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Advisory Committee Biographies
Barbara Eastham
Barbara Eastham has been teaching yoga for more than 30 years. She is a certified Senior Teacher with the Yoga Association of Alberta and holds a master’s degree in health education. Barbara began her yoga studies in 1971 with Dr. Usharbudh Arya. In 1977 she completed the Yoga Teachers Course at Yasodhara Ashram under the direction of Swami Sivananda Radha. Since then she has studied extensively with Richard Miller, Margaret Hahn, Esther Myers, Angela Farmer and Victor Van Kooten. Her teaching has also been influenced by study with both Gary Kraftsow and senior teachers in the Iyengar tradition. Barbara directed the Yoga Teacher Training Program at the Yoga Centre of Calgary from 1995 to 2002. She is currently studying to become a certified mentor of Yoga Nidra-Integrative Restoration (iRest). From its inception in 2006, Barbara has participated in developing the Yoga Therapy Certificate program at Mount Royal University.
Suszette O’Byrne
Suzette O’Byrne started teaching and working in the health and fitness industry in 1984 and has been training instructors since 1989. Suzette’s credentials include B.Sc. Kinesiology, Yoga Association of Alberta Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor, Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher (500 level), AFLCA Trainer of Fitness Leaders (Group Fitness, Resistance Training, Older Adults, Aquafitness), Keiser Master Trainer, and STOTT PILATES* certified mat and reformer instructor. Currently working in Calgary as a yoga therapist, Suzette is a sought-after international presenter and instructor trainer, and author of Yoga for the Core: Finding Stability in an Unstable Environment. Suzette’s latest yoga training and influences have come from working with Gert van Leeuwen, Richard Miller and Susi Hately Aldous.
Dr. Hana Stastny
Dr. Stastny started practising yoga when she was 16 years old. She received her training in hatha yoga in the Czech Republic, her country of birth. While learning about various pathologies during her medical studies, Hana came to understand the healing potential of yoga. After receiving her PhD in Medicine, she moved to Canada and opened Holistic Alternatives, a private practice in homeopathy, massage therapy, reflexology, nutritional counselling and yoga. She developed her unique synthesis of asanas, pranayama, meditation and relaxation techniques called Yoga for Personal Growth™. Hana currently teaches at two colleges in Calgary: anatomy, physiology, pathology, nutrition and yoga therapy at Mount Royal University, as well as anatomy, physiology, pathology, microbiology and pharmacology at Calgary College of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture. She also offers private and group yoga sessions. As a medical doctor, a holistic health practitioner and a yoga teacher, Hana guides students into a yoga practice that leads to improved health, relaxation and spiritual, mental, emotional and physical well-being. Her experience includes working with clients suffering from musculo-skeletal disorders, cardiovascular disease, cancer and other pathologies.
David McAmmond
David McAmmond is a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists. Beginning as a student of Hilda Pezarro in the early 70s, he was soon encouraged to start teaching. Although he worked with many teachers, David feels that he was most influenced by Dr. Bruce and Maureen Carruthers, and Acharya Dr. S.V. Karandikar. In 1996, David first travelled to Pune, India, to train under Acharya Dr. S.V. Karandikar at Kabir Baug. Dr. Karandikar is one of the world’s pioneers in restorative yoga. He then continued to receive training from Dr. Karandikar, both in India and Canada, for many years. Recently David returned to Kabir Baug, where he always feels inspired, to continue to learn Sunjeevan Yoga. Over the last 33 years, David has trained more than 300 yoga teachers through various teacher training programs in Canada and Mexico. Many of his students are now leaders in their chosen yoga fields. His training includes asana, pranayama, meditation, philosophy, anatomy and restorative therapeutic yoga.
June Knobel
YAA certified yoga teacher and psychotherapist has over 35 years of experience working with youth in a variety of settings including hospitals, schools, Family and Community Support Services (prevention), Alberta Child and Youth Services: Child Protection and Family Support for Children with Disabilities. June is currently in private practice as a senior therapist at Kells Counselling. June specializes in processing of trauma for children, adults and youth. In addition to her psychotherapy practice, she is Coordinator of the YAA Yoga Outreach Program and is currently involved in a pilot project regarding the benefits of yoga for at risk youth. June has a background in dance, martial arts and has previously taught dance and aerobics to both youth and adults. June has been practising yoga for the past several years.
