Esther Vexler Yoga School - San Antonio, Texas

	EMILIE ROGERS DIRECTOR OF TEACHER TRAINING Emilie Rogers first began practicing yoga with Esther Vexler in 1980. She is an Iyengar certified teacher and is registered with Yoga Alliance as an ERYT 500. Emilie is a native of San Antonio, and has deep roots in our community and a great passion for continuing Esther's work of spreading the benefits of yoga to all. Emilie is honored to serve as the first Director of Teacher Training at the Esther Vexler Yoga School.
	DR. SREEDHARA AKKIHEBBALU PRIMARY TEACHER Dr. Sreedhara Akkihebbalu is a physician and yoga therapist. He practiced Iyengar yoga for 16 years with Sri H.S. Arun in Bangalore, India. His medical background has aided him in combining the modern scientific understanding of the human body with the ancient practices of yoga. Sreedhara is also a highly acclaimed Indian classical dancer, and a student of Vedanta and Sanskrit.
	ANA HOLLIS YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Ana Hollis is an Ashtanga yoga teacher and owner of the Yoga Shala studio in San Antonio. She can be contacted at: ana@yogashalasa.com.
	BETSY POND, M.A. YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Betsy is a trained meditation instructor with 9 years of experience. She attended Shambhala Buddhist Seminary and has staffed a number of programs at the seminary. She has been practicing meditation for 16 years. Betsy teaches classes on meditation based on Sakyong's book, Turning The Mind Into An Ally.
	BLANCA BIRD YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Blanca Bolner Bird has been practicing yoga for almost 20 years. She enjoys sharing her practice through private and public classes which focus on the alignment principles of Iyengar yoga training. Blanca believes in the deep gentleness and restoration that yoga can bring to every life. She graduated from the first class of the Esther Vexler Yoga School and has received her RYT-200 certification through Yoga Alliance. She is also certified to teach Children's Yoga through the Radiant Child Yoga Program. She teaches classes for children and seniors throughout San Antonio. She has been teaching yoga since 2002. Blanca can be reached at blancabolner@yahoo.com.
	Dr. CYNTHIA McSWAIN YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Cynthia McSwain has been practicing yoga for seven years and is a graduate of the Esther Vexler Yoga School. In her previous life she was a university professor and is currently a Professor Emeritus at The George Washington University where she taught social and psychological theory for a number of years. Yoga has been a wonderful bridge for her between a life lived in the mind and a life lived in the body. It is a completely transformative experience and offers much more than flexibility and fitness (although both of those are great as well). Cynthia teaches yoga at the Synergy Studio. She is also studying and writing about yoga philosophy. Contact her at: mcswite@sbcglobal.net or 210-826-5493.
	DARREN CRADDOCK YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Darren Craddock began his work in the wellness field in 1985. He has lived and taught in the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Egypt and the US and teaches classes and workshops in English, Spanish and French. He is an expert if the fields of Stress Management, Naturopathy, Diet, Nutrition, Yoga, and Massage with over 17 years of experience in the Wellness Field. Darren can be reached at chlovmir@yahoo.com.
	DEBBIE PEDERSEN YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Debbie Pedersen; director and founder of the Boerne Yoga Center, is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher. Debbie began the practice and study of yoga in 1995, and has been teaching since 2000. Prior to following her passion for teaching yoga, Debbie was a Registered Respiratory Therapist for 18 years, and sees yoga as a key element in the essential trend toward integrative health care. She is registered with the Yoga Alliance as an ERYT 200, RYT 500. Debbie may be reached at www.boerneyogacenter.com
	VICKY COLBERT YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Vicky Colbert is a stay-at-home mom. She started yoga at home in 2002 and continued with a more structured practice through at a fitness center when her daughter started school. With a desire to learn more traditional aspects of yoga, she went through the Esther Vexler Yoga School in 2008/09. She is currently teaching a Kids Yoga class and continuing her studies to include therapeutic applications through Nydia's Yoga Therapy Mentor Program. She can be reached at colbert.vicky@yahoo.com
	DEBORAH FARBARIK YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Deborah is a Registered Yoga Teacher at the 200 hour level, Certified Fitness Instructor through American Council of Exercise (ACE) and Licensed Professional Counselor with the State of Texas. Deborah has been a Counselor for 19 years, earned her Master's Degree in1988 and is currently working at a local Children's Psychiatric Hospital as a Clinician II providing individual, group, and family counseling. Deborah graduated from the Esther Vexler Yoga School in May 2008.
