Deepa is a trauma-informed, holistic therapist specialized in various healing modalities, including yoga, somatic experiencing, mindfulness, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Ayurvedic nutrition, neurofeedback therapy, brainspotting, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). She transitioned from being a software engineer to a therapist due to her immense passion for healing sciences, which stems from her personal life experiences and is inspired by her personal yoga practice.
Deepa was initiated into the Bihar School of Yoga. She continuously learns and refines her understanding of yoga from teachers within the Gitananda tradition, the Chinmaya Mission, and the Vedanta Foundation. She brings over a decade of experience in practicing and teaching yoga, conducting workshops, and teacher training. Deepa considers yoga a powerful tool for educating and empowering women, and through Pragathi Yoga, she encourages her students to transform insights into action and to practice yoga beyond the mat.
Deepa has previously worked with United Healthcare/Optum and California State University, Northridge. Currently, she facilitates asana, pranayama, and meditation classes through her own Zoom platform, conducts private therapy sessions, performs and teaches Mohiniyattam, an Indian classical dance form. She is also pursuing a master’s degree in healthcare informatics at the University of San Diego.
As a board member, I want to fully contribute all that I am. Through my alliance with YGB, I have continually discovered new gifts and explored different facets of myself. Everything I have done—and will continue to do—for YGB fulfills the Sankalpa I took when I first stepped on the mat 20 years ago.
I will serve as a strong advocate for girls’ education and the provision of microloans for women. Based on both my and my mother’s life experiences, I understand that, with sufficient support, women in rural India have the potential to realize their ambitions and capabilities. I can offer both the analytical and creative parts of my mind to YGB as a healer, therapist, and computer science expert. Additionally, I can bring my physical presence and energy through teaching and volunteering. I am committed to offering my entire being in the spirit of karma yoga.
Gail comes to Yoga Gives Back with over 30 years of experience in the areas of finance and accounting. She has worked for public accounting, city government, hospitals, insurance companies and one of her favorites a flower farm in Oregon. She gained critical knowledge in a small business environment while working in her husband’s produce and specialty food store. Gail has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a CPA certificate in the states of Missouri and Oregon. She has held board positions and served as the treasurer for several not for profit organizations in the areas of hospital management, home health and hospice, chamber of commerce, community aquatic center and holiday lighting event. Gail currently teaches yoga in her own studio as well as continuing some consulting work with a Medicaid contractor in Oregon.
Being touched by yoga over 20 years ago, it left a lasting impression on her life. When moving to LA in 2015 and retiring she began to think about the choices she wanted to make with her free time. Yoga was the clear answer and she obtained her certificate as a yoga instructor. Upon hearing about Yoga Gives Back from a friend she began to investigate and became very interested in volunteering with the organization. After attending the gala last year as a volunteer she was even more convinced dedicating some free time to the organization and its mission felt right.
“Blending my love and appreciation for yoga with my financial background feels like the perfect place to spend some time. Thank you for the opportunity.”
Harmony Slater is a Certified Ashtanga Yoga Teacher and Certified Integrative Wellness Coach. She traveled to East Asia in 2002 to study Buddhism, after completing two degrees in Philosophy and Eastern Religion. In 2004, she began a life-long love affair with India, spending the next fifteen years living there for extended periods of time immersed in yoga practice and philosophy. She co-founded two yoga schools in Canada and has shared her experience with pregnancy and childbirth in the books: ‘Yoga Sadhana for Mothers’ and ‘Strength and Grace: A collection of Essays by Women of Ashtanga Yoga’. She’s a contributing editor for Sonima magazine and the host of the Finding Harmony Podcast.
For over twenty years Harmony’s mission has been to share the deeper teachings and practices of buddhism and yoga to enhance wellbeing and spiritual integration. She’s taught workshops in over 30 different countries and now is primarily focused on helping professional women struggling with burnout, restore their energy, and reconnect with their purpose, passion and profession.
