Credentials

Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 500)

Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist

Certified Level 1 ParaYoga Instructor

Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher (RPYT)

B.A. in Experiential Education from The University of Massachusetts

Work and Training Resume

2001
Worked for Alternative Youth Adventures, a wilderness therapy program for incarcerated teenage boys in the Utah desert.
Began regular study and practice of yoga with Tom Gillette, director of Eyes of the World Yoga, Providence, RI
2002
Graduated summa cum laude from The University of Massachusetts Amherst with a self-designed major in Multicultural & Experiential Education and a minor in Spanish.
2003
Americorps job in Woonsocket, RI as an after-school program director for Latino kids in public housing
2003-2004
Travel; study of yoga and Buddhism; teaching English in India and Thailand. Completed 10 day silent Vipassana meditation retreat at Wat Suan Mokkh in Thailand.
2005
Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training, 200 hours
2005-2007
Yoga teacher at White Iris Yoga, North Shore Yoga, Crate & Barrel Corporate HQ
2005-2010
Yoga teacher at the Heartwood Center for Body Mind Spirit; prenatal yoga and private instruction
2007-2009
Yoga teacher (Hatha and Prenatal) at Generations Yoga
2007
10 day Vipassana silent meditation retreat
2008
Advanced anatomy training with Ellen Heed
2007-2009
Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy training, Bristol, VT; 700 hours
2007-Present
ParaYoga Master trainings with Rod Stryker in Tantric Hatha yoga and meditation. Completed all nine five-day trainings and received level 1 certification in 2012.
2009-2012
Director of Therapeutic yoga program for high-needs foster kids at the Rice Child + Family Center; member of the leadership board; yoga instructor for kids and staff
2010
Attended Yoga Therapy Conference at Kripalu in Lenox, MA
Opened Grateful Yoga of Evanston with co-owner Nick Beem
2013 Co-led The Pregnant Practice prenatal yoga teacher training at Moksha Yoga, Chicago, IL
2013 Co-founded The Amala School of Prenatal Yoga, training teachers to specialize in prenatal and postnatal yoga, providing childbirth education and mentorship.

The yoga therapy components of Lela's practice are based on her training from the Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy school, not derived from her status as an RYT with Yoga Alliance Registry.