MTM Staff and Teachers
Karen Dempsey, Executive Director & Teacher
Karen Dempsey is the Executive Director of Mindfulness through Movement, Inc. After practicing yoga for 10 years, she studied with Susan Smith of One Yoga for her YTT 200-hour certification and later completed Trauma Sensitive Yoga Training with the Transformation Yoga Project. Since 2017, Karen has been a teacher for Mindfulness Through Movement teaching at the Gesu School and Hope Partnership for Education. She is a graduate of the University of Richmond with a BS in Business Administration spending several years working in consulting and financial/systems management. She is excited to bring her expertise to MTM and to the Board.
Emily Lenhard, Director of Programming & Teacher
Emily is a resident of Philadelphia and has been a student of yoga for over 20 years. She completed her initial yoga teacher training in 2008 and went on to obtain her 500 hour teaching certificate. She completed training with Yoga 4 Classrooms, focusing on teaching yoga and mindfulness to children, and most recently graduated from an 800 hour program in comprehensive yoga therapy. Her goal as a teacher is to help others integrate useful and practical yogic techniques into their current lifestyle, creating a more balanced and fulfilled state of being. She is grateful to her teachers for all their knowledge and continued support.
Liz Nicastro, Director of Operations & Teacher
Liz has been a teacher with Mindfulness Through Movement since 2019 and currently also serves as the organization’s Director of Operations. A Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200) with Yoga Alliance, she has studied mindfulness at the Clearlight Meditation Institute and taught yoga at Sojourn Yoga and Villanova University. She has also completed specialized training in children’s yoga and mindfulness through Little Flower Yoga and Yoga 4 Classrooms. Passionate about the transformative power of yoga and mindfulness, Liz enjoys helping students develop greater calm, self-awareness, and resilience through these practices. She holds a Master’s degree in Education from Villanova University and has spent nearly 30 years working in sports television production.
Liz Seaden, Director of Teacher Development & Teacher
Liz began practicing yoga 20 years ago, completed her RYT-200 at Verge Yoga in 2013 and became a certified ChildLight Yoga Teacher. As a former elementary school teacher, she is committed to bringing yoga and mindfulness to children and teenagers and is excited to enter her seventh-year teaching for Mindfulness Through Movement. Yoga is a vital part of her physical, mental and spiritual well-being and she loves being able to share that with others.
Kristina Dugan, Development Coordinator
Kristina Dugan has spent 20 years helping nonprofits raise the money they need to do their best work. She runs her own small business, Kristina A. Dugan LLC, where she connects donors with opportunities to do good and helps organizations grow the resources they need to reach their goals.
Kristina came to mindful practices later in life, and she has felt the benefits herself. That makes her work with Mindfulness Through Movement especially meaningful to her. She is proud to help tell the story of MTM’s work in Philadelphia, where amazing teachers help kids feel calmer, focus better, and build self esteem through movement and mindful practices. She is grateful to support MTM’s efforts to bring these tools to kids early in life, so they can build that calm and confidence sooner.
Areal Bell
Areal (Miss Ari) is a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, currently teaches at Sojourn yoga and entering her second year with Mindfulness through Movement. She brings four years of teaching experience and a BFA in Modern Dance Performance. Her foundation in movement and
somatic awareness informs a teaching style that is both grounded and accessible. Born overseas and raised in various parts of the U.S. as a military child, she has called the Philadelphia region home since 2008. Her journey from dancer to yoga teacher deepened during a personal health-focused hiatus, when yoga became more than mere physical practice but a source of mental flexibility,
grounding and inner clarity. Her aim is to help kids – young and older- build inner trust, recognize their value and navigate life with authenticity and resilience.
Jen Bergbauer
Jen has been dedicated to yoga and mindfulness for over 14 years. She completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) with Verge Yoga in 2014. As a returning MTM teacher, Jen is passionate about empowering students to navigate life’s ups and downs and become their own best champions. She also holds certifications in Sound Healing, Coaching, and Positive Psychology.
Erin Drummond
Erin Drummond is a 200-hour Yoga Alliance certified instructor who has been practicing yoga for over 20 years. With a background in psychology and a deep interest in the connection between movement, mindfulness, and emotional well-being, her teaching blends intentional movement, breath, and mindful awareness. Erin creates an approachable, grounding practice that encourages students to slow down, tune inward, and feel more connected to themselves—both on and off the mat.
Sonya Jacobsen
Sonya was introduced to yoga at a studio in Colorado (her home state) over 18 years ago. She continued her practice when she moved to the Mainline in 2006. Sonya began to understand how the practice not only has physical benefits, but brought her more peace and clarity through lives ups & downs. She wanted to share that with others, and enrolled in the teacher training program at Focus Fitness Main Line where she earned her 200 hour certification through Yoga Alliance. Sonya has enjoyed teaching yoga since 2015. In addition, she became a certified meditation instructor at the Chopra Center in 2017. Sonya is passionate about sharing both the practice of yoga and mediation with others.
Steph McCaffrey
Steph has been practicing yoga for many years, and became a RYT 200 through Yoga Renew (online) in 2021 and Sojourn Yoga (in person) in 2023. She also completed a 30 hour course on Children’s Yoga through Yoga Renew. In addition to teaching for MTM, she teaches yoga at Sojourn, House of Arts Martial Arts Academy, and St. Joseph’s University. She also runs a basketball center gym class focused on gross motor skills in preschool aged children. Prior to teaching yoga, she was a long-time employee of St. Joseph’s University as a women’s basketball coach, and two other administrative roles in the Athletic Department. She studied Elementary and Special Education at St. Joseph’s University.
Sheila Taylor
Sheila operates her own practice called Soul Family Yoga, servicing the senior community with chair yoga and the community with additional styles of yoga. She has worked in Philadelphia and suburban schools servicing child with autism for over 11 years. Having practiced yoga since 2012, Hatha yoga is her main style of practice. She has certifications in children’s yoga, chair, pre-natal, and many other forms of yoga. Sheila received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a minor in special education; she is a registered yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance. Sheila embraces core values of diversity, healing, harmony, and collaboration for all and enjoys sharing her healing experiences with friends, family, and the community. She invites all souls to embark on this journey that will bring healing attributes into your life.
Kirsten Youngren
Inspired by her stepdad’s daily yoga practice, Kirsten immersed herself into the world of mindfulness and meditation. After his passing in 2021, she dove headfirst into healing herself and how she can heal others through these incredible practices. She honors him as her first teacher as well as a major inspiration to living her truth and having compassion for all. She believes that yoga, mindfulness, and meditation can lead us back home within the heart space and within self. The expanse of her open heart has allowed her the ability to hold a vast space for others of all walks of life. She received her 200hr Yoga Teacher Training certification, as well as an additional 50hr advanced training under MJ Heart and Damodar Cordua at Palo Santo Yoga & Wellness and is additionally a certified Pranic Healer. She manages and teaches at Palo Santo Yoga & Wellness in Philadelphia.