“Yoga Gives Back is an inspiring, transformative organization that invests in one of India’s most valuable and yet, underrated resources: women. By empowering these motivated women to create something for themselves, their families, and their communities and by encouraging them to further invest in their children’s education, this simple act of micro-financing becomes powerful enough to change the lives of many generations. As a daughter, wife, and mother, my heart was deeply touched by the testimonies of the women whose lives have been forever changed because of their involvement with this non-profit organization. India is a place that is very close to my heart, and I, personally, have been forever changed because of my connection to Her and Her gift of Yoga. India is a country where my spirit feels very much at home, and my heart breaks for so many women there who work so hard to support their families and are often victims of abuse and inequality. My life has been blessed by India in more ways than I can express and by several great Teachers, Gurus, who have brought me out of darkness and into the light. I feel that Yoga Gives Back is an opportunity to share this light with the people, the sisters, who reside in the country of my heart and truly need our assistance. It is a tangible way for me to say “thank you” to Mother India for all that She has given us and continues to share.”
Kay’s diverse background offers a unique perspective to the Yoga Gives Back board. As a dedicated community member she has served organizations including Michael’s Place supporting grieving children and families, organized and executed yoga camps for Kids On The Go serving children with disabilities, supported the LGBTQ community through Upnorth Pride and is on the DTCA Events Committee for Traverse City. With a deep commitment to her family consisting of her husband, four children and thirteen grandchildren and a successful career in business, including corporate business ownership of a mid-size manufacturing company with her husband, a real estate management company and the founding of her own yoga studio, Kay understands the importance of giving back and the power of entrepreneurship to create positive change.
“As a board member I am eager to contribute my skills and passion to help YGB expand its reach and create a brighter future for those in need. Yoga has profoundly enriched my life, and I am deeply grateful for the transformative power it offers. As a wife, mother, and grandmother, I am acutely aware of the challenges faced by many women and children in India who lack access to resources and support systems. Their circumstances should not dictate their futures.
I am inspired by Yoga Gives Back’s mission to empower these individuals through education, financial independence, and safety. My visit to India on the Seva trip in 2024 provided first hand insight into YGB’s impactful work, further solidifying my commitment to their cause. I was deeply moved by the strength and determination I witnessed among the women and children they serve.
I believe my experience as a business owner, child educator and community volunteer can be a valuable asset to the Yoga Gives Back board.”
Pritha Ogden is Director, Partnerships & Business Development at Peacock, after being a Director in the Film Strategy & Business Development group at arthouse film studio Focus Features. Prior to her time at Focus, she spent 3 years in the Private Wealth Management division at Goldman Sachs. Pritha is a proud Jersey girl who originally hails from the colorful and bumbling city of Calcutta, West Bengal. She lives in New Jersey with her husband.
“I support YGB because I was fortunate enough to be born to parents who had the means and dedication to move me and my brother out of India at a young age and give us the opportunities to pursue any manner of education and professional lifestyles that we desired. The overwhelming majority of children in my hometown are not nearly so lucky and their limited paths are decided for them at a very young age. Oftentimes these paths are restrictive and binding and irrepressible. I want to help remove these barriers to prosperity for the children of Calcutta and elsewhere in whatever capacity that I am able. The work that YGB does is instrumental in doing just that and it deserves to flourish.”
Mr. Yukie is an experienced executive and investor with several C-level positions for many successful companies in the past. He successfully closed several rounds of fundraising and completed reverse mergers through which several start-ups became public companies. Since 2008, He has been Managing Director of Bernardo International, Inc., and Bernardo Investment LLC, and aggressively pursuing his management and investment practice. He is a co-founder of Chalk Digital, and CEO of Chalk Digital Japan. Chalk Digital is an advanced marketing technology company providing do-it-yourself and automated advertising platforms. He joined one of Buddhist groups of the Shingon Buddhism sect several years ago and decided to study Shingon Buddhism at the graduate school of the Koyasan University and obtained Master of Esoteric Buddhism. He also completed TOKUDO ceremony signifying his entrance into Buddhism as a monk.
