Teacher profiles
Our Expert Guides
Adam Delia
Instructor
Anne Dorobis
Instructor
Anthony Flynn
Instructor
Charles Wharton
Instructor
Chris Hernandez
Instructor
Denise LaPointe
Instructor
Ezra Solidum
Instructor
Flor Villazan
Substitute
Giva Wilkerson
Substitute
Jeana Barenboim
Instructor
Jennifer Pinna
Instructor
Joneil Adriano
Studio Owner
Kimberly Siambis
Substitute
Marion DeLa Pena
Instructor
Merlin Hann
Instructor
Mi Han Chiu
Instructor
Neelu Kaur
Instructor
Sabrina Lekaj
Instructor & Manager
Susie Concelmo
Instructor
Ta.Ma.R.A. Belinda
Instructor
Shirley Wu
Substitute
Yanina Manolova
Instructor
Yashmani Seepaul
Instructor
Adam Delia
INSTRUCTOR
As an athlete accustomed to traditional activities such as weightlifting and running, Adam Delia had the opportunity to experience the benefits of yoga after experiencing a personal tragedy.
After experiencing his first yoga class in 2018, Adam knew it was his calling. Adam made it his goal to obtain a yoga teacher training certificate, completing a 200 hour teacher training at bambooYOGA.
Yoga has contributed many positive changes to his wellbeing. The lifestyle change has made a positive impact in most areas of his life, including acting, playwriting and directing. Adam still maintains a traditional training program, but primarily to improve his asana practice.
Anne Dorobis
INSTRUCTOR
Anne Dorobis began a regular yoga practice in 2007, after moving to Forest Hills. It helped her to grow much stronger and more flexible in her body, mind and spirit.
Her primary career is in corporate training and adult education, so when the opportunity came up to be trained to teach yoga, she jumped at it! Anne has benefitted so much from yoga, and she’s delighted to be able to share those benefits with others through teaching.
Some of her classes are quiet and meditative; others are fun and playful. She enjoys encouraging her students to grow in their own practice. Anne loves to travel, play music, draw, read and go for long walks around the New York City parks.
Anthony Flynn
INSTRUCTOR
Bio coming soon.
Charles Wharton
INSTRUCTOR
When Charles Wharton began practicing Yoga in 2005 he was unable to touch his hands to his toes. After many years of commitment to the practice he embraces Yoga as a lifestyle. He began teaching in 2009 and, in addition to being a RYT-200, has pursued certifications in Kids Yoga, Prenatal Yoga and Restorative Yoga.
Charles’ classes emphasize alignment while focusing the breath on strengthening, stretching and toning the muscles of the body. He looks forward to helping you reach your goals as you develop your own practice here at Living Yoga.
Chris Hernandez
INSTRUCTOR
Chris Hernandez discovered yoga before he had the words for what it was doing for him.
At the time, he was searching for something to quiet the noise, a way to feel grounded in his body when his mind wouldn’t slow down. Yoga became that anchor. It wasn’t just movement. It was regulation, presence, and power all in one practice. That experience turned him into a lifelong mental health advocate who believes movement is one of the most underrated tools we have.
A Queens, NY native, Chris completed his 200-hour yoga teacher training and went on to certify as an ISSA personal trainer. His classes at Living Yoga blend yoga asana and breathwork with bodyweight movement and mobility work in a way that is accessible, grounding, and genuinely fun.
Ezra Solidum
INSTRUCTOR
Ezra’s journey into integrative health began as a Health and Wellness Promoter with the Peace Corps in Ecuador, where she worked closely with local communities to share accessible practices supporting mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Inspired to deepen her understanding of holistic health, she moved to NYC to pursue a Master of Public Health while continuing to grow her yoga practice at Living Yoga — both on the mat and by supporting the studio at the front desk.
Since completing her 200-hour yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India, along with additional training in Thai massage, Ezra is grateful to continue being part of her home studio, sharing her practice as a yoga teacher. She strives to create a grounded, supportive space where students can cultivate awareness, balance, and connection.
Flor Villazan
SUBSTITUTE
Flor believes that it is a great honor to share the teachings of the discipline of yoga. She is a disciple of Sri Dharma Mittra for over a decade now; she still studies with him three days per week. Her experience through years of practice has made her a more compassionate and happier human being, and this is key to making others happy. Her classes are based on Hatha Raja Yoga and Dharma Yoga. Love is the medicine.
