthen the community that unites us all.

    For more details about how we operate, read our Yoga Alliance Bylaws and Yoga Alliance Foundation Bylaws.

    Yoga Alliance Bylaws
    Yoga Alliance Bylaws
    Yoga Alliance Foundation Bylaws

    Learn more about our work and our mission.

    Learn More

    Explore career opportunities to join our team and contribute to the future of yoga.

    Explore career opportunities

    Deepen your learning. For more details about how we operate, read our Yoga Alliance Bylaws and Yoga Alliance Foundation Bylaws.

    Allison Mattingly

    Director of Membership Strategy & Engagement

    Ashanty El Hajj Lau

    Communications & Engagement Manager

    Banke Akinmolayan

    Business Analysis & Technical Project Manager

    Carmen Colombo

    Systems, Data, & Analytics Lead

    Charlotte Raich

    Director of IT Projects & Portfolio Management

    Chris Norris

    Director of Digital Experience

    Christie Kelly

    Community Learning & Education Specialist

    Dani Reese

    Head of Community Engagement

    Dani Reese is the Head of Community Engagement at Yoga Alliance. She has more than 10 years of experience in the wellness industry and nearly a decade with the organization. During Dani’s time at Yoga Alliance, she played a key role in the association’s global expansion with a thoughtful focus on community support. She oversees member experience, growth and retention, benefits, and partnerships.

    Dani’s passion for community building, yoga, and service was forged throughout her professional life, having worked in ecotourism and sustainability early in her career. As a yoga teacher, Dani has taught in school systems, studios, gyms, international retreats, and conferences. Her history within Yoga Alliance paired with her experience as a yoga teacher give her unique insight and perspective into her membership-centric role. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from West Virginia University and a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from the University of Colorado Boulder.

    Elizabeth Rowe

    Marketing Coordinator

    Emmanuelle Jouvent

    Community Learning & Education Specialist

    Hamed Badiei

    Director of Technology

    Helsa Thompson

    Learning & Development Program Manager

    Hilary Mughloo

    Chief Operating Officer

    As Chief Operating Officer and in collaboration with the President & CEO of Yoga Alliance and the Yoga Alliance Foundation, Hilary Mughloo focuses on strategic project management and execution, identifying and solving roadblocks by paying close attention to the daily needs of the organization in support of the team. She works in service to the mission, the members, and the broader yoga community as a whole. Hilary thrives on creating, supporting, and leading initiatives that create collective social impact in local and global communities. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and, over the past two decades, has studied community economic development, nonprofit management, leadership, holistic health, yoga, and other healing arts.

    Kady Lafferty

    Director of Social Impact

    Kevin Karas

    Board Governance Manager

    Kristina Graff

    Head of Social Impact

    Kristina Graff is a global public health professional with a passion for social justice. Over the past 25+ years, Kristina has worked both locally and globally to combat inequities and to contribute to a healthier, more compassionate world. She has pioneered initiatives to expand and improve health services in high-need communities, advancing policy, service delivery, and research. As Head of Social Impact, Kristina draws on her body of work in the nonprofit, city government, and academic sectors to identify, measure, and scale innovative platforms that expand yoga’s reach and impact. Kristina earned a Master of Public Affairs degree from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University. She taps into yoga and its teachings across all aspects her life—spanning career, parenthood, community, and personal growth and development.

    Lindsay Weininger

    Senior Manager, Member Benefits & Programs

    Michelle Kelsey Mitchell

    Head of Strategy

    Michelle Thurston-Harvey

    Director of Community Learning & Development

    Natosha Safo

    Director of Strategic Projects

    Scott Senauke

    Digital Product Manager

    Shannon Roche

    President, CEO & Ex-Officio Member

    A yoga student for 20 years, Shannon Roche’s career has centered around building bridges between mainstream institutions and community and coalition-driven initiatives to drive progressive social change. Prior to joining Yoga Alliance and the Yoga Alliance Foundation as Chief Operating Officer in 2017, Shannon served on the Obama Administration’s economic policy team, where she led stakeholder engagement for the U.S. Commerce Secretary. She also played key roles on the founding leadership teams of three innovative nonprofits, including the Democracy Alliance. Shannon has a Bachelor of Arts degrees in Sociology and Women’s Studies from Duke University and a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and her most enlightening and humbling teachers of all, their two children.