Kukai told us that “You can measure the depth of a person’s spiritual awakening by how they serve others,” so I have decided to propagate Buddhism for saving people who need help. When I met Kayoko and learned of YGB, I felt like it was all part of a larger plan. Shingon Sutras and Yoga Sutra have some common ground. Shingon’s meditation method uses Yoga to adjust the autonomic nerve system before meditation. I strongly believe that YGB is a wonderful opportunity for me to achieve my mission as a Buddhist monk. I would like to help secure funds, manage organization, and promote YGB worldwide.
Anita Hoffman is a seasoned leader in strategy, operations and community engagement with a commitment to social impact. Most recently, she served as Chief Operating Officer of a full-service digital agency in Los Angeles, thriving as a trusted executive partner and brand strategy advisor to countless cross-sectoral clients – from entrepreneurs to global brands, NGOs and public companies – building strategies that merged vision with sustainable growth. Prior to that, Anita worked in the fields of media training, global health technology and nonprofits. She has supported YGB in a volunteer capacity for close to ten years, including as part of a core team to travel with its founder to visit beneficiaries in India and experience the impact of YGB’s important work firsthand. Anita holds a MSc from London School of Economics, a MA from University of Southern California and a LEAD Professional Certificate in Executive Education from Stanford Graduate School of Business. Her graduate academic research delved into platform-tourism’s influence on culture in emerging markets – an intersection that resonates strongly with YGB’s vision to empower individuals.
“As Director of Gala Growth and Strategic Partnerships for Yoga Gives Back, I am driven by my belief in YGB’s ability to amplify its impact, rooted in its unwavering vision that by changing one life you can change the world.”
Beth Gallagher is an Emmy winning film editor in Venice, California. Beth seeded the idea of YGB FILMS and continued to support its production for the last 15 years.
“As a documentary film editor I understand the power of story telling. I am continually impressed and inspired by how well Yoga Gives Back uses the power of story telling in its documentary films of underserved women and girls in India as they confront poverty and discrimination.
In the last 15 years Yoga Gives Back has combined movie making with activism to reach and grow its global yoga community. As a result, YGB has inspired thousands of yoga practitioners from around the world to transform their personal yoga practice into global action,
by funding micro loans, orphanages and scholarships for higher education.
I look forward to supporting YGB for years to come. I am excited to see how Yoga Gives Back will continue to evolve and expand as a global organization, making real change for women and children in yoga’s country of origin, Mother India.”
Bala is a Strategist and Brand Development Executive with over 25 years of experience identifying, developing, and executing market opportunities with high-impact revenue strategies grounded on deep consumer insight. He has worked with dominant brands and is recognized for impacting their growth, operation performance, and customer loyalty. Bala has extensive e-commerce experience leading the digital transformation of a service business through innovative online retailing and revenue management. With strong analytical disciplines including information management, consumer research, decision sciences, and big data, Bala can translate ideas into action with speed.
Bala has 7 years of teaching experience at the graduate level as part of the Number 1 Online MBA Program in the United States and the Number 6 MS-SCM Program in the World.
“We are constantly looking for good causes that are being run by inspired leaders to get involved with, both in terms of financial support, and with our personal time if there is opportunity to contribute from our experience. Yoga Gives Back certainly fits the bill, and furthermore it is a small way for us to give back for everything that we have personally gained from this ancient practice.”
Belinda gained fame as the lead singer of the Go-Go’s, one of the most successful all-female bands of all time, and went on to have a prolific career as a solo artist. Carlisle supports LGBT rights and in 2014, Carlisle co-founded Animal People Alliance, a nonprofit organization based in Calcutta, India, that raises funds and trains and employs impoverished women to care for street animals.
“I have been to India countless times through the years, I love the culture and the people. From spending a lot of time there I have seen the challenges that those people face, and I love the work that Yoga Gives Back does. I love the humanity behind the work and have seen how effective YGB has been. I humbled to have been asked to be on the Advisory Board – I will gladly support them in the wonderful work they do with India’s women and children.”