Jeana Barenboim
INSTRUCTOR
Jeana Barenboim’s outward venture into yoga started after taking up a suggestion from a friend, but really began as a small child when she would observe bodies in motion and be fascinated by the language they speak. When her own body began to change, she became excited. When her life started to change, she became devoted.
Her personal practice led to a profound shift in her understanding of both herself and the world; through self study one could come to a state of health and clarity, and that this experience could be had by anyone. Her desire to heal others led her to complete her teacher certification, and continues to keep her seeking. She is a Queens native and has a growing tower of books in her living room related to yoga, body work, kinesiology, spirituality and wellness. Her studies include putting those things into practice with the intelligence of the body through yoga asana.
She is a 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher, completing her last 300 hours through the Science of Self training led by Rose Erin Vaughn and Yoshio Hama. She has explored and studied various methods of Yoga including lineages from Iyengar and Dharma Mittra, and has studied Tibetan practices, Yin yoga, Qi Gong, kickboxing, and the self cultivation practices of various martial arts.
She compliments her understanding of the body through other modalities such as weightlifting and conditioning. She conducts group classes and private sessions that incorporate yoga with body work techniques catered to individual needs. f how yoga can help alleviate some of the intense pressures of the corporate world.
Jennifer Pinna
INSTRUCTOR
Jennifer Pinna is a certified yoga instructor for prenatal, baby, kids, tween and adults. With over 9 years experience serving yogis in New York City, her goal is to empower inner peace with everyone who attends her classes. Jennifer’s philosophy is based on the belief that planting an interest in wellness at an early age can create a life-long love of self-care.
Giva Wilkerson
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Giva “G. Ann” Wilkerson is an educator, writer and yoga teacher from Philadelphia, PA. She has been teaching and writing on self-discovery and personal development for more than 10 years. In 2012, she founded The Learning Curve Woman, LLC a series of programs designed to educate and assist women and girls with their personal and professional development.
Giva’s relationship with yoga started out of sheer curiosity; but after her first class she was immediately drawn in by the calming, cleansing and rejuvenating effects of the practice, leading her in 2018 to became a certified yoga teacher. A proud and strong advocate for “empowerment” over “improvement”, she embraces yoga as a tool for personal growth, clarity and acceptance.
Her teaching places great emphasis on body awareness and the connection between breath and movement. Her goal is for her students to leave class more empowered, relaxed, self-aware, and most importantly, happy.
Giva describes herself as a wanderer who leaves her expectations off the mat and embraces her practice as it is — a philosophy she encourages her students to take in and outside of class.
Joneil Adriano
studio owner
Joneil Adriano is a disciple of Sri Dharma Mittra and the owner of Living Yoga. He is also a lululemon Ambassador.
Joneil believes yoga offers a powerful set of tools for achieving physical health and wellness, emotional healing and mental clarity, and most importantly, Self-discovery.
He found yoga in 2011, when it helped him overcome the loss of a beloved pet. A Dharma Yoga Registered Teacher, Joneil’s classes can be challenging, but he always encourages students to explore their limits safely. It brings him tremendous joy to see them achieve poses they never thought possible.
In the style of his guru, his classes include a variety of backbends, hip openers, and at least one headstand. He also incorporates mantras, pranayama, and meditation for a complete practice.
Kimberly Siambis
SUBSTITUTE
Kimberly began her yoga journey over 20 years ago while living in a small town in British Columbia. Over the years she has explored many lineages and styles of yoga and meditation. Kimberly moved to New York and completed a 500 hour yoga training with Yogaworks in 2010. She now practices under Sri Dharma Mittra and completed a 500 hour LOAY training in 2018.
In Kimberly’s classes you will find a balance of effort and ease. While making a connection to the breath, you will flow, move and stretch. She hopes to create sequences to heal the body and quiet the mind. Through the teachings of Sri Dharma Mittra and a strong daily home practice, Kimberly’s passion for teaching and finding a deeper connection to oneself is observed and felt in every class.
Marion Dela Pena
INSTRUCTOR
In 2010, Marion Dela Pena was searching for an activity that would challenge her physically in the same fashion as sports had when she was growing up. This led her to a Bikram Yoga studio that changed her life, and she’s been happy and sweaty ever since.
