William Hunt:William Hunt, on the national registry with Yoga Alliance's highest credential, E-RYT 500, had his foundational training in yoga and meditation from the Temple of Kriya Yoga in Chicago during the 1970s and 80s. From 1995- 2006, he was the director of the Temple's Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Program.
Many of the well known yoga teachers in the Chicago area graduated from his program. Presently, William is on the staff of the yoga teacher training program at the Bhavana Institute in LaGrange, Il.
From January, 2002 through December, 2011, he was the business owner and main instructor at Oak Park Yoga. He and his staff found much joy and satisfaction serving the community through teaching yoga and yoga-related topics to all levels and ages. After 10 years of running a successful studio, William decided to retire from the demands of business ownership to devote more of his energy to simply teach yoga and further refine his own practice.
Through 35 years of observing students and improving his personal practice, William is able to skillfully instruct yoga to all ages with various physical conditions and needs. Many of his students see improved strength, mobility and poise as well as notice significant relief from tension and pain caused by repetitive actions, misalignment and life's challenges. Meditational skills and breathing practices are also are also included into his classes to help students uncover their inner resources of strength, wisdom and contentment.
Donata Finley-Boykin:
Presently the Yoga director of the Tennis and Fitness Centre, Donata is a Certified Hatha yoga Instructor (2003). She is a Spiritual Human Yoga Master (2001) St. Louis, MO and Reiki Level III (2010). She was an apprentice and advisor for the Temple of Kriya Teachers Training Programs in Chicago from 2003 until 2007. Donata 's professional background also includes certification from the Integrative Restoration Training Center of Timeless Being, Sebastopol, CA, 2008. She has a bachelor of Science in Natural Health with Honors, from Clayton College of Natural Health, Birmingham AL. Donata is also a Certified Personal Trainer from the International Sports Sciences Association, 2010.
Donata has planned and introduced new programs for the club: Yoga for morning, noon, and night, Introduction to yoga, and Twenty-one days of yoga. She has increased number of classes offered. Donata has also increased the awareness and importance of yoga as a part of a well rounded workout at the Tennis and Fitness Centre. She has been instrumental in developing the program of classes, workshops and trainings at The YOGA Centre.
Donata's teaching background includes: health clubs, yoga studios, park districts, health im-provement programs, churches and homes. Donata has affinity for the practice of yoga and the role of teacher. Although hatha yoga is her conspicuous strength her interest extends well beyond the posture to encompass the philosophy behind them. She is a good natured and well rounded yoga teacher with over 500 hours of training. She brings warmth and practical knowledge to every class creating a learning environment that is both safe and fun.
Maria Basualdo:
Maria's eclectic and dynamic teaching style draws both from the different yoga methodologies she has studied for the past two decades and also from her background as a modern dancer.
She has taught yoga for the dance department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, as well as numerous workshops and regular classes throughout the US and Argentina. She founded the Iyengar Yoga Center of Richmond,Virginia, and the Om Yoga studios in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Lafayette, Louisiana.
Certified in the Iyengar yoga method in 2000, Maria has studied for more than a decade with senior Iyengar teachers and the Iyengars themselves in Puna, India. She has also studied Ashtanga yoga with Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India, Indra Devi style yoga in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Jivamukti yoga in NYC.
Annelie Palmer:
Hatha Yoga practitioner. Annelie has more than 30 years experience in the practice of yoga- 17 of those years at the TFC, having started the yoga program here! Annelie is well-known for her focus on the individual and his/her special needs.
Leslie Donahue:
Leslie Donahue is a yoga teacher and licensed massage therapist. She has focused on yoga since 1994 and has been teaching since 1998. Primarily influenced by Iyengar and Anusara styles, Leslie focuses extensively on form and uses hands-on adjustments (with the student's permission) to help students deepen their understanding of how to deepen their experience of a pose.
Carey Freyman:
Carey is an Integral Hatha yoga teacher, RYT 500 & Yoga for the Special Child therapist, RYT 500.