Website:http://www.belindacarlisle.tv/
Christopher Key Chapple is Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology and founding Director of the Master of Arts in Yoga Studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. A specialist in the religions of India, he has published more than twenty books, including the recent Living Landscapes: Meditations on the Elements in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain Yogas (SUNY Press). He serves as advisor to multiple organizations including the Forum on Religion and Ecology (Yale), the Ahimsa Center (Pomona), the Dharma Academy of North America (Berkeley), the Jain Studies Centre (SOAS, London), the South Asian Studies Association, and International School for Jain Studies (New Delhi). He teaches online through the Center for Religion and Spirituality (LMU) and YogaGlo.
https://bellarmine.lmu.edu/theologicalstudies/faculty/?expert=christopherkey.chapple
“India has given so much to the world, materially (fabrics and jewels), culturally (great food, music, and dance), and spiritually (meditation and Yoga). Through Yoga Gives Back, Yoga practitioners have an opportunity to return the favor by supporting the material and educational needs of young women in India, important meritorious service!”
ELENA BROWER is mother, mentor, artist, teacher, bestselling author and host of the Practice You Podcast, Elena has taught yoga and meditation since 1999.
After graduating Cornell University in 1992, she designed textiles and apparel for almost a decade before focusing on yoga, meditation, art and writing. Her first book, Art of Attention, has been translated into seven languages; her second, Practice You, is a bestseller. Both Practice You and Being You are utilized as teaching tools in a variety of settings. Elena’s first collection of poetry, Softening Time, arrives in May 2023. Elena’s yoga classes and meditations are featured on Glo. Her virtual Engaged Mentorship is renowned for inviting analog creativity into online coursework, and her Perceptive Parenting audio course is a key resource for parents. Elena’s spoken word poetry can be heard on Above & Beyond’s Flow State albums. She works to elevate bright futures for girls, women and children through her support for Girls on Fire Leaders, On The Inside and Free Food Kitchen. Elena is commencing Buddhist Chaplaincy training in 2024.
“Yoga Gives Back grants us a direct way to offer concrete, valuable support to our sisters in India. Rather than giving them funds that will eventually be depleted, Yoga Gives Back inspires and encourages their creative vision, enabling them to become businesswomen who sustain their homes and families with their ideas. With Yoga Gives Back, the women served have same chance that we have in our society.”
President LA YOGA
Felicia Tomasko, RN, E-RYT-500, C-IAYT, CAP combines her passions for the teachings of both Yoga and Ayurveda in her life’s work. She integrates her training as a Registered Nurse and her background working in plant biochemistry and cognitive neuroscience in her practice and teaching.She served on the board of directors of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine. In 2002, Felicia was part of the founding team at LA YOGA Magazine, where she is Editor-in-Chief and President of Bliss Network. A longtime teacher, Felicia is a featured teacher on glo.com, is on the Yoga Studies and Yoga Therapy faculty at Loyola Marymount University, and teaches workshops worldwide. Felicia maintains a private practice in Santa Monica. Her commitments include an advocacy for community and highlighting social causes.
“I can’t imagine my life without the practices and philosophies of Yoga. As a member of our modern global community, I believe that giving back and being of service is an important part of demonstrating gratitude for these teachings. Yoga Gives Back expresses that gratitude through targeting efforts that support education and entrepreneurship in India. Education, entrepreneurship, discipline, daily practice, social justice, unity, and how we connect and uplift each other through efforts large and small. I’ve long been a supporter of Yoga Gives Back and I admire the dedication of Kayoko and the other advocates and team members. I appreciate the culture of integrity within Yoga Gives Back as well as the emphasis on making a positive impact in people’s lives through all of the aspects of yoga.”
