INSTRUCTORS

“Om bolo sat guru bhagavan ki jai! The teacher within me, the divine, life experience is my true teacher Hallelujah!"

Teachers at Mandala are chosen because of their in-depth yoga training, a commitment to personal practice and continuing yoga education and for pursuing the yogic path off the mat as well in service to our local and world community. Introduce yourself, ask questions after class and let us know your needs and desires. You are at the center of the Mandala and we love to hear from you.

  • Jolie Parcher

    ERYT 500, Patanjali School Of Yoga, Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner From KSA, Certified Aromatherapist

    Jolie is the Founder and Director of Mandala Yoga Center for Healing Arts, and has been a certified yoga teacher from The Patanjali Yoga Center in Kathmandu, Nepal since 1990. Jolie is certified as an Ayurvedic Diet & Lifestyle Practitioner from the Kripalu School of Ayurveda and is trained as a practitioner of the Ayurvedic hands on Treatments as well as an Aromatherapist.

    Her yoga classes guide you to maintain a steady synchronicity of breath and movement as a way to experience a deep listening of Self. She'll keep you moving in a strength-building flow incorporating steps along the way for your body and mind to fully embody the complexity of each posture. There is often Ayurvedic wisdom and tools for daily well-being woven throughout. As a student of the classic Ashtanga system she returns to that particular tradition to shape much of her sequencing. It's a practice that celebrates a vibrant life both on and off the mat.

  • Sheryl Hastalis

    YA - ERYT 500, Asana, Pranayama - Vinyasa, Iyengar, Yoga Therapy. Philosophy, Mantra, Sanskrit, Meditation - Dr. Edwin Bryant, Russill Paul, Dr. Kavitha Chinnaiyan. BFA Dance - Adelphi U., MFA Arts Management - CUNY, Anatomy & Physiology, Biology - Kingsborough College

    Sheryl teaches anatomically detailed, exuberant vinyasa classes, interwoven with mantra, breathwork, and philosophy. All who attend classes with Sheryl, realize the vibrancy of yoga, moving towards the discovery of their own true nature, in sanskrit - Sat Chit Ananda - being consciousness, with an awakened heart. Sheryl has taught yoga, dance, and therapeutic movement modalities for over 4 decades. She is a practitioner as well as a teacher, and is blessed to practice and study Asana, Yoga and Tantric Philosophy, Sanskrit, Mantra, Pranayama, and Meditation daily with her mentors. Sheryl holds a variety of certifications in Yoga, Wellness Coaching, Fitness, and Rudolf Laban's Effort - Shape.

  • Renata DiBiase

    RYT-200

    Renata was first introduced to yoga as a teenager through dance training, but it was later during her undergraduate studies that she developed a daily practice. After years of being at odds with her body, she began taking refuge in a practice that made her feel more at home in her own skin. Exploration of various traditions, primarily astanga, Iyengar, and vinyasa, and centers of practice, led her to Om Yoga Center (NYC) in 2002. In 2011, Renata completed her 200-hr certification with Om Yoga’s founder Cyndi Lee and Edward Jones. In 2012, Renata joined the staff of Now Yoga, a teaching collective founded by Om Yoga’s teachers in the wake of their closing. In 2018, Renata took over ownership and management of Now Yoga, opening the school’s first physical studio at Astor Place, where she has also led a teacher training program. Her continuing education has most recently included the study of restorative yoga at the Kripalu Institute under Judith Hanson Lasater (2019). Renata teaches in a tradition that aims to meet the student where they’re at, employing practical yet creative sequencing to support a practice that’s at once both satisfyingly challenging and sustainably accessible.

  • Roey Ficaro

    LCSW, RYT, CHT

    Roey has been a certified yoga/meditation Instructor for over 20 years, as well as a practicing licensed psychotherapist/hypnotherapist. Her extensive yoga training is based on Iyengar & Anusara systems of alignment. In addition to teaching fun level 1-2 classes she is also certified with Judith Lasater in Restorative Yoga. Roey became inspired to utilize hypnotic stress reduction techniques with Crystal singing bowls while in restorative poses to target anxiety, sleep issues & PTSD by dropping one’s nervous system to Parasympathetic mode where healing can begin.

