LEADERSHIP & STAFF

YOGA FARM ITHACA TEAM

LEADERSHIP, STAFF, BOARD MEMBERS, YOGA TEACHERS & CONTRIBUTING EDUCATORS

We are pleased to share with you the amazing team of at this nonprofit that delivers classes, teaching, videos and decades of refined Wisdom every day of the week.

The nonprofit Yoga Farm Ithaca was cofounded in 2018, building on the foundation started when the Yoga Farm Facility first opened its doors in June, 2015.

JEANNIE O'NEILL

M.ED, E-RYT500, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Jeannie is a yoga, mindfulness and meditation teacher, yoga teacher training lead & educator

  • Imagine that you are capable of healing yourself. Jeannie O’Neill is here to help you discover how to be an alchemist for transmuting the pain of life into empowerment and growth. Jeannie has a passion and purpose to hold space for others on transformational journeys. Her teaching is practical, relatable and authentic to her own continuous journey as a student and teacher.

    She has created countless educational programs for various schools as well as co-creating the ‘Radiant Warrior Yoga Teacher Training’, ‘Kundalini; Change your Energy, Change your Life’, ‘Mindfulness for Educators Program’, and the ‘Room to Breathe’ Middle and High School Mindfulness Program.

    Jeannie has a masters degree in education specializing in contemplative pedagogy and transformative curriculum design. She is a 500E-RYT Vinyasa and Kundalini Yoga Teacher, Mindfulness Meditation instructor, a Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider and an Ayurvedic health practitioner.

    Jeannie’s take on yoga is that there is a depth and breadth of information that can be experimented with in order to find the perfect inner balance and alignment. Her teaching philosophy is based in experiential learning and teaching the path that you have walked. She is here to create opportunities for you to discover, tune into, and polish the compassionate teacher that resides inside your heart.

JESSICA ENGLISH

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Jessica comes to us from a long history of working within the alternative holistic education field after having spent over a decade working for the Finger Lakes School of Massage in Ithaca NY.

  • In her role as Campus Director there she supported the staff with heart centered leadership and she looks forward to continuing in this tradition at Yoga Farm.

    She loves that she gets an opportunity to support the student experience throughout the process from initial inquiry though to alumni status.

    When she isn't helping our community figure out which course is the right fit for them, she oversees the direction of marketing, outreach, and programming.

    She is excited to utilize her passion for travel and events as the point person for retreats. Bringing students on in person adventures and trainings around the world is one of her favorite things.

FRANCINE REYNOLDS

LEAD INSTRUCTOR, EDUCATIONAL STRATEGIST

Francine is a Yoga Alliance certified 200E-RYT and 500 RYT in Kundalini Yoga & Vinyasa Yoga.

  • She is also trained in Yin Yoga, Kundalini rebirthing, Traditional Chinese Medicine for yoga practitioners & Ayurvedic psychology. Francine is currently one of the lead educators in the 200hr Kundalini Warrior YTT & the 300hr advanced Spiritual Warrior YTT with Yoga Farm Ithaca.

    She is the creator of the Yoga Farm Ithaca Kundalini Dance Series & also specializes in Kundalini Chair Yoga for those with limited mobility. Francine is passionate about sharing the power of Kundalini yoga with everyone. From the chair to the mat, to the dance floor.

    She offers something for all. Francine is also one of our online course developers. She is a talented visual designer who creates marketing campaigns and social media advertisements.

JOSHUA REYNOLDS

MULTIMEDIA CREATOR, MUSICIAN, TECHNICIAN

Joshua is a talented musician and artist that films and edits video and audio for our outreach, free offerings, course classrooms and much more.

  • Joshua is responsible for delivering all media, primarily audio, video, photography, and written content that furthers the mission and upholds our vision of ‘Education for a United Humanity’

    Joshua creates high quality assets for use in our online courses, both live and pre-recorded, and for promotions of the courses, the brand and the farm itself.

MATT O’NEILL

DIGITAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARIAN

Matt is an archivist responsible for the curation, selection, acquisition, organization, accessibility and preservation of digital materials related to the broad mission of Yoga Farm Ithaca.

  • The Digital Collections Librarian oversees all aspects of digital educational materials, from capture of new materials, organizing existing materials, to preservation in database, to surfacing materials for use in ongoing promotions and education, and developing a public facing library of Wisdom and Knowledge related to the core topics and domains of Yoga Farm Ithaca educators.

Sabrina Trapani

STUDENT SUPPORT
& SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

BOARD OF DIRECTORS, SERVING 2022-2023

MAR PEREZ, BOARD PRESIDENT

PENNEE BARRESI, VICE PRESIDENT & SECRETARY

We thank the volunteer Board Members of the nonprofit for their incredible service and leadership

YOGA TEACHERS & STAFF

Bryan Isacks

M.S. L.AC.

  • LEAD Educator

    Bryan has been training, teaching, and practicing acupuncture, Oriental medicine, and qigong in the Finger Lakes for over twenty years. During his career he developed a qigong curriculum for people in recovery at Cayuga Addiction recovery services.

    Additionally, he has contiually run a high volume acupuncture practice in Trumansburg, NY specializing in sports medicine and pain management since 2007. Isacks has also served on the faculty of the Finger Lakes School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine for thirteen years, where he taught Tui Na (Chinese medical massage), and Qi Gong since 2007. He has hosted dozens of students and interns who came to learn acupuncture and body work in his clinic, and has assisted some of the finest practitioners of East Asian healing arts in the world in teaching Chinese medical massage, qi gong, and tui na in Europe, Canada, and the United States.