Gurmukh is the co-founder of Golden Bridge, the premier center for the study and practice of Kundalini Yoga and Meditation as taught by Yogi Bhajan. For more than four decades students in Los Angeles and around the world have sought out her classes in Kundalini Yoga, Meditation, and Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga. Since being baptized more than 40 years ago with the spiritual name that means, “One who helps thousands across the world ocean,” Gurmukh has dedicated her life to fulfilling her namesake. As two of the world`s leading Kundalini Yoga teachers, she and her husband Gurushabd travel worldwide, bringing this vast Technology and Teachers’ Training Programs to students globally in the U.S.A., Mexico, Europe, Russia, India, and South Africa. She is the creator and pioneer of The Khalsa Way Prenatal Teachers’ Training Immersion. Gurmukh`s book, The Eight Human Talents, has been a long-time yoga best-seller along with her many DVDs. Gurmukh founded Seva Corp., a nonprofit organization that supports schools and orphanages in India. Her Spiritual Teacher Yogi Bhajan taught, “We have come to create teachers, not to have students.” She has dedicated her life to the Teachings of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan.
Founder of Jocelyn Solomon Yoga, based in Santa Monica, California, Jocelyn is also a senior teacher at YogaWorks.
Jocelyn is a mother to two incredible young women, sober coach, and international retreat leader. She has been a lead teacher and teacher trainer for YogaWorks and Equinox for many years. She is a former accomplished criminal defense trial attorney who reevaluated work / life balance when becoming a mother, when she pivoted to teaching and coaching to be more present to her family. She has been sober over twenty-seven years and absolutely credits everything in her life to that one powerful choice. Choosing not to drink is a bold and brave commitment and is in direct alignment with health, wellness, mindfulness, and profound presence and joy. Working with women in a journey towards freedom, truth, sobriety or sober curiosity is her absolute dharma. Her style is smart, loving, no nonsense, soulful, and deeply empathetic. You can find her on IG @jocelynsolomonyoga or jocelynsolomonyoga.com.
“I support the mission of Yoga Gives Back wholeheartedly. The practice of yoga has carried me through so many times in my life, so it makes complete sense to give back to the women and children of the motherland of a practice that has quite literally been a life saver to me and so many of my students. Service and philanthropy is a core value of mine and my family, and I am thrilled to become a part of YGB.”
“My teacher B. K. S. Iyengar always said that “Generosity does not impoverish.” I’m so incredibly grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given to giving back in particular to the country from which Iyengar came from, India. There are those of us to whom generosity, gratitude is kind of the core who we are. I think for those of us who have the capacity to cultivate that muscle, that heart muscle of gratitude is a tremendous practice in small ways, in big ways.”
Founder of ATHA YOGA in Japan, Maneesh offers a unique insight into the world of yoga. Born into a traditional Indian family living in Canada, Maneesh grew up firmly established in the roots and philosophy of Yoga. A degree in pharmacology gave him an insight into the human body from a scientific standpoint and his passion for sports made him a lifelong student of physiology, function and movement.
After MBA school, Maneesh moved to Asia to join the investment bank Goldman Sachs. First in Tokyo and then Hong Kong, his experiences in the corporate world made Maneesh a more well-rounded yoga instructor and mindfulness coach. He can relate to those who are busy with life in this fast-paced, often overwhelming world, yet are in search of a more permanent contentment and peace.
Maneesh left the corporate world and returned to India in pursuit of further studies in yoga, Ayurveda (ancient Indian medicine), and Sanskrit. Since returning to Japan in 2009, Maneesh has been sharing his insights both domestically and abroad, offering classes, retreats, workshops as well as corporate lectures and seminars on yoga, meditation, mindfulness and wellness.
“I fully believe in Kayoko and the YGB mission. I have believed in both since the day I first met Kayoko some 8 years or so back. It is the reason why I joined as ambassador that very day. And it is the reason I have tried to help raise funds and spread the word in Japan (and beyond) for all of these years.
As a board member, I feel I can help in a larger capacity beyond simply the Japan piece. With a better understanding of the broader picture, I would like to help YGB gain certain efficiencies, come up with some novel ideas and approaches, and execute these ideas so we can continue to increase our impact on the Motherland.”
NISCHALA JOY DEVI is a masterful teacher and healer. She is highly respected as an international advocate for her innovative way of expressing Yoga and its subtle uses for spiritual growth and complete healing.
