Executive Director
Project Yoga Executive Director Dr. Nikki Owens, E-RYT 500, is longtime supporter of Project Yoga. She brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our organization. Over the years she as taught in Project Yoga K-12 school programs and led special yoga classes benefitting Project Yoga fundraising initiatives. Dr. Owens is an educator, mother, yoga studio owner and yoga enthusiast with an extensive professional background in education and the non-profit sector, including experience teaching secondary through graduate level courses, as well as serving in roles such as advocate, program coordinator, consultant, and program director in various organizations. Dr. Nikki’s unique skill set combining business acumen, interpersonal strengths, innovation, and creative approaches towards organizational leadership, invaluably supports the mission, vision, and values of Project Yoga.
Dr. Nikki Owens began her personal yoga journey some twenty years ago and continues to practice daily. In addition to her doctorate, she holds multiple advanced yoga certifications, experienced yoga teaching professional endorsements, along with having additional certifications and training in other wellness modalities including Ayurveda, neurolinguistic programming, yin yoga, Bones for Life/Movement Intelligence, and pilates. In addition to teaching a wide variety of yoga classes and styles at her studio, Mint Yoga [Studio], Dr. Nikki guest teaches, leads teacher trainings, workshops, and international wellness retreats.
From a personal and pedagogical perspective, Nikki is a witness to the profound impact that practicing yoga can have in transforming individuals’ well-being, mind, and body. As Dr. Nikki says, “Through gentle movement, compassionate guidance, and a breath awareness engendering calm, yoga can provide practitioners with a sense of grounding that can enable them to better negotiate their world beyond their yoga mat. Equipping students with these tools is empowering and potentially life changing.”
Program Manager
Liz has been practicing yoga for over 20 years and received her RYT 200 certification in 2019. Since then she has been making yoga accessible, approachable, and fun for all ages. Liz has been a Project Yoga teacher since 2019.
She shares that she became a yoga teacher “because I was so saddened and exhausted by the anxiety that children and teens are facing. It has truly reached big proportions. I wanted to do something to help kids (and adults) feel better by learning the tools of yoga. I want them to know that they are strong in their body. I want people to know that they are loved and to love themselves. I want them to love yoga so that they will come back.”