STAFF
Maggie LaRocca
Executive Director
Maggie believes that non-profits can change the world. With more than a decade of work supporting various social causes, she has a unique background combining business, research, strategy, and clinical psychology. Prior to joining Exhale to Inhale, Maggie founded a consulting business, Purposeful Results, which supported various non-profits. She also served as the Program Director for the Combat Stress Recovery Program for Wounded Warrior Project. An active participant in her community, Maggie is a founding member and Advisory Council member of Impact 100 Jersey Coast, a women’s grantmaking organization. Maggie received her bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Speech from Northwestern University and a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Aditi Davray
Chief Program Officer
Yoga has been a presence in Aditi’s life ever since childhood with generations practicing yoga before her eyes, as a daily ritual to nourish the soul. Aditi has used yoga to practice mindfulness and navigate challenges. Prior to Exhale to Inhale, Aditi worked as a consultant to nonprofit, philanthropic and private sector organizations. Her consulting practice centered on projects in three core areas: sustainable consumption, advancing issues faced by women and girls, and supporting arts for social justice. She received her MPA from New York University's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Aditi is a member of the Steering Committee for Asian Women Giving Circle, Board at Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, and Advisor to Visit.org.
Sophia Holly
Program Manager
2020 Fellow
Sophia has been practicing yoga for over 15 years—a lifeline, it has assisted her with her recovery from disordered eating, and continues to support her to manage her busy lifestyle. She is an “E” 500-hour registered Yoga Instructor, with specializations in teaching trauma informed yoga through trainings with Hala Khouri of Collective Resilience Yoga and Tara Tonini formerly of Exhale to Inhale. Sophia began teaching classes with Exhale to Inhale in 2017, and became Program Manager in 2018. Sophia has taught yoga in shelters, elementary and middle schools, privately, and in yoga studio settings. Her overall mission is to help people connect to their bodies, and access the limitless wisdom within.
Julie Fernandez
Lead Trainer
Curriculum Mentor
Julie is the Lead Trainer at Exhale to Inhale and is the Primary Trauma Therapist with the Hope Integrative Psychiatry team where she helps clients feel safe in their bodies, comfortable in the world, and embodied, integrated and whole. Julie has experience working with at-risk teenage girls, disadvantaged youth in inner city schools, at eating disorder centers, as well as domestic violence shelters and rape-crisis centers. Julie discovered yoga after struggling with abuse that led to anxiety, depression, self-harm and disordered eating. Through yoga, she found strength to begin her journey toward healing her relationship with her body and her Self, and has been sharing yoga ever since. Using tools and techniques from yoga, breathwork, mindfulness, and Somatic Experiencing, Julie encourages students to access their inner guidance and natural wisdom to reclaim their bodies and cultivate healing.
Amy Apgar
Program Associate, Training Specialist, Trainer
Amy is a yoga teacher and teacher trainer who has been practicing and teaching yoga for over a decade. While studying Modern Dance in college, Amy practiced and taught a variety of mind/body modalities and became intrigued by the stress management, coping skills, and other therapeutic and mental health benefits that she, her students, and peers experienced through somatic movement. She moved to NYC shortly thereafter to pursue teaching yoga full time. Amy is a 500 Hour Advanced Level RYT with specialties in yin and trauma informed yoga, and she is experienced in mentoring teachers, creating and facilitating educational programming, and leading both private individual and small group sessions, as well as open level studio classes. Her approach to teaching is informed by feminism and social justice, and by yoga as a holistic practice for individual and collective healing of mind, body, and spirit.
