Meet the Teachers
We are honored to present our eclectic mixture of professional teachers which includes both local and visiting instructors with an inspiring list of experience and credentials!
Prem Prakash
Founder of Green Mountain School of Yoga
Prem Prakash has been practicing yoga and related arts and sciences since 1979. In 1990, his yoga guru, Baba Hari Dass, gave him permission to teach others. Prem Prakash and his wife, Ambika, (Lesley Gibbs) have studied formally with teachers from several different lineages, and together they serve as Co-Directors of the Green Mountain School of Yoga in Middlebury, Vt. Prem is a publsihed author with his most recent work titled "American Yoga". His teachings have appeared in many well known yoga publications.
In 2007, Prem Prakash was honored by the Institute of the Himalayan Tradition with their Annual Service Award. In 2008, the Institute recognized him as a Yogiraj, "an accomplished yogi who lives in the world."
Ferris Buck Urbanowski
Ferris Buck Urbanowski, MA, has taught mindfulness meditation since 1980 and is currently adjunct faculty at the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. While teaching at the Center for Mindfulness, she worked with the general public and coordinated and taught professional training programs. An honorary lecturer at the University of Wales, she has also taught at Antioch New England. Since 1999, she has instructed professionals in the teaching of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy. In addition to working with professionals in academic and business settings, she leads courses and retreats for the general public.
Anjali Budreski
Anjali Budreski, owner of Yoga Mountain Center in Montpelier, Vermont, has been in love with yoga since taking her first yoga class in 1994.
Anjali Anjali's practice blossomed from doing yoga on a small Southern Vermont farm in a one room cabin to teaching at a Burlington yoga studio. Passionate about sharing her love of yoga with others, she enrolled in Kripalu's 200 hour teacher training, where she met Todd Norian, who later introduced her to Anusara Yoga.
Lydia Russell-McDade
Lydia Russell-McDade is a certified Anusara-Inspired yoga teacher, herbalist, and holistic nutrition couselor. Nourished by her life-long love of dance and fourteen years of yoga practice, her playful, yet potent classes inspire the student to discover his or her own source of grace, power, and radical freedom through a blend of precise alignment instructions and fluid posture flows. A poet and story-teller, Lydia uses her love of words, nature, and myth to illuminate her students' asana practice as she weaves a web of rich metaphor and imagery to support and guide each student's unique journey. Deeply influenced by Indian Tantric philosophy, as well as by her own European ancestor's Earth-based spirituality, Lydia's classes are heart-opening, community-oriented, and rooted in the sacred cycles and rhythms of nature.
John McConnell
John McConnell has been practicing and experiencing yoga for nearly 10 years. In his classes John interweaves a combination of humor, light-heartedness, and intensity - while maintaining a keen emphasis on celebrating the true joy of life!
Sharon McIllwaine
Sharon MacIllwaine began a lifelong immersion into yoga while dancing in NYC in the 70's.
After practicing on her own for a year, she stepped into the studio of Dharma Mittra. Dharma's teachings served to deepen and broaden Sharon's practice in unexpected and powerful ways. The yoga boom had yet to happen and it was to her great benefit that she was sometimes his only student. Sharon now has 2 children, and has been practicing acupuncture for 20 yrs and yoga for 30. She became certified in Pilates as well and find the two disciplines blend beautifully. Sharon is honored to be the director of the Breathing Light Studio in Montpelier, VT.
Molly McNaughton
Molly McNaughton has loved Yoga since she went to her first class with her mother at age seven. After brief affairs with Ashtanga and Bikram Yoga, Molly fell in love with Kripalu Yoga and received her certification in 2004. Since then, she has continued to study Kripalu Yoga as well as Anusara and Vinyasa.
Linda Buckley
Linda Buckley has taken her passion for yoga and created a healing space where people can go deeper into their practice. Trained as a massage therapist, she intimately understands asanas in relationship to individual anatomy. Linda was originally certified by Bikram Choudhury, and continues to study with other Hatha yoga teachers, such as Paul Grilley and Sarah Powers. Formerly a leader in wilderness expeditions, she uses her knowledge, honesty, and humor to help lead students to their uncharted edges and back again.
Katy Leadbetter
Katy Leadbetter has been creating vinyasa stype movement since age 12. She received her Kripalu Teaching Certification in 2008. Her time as Massage Therapist, Personal Trainer, Wellness Consultant and Group Exercise Director helped her to gain the knowledge and confidence needed to open Fusion Studio. She blends yoga, martial arts and dance.
Jane Jarecki
Jane Jarecki began practicing yoga during college after a fateful journey to India. She has studied with Sri Dharma Mittra, Nancy Gilgoff, and Rusty Wells. Jane is a certified Kripalu Yoga teacher who considers yoga to be one pathway to peaceful life.
Jane sees yoga as a tool for preventing illness, cultivating self-awareness, compassion and love. Her class is a flowing and dynamic experience with emphasis on self-acceptance, relaxation, breath, alignment, and exploring one's edge. Jane is devoted to studying and sharing yoga as yoga has opened Jane to herself and the world.
