Susie Dias, B.A., FOYTC, RYT500, EWYT, YES
Founder and author of East to West Yoga Programs

Susie is a graduate of York University’s Dance /Movement Therapy Program and she also holds a Psychology degree from York. She conducted a thesis as part of her psychology degree on “The Effects of Meditation on Perceived Stress” with significant results. Susie has a passion for writing and research that she applies to the development of East to West Yoga teacher training manuals.

She has been studying yoga since 1984, both in India and North America. Susie is a certified and registered yoga teacher. In 1994, she developed a Yoga Teacher Training Course for Fitness Professionals and has presented this course for the YMCA, Goodlife and Sports Clubs of Canada instructors. She has had her own Yoga TV series on Cable TV and has taught Yoga internationally for fitness clubs, spas, corporate training centres, retreats and conventions. She continues to teach Yoga and train fitness instructors.

Susie has been a Stott-trained pilates instructor since 1989, and is also a certified medical exercise specialist. As well, she is a certified pilates mat instructor, trained by Kelly McKinnon in Brussels, Belgium. She has held many past fitness certifications (OFC, CAIN, FOLP) and has taught hundreds of fitness and health professionals to teach yoga. She is the proud mother of a healthy daughter and pursues a second career as a film & television actor and filmmaker. Susie applied her acting and filmmaking skills in the making of the Part II: YES workshop video and the “Balanced Yoga Video” and she plans to continue with a series of Yoga videos. She continues to share her passion for movement and the body, mind, spirit connection.

Kavita Maharaj

Kavita Maharaj is the owner and operator of Red Door Yoga in Nanaimo, British Columbia. Her introduction to yoga began 20 years ago when her father, Krishna Maharaj Sharma, a traditionally practicing yogi, introduced her to kriya yoga. Since this time, she has become both a well-respected and accredited Yoga Teacher and Teacher Trainer, for all of British Columbia and Alberta with East to West Yoga. In addition, Kavita is also both a nationally certified Personal Training Specialist and a nationally certified Nutrition & Wellness Specialist. Using her in-depth knowledge of both yoga and the body, Kavita has authored and implemented various unique and highly successful rehabilitative and strength-progressive programs both within Ontario and British Columbia.

She has taught yoga to those as young as 5 years of age, and those as old as 74. She has been a Health and Wellness Presenter for various private and public organizations both within British Columbia and Ontario. Kavita’s undergraduate training at Queen’s University as an Honours Degree Bachelor of Fine Arts has allowed her to effectively aid her clients in releasing their own creativity and thus enabling the growth of their spirit along with their body and mind. She is a natural-born teacher with a genuine love of passing along knowledge and helping others.

For East to West Yoga courses taught by Kavita, visit www.reddooryogacanada.com

Tansy Hunt

Tansy is owner of Tansy’s Yoga 4 U studio, Belleville. She is East to West Certified (EWYT350-RYT200), and graduated Deans List from Fitness and Health Promotion at Loyalist College, Belleville Ont.

She is certified to teach East to West Yoga's Yoga Exercise Specialist and Pilates Mat Instructor programs; and is certified CFC, PFT through CSEP, and certified PFT through OFC. She is currently working towards RYT500.

Tansy also holds certifications from CAN-FIT-PRO as a Personal Trainer Specialist, Pre/Post Natal Fitness Specialist and a Mind/Body Specialist. And an Health and Wellness Certification.

Tansy was a competitive gymnast and also took dance so yoga seemed a natural next step. After starting to casually enjoy yoga Tansy decided to take it to the next level and expand her own knowledge and become certified to teach.

Contact Tansy at (613) 968-2124, tansy@yoga4u.ca, or visit her website http://www.yoga4u.ca/index.htm

Sandra Maltby-Mills

Sandra Maltby-Mills is the owner and operator of ‘Let’s Get Fit' – centre for healthy living’, where she offers an non-intimidating environment for young and old alike to improve their health. She has been involved in the fitness industry for over 15 years. Her qualifications include B.A., Certified Personal Trainer with CPTN, Can-Fit-Pro (PTS, FIS, and NWS), and Reiki II. She is currently working on her Pilates certification with East to West.