    Sharon Cyrus

    Director of Storytelling

    Sophia Loza

    Senior Accountant

    Toni Carey

    Head of Strategic Communications

    Toni Carey serves as Head of Strategic Communications at Yoga Alliance and is a recognized leader in the health and wellness industries—most notably as the co-founder of Black Girls RUN!. With more than a decade of experience in marketing and communications strategy, her previous roles include Director of Marketing at The Public Good Projects (PGP), where she developed innovative campaigns to address some of the nation’s most pressing health challenges. Prior to that, she led the marketing strategy for Michelle Obama’s Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA). Toni has worked with numerous consumer and non-profit brands with an intentional focus on ensuring that the stories of marginalized communities are seen and heard. She was also named one of the “50 Most Influential People in Running” by Runner’s World and received Toyota’s Standing O-Vation Award presented by Oprah. She holds a B.S. in Mass Communications with minors in Marketing and Spanish from Middle Tennessee State University, as well as a M.A. in Strategic Communications from Seton Hall University.

    Vivian Selles

    Community Relations Coordinator

    Ana Dutra

    RYT 500

    Ana Dutra is a Board Director, CEO, and Fortune 250 C-Level Executive with over 30 years of experience in more than 25 countries. She has advised numerous boards across a variety of sectors—public, private, private equity, family-owned and non-profit. She brings expertise  in company boards, strategic governance, and profit and loss (P&L) management to every leadership role that she serves in.

    Ana holds a Masters in Economics, a Law Degree and an MBA from Kellogg. She started her career as a Professor of Economics and Finance in Brazil and is currently a faculty member of the National Association of Corporate Directors of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, School of Management, Northwestern University, and Fundacao Don Cabral. Ana is a dedicated yoga practitioner and certified instructor, holding certifications in yin and restorative yoga, functional anatomy, mindfulness, and meditation. She is also an avid triathlete and tennis player. She lives in Florida with three daughters, her husband and their rescue dogs.

    Benjamin C. Varadi

    RYT 200

    Ben Varadi is a law professor teaching nonprofit and business law, professional ethics, and agricultural law and policy at Vermont Law and Graduate School in South Royalton, Vermont. His scholarship explores relationships between business regulation and social responsibility. Prior to academia, he built a nationally recognized law practice focusing on expanding opportunity for members of historically marginalized communities and directed a free legal clinic assisting people impacted by natural disasters. He holds a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Tulane University Law School in New Orleans, Louisiana, with a sports law certificate.

    Ben’s 30-year personal journey in mind-body practices began with early exposure to yoga and breathwork, expanding through extensive formal and autodidactic study in various spiritual, contemplative, movement, and martial arts disciplines. The transformative impact of his regular yoga practice kindled a desire to deepen his understanding and more actively engage with the global practitioner community, leading to a RYT 200 credential with Yoga Alliance. Ben lives in Vermont with his spouse and two dogs, who all often join in asana practice.

    Britt Lake

    RYT 200

    Britt is a nonprofit executive and yoga practitioner with more than 20 years of experience in the social impact sector. Britt began her yoga journey as a way to complement marathon and triathlon training. She soon saw how yoga not only helped prevent injury, but also provided balance to her life off the mat. When she’s not practicing or teaching yoga, she leads Feedback Labs, a nonprofit that supports philanthropy and the nonprofit sector to listen and act on feedback from communities at the heart of their work. She previously served as Chief Program Officer at GlobalGiving and at the Gates Foundation. Britt holds a B.A. in International Studies from the University of North Carolina & Chapel Hill, where she was a Morehead-Cain Scholar, a Master’s in International Relations from the University of Cape Town (South Africa), and a Master’s in Public Affairs from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs.

