Mission Statement

The Iyengar Yoga Association of Greater New York

The Iyengar Yoga Association of Greater New York was formed by a dedicated and inspired group of teachers and practitioners in 1987 as a regional arm of the Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States.  Our aims were threefold: to support the teaching of Iyengar yoga throughout our four-state area, to establish a central place for study and teaching that would embody the highest standards of a transformational practice of yoga, and to connect our practitioners with others in the United States and throughout the world and to the source of our inspiration, B.K.S. Iyengar, our teacher.

2008 Strategic Plan [76kb PDF]

Meet the Board of Directors
of the Iyengar Yoga Association of Greater New York

OFFICERS:

Mary Dunn, Senior Teacher
Mary is the Senior Teacher and the guiding force of the Association. She has more than 30 years’ experience in Iyengar Yoga and is one of its chief proponents.

James Murphy, Director
James has been a tireless worker for the Association since it started. In addition to teaching full time in New York, he leads cultural yoga tours for Yoga Out There.

Neil Stevenson, President
Neil Stevenson is an attorney with more than twenty years experience in corporate and commercial matters including representation of non-profit organizations. He has been practicing at the Institute for more than ten years.

Barbara S. Olejniczak, Vice President
Barbara runs the multi-disciplinary visual communication firm O&J Design, Inc. She is currently the chair of the Marketing/ Communication/Publicity Committee.

Ginny Schubert, Secretary
Ginny Shubert is a principal of Shubert Botein Policy Associates, a consulting group that supports the development and implementation of public policies and programs that impact low-income people and communities.  She is an attorney with 25 years’ experience as an advocate on housing, health, and economic justice issues, and was a founder and
Co-Executive Director of Housing Works.  Ginny began studying with Mary Dunn in 1986,
and is a past President of the Association.

Peter Berry, Treasurer

Sylvia Kier
Sylvia is a former financial manager and marketing director. She has practiced yoga for 10 years and is delighted to offer what she can to sustain and share the goodness of Iyengar yoga.

Tree Marr
Tree is a Director at Ann Taylor Corporation for Fashion Accessories, Product Development and Production. In addition to product management, her background includes marketing, design and sales.

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE:

Laura Shapiro Kramer (Advisory Board Chair)
Laura Shapiro Kramer is the author of Uncommon Voyage, Parenting a Special Needs Child, currently in a second printing. She produced Slab Boys on Broadway with Sean Penn, Kevin Bacon and Val Kilmer, and was a Project Director for the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA). She Chaired the Board of Directors of Resources for Children with Special Needs for ten years and serves on the Board of Advisors of New York City Outward Bound Center. Laura has been practicing Iyengar Yoga for more than 25 years. (www.laurashapirokramer.com)

Robert Bresnan
Bob is the Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Bresnan Communications, a telecommunications service provider.

W. Barnabas McHenry
Barnabas is a land conservationist engaged in a series of projects in the Hudson River Valley. He is the chair of the Hudson River Valley Greenway Council and co-chair of the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area.

Tori Milner
Tori is a certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher on the faculty at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of New York. Before becoming a teacher, her background was in marketing, public relations, and publications. She is the editor of the IYAGNY newsletter.

Lisa Cirando

Richard Sprano

Ann McDermott-Kave
Ann is an Iyengar Certified Yoga Teacher and a member of the Programming Committee.  She is also the Director of the OSI Pharmaceuticals Foundation—focused on promoting community involvement with charitable organizations, especially in the areas of cancer, diabetes and science education.

REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES:

Rebecca Lerner

Jeff Logan
Jeff teaches Iyengar Yoga full time at his studio in Huntington, Long Island. He has been practicing yoga since 1986. He is the Long Island representative on the Outreach Committee and has organized several successful fund-raising events for IYAGNY in his area.

Cynthia Worby
Cynthia is a dedicated yoga practitioner and Certified Iyengar Yoga teacher who is the Director of Bedford Yoga, established in 1993, in Bedford, New York.  She is also the author of The Everything Yoga Book and Yoga on The Go: Yoga Poses to Suit Your State of Mind, a fun visual and instructive set of cards. She is currently the Westchester/ Connecticut representative on the Outreach Committee.

ADVISORY BOARD:

Diane von Furstenberg

Donna Karan

Mira Nair

Frank Lipman, M.D., Founder 1111 Wellness Center

Loren Fishman, M.D., B.Phil.

Dalia Zwick, P.T., Ph.D.

Anna Golfinopolous, Institute Faculty

Viren Mehta, Founder/CEO, Mehta Global Partners

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