She spent 25 years as a monastic disciple under the tutelage of Sri Swami Satchidanandaji, also received wisdom teachings from great Spiritual masters in US, India and worldwide.
Originally trained in Western medicine, she began to blend western medicine with Yoga and offered her expertise in developing the The Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease and co-founded the award-winning Commonweal Cancer Help Program.
One of the founding members she serves on the Advisory Council for International Association of Yoga Therapists. Author of several books, The Healing Path of Yoga. The Namaste Effect, Meditation in the Yoga Tradition. Her landmark interpretation of the Yoga Sutras, The Secret Power of Yoga, A Woman’s Guide to the Heart and Spirit of the Yoga Sutras inspires and empowers women to embrace their spiritual journey. Nischala Devi’s teachings reflect a heart-centered perspective of spirituality and scripture.
“My life has always been dedicated to service, whether through healing, or Yoga and spirituality. Embracing the understanding that when women are given opportunities, the family, community and eventually the whole world benefits. As women gain knowledge their status is elevated, they become a spiritual beacon in the community. YGB empowers girls and women to become educated and be in leadership positions. This then fans out inspiring others to do the same. I count myself among those are inspired. I am honored to be a part of such a noble spiritual organization as YGB.”
Philip Goldberg has been studying India’s spiritual traditions for more than 50 years, as a practitioner, teacher, public speaker, and writer. He is the author of numerous books, including Roadsigns on the Spiritual Path; the award-winning American Veda: From Emerson and the Beatles to Yoga and Meditation, How Indian Spirituality Changed the West; The Life of Yogananda: The Story of the Yogi Who Became the First Modern Guru; and his latest, Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times: Powerful Tools to Cultivate Calm, Clarity, and Courage. He blogs on Elephant Journal and Spirituality & Health, cohosts the Spirit Matters podcast, and leads American Veda Tours to India. His website is www.PhilipGoldberg.com.
“I have always considered India my spiritual homeland. It is a land of both sublime blessings and horrifying problems. Its people need help, and it warms my heart when those whose lives have been enriched and transformed by the wisdom of India’s sages step up to contribute. One of those generous souls is Kayoko Mitsumatsu, and I am honored that she asked me to be an advisor to Yoga Gives Back. I have high regard for the work YGB has done and look forward to helping it continue to uplift Indian lives in any way I can.”
Mr. Suresh K. Krishna is the co-founder & CEO of Yunus Social Business Fund Bengaluru and co-founder & partner of Yunus Social Business India Initiatives.
He has studied MA in sociology and Management at IIMB, Bengaluru. Mr. Suresh is a regular speaker & presenter at various national & international forums.
“Yoga is an integral part of all of our lives. It is not about physical well-being but the emotional and spiritual wellness too. Yoga Gives Back has been thriving since long with a mission to mobilize the global yoga community to empower women and children in India to build sustainable livelihoods. As a social entrepreneur and managing Trustee of a Charitable Trust myself, I strongly feel that our missions are alike and that we together can achieve many things to bring a positive impact in the community, more importantly during this pandemic. I support YGB and respectfully stand with its mission and vision.”
Trudy Goodman, PH.D., is the founding teacher of InsightLA and cofounder of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy. She has taught at universities and retreat centers worldwide for over 40 years. Trudy has trained in mindfulness and Zen since 1973, holds a graduate degree in developmental psychology from Harvard, and is one of the senior Buddhist teachers in the U.S. She is widely known for her role as the voice of Trudy the Love Barbarian in the Netflix series “Midnight Gospel”. Trudy is a contributing author: Clinical Handbook of Mindfulness (Springer, 2008); Compassion and Wisdom in Psychotherapy, (Guilford Press, 2011); Mindfulness and Psychotherapy, (Guilford Press, 2013). Learn more about Trudy at TrudyGoodman.com and InsightLA.org.
“I support yoga gives back because this is heartfelt gratitude in action. I love YGB’s international outreach – 30 countries and counting, the support and focus on sisterhood, education, and love.”