For over a decade, Marion has been practicing yoga and meditation all over the world. She completed her 200hr Hot Yoga teacher training with Evolation Yoga in New York and 200hr Hatha Yoga teacher training at AyurYoga Eco-Ashram in India. Marion’s goal is to serve her students by sharing the benefits and love that yoga has brought to her life.
Off the mat, she’s a traveler, marketing nerd, and perpetual student. Marion is currently pursuing her second Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy and plans to incorporate evidence-based practices with integrative health to help individuals across the lifespan live their most fulfilling lives.
Merlin Hann
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Merlin Hann is a yoga and meditation teacher with over 6 years of expertise. She draws inspiration from Swami Sivananda’s teachings and considers herself to be a karma yogi, dedicated to serving others and aiding in their healing. In 2019, she took the leap to become a yoga instructor under the guidance of Liz Dunne & Prem Sadasivananda at Love Integration, her spiritual home in Long Beach NY.
Merlin studied biology in college, and after working in hospitals in NYC, she discovered her true calling in mental health awareness. After experiencing life-changing events in her career and throughout her new journey in motherhood, she continues to find purpose in the act of devotion for healing from within. She is inspired every day by her daughter, husband, mentors, teachers, students, friends, and communities who have helped her ground in her devotion to being in service.
Merlin’s classes are accessible to all bodies and offer grounding sensations while practicing gentle movements that connect with your breath and heart. Her slower-paced classes allow the body to feel safe while developing strength, nurture, and balance, ultimately finding connection with the self and inner peace.
Mi Han Chiu
INSTRUCTOR
Mi Han Chiu’s teaching style benefits from her 35 years of practicing yoga.
She began her yoga journey in her 20s, while establishing herself as a hairstylist at well-known NYC salons. Her professional aptitude for connecting with clients, along with her enthusiasm in helping others realize their best selves, led to the eventual discovery of her own true calling — as a yoga teacher.
The opportunity to share her tools and assist students in their personal discoveries is something Mi Han finds deeply rewarding. Her classes are an expression of this gratitude — to her students, her teachers, the practice, and the power within.
In her free time, she creates artful meditation malas with unique semi-precious stones. You can find them on the Living Yoga website and in the studio.
Neelu Kaur
INSTRUCTOR
As an organizational psychologist and author, Neelu Kaur’s work is at the intersection of leadership development and wellness. Combining her background in organizational psychology, adult learning, yoga, mindfulness, and Ayurveda, she helps organizations, teams and individuals be more peaceful and purposeful.
Neelu is an Ayurvedic counselor and certified in hatha vinyasa, restorative yoga, yoga nidra, Ayurvedic yoga therapy, prenatal & post natal yoga, Ericksonian hypnotherapy, and rocket yoga.
Her spiritual studies began in 2004 with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and since then she has delved deep into the teachings of yoga, Ayurveda, meditation, and mindfulness. As she continues to study, she continues to teach across the world. Neelu is honored and blessed to be a part of the Living Yoga family.
Nico Daurio
GUEST INSTRUCTOR
Nico Daurio is an international yoga teacher and devoted practitioner of the sacred science of yoga. Rooted in the classical Hatha-Raja and Bhakti traditions, he offers heart-centered classes that integrate asana, pranayama, meditation, mantra, and philosophy—helping students cultivate strength, clarity, and joy both on and off the mat.
Curious about the nature of reality from a young age, Nico began meditation as a child and took his first yoga class as a teenager. His journey led him from studying Public Health at the Johns Hopkins University to India, where he completed his foundational training in Rishikesh.
Today, Nico is a direct student of yoga master Shri Dharma Mittra and has completed his 500-hour teacher training under his guidance in New York City. He shares the authentic, lived yoga that has transformed his life—offering students the safe space and practical wisdom to grow on their journey of transformation, devotion and self-realization.
Follow his journey and teachings at @nico.yoga.108.
Sabrina Lekaj
INSTRUCTOR & ASSISTANT MANAGER
Sabrina Lekaj is a former gymnast whose passion for body movement and its benefits started at a very young age. But it’s the study and practice of yoga which she ultimately credits with changing her life physically, mentally and spiritually.
An Albanian originally from Kosovo, she moved to the U.S about a decade ago. Leaving her homeland, as well as loosing her sister, threw Sabrina’s physical and mental state into turmoil. During that difficult time, yoga was her only comfort.
The practice not only allowed her to make sense of her new reality, it also lead her to find acceptance. Because of the enormous help yoga provided her personally, Sabrina decided to become a yoga teacher in order to help others.