Jeni Humphries
Jeni Humphries brings strong compassion and a deep insight into human nature to all of her classes. She knows what an important personal journey a committed yoga practice is both physically and emotionally. Certified by Bikram Choudhury, Jeni continues to study with other teachers, such as Anna Forrest, adding an eclectic blend to her teaching. Also an organic market gardener deeply connected with nature, Jeni's teaching is grounded, kind, and encourages deep work at many levels.
Lisa Levangie
Lisa Levangie is a certified Hot Yoga (R.Y.T) instructor who trained with Jimmy Barkan from the Yoga College of India. Yoga came into Lisa's life more than 15 years ago and was led to hot yoga for health reasons. "Yoga brings my physical, mental and spiritual health into balance and keeps me centered on and off the mat." Lisa started practicing Bikram yoga with Linda at Geezum Crow and after a few years moved to Bennington where she discovered right away there was no hot yoga. Lisa went and trained with Jimmy Barkan and came back to teach in Bennington for the past five years. Lisa's passion for yoga has grown over the years as she has trained with Seane Corn, Shiva Rea, and Todd Norian. She continues to train with Jimmy Barkan when she can and explores the Eight Limb Path in her own practice.
Lindsay Armstrong, B.F.A.; C.M.T.; Reiki Master Teacher; K.C.Y.T.
Lindsay Armstrong is a Kripalu certified yoga teacher, massage therapist and mother of Jaya Gita! She began practicing yoga in 1996 and has studied within many different traditions in America, India, Thailand and Nepal. Lindsay has been teaching yoga classes and individual sessions in Central Vermont since 2001 and has taught internationally in Italy and Montreal. Her fluid, deliciously sequenced, and heart-centered teaching style is greatly inspired by her extensive training in Kripalu and Vinyasa Flow, alignment principles from Anusara, and her reverence for the power of Spirit, Transformation, and Gratitude, as well as her love of dance and all things rhythmic!
Patrick McAndrew
Patrick McAndrew became a serious student of yoga at age 17 when he had an oceanic experience learning Hamsa Sohum meditation from the dancer Margaret Beals, a devotee of Swami Muktananda. In pursuit of deepening that connection, he has practiced with many great teachers through-out California, Vermont, and his native New York City. He is a graduate of the Kripalu 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training, the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and Goddard College.
Pamela Brady, MAc LAc
Pamela Brady is the owner of White Peony Oriental Healing Arts in Montpelier. Acupuncture, Botanical Medicine, Qi Gong, Sound Healing, Harmonic Attunements.
Lucy D'Aponte
Lucy D'Aponte is a certified teacher (Anusara -inspired), licensed physical therapist and has been teaching and practicing for over 15 years. She studied dance at Sarah Lawrence College, and then physical therapy at Long Island university. Yoga has taught her a deeper appreciation for the connection between mind and body. Lucy's classes help to fufill our bodies' fullest potential, strength and health.
Michele Weyand
Michele Weyand is a certified Kripalu yoga teacher and massage therapist. Her heart centered teaching style is inspired by kripalu, anusara, and vinyasa. She creates a safe space for students to find joy in their yoga practice, and hopes that this experience stays with them on and off the mat.
Britt Richardson
"I first fell in love with Pilates in the late 80's, when many of the exercises were integrated into my ballet training. After exploring exercise and movement in many forms, I have gravitated toward Pilates for strength training. For me, its benefits have included relieving lower back pain, gaining proper spinal alignment, recovering post-partum, and providing overall strength and postural support. I have been teaching fitness classes since moving to Vermont in 2000 and hold certifications in group exercise and Pilates."
Géraldine Béatrice Vatan
Géraldine Béatrice Vatan is a licensed yoga teacher and therapist who was educated both in France and in the US. She trained with the Phoenix Rising School of Yoga Therapy founded by Australian practitioner Michael Lee. Her healing tools are based on the ancient principles of yoga practice, philosophy and science, Rodgerian psychology, non-violent communication (NVC) and the quantum mechanical body principles of mind-body medicine. She seeks to empower people to learn about their mind-body's language & wisdom, gain emotional clarity and experience physical relief.
Lori Mortimer
Lori Mortimer began her yoga practice in 1994, while exploring many forms of Hatha Yoga. She became certified to teach yoga in 2000 through Don & Amba Stapleton of Nosara Institute. Since then, she has taught hundreds of students at UVM, Champlain College, Yoga VT, Ayurvedic Center and Omega Institute. She is vibrantly re-emerging to teach this yoga workshop again after a year of pregnancy into motherhood.
Alison Hans
Alison Hans was introduced to yoga in 2004 while attending a bodywork training program at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Stockbridge Massachusetts. She came to realize that the ability to do bodywork and to help others was directly linked to a yogic life. Self-awareness, non-judgement, safety and compassion were mirrored in both practices. She became a certified Kripalu yoga teacher in 2006 and started Sangha Vermont where she practices massage and teaches yoga.
