OFFICERS & BOARD

Our team values the practices of yoga. We see the importance of making these practices more accessible, and adapting to suit the needs of different communities. Trauma is a growing field of study, and as we understand more about the complexities of each others’ experiences, the better we can adapt yoga practices to suit people’s needs. We value the importance of bringing trauma informed yoga to people who need it - and we value the time and labor of the teachers doing this work.

Officers

Sangeeta Vallabhan

Sangeeta Vallabhan has been studying movement for over 30 years, first through dance and then yoga. She has been teaching yoga in NYC since 2003. She has taught yoga nationally and internationally; she has also been featured in Yoga Journal, Health Magazine and other online publications. Since 2013, she has been studying trauma informed yoga with many different teachers. Pursuing these studies enabled her to better face her own experiences with trauma and her recovery has inspired her to help others. In 2019, Sangeeta started training students in trauma informed yoga with her own training, Solemarch - Yoga for Trauma teacher training. She is thrilled to be at the helm of The Practice Coalition with a stellar team and working to empower and uplift students and teachers.

Tonie Warner

Tonie started her yogic journey over 15 years ago, and was drawn in by the physical and mental balance, and transformation she gained. A career in teaching and sharing in studio culture through Brooklyn and NYC opened her eyes to wellness redlining: the pricing structures, whitewashing and dominant studio culture that keeps yoga, and wellness inaccessible and exclusive across race, identity, economic status, and ability. As an extension of her practice, and with the firm belief that everyone should have access to yoga, she launched Yuja Soul, a dedicated wellness space for Black Women. In addition to supporting The Practice Coalition as its Secretary, Tonie is also a teacher-owner and Steward at The Connective, a cooperative focused on challenging standards in the wellness industry. Her ongoing goals are to work and lead in spaces where her offerings, and values can align and come into action to create change for the broader collective.

Lillian Cuthbert

Upon receiving her doctorate in 1988, Lillian worked as a researcher for a telecommunications research company, and then moved into financial application development, where she remained for nearly 25 years, retiring in 2018. She then received her 500 hr yoga certification, and now works part-time as a yoga and meditation teacher, teaching in studios, gyms, to corporate clients, and privately. Her experience teaching and studying yoga has made her feel strongly about how it can help those who have faced obstacles in their life, and made her very interested in promoting the benefits of trauma-informed yoga.

Board of Directors

**Molly Cohen**

Molly Cohen has been working in the restaurant and wine industries for over twenty years. With an academic background in literature and critical theory she decided to abandon academia for the more vibrant NYC restaurant scene. She has been running NYC restaurants and building beverage programs ever since. Molly is also an avid runner and has been running marathons both nationally and internationally since 2001. Molly feels running has taught her more about herself than any other life experience. In 2018, Molly was hit by a car while running and it was this traumatic event that convinced her of the connections between physical and emotional trauma. She is proud to serve on the board of The Practice Coalition.

**Sally Dickerson**

Dr. Sally Dickerson is a psychology professor who has devoted over 20 years to conducting research on how stressful situations can impact the body. Her work has documented that social stressors -- those characterized by social evaluation, rejection, and criticism -- can activate biological systems (including the stress hormone cortisol and immune markers of inflammation) that can have effects on health. Her award-winning research has helped establish the conditions that activate aspects of the stress response.
Capitalizing on this scientific knowledge of how stress can influence health, she implements evidence-based practices to help reduce the negative effects of stress on psychological and physical well-being. As an avid yoga practitioner (20+ years) and a yoga teacher (RYT-500), she conducts workshops and lectures on the health benefits of research-based stress management techniques, including yoga and meditation.

Jenny Guse

Jenny Guse moved to New York City in 2013 to pursue her passion for Musical Theatre. Balancing the demands of auditions with multiple side jobs, she faced mounting anxiety. After the unexpected loss of her father in 2015, she turned to yoga as a path to healing and processing her grief.

In 2017, Jenny completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training at Yoga Vida and began teaching regularly while managing the Union Square studio. Specializing in restorative yoga, she thoughtfully incorporated props into her vinyasa classes, empowering students to explore poses in ways that honored their unique bodies. Her teaching philosophy emphasized choice and adaptability, fostering a welcoming environment for all.

In 2022, Jenny completed her Yoga for Trauma teacher training through Solemarch with Sangeeta Vallabhan, reinforcing her commitment to creating safe, inclusive spaces for growth and healing. Now, as a board member of The Practice Coalition, she is honored to help expand access to the transformative benefits of yoga within a community she passionately supports.