	DEVON DEDERICH YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Devon holds a B.A in anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania, and M.A. in geography from the University of New Mexico and is an Intermediate Junior II Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor. Devon began formal practice of Iyengar yoga in 1978 and since then has studied with senior level Iyengar teachers both here and abroad as well as with Mr. Iyengar, his son Prashant and his daughter Geeta in Pune, India. Devon lives in Austin and is the director of Clear Spring Studio.
	DIANA JACAMAN YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Diana Jacaman is a certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher. She began her yoga adventure in Mexico City 12 years ago, where she studied with many internationally renowned teachers of the Iyengar Method such as Shirley Daventry French and Margot Kitchen (Canada); Dharmariya (Germany); Jawahar Banghera (India); Joan White and Gloria Goldberg (USA). In 2004 Diana was certified by Dona Holleman in Italy in a 4-year program, and in 2003 she attended a month long yoga intensive in Chennai, India with Dr. Krishna Raman, a physician and student of BKS Iyengar who integrates yoga and western medicine in his medical practice. In 2007 Diana was also certified by the Herta Rogg Foundation in a teacher training program consisting of 800 hours of practice in asana, pranayama, biomechanics, anatomy, yoga philosophy and teaching methodology. That same year she took her first intensive at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, India. Newly arrived in San Antonio, Diana is excited about sharing the fascinating world of yoga with our community. Diana can be contacted at djacaman@hotmail.com.
	GEORGE PURVIS YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY George Purvis has studied with BKS Iyengar in India, and is the first certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor in Texas (1984). He has conducted classes and workshops throughout North America. His teaching style is relaxed, down to earth and accessible. His gentle manner and sense of humor encourage students of all ages and abilities to achieve their best in a spirit of mutual support, and to enjoy the journey as much as the destination. He has recently relocated to Dallas, Texas. You can e-mail him at tortugagrande@sbcglobal.net.
	Dr. HUYEN NGUYEN YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Born in Hue, Vietnam during the Vietnamese-American conflict, I was brought to Austin, Texas at the age of eight. I grew up in Austin with my parents and younger brother, and graduated from UT Austin with a B.A. in psychology. This led to medical school in San Antonio, and then residency in Philadelphia at Temple University Hospital. About 12 years ago, I settled down to my internal medicine practice in San Antonio. Last year, inspired by a series of events, I began the training for another path to healing--that of a yoga teacher. Being one of 14 students in the seminal class of EVYS was special honor which I cherish. My goal as a both a physician and a yoga sadhaka is to contribute to the health and peace still much needed in this world.
	JANA MILLER YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Jana Miller is the owner and founder of Neuro-muscular Massage School and Clinic, established in San Antonio, Texas in 1983. She has been teaching anatomy and physiology for massage therapists since 1987. Jana studied Active Isolated Stretching with Aaron Mates in 1993, and has been teaching her own stretching/exercise classes for 15 years. In 1999, Jana graduated from a 500-hour course at the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine in Arizona, and in 2004 Jana created her own Anatomy and Physiology Through Art and Role Playing course for elementary school children. Jana can be reached at: janamiller10@yahoo.com.
	JANE GOLDSTEIN, M.S. YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Jane has a Masters of Science degree in Health Education with a minor in Studies in Aging. She is an Anusara-Inspired teacher and is registered with Yoga Alliance at the 500 hour level. She has been teaching classes in health, fitness and movement for 24 years. In addition to instructing classes and privates in yoga she is also a personal trainer. She is certified as a Master Fitness Specialist and Health Promotion Specialist by Cooper's Institute for Aerobic Research. She also holds certifications with the American College of Sports Medicine, National Academy of Sports Medicine, American Council on Exercise and Aquatic Exercise Association.