Sukhada Repass
Sukhada Repass has been involved in the Healing Arts for ten years. Sukhada is a Holistic Wellness Practitioner & mother of 3 young kids. She lives in Johnson, Vermont. Sukhada founded her own business Ray of Light 3 years ago. She is the Regional Co-Ordinator for the Morrsiville Area of the Vermont Reiki Association. She teaches both Usui & Karuna Reiki and offers monthly Restorative Reiki Yoga Workshops in her local area. Sukhada does the following Therapies : Reiki, Hot Stone Reiki, Flower Essences, Aromatherapy, Reflexology, Cranial Sacral, Crystal Healing & Sound Healing.
Ellen Fein
Ellen Fein is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a registered yoga teacher (RYT-500) and a certified yoga therapist. Ellen is a 200- hour Kripalu Yoga Teacher. She has extensive training in yoga therapy including certification Yoga of the Heart, Integrative Yoga Therapy (1000 hours). Her real love is Viniyoga, an ancient practice which she studies with Gary Kraftsow. She is currently completing the American Viniyoga Therapy Training (also 1000 hours). Ellen combines yoga therapeutics with western mind-body medicine so that yoga is accessible for everyone. Have an injury? Chronic health problem? out of shape? Ellen teaches adaptive yoga that will support any individual in practicing yoga.
Laura Bozarth
Laura Bozarth fell in love with yoga and has been practicing for 14 years and teaching for six. She is in the process of earning a yoga teacher certification. Her practice and classes are in the spirit of ashtanga and vinyasa yoga, focusing on strength, flexibility, and stamina.
Gwyneth Flack
Gwyneth Flack teaches workshops based on connecting with Intuition, and works as an intuitive coach and healer. Her workshops introduce Intuitive Tools designed to be utilized in our every-day world in such places as the workplace and family settings. Gwyneth has been deeply connected to her intuitive abilities since she was a child, and has been a student of metaphysics for most of her adult life. She is a graduate of certified Intuitive Teachers training and Healing programs, including the Advanced Healer’s Apprenticeship with Michael Tamura, Intuitive Insights, and Psychic Horizons. She is also trained in Reiki. Gwyneth is the mother of a young daughter, and runs an organic sugaring operation with her husband.
Robert Gold
Robert Gold – After decades of sports-based wear and tear on body and mind from an over-active lifestyle, Rob was introduced to *Svaroopa® yoga* in 2006 and the fresh paradigm of the body's workings. The supportive and easily approachable poses began unraveling layer upon layer of core tension with remarkable efficiency leading to a rapid reduction in physical pain and relief from chronic stiffness. These changes were profoundly moving to say the least, inspiring him to enroll in teacher training a few months later. It was at these intensive, multi-dimensional trainings that Rob was introduced to the vastness of yoga that lies beyond poses and anatomy, falling in love with the timeless and all-encompassing wisdom of the ancient texts, mantras and practices. Months later Rob was invited to serve Swami Nirmalananda Saraswati, the founder of *Svaroopa® yoga* while continuing his training and education before relocating to Vermont in 2008. He is continually amazed at the simplicity, power and accessibility of this practice and shares this passion in service to students and clients.
Meredith Hart
Meredith's search for the understanding of her true Self has led her to the study of many yogic traditions and from various spiritual teachers; however it is Svaroopa® yoga that has provided the deep structural changes, healing, and transformation that facilitated a rapid advancement in her search for the more that yoga offers. Meredith has been teaching yoga since 2001 and holds over 1000 hours of yoga instructor and yoga therapist training combined. She has also earned a Certificate in Massage Therapy and Bodywork, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Transpersonal Psychology and has recently concluded her time of three years with the Ayurvedic Center of Vermont as the lead panchakarma therapist. Meredith is honored to share her knowledge and passion in service to her students and clients and is devoted to the power and the grace of the Svaroopa® yoga teachings. Meredith is a registered teacher with Yoga Alliance and an active member of the Association of Integrative Medicine.
Sabah
Sabah (Shari Stahl), following her passion for Middle Eastern Dance, teaches belly dance classes here in central Vermont. The ancient, eternal wave and spiral torso movements of this dance form provide another avenue for integrating body and spirit, developing a strong and feminine presence of joy and healing energy. Women of all ages and body types find Sabah's classes to be accessible, inspirational, and empowering. Sabah continues to train with acclaimed Katia of Boston and Hadia of Canada. Sabah has traveled to Egypt and Morocco to enhance her cultural perspective and respect for the historic roots of Middle Eastern dance which she shares with her students.
Thomas Godio
Thomas Godio was born in Connecticut, and moved to Vermont at the age of 19. Now 37, Tom has lived a very active lifestyle snowboarding, mountain biking, surfing and cross country skiing before starting Bikram in 2001. Falling instantly in love with this specific yoga format Tom went to California to complete his teacher training in the fall of 2006. Since that time Tom has moved to Hawaii and taught Bikram to a very diverse population. Tom has recently moved back due to his love of the northeast. Practicing Bikram has increased his physical,emotional and mental health and loves sharing what he has learned with other people.