Her most prized certificate is Certified Yoga Specialist with East to West Yoga (EWYT350). Sandra enjoys introducing the benefits of yoga to any age and has taught in many different venues such as gyms, private studios, community halls, work places, schools, and senior centers. She uses it quite often to complement her personal training sessions and has conducted one-on-one yoga sessions as well. She loves to share her knowledge, experience and passion for the body and its health.

Elizabeth Hagan

Elizabeth Hagan owns Heartsong Studio for Pilates, YOGA & Fitness, located in Renfrew just 50 minutes west of Ottawa. She has been involved in dance, yoga & fitness since the late 1970’s. For many years, she has been a Certified OFC Fitness Leader (FOLP, CAIN) and Certified Fitness Specialist (CAN-FIT-PRO). In the ‘early days’ she operated ‘Life-Fitness-Fun Inc.’ instructing aerobics and fitness classes to all ages in a variety of facilities including school gyms and church halls. In the 1990’s Elizabeth worked in Employee Fitness Centres in the hi-tech setting in Ottawa, as well as continuing to instruct evening & weekend classes in the towns of Arnprior & Renfrew.

Elizabeth is an East to West Certified Yoga Exercise Specialist (YES), a Certified East to West Pilates Mat Instructor (PMI), East to West Yoga Certified Yoga Teacher (EWYT350), and a Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance (RYT200 Yoga Alliance). She has also taken Pilates Matwork Teacher Training with the Helene Roy Pilates Centre of Ottawa.

Elizabeth is delighted to be part of the East to West Yoga & Pilates team offering Pilates & Yoga Teacher Training for Eastern Ontario, out of Heartsong Studio in Renfrew. Elizabeth brings years of experience and enthusiasm to her BODY*MIND*SPIRIT “Exercise For The Entire Human Experience” programs. After many years of instructing in a multitude of towns & facilities- she is absolutely thrilled to be operating her own studio. Elizabeth lives with her life-partner Murray Adolph in a peaceful woodland setting just outside of Renfrew and is the Mother of four grown children and the proud Grandmother of 6.

You can contact Elizabeth at (613) 433-7346 or email heartsong@nrtco.net

Louyse Vigneault

Louyse's personal involvement with yoga began in the 60's, at the age of 15. Initially she was attracted to yoga mostly for meditation, chanting, and pranayama/breathing. Her daily practice was mostly Raja Yoga (yoga of the mind) until she moved to Toronto in 1994 and she began to regularly practice Hatha Yoga (physical yoga). At the time Louyse was involved in the fitness industry and a Reiki Practitioner. Louyse has always been thankful to yoga as it helped her to recover from a car accident, which occurred in 1989 and almost paralyzed her.

Louyse has many Yoga and fitness Certifications, including Can-Fit-Pro (Fitness Instructor, Personal Training, Nutrition and Wellness Specialist - www.canfitpro.com) and has attended many sessions with Rodney Yee, Desikachar, Bryan Kest and many others. She is a PRO Trainer for the Nutrition and Wellness Specialist (NWS) Certification course (Can-Fit-Pro) as well as RESIST-A-BALL Pilates with the Ball and Yoga with the Ball. She has recently joined the EAST TO WEST YOGA Certification team and will be conducting certification for their 350-hour Yoga Certification and their Pilates Mat Certificate. She is Pilates certified (Physical Mind Institute) and is a Certified Fitness Consultant (Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology and OASES). She is a Reiki Master, Neuro-Linguistic Programming practitioner, and has several other wellness certificates.

You can contact Louyse at louyse@hotmail.com by phone at 416-931-3465, or visit her website: www.nutri-fitness.com

Kristy Hoornick

Kristy has been active in the fitness industry for over 10 years with varying roles. With experience and education, her passion persists with Pilates either teaching groups or one on one training. As the founder of New Wave Body Technologies she offers spa therapy treatments, Body Rolling and Thai Yoga Massage.

She truly enjoys getting to know her clients and assisting them in meeting their goals in order to assist their daily living. Look for her upcoming Pilates workshops which will include standing and chair pilates, Pilates with small equipment and more, to be offered at East to West Yoga.

Through Fitness Kickboxing Canada Kristy also offers kickboxing, bootcamp and boxing certifications. Currently she teaches in London Ontario. In her free time she is working on her Restorative Yoga and Corporate Wellness Diploma and her Human Resources Designation.