Kim Vulinovic:
Kim Vulinovic is a 200 Registered Yoga Teacher and Certified YogaKids Trainer. She attained her certification in a tantric style from Don Wenig of Dancing Feet Yoga. She is also a long time Iyangar student of Gabriel Halpern, director of Yoga Circle in Chicago. Kim's adult class uses slow flow with alignment details for a safe, challenging class for all levels that builds strength, flexibility and body awareness. In addition, Kim owns a children's educational yoga business, YogaKids of Oak Park. She teaches children 3 to 15 and trains teachers and parents internationally to use the benefits of yoga with children.
Sara K. Schneider:
Sara has practiced yoga since 2000, and has been teaching since 2004. A practitioner of vinyasa flow yoga, she is also an author on the body, performance, kinesthetic learning, and culture. Sara is a professor at National Louis university. Most recently, she has trained with Matthew Sanford in the teaching of adaptive yoga to those with disabilities. Sara's classes are creative, encouraging, and strong, and laughter is welcome.
Teresa Heit-Murray:
Teresa is a RYT 200 yang, yin, hatha and vinyasa flow teacher. She has been practicing yoga for over 12 years all over Chicago and Oak Park. Her classes focus on a body/mind awareness in a way that helps individual students find what works for their unique anatomy. She also has special training in healthy back solutions with Gabriel Helpern and Elise Miller (scoliosis specialist) as well as Yin Yoga with Paul and Susan Grilley. Teresa has a unique perspective on the physical benefits of yoga, as her practices has given her much relief from scoliosis. She focuses on core strength, posture, lengthening of muscles and tissue. Teresa is a dancer and designer who brings much creativity to her sequences and desire to be a good guide for exploring new poses in her classes.
Anja Munch:
Anja finished her 200-hr yoga alliance teacher training in 2010. Her reason to engage in a yoga training was to find a different approach connecting mind, body and spirit to help cope with a life-threatening disease. Next to her love for Vinyasa yoga she has since added certifications in Yin Yoga, Hotpower Yoga and Yoga Sculpt. Anja has taught and trained Pilates, Yoga and numerous Fitness classes for the past 15 years. She holds certificates with Yoga Alliance, Stott Pilates advanced Mat and Reformer work, Spin, blue belt NIA, moms in motion and aqua aerobics.
Cheri Fuller:
Cheri has over 20 years experience in the health and fitness industry; as an exercise physiologist, a certified group fitness instructor and a weight loss coach. As a busy mom, she knows the value of focused effort to achieve maximum results in less time. She brings fun and encouraging energy to all of her classes.
Linnea Larson:
Linnea teaches Yin yoga, a term invented by the yoga teacher Paul Grilley to invoke a more passive orientation to yoga poses. This type of yoga is suitable for everyone as all poses are done on the floor and involve slow, long holds for the purpose of elongating and releasing the facial tissue surrounding and extending into the muscle for the purpose of deep relaxation and improved overall flexibility of the practitioner.
Heather Bussiere:
Born and raised in rural Northern Wisconsin, Heather did not have any exposure to yoga. The only yoga she practiced was slipping and falling on ice, and with a little luck ending-up in a lunge. Heather's first "taste" of yoga happened in 2005 while at a surfing camp in Florida where Bikram yoga was practiced on the beach at the start of each surfing day. After returning home to Milwaukee, WI she occasionally practiced yoga at her local gym and was discouraged because she thought it was too slow of a pace activity and found herself constantly looking at the clock, looking forward to the class ending.
Fast forward to Mother's Day 2009 and one child later, a friend purchased a membership for her to a yoga studio. Things were different this time. She was able to practice mindfulness in the classes, learn the importance of breath, loved the physical and mental challenge of each class and experienced more of a spiritual aspect in her practice. Heather currently practices 4 - 5 times per week. In the Fall of 2010, she completed her Yoga Sculpt training. and has been teaching ever since then. Yoga Sculpt is a Vinyasa flow with the addition of free weights.
She finds yoga a nice balance to the Spinning classes and HydroFit classes that she teaches. Heather feels that she has the ability to connect with her students through silly humor, being herself, letting students know that it's alright to "mess up" and that we're all learning together and most importantly to have fun. Heather hopes to one day work with youth and toddlers in her yoga practice. She is a graduate of the University of WI, Madison and had worked in the Private Equity industry for 10 years before entering the fitness industry. She has a 3-year old daughter who is the love and light of her life and constantly keeps her humble and grounded.