Jenna Conner
Program Associate, Training Specialist, Trainer
Jenna first discovered yoga in college to ease stress and back pain, and never turned back. She comes from a dance background of 18 years, and has always had a passion for movement. Jenna fully lives and breathes yoga and tries to find some act of yoga in her everyday life. She offers vinyasa, hatha, restorative, prenatal, and trauma informed classes all throughout NYC. In her classes, you can expect to see pranayama, asana alignment, meditation, philosophy , creativity, and the invitation to come as you are. Jenna especially encourages others to see that yoga is more than a physical practice. Forever a student of yoga, there’s so much more she still aspires to learn. Jenna loves to travel and has learned and taught yoga in many parts of the world. In addition to yoga, Jenna is also a birth doula and Reiki Healer. She continues to work and spread her love of yoga and healing around NYC and the world, making it available to all types of people regardless of size, shape, color, culture, or ability.
Matty Espino
Program Associate, Training Specialist, Trainer
Matty is a 800-hour certified yoga instructor and teacher trainer with specialties in vinyasa, Lotus Flow™, chakras-based yoga, Ayurveda, and restorative yoga. He also holds certifications in Kids & Teens Yoga and Trauma-Informed Yoga. During a rather difficult time in Matty’s life, he was brought to his first NYC yoga class. Initially skeptical, he soon discovered the therapeutic benefits of consistently coming back onto the mat and, from then on, he began his journey towards healing. Matty believes that yoga has changed his life for the better and has made him stronger, healthier, and happier. He completed the initial 200-hour vinyasa training shortly after graduating his Masters program from Columbia University. Matty has become enamored with the art of teaching and has developed a strong passion for helping people to learn about their bodies and cultivate a deeper sense of peace within themselves. He hopes to inspire each of his students to feel comfortable, confident, and zero judgment. Matty can be found teaching yoga all across NYC. Off the mat, he is passionate about languages, cultures, cupcakes, and traveling all over the world.
WELLNESS INSTRUCTORS
Ailen Pedraza
Alexa Bull
Allison Field
Dana Asby
Ellyn Gerry
Elvi Rivas
Jessoo Park
Lisa Brody
Maria Phegan
Nechama Karp
Shayna Skarf
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Bomsinae Kim
President
Bomsinae’s two passions are practicing yoga and serving survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. As former Executive Director and Board member of a non-profit that serves survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, Bomsinae is proud to be part of Exhale to Inhale with a mission that combines two of her passions. Bomsinae began her journey in the non-profit community in New York City first as a hotline volunteer for a domestic violence agency, then as Board member and Executive Director at various non-profit organizations. She is grateful to share her non-profit experiences with the Board of Exhale and Inhale. Bomsinae is a certified Jivamukti yoga teacher. She has also completed trauma-informed yoga teacher training from Exhale to Inhale.
Ashley Antler
Vice President
Ashley has had a longstanding passion for advocating for women and marginalized individuals, since her undergraduate years, documenting the stories of female survivors of domestic violence. Ashley is an Associate General Counsel at McKinsey & Company in New York. Prior to joining McKinsey, Ashley advised clients in the healthcare industry, first as an associate at Hogan Lovells US, LLP and Manatt, Phelps and Phillips, LLP and then “in-house” as General Counsel at a healthcare start-up. In addition, she has provided pro bono legal services to LGBTQ individuals seeking asylum, and various non-profit organizations. Outside of work, Ashley is an enthusiastic runner and athlete. For the past six years, through Achilles International, she has been a running guide for blind and disabled runners in road races, including the NYC Marathon. She is a 200-hour certified yoga teacher and teaches with Exhale to Inhale. She holds a B.A. from Brown University and a J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. Ashley believes deeply in the power of movement to heal and empower and is grateful for the opportunity to support others on their journeys.
Erica Barth
Secretary
Erica is the Co-Owner and Director of Harlem Yoga Studio (HYS), founded in 2009 with the mission of making yoga accessible, welcoming and fun for Every Body living in Harlem. A thriving community, HYS offers a wide variety of classes for students of all ages, abilities, and body types. Erica holds a Bachelor's degree in Business from the Wharton School and a Masters degree in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University. She brings her experience in Marketing, Project Management, and Organizational Effectiveness to her role at ETI. Having viewed the world with a systemic lens for many years, Erica sees the internal connection between body, mind and spirit as a mirror (and magnifier) of our connection to one another, and incorporates her understanding of yoga and her background in social organizational theory to help teams engage more effectively. She is continually inspired to deepen her knowledge of the body, mind, and spirit, and is profoundly grateful to her teachers both on and off the mat. www.ericabarthyoga.com.