PENNEE SQUIER BARRESI

YOGA TEACHER, BOARD MEMBER

  • My Experience: In May of 2017, I completed my RYT 200 hour teaching certificate through Yoga Farm, Lansing, NY and in June of 2018, I completed a 30 hour Restorative Yoga training at Kripalu with Judith Hanson Lasater. I teach meditative, gentle flow classes and Restorative Yoga class at Yoga Farm Ithaca.

    Now retired, I served in public education for 30 years as a School Psychologist. During that time, I began my exploration into the many benefits of Mindfulness as an extension of my own mediation practice.

    My “WHY”: Through my yoga practice, I have come to recognize how the quality of my life can change when I respond from love rather than react from fear. Discovering that yoga is really not so much about self-improvement, rather it is about a radical self-acceptance with fierce compassionate, opened me to my own self-love. It is a honor for me to offer support to others on their journey.

    My Conviction: Loving yourself with all your heart, will allow you to truly love all sentient beings on this Earth. Yoga is that path.

SHULA STERN

YOGA TEACHER, YOGA TEACHER TRAINING ASSISTANT

  • My Experience: In June 2019, I completed my RYT 200 hour teaching certificate through Yoga Farm. I have taken multiple continuing education weekends including restorative, yoga nidra, meditation, kundalini and laughter Yoga. I am always a continuing student, and I love learning, growing and sharing my newfound knowledge.

    My “WHY”: Through my yoga practice, I have come to find peace in my mind and body. I have released a lot of fear, stress, injuries, and limiting beliefs. Though yoga I have really embodied the energy of love and self acceptance. I am passionate about helping others heal from the inside out and experience more peace and joy in their lives. It is truly an honor to offer and share the gift of yoga with people.

    My Conviction: Love is something within us. Focusing on your own self care and worthiness allows love to begin to blossom within you, around you, for you and for others in your life. Yoga is truly the path to falling in love with ourselves, healing and shining our inner light.

LYNN BENEDETTO

E-RYT® 200, RYT® 500, YAECP, YOGA TEACHER, 200 HOUR YTT TEACHING ASSISTANT

  • Lynn has over 20 years teaching group fitness and holds RYT 200-hour and Spiritual Warrior 300-hour teaching certification through Yoga Farm Ithaca. She is also certified as a personal trainer with ISSA, level 3 Elite Spinning and Spinpower instructor, TRX Qualified and formerly certified in Les Mills Body Pump, Core and RPM. Lynn is also certified in SUP Yoga and Level 1: Introduction to Stand Up Paddleboarding through the American Canoe Association (ACA).

    With over 20 years of experience in higher education finance, she is currently pursuing a MPS in Management degree with an accounting specialization from Cornell SC Johnson Graduate School of Management. She has attended the Fingerlakes School of Massage, completed the Radiance Course at Yoga Farm and is attending teacher training in Insight Meditation at the Radiance Sutras School of Meditation. Her journey as a teacher has been one of curiosity and exploration stemming from a lifelong passion for learning and she believes knowledge is wasted if it is not shared.

    Lynn has a deep connection to movement, music, breath and energy and loves sharing themed practices in Vinyasa, Chair, Meditation and Kundalini. Her love for teaching is about enhancing wellness through awareness and connection in a fun and accessible way.

JACKIE BLAKE

PRE-NATAL YOGA TEACHER

  • Jackie began her career in wellness in 1999 as a personal trainer at Equinox Fitness Clubs in New York City.

    That first year working as a personal trainer, she took a Pre and Post Natal Fitness Training certification and fell in love with working with pregnant women and new mothers. She then fell in love with yoga in 2004 and did her 200 Hour teacher training at YogaWorks in NYC.

    She has since been teaching private and group yoga classes in person and online. Jackie also is a dancer as well as a dance instructor, certified in the Groove Method. Most recently, she completed the 100 Hour Kundalini Pre and Post Natal yoga certification from Yoga Farm.

    Jackie was so inspired by the profundity of this certification, that she has shifted the focus of her work entirely to pre and postnatal yoga to share this passion and knowledge with other pregnant people.

ZARRA LEONARD

B.S. EXERCISE SCIENCE, EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGIST, CPT, RYT-500

  • School Studio Manager, Yoga Teacher, 200 hour YTT teaching assistant.

    Zarra is a passionate yoga teacher and movement specialist who finds true joy in sharing her passion with others. Her journey to becoming a movement specialist started in 2018 when she earned her certification as a personal trainer through NETA. She then earned her RYT-200 certification in 2019 and RYT-500 certification in 2022, both through Yoga Farm Ithaca. In 2023, she obtained a degree in Exercise Science with a Sport Sciences concentration from Ithaca College.

    One of Zarra’s proudest accomplishments is returning to school as an adult non-traditional student to pursue her passion for movement. Science has always been Zarra’s North Star, her guiding light that keeps her moving in the direction of her truth. Her love of science and her background in anatomy and physiology allow her to approach yoga with a scientific depth. Zarra is committed to continual learning, growth, and evolution, applying her ever-expanding knowledge to her own life and enthusiastically sharing what she discovers with others.

    Zarra is dedicated to helping yoga practitioners understand the intricacies of their bodies while honoring the interconnection between the physical and subtle body.

SUPPORTING EDUCATORS

We are pleased to be supported in our trainings by amazing Contributing Educators, including:

KIMBERLY WILCOX BEEKMAN

JAYA LALITA

LYNN FRASER