    Catherine “Cat” Chang

    RYT 200

    Cat Chang is currently the VP Finance for Sports within The Walt Disney Company having previously served as chief of staff to the CFO and in a strategy role for Disney’s Experiences segment. Cat was an early team member of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative serving in leadership roles across Finance and Operations and helping the team scale from under 10 to 350+. She has also worked at Planet Labs, an impact-oriented aerospace startup operating the world’s largest fleet of Earth imaging satellites. Cat has been a student of yoga for 20+ years, including earning her RYT-200 in 2021. She holds an AB in Applied Mathematics from Harvard and earned a joint MBA/MS in Sustainable Development from Stanford.

    Chandana Achanta

    RYT 200

    Chandana Achanta is a kids yoga teacher and dance instructor. She enjoys finding ways to make yoga accessible for kids, teens, and adults. Her writing is published in the Baltimore Sun and OM Yoga Magazine. Chandana served on Virginia’s Loudoun County Public Schools’ Mental Health and Wellness Committee for two years.  Professionally, she has been solving public policy problems since 2007. She holds a Master of Public Policy Analysis from the University of California, Berkeley.

    Chantelle Diachina

    E-RYT 200, RYT 500

    For more than a decade, Chantelle was an elementary school teacher in Detroit, MI, Brampton, ON, and London, ON Canada. She completed the 200hr (2007) and 300hr (2017) teacher training with Shri Yogi Hari Sukhu and a 300hr yoga intensive (2013) in Kerala India with Swami Nitya (Nityamuktananda) Kandath. Both teachers directly studied with Swami Vishnudevananda and instructed in the Sivananda ashrams in India and the Bahamas. In 2013, Chantelle launched a corporate wellness company, where along with her team, she taught yoga, designed and hosted retreats, and facilitated workshops for corporate and community clients. By 2016 she was invited to become a teacher on the Insight Timer meditation app growing a global audience of over 16,000 app users. In 2023, Chantelle completed a graduate degree in counselling psychology, allowing her to add clinical counselling to her offerings. Chantelle now lives in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada where she currently teaches classical hatha yoga and is building her private practice as a clinical counsellor.

    Glenna Tinney

    RYT 500

    Glenna Tinney is a retired Navy Captain social worker and an RYT 500. Her work has focused on advocacy, activism, social justice, and eliminating violence against women, children, animals, and the environment. Her goal is to help people add yoga as a tool to aid in their healing and recovery from trauma. Glenna believes that yoga is a powerful tool for bringing physical mental and emotional healing that can make a difference in people’s lives on and off the mat and helps them be their best selves and do less harm to themselves others animals and the planet. They are then better equipped to make a positive difference in the world. She is a published author and was recognized by the White House in 2013 as a Woman Veteran Champion of Change.

    Jo-Ann Bance, Chair

    E-RYT 500, C-IAYT, BBA, MHRM

    E-RYT 500, C-IAYT, BBA, MHRM | British Columbia, Canada. My yoga journey began with her first yoga class in 1999 during which she felt an instant knowing that there was so much more to learn. In 2013, Jo-Ann completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training program, leaving with an even greater knowing of what was still left to discover. Having graduated from a 300-hour training she has been teaching ever since, finding opportunities to practice, teach, and grow via a student of yoga. In 2018-2020 completed and became certified yoga therapist. Jo-Ann has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a Master’s in Human Resource Management. She has worked in various senior management roles for both government and post-secondary institutions. Jo-Ann has over 20 years of experience as an administrator, which is combined with her solid financial and human resources background.

    Kathryn Luna

    E-RYT 200, RYT 500, RCYT

    Kathryn Luna is an experienced social impact professional and relationship builder with more than a decade of experience in professional sports, corporate philanthropy, and the nonprofit sector. She is currently the Director of Community Investment for Sacramento Republic Football Club, and committed to strengthening the Greater Sacramento region through health, wellness, and education initiatives. Her personal and professional journey includes a passion for building community advocating for youth and underrepresented populations, and being a proponent of holistic health and wellness. She completed her undergraduate studies at Santa Clara University and has a master’s degree from the University of San Francisco. She holds E-RYT 200, RYT 500, and RCYT credentials with Yoga Alliance.