Contact Kristy at (519) 670-8651 or email khoornick@rogers.com

Kathy MacQueen

Kathy has been in the Health and Fitness industry for over 20 years as a fitness co-ordinator and certified fitness instructor. Kathy is also certified with the international Les Mills programs BodyFlow (yoga, tai chi and pilates), BodyPump (resistance and muscle conditioning) BodyStep (cardio), and BodyCombat (internal training in martial arts format). Her yoga studies began in 1999 with a registered yoga centre (Stellium Effects), and she pursued further training with Susie Dias (East to West Yoga and Pilates). Kathy became EWYT certified and RYT in October 2004. She will be continuing to study with Susie Dias and RYT for RYT500 (Advanced Training) beginning July, 2006.

Kathy’s interests and study include all aspects of health and fitness, and she has recently been CanFit certified for personal training. Her background in nutrition and supplements began many years ago as a distributor for holistic and nutritional products and she also worked at the General Nutrition Centre.

Kathy spends many hours at the GoodLife Fitness Centre (Windemere and Adelaide location) where she works as the fitness co-ordinator and instructor. Her downtime includes continuing to study yoga and nutrition and spending quality time with the love of her life, her two children and her grandson.

You can contact Kathy at kath@golden.net or (519) 660-6120.

Suzanne Hennig

Suzanne Hennig is the owner of Power of 3 Yoga & Wholeness Studio, located in Pickering, Ontario. Suzanne has a very welcoming, down-to-earth, yet realistic approach to her teaching.

Suzanne is an East to West Certified Yoga Teacher (EWYT350), an East to West Yoga Exercise Specialist (YES), and is a Registered Yoga Teacher through the Yoga Alliance (RYT200). She maintains an active membership with the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT), and is currently working towards obtaining her RYT500.

As a Can-Fit-Pro certified Personal Trainer and Mind-Body Fitness Specialist, Suzanne continues her fitness pursuits as a Fitness Kickboxing Canada Instructor and Course Conductor, and as an International Sport Kickboxing Associate Trainer. Suzanne has 18 years experience with training instructors and participants. Her fitness journey led her to yoga 8 years ago.

Suzanne specializes in Candlelight Restorative Yoga and Teen Yoga. She is also a Certified Victims Crisis Counselor, and volunteers her time and expertise to victims groups such as women’s shelters and teen organizations in hopes that Yoga will touch their lives as it has touched hers. Suzanne is extremely happy to be a part of Susie’s team offering YES Level I & II at Power of 3 Yoga & Wholeness Studio in Durham.

Contact Suzzanne at (905) 409-8861 or shennig@rogers.com.

Jennifer Green

Jennifer Green-Blair is the owner and operator of Stellar Fitness and Travel – Travel Only Associates, a unique Fitness Consulting Company that combines her fitness background with her travel expertise - visit stellar.vacation.com.

She is a Certified Yoga Exercise Specialist with East to West Yoga (EWYT350 Certified and RTY200 by Oct. 2004) and has been studying yoga since 1994.

Jennifer Green is a qualified science teacher, health and wellness consultant, Virtues Project Trainer and Facilitator, WaterART Master Trainer and owner of Stellar Fitness and Travel - Travel Only Associate. She specializes in Health and Wellness training and is a specialist in creating unique travel adventure packages for all ages and health and fitness needs. B.A. Honours Env. Sc., B.Sc. Lib, B.Ed., Env. Sc. Specialist - Adult and Child Certification: Virtues Project Trainer and Facilitator, Ontario College of Teacher’s member in good standing, Science and Health specialty. Additional Health Certifications: Can-Fit-Pro, CPTN, WaterART Master Trainer, East to West Yoga Specialist, OASES.

For East to West Yoga courses taught by Jennifer Green-Blair, email her at stellarfitnessandtravel@sympatico.ca.

Marlee Cargill

•    Dance  BFA, Concordia University
•    Certified Pilates Teacher, Stott Conditioning Method
•    Certified Yoga Exercise Specialist
•    Additional Pilates Training:
-    Alan Herdman Pilates
-    Peak Pilates
-    Polestar Pilates Method
-    Karen Karlson, Philadelphia
-    Susan Sinclair, Toronto
-    Paul Wagner, Montreal
-    Chris Hocking, London, England
-    25 years Fitness, Dance and Pilates experience
-    CANBIKE instructor
-    Professional Choreographer for stage and film
-    Movement Specialist to professional dancers and athletes
-    Extensive training in Alexander Method and Laban Movement