Uncertainty

Rod Stryker

"I think to bring a more enlightened point of view is to bring a quality of,

of a presence to one's life, it's really important that we hold. We understand that living in this world is inherently uncertain."

Breath and Life Force

Sally Kempton

"You know, the breath is obviously our connection to the life force it. And the breath is also our connection to our inner source. And the breath is also a connection to the divine. In other words, when you really begin to look at the breath to realize that, you know, obviously as we know, breathing is both an automatic function of the autonomic nervous system."

The Radical Concept of Self Care

Shelly Tygielski

"The radical concept of self care was born during the civil rights era. And it was a time when brave individuals were fighting the relentlessness of enemies, a prejudice and discrimination, and these American heroes created the first real communities of care, standing strong together in the face of seemingly impossible challenges."

Summit Speakers

Rod Stryker

World-renowned Yoga and Meditation Teacher

Yogarupa Rod Stryker is a world-renowned yoga and meditation teacher, guiding and sharing his wisdom for 40 years. He is the founder of Para Yoga and the author of The Four Desires" Creating a Life of Purpose, Happiness, Prosperity and Freedom

Sally Kempton

Spiritual Teacher and Author

Sally Kempton is a widely loved teacher of meditation and spiritual wisdom, known for transmitting meditative states to others, and for helping students apply yogic wisdom to daily issues. A former journalist who wrote for Esquire, New York, and the Village Voice, she has spent over four decades practicing, teaching, and writing on meditation and spiritual philosophy.

Keith Mitchell

Yoga Master, Mindfulness Coach, Author

Keith Mitchell is a motivational speaker, yoga master, mindfulness coach, and meditation guru. In his former life, Keith was a professional football player of the highest caliber. He received several accolades including being chosen to play in the first Pro Bowl and named an All-Pro player. When a severe, spinal injury ended his career, he turned to his breath and the power of meditation. Thus began his path of self-awareness, personal growth, and helping others to achieve the same.

Mark Coleman

Mindfulness Teacher, Wilderness Guide, Author

Mark is an inner and outer explorer, who has devotedly studied mindfulness meditation practices for three decades. He is passionate about sharing the power of meditation and has taught mindfulness workshops and meditation retreats in six continents for the past twenty years.
Mark is the author of From Suffering to Peace: The True Promise of Mindfulness and more.

Shelly Tygielski
Mindfulness Teacher, Community Organizer, Philanthropist, Author

After spending almost 20 years in Corporate America immersed in Fortune 1000 organizations, and the past decade as a high-ranking executive in public and privately-held companies, Shelly has turned to teaching “modern-life mindfulness” full-time and has become a “self-care activist” who focuses much of her time on communities that are underserved, social justice and community organizations, non-profits and schools.

Jodi Baretz

Author, Speaker and Mindful Mindset Coach

Jodi Baretz, LCSW, is a Mindful Mindset Coach who changes lives by changing minds. She offers a fresh perspective and an essential toolbox to cope with stress, food and relationships in a whole new way.
She is author of the Amazon best-selling book and program, Mindful Is the New Skinny, 10 Transformational Steps to a Lighter You Inside and Out and speaks to groups and organizations on how to live a fulfilling life using mindfulness.

Desiree Rumbaugh

Certified Yoga Teacher

Desiree Rumbaugh is an international yoga teacher with over 30 years of experience. Co-author of Fearless After Fifty: How to Thrive with Grace, Grit and Yoga and creator of the DVD series Yoga to the Rescue. Having navigated personal tragedy with the loss of her son in 2003, Desiree is often called upon to offer inspiration to others who are facing deep loss and grief. She credits the healing power of yoga and shares how she was able to return to a joyfilled life.

Justin Michael Williams

Author, Speaker, Musician

From growing up with gunshot holes outside of his bedroom window, to sharing the
stage with Deepak Chopra, Justin Michael Williams knows well the power of healing to overcome. He is an author, transformational speaker, and top 20 recording artist who has been featured by The Wall Street Journal, Grammy.com, Yoga Journal, Billboard.com, Wanderlust, and SXSW®. He is the author of a groundbreaking new book Stay Woke.

Melli O'Brien

Mindfulness, Meditation and Yoga Teacher, Co-Founder of Mindfulness.com

Melli is a qualified meditation, mindfulness and yoga teacher who specialises in teaching multi-day ‘immersion’ retreats. Known for her down-to-earth, engaging and authentic teaching style.
She is also a speaker and co-founder and host of The Mindfulness Summit, the world’s largest mindfulness conference.

Sarana Miller

Certified Yoga Teacher

DesiCalming presence, alignment, focus and ease of movement. Practice designed for a range of body types and ages, Sarana's playfulness and joy infuse the precision and challenge of all her classes. Sarana is on the Faculty at Esalen and Wilbur Hot Springs, has presented at conferences, modeled and served as a contributor to Yoga Journal Magazine, where she was a faculty instructor for 10 years.

Mark Van Buren

Author & Mindful Living Trainer

Mark Van Buren is a Mindful Living Trainer, yoga/meditation instructor, personal trainer, and musician, that has been promoting health and wellness for over a decade. He has run dozens of workshops and retreats all over the tri-state area, and has been asked to speak at numerous colleges including Columbia, Montclair State, and Bergen Community.

Cheryl Brause

Co-Founder of Pause to be Present, Mindfulness Teacher

Cheryl is the Co-Founder of Pause to be Present, Westchester’s Premier Meditation Studio now offering a full schedule of virtual meditation classes online everyday. As a leading expert on mindfulness in the New York area, Cheryl has created and led hundreds of programs and taught mindfulness locally and nationally to thousands of adults, teens and children in schools, businesses and privately. Once a corporate litigator and investment banker, Cheryl now uses her decades of personal practice and training to write, speak and teach about the transformative practice of mindfulness meditation.

Rhonda V. Magee

M.A. Sociology, J.D.

Rhonda V. Magee (M.A. Sociology, J.D.) is a Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco and an internationally-recognized thought and practice leader focused on integrating mindfulness into higher education, law and social change work. A prolific author, she draws on law and legal history to weave storytelling, poetry, analysis and practices into inspiration for changing how we think, act and live better together in a rapidly changing world.