Wael Younan
Treasurer
Wael is a senior portfolio manager in the Global Portfolio Solutions (GPS) Group for Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM) within the Consumer and Investment Management Division. He focuses on customized portfolio solutions for sovereign wealth funds, central banks, pensions and other institutional clients. The GPS Group provides multi-asset class products and solutions for institutional and individual investors globally, focusing on customized asset allocation, tactical implementation, risk management and portfolio construction. Wael joined Goldman Sachs in 2010 as an associate and was named Managing Director in 2019. Prior to joining the firm, Wael was a manager at KPMG LLP in its Risk and Advisory Services practice. Wael received a BBA from the American University of Beirut (AUB) and an MBA from the American University of Washington D.C.
Zoe LePage
Founder
Zoë believes deeply in the healing power of yoga and Exhale to Inhale was born out of this belief in 2013. Someone she loved deeply was a long-ago survivor of domestic violence and in college several of her close friends were sexually assaulted. Witnessing the trauma her loved ones struggled with long after the physical effects of violence had faded, Zoë felt compelled to do something. Since yoga had served as a therapeutic tool for her both physically and emotionally, she hypothesized that it would also be helpful for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Created to honor her loved ones, what started as a senior project at Barnard College has grown to be the organization it is today, based on the idea that we have to let go—exhale—that which is no longer serving us, in order to take up—inhale—new possibilities.
Ana Pincus
Ana has always been a passionate advocate for women, climate justice, and giving voice to the marginalized through documentary films. In her twenties, she volunteered with Mother Teresa at the Kalighat Home for the Dying Destitutes in Kolkata. Her work with Mother Teresa led her to produce and direct her first documentary, Mother’s Teresa First Love. She went on to produce several other documentaries, including Soldiers of Peace for CNN and The War Against Women. She is currently a partner and Executive Producer at Doc Land Films, which is committed to creating social impact content. Ana is also on the board of SOLA (School of Leadership, Afghanistan), the first private boarding school for girls and the first of its kind in Afghanistan. In 2017, she co-founded Orez Lifestyle, an eco-driven brand committed to promoting zero-waste consumption. Additionally, as well as being a mother of three, Ana facilitates The Sacred Circle, a nonjudgmental and safe space for women to gather, share, heal and come home to self. This year Ana founded the Akhilanda Women’s Foundation with the mission to support projects, groups, or organizations that help women heal from trauma and reclaim their lives. Her foundation is committed to providing access to healing, regardless of socioeconomic barriers, to all women.
Dhiren Rawal
Dhiren is passionate about the developing world, raising awareness and improving access to education and financial services for the poor in nations with particularly dire conditions. He has worked with a large global foundation focused on improving the availability of financial services, working closely with the payments ecosystem in Nigeria and South Africa. He is a Managing Director with Alvarez & Marsal Corporate Performance Improvement in New York. With more than 20 years of experience serving as a trusted advisor, he focuses on delivering business transformations and integrating complex systems. He has served in numerous interim CIO/technology leadership roles, most notably for a $1 billion not-for-profit organization, a leading mortgage servicing bank as well as a large professional services organization. Prior to joining A&M, Dhiren was the COO of a FinTech company focused on algorithmic trade execution & Smart Order Routing. He was also a partner in Accenture’s Capital Markets group, where he was instrumental in building their Capital Markets Data Management services business. Dhiren earned a bachelor’s degree in business information systems from Staffordshire University in the U.K..