  • Alexandra Burst

    RYT 500 - Y12SR

    Alex started practicing yoga as a teenager, when her parents developed an interest in Ashtanga. It wasn’t until her early 20s that she returned to the mat as a way to heal. During a transitional time in her life, Alex went to Bali in 2015 and completed her 200 hour YTT with Awakened Life School of Yoga. She returned in 2017 to complete her 300 hour. Since then she has completed the Level 1 Kids YTT with Little Flower Yoga and the trauma informed Yoga of 12 Step Recovery (Y12SR) training.

    Today, Alex teaches Vinyasa, which directly translates “to place in a particular way.” She has combined the knowledge from her training and her own experiences to create a safe and welcoming environment for all students to learn, explore and heal. Her classes are designed to bring your awareness to the present moment while strengthening the mind body connection.

  • Amy Seminski

    200 RYT Laughing Lotus

    After nearly 20 years of practicing yoga, Amy completed her 200 Hour TT at Laughing Lotus in NYC because she wanted to “deepen her practice” and learn more about the philosophy and science of yoga. Once she taught her first studio class, she realized she wanted to continue to share her love of yoga with her community. She is inspired by the light she sees in others when she teaches. She loves sharing her heart and her practice with others and seeing them find something from it that they too can connect with. While she finds flowing as way to express herself with movement, incorporating breath and alignment is very important to her. She is grateful to her teachers for this awareness and for teaching her alignment techniques to practice safely and intelligently on the mat while flowing. Amy continues her love of learning about the practice and science of yoga and is currently working toward her 500 Hour TT. Her sequences allow you to dance on the mat while connecting to your breath and your own heart.

  • Lisa Zaloga

    Sivananda Certified, Vinyasa Flow

    Integrating the traditions of Ashtanga and Iyengar Yoga, zalogayoga is more than just a vinyasa class... it is an experience! From Tadasana to Sivasana, students are guided through an intelligent sequence, encouraged to allow their breath to lead & pause in meditation... all to the sounds of some of today's greatest music.

  • Stacy Haessler

    Yoga Shanti Certified 500 hour RYT

    Born and raised in East Hampton Stacy is thrilled to be able to share her love of yoga with the community in which she grew up. Stacy’s classes are uplifting, alignment focused and thoughtfully sequenced. Stacy completed the 300 hour Yoga Shanti Teacher Training program in 2011, the 100 hour advanced training in 2014 and the Urban Zen Integrative Therapy program in 2014. She has since gone on to be a faculty member in Yoga Shanti Teacher Trainings. Stacy loves the loyal yoga students at Mandala and is proud to be a part of the

  • Leah Kinney

    Leah’s classes are beautifully paced, carefully sequenced and led with delicate instruction. Leah graduated from Georgetown University in 2001, completed a 200 hour training at the Nosara Yoga Institute in 2003, the 500 hour teacher training at Yoga Shanti in 2004 and the 500 hour Urban Zen training in 2010.

    She is grateful to her teachers and students for years of collaboration, conversation and community.

  • Christine Panico

    RYT-200hr Mandala Certified

    Christine completed her 200HR Yoga Certification through Mandala Yoga Center for Healing Arts in June 2020. She creatively adapts her classes and sessions for clients of all ages, from toddlers to 95 (and everything in between). Her experience has grown to include Prenatal Yoga. She created an adaptive yoga class designed to help people with neuropathies for the HNF & CMT communities for an exercise program via zoom called Movement is Medicine.(movementismedicine.com). She finds being able to use yoga to help people who may be limited by injury or other physical ailment to be the most rewarding part of her journey as an instructor so far. You can find her teaching in person at Mandala Yoga and on the beach at EHP Resort & Marina.

  • Brittni Svanberg

    RYT-500 Mandala Yoga Center and Maui Yoga Shala

    Brittni has been practicing asana, chanting and meditation since childhood. After turning to the practices more thoroughly to manage anxiety in college, Brittni completed her 200-hour certification with Mandala Yoga Center for Healing Arts in 2020, and her 500-hour certification through the Maui Yoga Shala in 2022.

    Brittni’s classes focus on grounding, centering, and merging breath and movement. Her alignment based, slow flow vinyasa style invites you to find the pause, to truly come into the present moment, and to dive deep into your inner world.