    Kristoffer Carter

    Kristoffer Carter (’KC’) is the author of Permission to Glow— A Spiritual Guide to Epic Leadership, which guides his team’s coaching of Fortune 500 executive leaders. He is the CEO and founder of Epic Leadership, which has created a meditation practice for thousands of leaders. Kris’s teachings have been featured in Men’s Health, Fast Company, on Good Morning Washington, and the Good Life Project podcast. Kris sits on the Board of Directors of Yoga Alliance, and serves the global work of his guru Paramahansa Yogananda, author of Autobiography of a Yogi. He teaches at Kripalu center, and on his weekly podcast about perseverance: “Hell Yeah, You Will”. Kristoffer lives in Northeast OH with his sweetheart Jeannine, and three children.

    Manmeet “Mona” Kaur

    E-RYT 200, RYT 500, YACEP

    A dedicated yoga teacher, attorney, and operations leader, Kaur integrates her background in education, law, and strategic leadership to broaden access to yoga and wellness. Raised in the South Asian community, she is passionate about honoring yoga’s origins while fostering meaningful connections through practice. Though yoga was present in the background of her upbringing, she began actively practicing in 2017 and soon recognized its deeper influence on her life. What began as a resource to manage the demands of a stressful career became a reconnection with her cultural roots, leading her to deepen her studies through extensive training. She holds E-RYT 200, RYT 500, and YACEP credentials with Yoga Alliance, alongside certifications in meditation and advanced yoga studies. Beyond teaching, she trains future instructors in yoga history, philosophy, DEIB, Sanskrit, and Ayurveda.

    Kaur earned her Bachelor’s in English and Master’s in Education before studying law, where she focused on international and immigration law. A former high school teacher and global immigration attorney, she transitioned to leadership in the health sector and now serves as Chief Operating Officer at Mother of Fact, a digital women’s health company that delivers medical nutrition therapy to at-risk pregnant populations.”

    Mark Rutledge

    RYT 200

    Mark Rutledge is a lifelong community builder whose work is guided by a commitment to care, learning, and shared growth. Introduced to yoga more than a decade ago, he discovered the practice as a space for exploration, expansion, and self-inquiry. As a teacher, Mark focuses on helping students feel at home on their mats, supporting each person in forming an authentic, accessible, and sustaining relationship with the practice.

    Mark’s classes emphasize comfort, courage, and presence, meeting practitioners where they are while inviting thoughtful growth. Beyond the studio, Mark is a technology strategist and advisor working at the intersection of innovation storytelling and human-centered design. He serves on multiple nonprofit boards, including The Greenlining Institute, where he mentors early-stage founders, bringing a service-driven systems-level perspective to leadership and governance. Mark holds a BA from Eureka College, an MS from Carnegie Mellon University and is also a certified Project Management Professional. Born and raised in Detroit, he now lives in New Jersey with his wife, son, and a rambunctious Bernedoodle.

    Nisha Devi Rodrigo

    E-RYT 500

    Nisha Devi Rodrigo is a world-renowned Eastern Medicine practitioner with 30 years of study in Lineage Medicine™, having trained with esteemed lineage holders including monks at Shaolin Temple, Neigong Nuns on Wu Dan Mountain, Mother Teresa, and Oso Tayari Casel.

    Raised in America and Sri Lanka, Nisha blends Eastern and Western medicine through two decades of apprenticeships rooted in ancient medicinal lineages. In 2012, Nisha founded KALA Wellness, integrating ancient wisdom with modern science and promoting sovereignty, mindfulness, and movement.

    Recognized for advancing health equity, in 2016 Nisha was inducted into the Asian Martial Arts Hall of Fame. Today, KALA supports UNHCR leadership and frontline workers in Jordan, Egypt, and Hungary.

    Currently, Nisha is Director of Wellness for All California and Communities in the Office of the First Partner, leading statewide initiatives on belonging and health, and holds advisory and academic roles, including at Loyola Marymount University.