She completed the 200 hour teacher training program at Integral Yoga Institute in 2019, and added the 300 hour Science of Self Advanced Teacher Training in 2021. With this strong foundation in yoga, Sabrina now looks forward to paying it forward. Today, she shares the practice with others in the hopes that they too will find balance in the lives, both on and off the mat.
Shirley Wu
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For nearly 2 decades, yoga has been a part of Shirley Wu’s every day life. Whether it’s a practice at a studio, on her bedroom floor while her kids sleep, in her high school classroom, or during her commute — it is what grounds and centers her.
She completed her 200 hour yoga teacher training program with her very first yoga teacher. Shirley’s classes focus on breath work, alignment, individual creativity and movement. They are designed to provide a safe space for all levels, ages and abilities to explore and to enjoy the practice of yoga.
Susie Concelmo
INSTRUCTOR
What began as a means of maintaining balance in her life transformed into a passion as Susie Concelmo explored various styles and realized the many benefits of yoga and meditation.
After practicing yoga for over half of her life, she decided to further pursue her passion by completing the 200 Hour Vinyasa Teacher Training at The Yoga Room in January of 2012. In April of 2014, 2015, 2016, & 2018, Susie traveled to Costa Rica and became certified in The Barkan Method Level II/III Hot Vinyasa. She earned her 300 hour certification with Master Teacher, Jimmy Barkan, making her a RYT 500 hour/E-RYT, 200 hour in 2016.
Susie’s classes are sensitive to students’ specific needs. She challenges you to use the postures as tools to build awareness, while exploring your potential, embracing where you are, and welcoming what the practice brings to you.
Ta.Ma.R.A. Belinda
INSTRUCTOR
Ta.Ma.R.A Belinda is a Crown Heights native sharing the ancient African practice of Kemetic Yoga.
She has been intermittently practicing various forms of yoga since 2009, but became more focused on listening to her body, weight training, and deep stretching in 2018 to realign her spine from 4 childhood injuries: 3 on her spine and one in her foot.
In a continuous discovery of the origins of the human state of being, Ta.Ma.R.A was serendipitously guided towards Kemetic Yoga during the pandemic year of 2020. Learning this modern rendition of an ancient practice of the spine and breath aligned perfectly with her studies of humanity and her creative exploration of crown energy and mathematical design. She received her certification from the Temple of Shetaut Neter in 2021 and currently leads weekly classes in various studios, public parks, and beaches around NYC.
When she is not teaching, Ta.Ma.R.A is either crafting, sunset gazing, or dancing.
Yanina Adzhemova-Manolova
INSTRUCTOR
Nearly 2 decades ago, Yanina’s mother insisted that she should try Bikram Yoga (Hot 26+2) after she heard from a friend about the healing benefits of this yoga. Initially Yanina resisted trying it, because she assumed that practicing yoga must be boring.
She took her first Hot 26+2 class in 2007 and immediately fell in love with it. Hot 26+2 practice has become her best friend, savior and light especially during challenging times in her life.
In 2011, she completed Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in Los Angeles, California. She taught Hot 26+2 for 6 years at Bode NYC (former Bikram Yoga NYC), where she had the privilege to meet and to learn from so many wonderful students, as well as to develop and improve my teaching skills. She believes that changing the world begins with individual change.
Yanina believes in the strong, transformative power of Hot 26+2, which leads people to become a better versions of themselves and to feel happier. She looking forward to being a part of your personal transformation.
Yashmani Seepaul
INSTRUCTOR
Yashmani Seepaul’s journey began with the study and practice of yoga and healing methods in 2006, when when she immersed herself in the world of Taoist Energy. After experiencing first-hand the physical, mental and emotional benefits of yoga, she was inspired and motivated to share it with others.
In 2010 Yashmani took her first Hatha-Raja yoga class and was immediately drawn to the practice, receiving her 200 hour certification from BambooMOVES in Queens, NY in 2011. She was very interested in delving deeper into the practice of yoga, not only the poses, but also the philosophy of yoga and self-knowledge. That in turn led her to the Dharma Yoga Center, where she received her 500-hour certification in 2017.
Yashmani’s teaching style and personal practice are strongly influenced by Sri Dharma Mittra. Dharma Yoga is a system of classical Hatha Raja Yoga. A devotional practice that emphasizes good health, a clear mind and a kind heart.