  • Noah Zingarelli

    Integrative Nutrition Health Coach (INHC), Reiki Level 2, Dharma Moon/Tibet House MMTT 100 hr Certification 

    Noah is a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, who began practicing meditation and mindfulness in 2012. He received his health coach certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in 2013, and teaches mindfulness as one of the key components to living a healthy, balanced holistic life. In 2017, Noah spent time deepening his practice with Ram Dass on Maui, and in 2018, he traveled to India on a pilgrimage to the temples and ashrams of Neem Karoli Baba.

    In 2020, he completed the Dharma Moon 100-hour mindfulness meditation teacher training with Buddhist teacher, David Nichtern, at Tibet House in New York City. A patient and gentle teacher, Noah’s grounding energy creates a calm space for students to drop in and deepen their practice. As a lifelong east end resident, Noah is excited to share mindfulness meditation with the Mandala community.

  • Ashley McGee

    RYT-200hr

    Ashley McGee is a Yoga, Pilates, and Fitness Teacher certified by Yoga Shanti Sag Harbor. She is inspired by anatomical alignment and inquiry of the subtle. Ashley creates a multisensorial environment where participants have the time and space to feel the internal essence of the poses and to tune the body like a musical instrument. Her sessions integrate an Iyengar-based approach, vinyasa flow, guided meditation, breathwork, unique (sometimes live) music, sonic healing, and aromatherapy. Ashley’s teaching style is known for being challenging yet serene, calm yet with invigorating precision. Students and clients describe Ashley as a ray of light, her sessions as a transcendent experience, and her hands as safe, strong, intuitive and gentle. She values yoga as a science and linking of the physical, mental, moral, and spiritual well-being of humans.

  • Katia Herman

    Katia is a NYC native who has been teaching private group and personal training for over 8 years while being a Mother of four boys and a flower designer. Katia's sweaty-flow-classes blend different modalities of movement by incorporating some of the many training & certifications she has completed over 25 years, including personal & group training, pilates, yoga, corrective exercise, boxing, EFT and breathwork. Katia is passionate about helping women strengthen their cores properly, especially after childbirth, and she incorporates attention to the core in all of her classes. Katia is a Board Certified Health Coach and loves to inspire her students to create awareness of the connection between their mind & body and enjoy the act of movement!

  • Jimmy Minardi

    Founder Minardi Training

    Minardi Yoga with Jimmy incorporates dynamic yoga poses, strength and breathing exercises that help to irrigate the body and mind. Each movement is carefully formulated to enhance flexibility, improve stability, posture and mental focus, increase the flow of oxygen to blood cells and build overall body strength.

  • Jonathan Shoemaker

    RYT 200

    Jonathan received his teaching certification in 2005 through NYC’s Vira Yoga under the tutelage of Lois Nesbitt and Elena Brower, studying the Anusara system of yoga. Further, Jonathan studied directly and extensively with the founder of Anusara, John Friend, logging over 300 hours of workshops and teacher trainings with John. After some time away from teaching to pursue his day job in film production, Jonathan has returned with a renewed gratitude for the gift of yoga. His classes are positive, encouraging, alignment-based, meticulously instructed and joyously enacted. Grounded in the householder tradition of non-dual Tantric philosophy, Jonathan seeks to bring everyday wisdom and understanding to this simple yet sublime practice.

  • Naomi Worth

    Ph.D. & M.A. Religious Studies, Buddhist Studies and Yoga Studies, University of Virginia, Authorized Level 1 Ashtanga Yoga Teacher by Sharath Jois, Sharath Yoga Centre, Mysuru, India, 200-Hour RYT, Pure Yoga New York City, 500-Hour RYT, Nirguna Yoga Albuquerque, N.M.

    Naomi is a scholar-practitioner who uses movement and contemplation to establish the mind and body in well-being. Her classes are Ashtanga-based, which means they are active and rely on yoga poses from the Indian tradition. Modifications are provided, and the classes are accessible for all who want to move, regardless of past experience or current level of fitness. These vinyasa flow classes are infused with Naomi's extensive studies in philosophy, touching upon topics from Tibetan and Indian philosophy and the Buddhist and Hindu traditions. Naomi teaches with humor and passion, and hopes to incite joy for yoga practitioners.

    Naomi is an East Hampton native who recently returned to live near family and pursue her passion of bringing wellbeing to families and teens. She runs Quantum Youth, a local startup with a mission to bring wellness to teens and pre-teens. She offers pre-teen wellness classes at Mandala Yoga during the summer.