Mike Mackenzie
Michael is currently working towards his PhD in Kinesiology with a specialization is Health & Exercise Psychology. His proposed research examines the relationships between yoga practices, states of mindfulness, self-regulatory skills and how these relationships mediate health outcomes in cancer survivors. Michael’s research is funded by SSHRC, AHFMR, and the University of Calgary. Michael holds a M.Sc. in Applied Psychology, with a specialization in Counselling Psychology, and is registered as a Clinical Counsellor in the Province of British Columbia. He has worked as both a clinician and researcher in the mental health and rehabilitation fields since 1998. Michael has completed extensive clinical training in mindfulness-based therapies and is the co-author of several peer-reviewed publications in the field of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Michael has been a student of yoga, in the tradition of T. Krishnamacharya and TKV Desikachar, since 2001. He completed a 200-hour advanced yoga studies program at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in Chennai, India in 2002. Michael will complete his 500-hour yoga teacher training, under the expert guidance of Robin Rothenberg, this fall.
Elaine Danelesko
Elaine began working at Mount Royal over twenty years ago as an adult educator and has successively acquired more senior administrative roles. Since 2006 she has led the Integrative Health Institute which promotes holistic wellness (mind, body and spirit) including all aspects of lifestyle, through research, education and resource development.
Paula Fayerman
Carolyn Murray
Carolyn has been involved with yoga all her adult life. She received her Yoga Teacher Training certification from the Yasodhara Ashram in British Columbia and has studied primarily with Swami Radha, Barbara Eastham, Margaret Hahn and Richard Miller. She has a particular interest in yoga therapy and its applications for chronic illness. Yoga is a great support for healing and providing spiritual nourishment.
In Absentia Members
Anne Douglas
Anne Douglas has been practising yoga and meditation since 1982 and teaching since 1989. Anne is certified to teach both Kripalu (500 hour; Senior Level Certification) and Astanga Yoga and has studied many other lineages including Iyengar and Bikrams Yoga. She currently studies with Master Teacher Richard Miller, PhD. Anne is certified as a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist (1991), Holistic Lifestyle Coach (Kripalu, 1990) and Reiki Master (1995). She has been drawing upon these skills to facilitate classes, workshops and retreats for the past 18 years. Some of the themes she works with include therapeutic yoga, yoga for prevention, Yoga Nidra, Chakra Yoga Healing Intensive, yoga and meditation for stress management, the psychology of Pranayama and the feminine face of power. Anne has combined all her studies, skills and experience to create Anahata Yoga, the yoga of kindness, in which breathing, movement, meditation and self inquiry help you to remember your true nature as loving kindness and abiding calm. She offers a 200-hour Anahata Yoga Teacher Training Certification. Prior to her career in yoga, Anne worked in the fields of marketing and human resources.
Robin Rothenberg
Robin Rothenberg is certified in both the Iyengar and Viniyoga traditions and an AVI Certified Yoga Therapist. She has been teaching yoga for over 20 years. Robin is the owner of The Yoga Barn, a thriving studio in Issaquah, Washington, offering more than 40 classes a week for all levels, and featuring a Therapeutic Yoga Program with individual and group classes. Robin is recognized by colleagues as a highly skilled yoga therapist and trains teachers at the Yoga Alliance 500-hour level. Robin sits on the Advisory Board for the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT). She is also an instructor and advisory committee member for Mount Royal University's Yoga Therapy program in Calgary. Robin has presented on low back pain at the IAYT Symposiums for 2007 and 2008. She also presented on Yoga for Anxiety at the NAMA (National Ayurvedic Medical Association) conference in 2007. Robin created the Pacific Institute of Yoga Therapy to help establish yoga therapy as a healing profession. She has published The Essential Low Back Program: Relieve Pain and Restore Health, a five-CD/book set based on the ground-breaking NIH study she co-created, establishing yoga as a safe and effective treatment for lower back pain. She also offers a training intensive for registered instructors to teach them how to adapt practices specifically for students with lower back pain. Robin offers annual teachers' retreats, as well as open retreats each year in wonderful settings such as Guatemala, Mexico and Costa Rica.
John Kepner
John is from Little Rock, Arkansas, and is the executive director of IAYT, as well as a practising yoga teacher and therapist with a professional background in economics, finance and nonprofit management. He holds teacher and therapist certifications from the American Viniyoga Institute and a teaching certification from A.G. Mohan in Chennai, India. John often lectures on yoga and yoga therapy for allopathic institutions and co-taught the course on complementary and alternative medicine at the University of Arkansas Medical School for two years. His work for IAYT and his writings for the International Journal of Yoga Therapy often have an economic and public policy perspective. John has taught a couple of workshops in Calgary and was very impressed with the people and the city.
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