    Radha Metro-Midkiff

    As co-host of the One Answer: YOGA podcast and owner of Radha Enterprises Inc., Radha Metro-Midkiff brings a lifetime of experience in yoga and business. Born and raised in Yoga, she grew up at Yogaville in Buckingham, Virginia, under the direct tutelage of Sri Swami Satchidananda. Her parents, Integral Yoga Ministers Bhagavan and Bhavani Metro, moved to Virginia so she and her five siblings could attend the Integral Yoga School/Yogaville Vidyalayam. As the only student to attend the school from first through 12th grade, she was certified as both a Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga instructor at the age of 18. Additionally, she had the fortune of being one of only four individuals to receive the direct blessing of Dharma confirmation from Swami Satchidananda. Radha most recently served as the Executive Director of Integral Yoga Institute, New York.

    Shannon Roche

    President, CEO & Ex-Officio Member

    A yoga student for 20 years, Shannon Roche’s career has centered around building bridges between mainstream institutions and community and coalition-driven initiatives to drive progressive social change. Prior to joining Yoga Alliance and the Yoga Alliance Foundation as Chief Operating Officer in 2017, Shannon served on the Obama Administration’s economic policy team, where she led stakeholder engagement for the U.S. Commerce Secretary. She also played key roles on the founding leadership teams of three innovative nonprofits, including the Democracy Alliance. Shannon has a Bachelor of Arts degrees in Sociology and Women’s Studies from Duke University and a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and her most enlightening and humbling teachers of all, their two children.

    Siddharth Kulkarni

    Secretary

    Siddharth Kulkarni is an economist and researcher with over a decade of experience in the technology and economic development sectors. His connection to yoga began in childhood through his mother, a long-time yogi and teacher. After this early introduction, Siddharth rediscovered the practice as an adult and continues to explore its physical and spiritual traditions today.

    In addition to yoga, Siddharth is a passionate student of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and blues guitar. He holds a Master’s degree in Applied Economics from Johns Hopkins University and undergraduate degrees in Economics and Political Science from UC San Diego. He lives near San Diego with his wife, daughter, and rescue dog.

     

    Stacey Haley, Ed.D.

    RYT 200

    Stacey J. Haley, Ed.D. is a healing-centered education leader, mindfulness practitioner, and certified Yoga and Mindfulness Instructor who has dedicated her career to nurturing the wellbeing of educators, students, and school communities. Bridging over 15 years of experience in urban education leadership with a deep commitment to holistic wellness, she designs transformative experiences that cultivate resilience, presence, and emotional balance in learning environments. 

    In her role as Senior Director of Special Projects at the NYC Department of Education, Dr. Haley leads citywide initiatives that infuse mindfulness techniques, trauma-informed practices, and culturally responsive wellness strategies into instructional and professional learning programs. Stacey co-designed and implemented the DOE’s yoga and mindfulness-in-schools initiative, bringing accessible, grounding practices to thousands of students and educators throughout New York City. Her work helps schools move toward environments rooted in compassion, equity, and connection. 

    A lifelong learner with a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, along with advanced training in yoga, mindfulness, and trauma-informed practice, Dr. Haley brings a unique blend of academic rigor, heart-centered leadership, and wellness expertise to every space she navigates. 

    Tracie Keesee

    RYT 200

    Dr. Tracie Keesee is a yoga and mindfulness teacher with over 30 years of experience in policing and public service. After many years in high-stress, demanding roles, she found that yoga helped her reconnect with herself, breathe, soften, and listen. Tracie has a deep respect for the body’s wisdom, and has over time learned that strength needs care to last and real resilience starts with being present. Yoga gave her a place to lower her defenses, care for her nervous system, and discover what keeps her steady. This experience now guides her teaching. 

    Tracie has spent many years helping others through crisis leadership and change management, and is the founder of Respect The Om, a yoga and mindfulness program designed to support women in uniform and others who carry stress, grief, and trauma. Tracie’s gentle, accessible, and compassionate yoga classes are calm, inclusive, and trauma-informed, emphasizing breath, autonomy, and self-trust to invite students to move at their own pace and honor their bodies’ needs. Whether leading a slow flow or a stillness practice, Tracie creates safe spaces for relaxation, believing yoga is more about how a pose feels than how it looks, thus making room for softness, clarity, and connection.

    Meet Our Team