	MARY ELLEN ROSE YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Rose holds a MFA in Theatre Design and taught Costume Design and Period Movement at Trinity University. She has worked in advertising for many years where stress is the" soup de jour. " Rose specializes in a deep relaxation/ meditation technique called Yoga Nidra, and is currently the only certified Level One iRest, Yoga Nidra Instructor in our city, and is in process of completing the Level Two Certification with Dr. Richard Miller, whose protocols are currently being used at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Rose is registered with Yoga Alliance at the 200 hour level, and teaches iRest, Yoga Nidra at Alpha Home, Community Colleges, and selected studios all over San Antonio. Her students learn that an anxious mind cannot exist in a relaxed body.
	MERRITT SWENSON YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Merritt Swenson, founder of YogaiaPeace, is nationally registered with yoga alliance at the ERYT-200 level. She began her yoga studies with Mary Frances Weathersby in 1985 and has continued to study with a wide variety of teachers along the way. Of all her studies she considers nature and the night sky to be amongst her greatest of teachers. She holds numerous certifications in body work and other healing modalities including cranial-sacral therapy, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy and Thai Yoga Massage. She is also a practicing professional astrologer (east/west) with clients nation wide. She maintains a private healing practice in San Antonio , and currently teaches yoga at the Synergy Studio, Viva bookstore, and teaches retreats at the Namaste Retreat Center in Boerne. YogaiaPeace expresses as a gentle yet powerful, healing, yin yoga whose mission is to contribute to world peace by offering the experience of embodying peace. Merritt can be reached at www.yogaiapeace.com or call 210 820-3616.
	NYDIA DARBY, M.S., P.T. YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Nydia received a Bachelor's and Master's of Science degree in physical therapy from Texas Woman's University in Houston, Texas. She is licensed to practice physical therapy by the State of Texas and specializes in orthopedic, spine and women's health rehabilitation. She has been actively involved in the health and fitness industry for 25 years and holds multiple certifications in personal, group, kickboxing and prenatal/postpartum fitness instruction. Nydia began independent yoga studies in 1995 in order to fulfill a desire to begin a personal yoga practice that would help her stay mobile and strong into her senior years. This was the beginning of a great adventure that ultimately has led to her opening her own yoga studio---Nydia's Yoga Therapy Studio. Nydia has completed a 200 hour yoga teacher training certification with the Hard & the Soft Yoga Institute under the supervision of its founder, her teacher--Beryl Bender Birch. She is a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapy and is registered with Yoga Alliance. Nydia can be reached at: nydia@nydiasyogatherapy.com.
	PEGGY KELLEY YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Peggy is the founder of the Austin Yoga Institute. She began her study of Yoga in the late 60's in Cambridge, Massachusetts, having since studied with Senior Yoga teachers in Europe, Canada, and the US. In India, Peggy has studied with B.K.S., Geeta, and Prashant Iyengar, and other Yoga masters. She began teaching yoga in British Columbia over 30 years ago and has taught in Mexico, Europe, and the southwest United States. She was a founding member of the Iyengar Yoga Association of the US and served from 1990-1994. She is certified to teach and to recommend teachers for certification. In addition to her yoga training, Peggy has studied insight Meditation with Rodney Smith and Ayurveda with Bri. Maya Tiwari, David Frawley and The American Institute of Ayurveda, where she received her certificate in 2003.
	RICHARD USATINE, M.D. YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Professor of Family and Community Medicine Assistant Director, Medical Humanities Education Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Richard has been a family physician and teacher for over 23 years. He is co-author of Yoga Rx and three medical textbooks. He co-founded the first Yoga in Medicine course in a U.S. medical school with Larry Payne in the 1990's. Richard is the year 2000 recipient of a National Humanism in Medicine Award from the Association of American Medical Colleges. Since 2000, he has been chosen yearly by his peers to be included in The Best Doctors in America.
	TRICIA BUCK-MESSINGER YOGA SCHOOL FACULTY Tricia discovered the joy of yoga in 2001. In 2002 she decided to make an even deeper commitment and completed her 200 hour certification and registration with Yoga Alliance . Since that time she has been a yoga studio owner, a community service yoga instructor and has taught at several yoga studios in three different states. She is currently a Yoga Alliance E-RYT 200 instructor. When Tricia is not in the yoga studio she can be found creating paintings, designing jewelry and sharing Reiki.