Regina Liang
Regina is dedicated to advocating for women and children in need. During her time at Fordham Law School, she leaned on her experience interning with Stein & Ott, LLP, a boutique matrimonial firm, to volunteer with the Domestic Violence Awareness Center, assisting survivors file uncontested divorces. After graduation, as an associate of Herrick, Feinstein LLP and then Goodwin Procter LLP, Regina continued to provide pro bono legal services to survivors and their families through organizations such as My Sister’s Place. Regina started her practice of yoga as a first-year at Wellesley College. Since then, yoga has been instrumental to helping her find balance, calmness and strength through chaotic and difficult times. She could think of no better way to continue her service to survivors than through the powerful work of Exhale to Inhale. Regina is Associate General Counsel of TP ICAP, a global financial services firm.
Sushant Jadhav
Sushant is a senior advisor to corporate and capital market firms on strategy including organic and inorganic growth. Since joining Guggenheim Partners in 2016, his focus is on identifying key technology trends, distilling related hype from market realities, and formulating the implications of value shift within ecosystems. Sushant leverages his expertise to advise clients across industries, including capital markets, for decisions pertaining to financing, investments, and M&A. Previously he spent over a decade at Deloitte Consulting advising Fortune 100 listed companies, primarily in the Telecommunications, Media and Technology industry, on corporate and business unit strategies. Sushant is a practicing yogi and a student of various meditational disciplines.
Tina Miletich
Tina is passionate about her family, education, creativity, technology, and the global sharing of information that helps us all be better versions of ourselves. Professionally, Tina is an award-winning digital executive, including an Effie, an IDSA, many IAC awards and even being shortlisted for a Cannes Cyber Lion. Throughout her career, Tina has helped Fortune 10 as well as small businesses evolve to a digital first strategy. Tina currently holds two positions, President of BWW Media Group and CEO of HEEDGroup. At BWW Media Group, she leads the organization to provide industry news and deep how-to Technology articles to a global audience of IT Professionals and Tech enthusiasts. In 2014, Tina founded and is CEO of HEEDGroup, a New York City marketing firm focused on helping start-ups and fast-growing small businesses. Tina sits on the Board of Advisors for ONE and is also an adjunct professor at New York University | SPS in the Master of Integrated Marketing program where she lectures on Digital Marketing. Prior to her current positions, Tina held Executive roles at Wunderman as the SVP, Managing Director of Interactive; at the prestigious Industrial Design firm Henry Dreyfuss Associates; and at Broadridge Financial Solutions. Tina holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Master of Fine Arts from Hunter College in New York. Tina resides in New York City with her husband and two daughters.
Vanessa Chu
Vanessa is energized by Exhale to Inhale’s commitment to support survivors in realizing their inner strength and strongly believes yoga is a tool of empowerment that should be accessible to every body. Currently a Human Resources Director for a luxury boutique hotel she has over a decade of Human Resources and organizational management experience in hospitality and lifestyle companies such as GrandLife Hotels, Highgate Hotels, and Insider. Formerly an elementary school teacher in New York City public schools, she introduced yoga to her students to connect them with their bodies, learning the grounding and calming power of yoga. Vanessa holds a BA and MS in Education from Sarah Lawrence College.
FORMER BOARD MEMBERS
Amy Tobin
Former President
Sarah Platt-Finger
Former President
Victoria Ramos
Jodie Rufty
Kate Mitchell
Rena Tucker
Claire Kinsella-Holtje
Stephanie DeFlora
YOUNG PROFESSIONALS BOARD
Megan Siniscalchi
Co-Chair
Chelsea Quint
Co-Chair
Allison Field
Ally Hirsh
Andrew Taub
Erin Riley
Mimi Chiahemen
Nicole Andrick
Simrin Rawal
EXHALE TO INHALE TEACHING COMMUNITY
Click HERE to view our incredible community of Exhale to Inhale, trauma-informed wellness instructors.