Tania Wildbill (Pendleton, Oregon)

Tania Wildbill, along with her husband, Cedric, was the writer, producer, and director of the award winning documentary, American Cowboys. Mrs. Wildbill was also the videographer on the documentary. Wildbill graduated with a BA in French from Rice University in Houston, Texas and graduated with a Master of Science degree in Journalism from Columbia University in New York City in 1995.

Wildbill was a producer, reporter, and anchor with both KASE/KVET Radio in Austin, Texas and the Texas Associated Press Network in Dallas, Texas. She studied literature at the Sorbonne University in Paris, France and with the Institute of European Studies.

American Cowboys won Best Documentary Made for Public Television at the 1999 Great Plain Film Festival in Lincoln, Nebraska. In April of 2001 American Cowboys won Best Documentary at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival. A recent PBS Carriage Report, shows the documentary still running consistently (since November of 2001) on PBS affiliates across the United States.

Wildbill moved to the Umatilla Indian Reservation to marry Cedric. She worked as a Production Coordinator for TCI Media Services. Later she worked as a Public Relations Specialist for Bethphage. Then as a Special Projects Coordinator for Umatilla-Morrow Education Service District. She returned for 16 months to Bethphage to work as a Vocational Coordinator serving individuals with Developmental Disabilities.

Wildbill worked as a Substitute teacher for the Pendleton School District. Today she is the Education Grant Writer for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and has been the co-owner and partner of Wildbill Productions, LLC, since 1996.

In 2009, Wildbill became the Founder/ Director of The Yoga Round-Up, LLC. Wildbill is a certified Kripalu and Amrit Yoga Instructor and has been a Yoga Instructor in Pendleton, Oregon since 1995. Wildbill is also registered with the National Yoga Alliance (ERYT). She creates workshops for small and large groups, and has led workshops and retreats. In addition, Wildbill is a Yoga provider for the Cancer Community Renewal Project. She also competes with United States Masters Swimming.

Kamini Desai (Phoenix, Arizona)

Kamini Desai, Ph.D.

For the last 20 years Kamini has created an exciting and versatile body of teachings combining western psychology and eastern philosophy. Her hands-on, experiential style of teaching has been welcomed in over 10 countries around the world. Kamini conducts the Amrit Yoga Teacher Training and the Yoga Nidra Professional Training at the 500-hour level.  On the corporate side, some of her best known clients have included Sony, Mars Confectionary, as well as the Department of Defense and the Internal Revenue Service of the Netherlands.

For more information visit www.kaminidesai.com

or email kamini@kaminidesai.com.

Fred Hill (Pendleton, Oregon)

Fred Hill Sr., was raised on the southern area of the Umatilla Indian Reservation upon McKay Creek, where he learned the Umatilla, Yakama & Nez Perce Language dialects from his late maternal Grandmother Annie Joe. He’s late Uncle Mr. Charles McKay inspired him to sing as he was a drum maker and a singer. Fred began drumming at a young age, then eventually began to sing once he became acquainted with the songs his uncle and cousins sang. Fred has been a singer all of his life and today is often asked to sing for tribal ceremonials, which he finds the most meaningful when singing for his people. Having had the privilege to sit with some of the top singers in Indian Country, Fred remains humble to teach the younger generation a way of life that you have to be committed to from the heart. Today he is asked to judge drum & singing contests and thoroughly understands the types of songs needed for many of the dances of the Pow-Wow Arena. He’s also asked to be the Master of Ceremonies for several pow-wows throughout the NW Indian Reservations & Universities. Hope you enjoy the knowledge and humor of Fred Hill Sr. Fred is a Board of Trustees member for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Tootsie West (Sandy, Oregon)

Hi, I am Tootsie West. I am a Junior in High School and I love to sing and perform. I have studied with a private voice coach, Kay Joham, for about four or five years now. I am also involved in Symphonic Choir at my school, Sandy High School, and have been for two years. I am a Mezzo Soprano and have performed at district solo festivals for about three years. This year I had the chance to be in both the musical & classical district competitions, usually I just enter the classical so I was excited that I could find the time to do both. I usually only do the classical because the musical competition falls around the same time in which my high school musicals start and those are very time consuming but also very enjoyable. I have been in two high school musicals. Last year I was in “7 Brides for 7 Brothers” in which I played a town’s person. This year I was in a wonderful production of “Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” which was definitely an experience I will never forget. I got to play Rachel, Joseph’s mother, and one of the chorus girls, which was a load of fun because of the crazy outfits & fun dance numbers. I love hanging out with my acting family, we are a bunch of “crazies” who laugh a lot but really support each other; although I don’t know what I would do without my actual family and other friends either. I have so much love and support all around me. My aim is to major in Musical Theatre or Operatic singing. My mom has definitely been one of my major supporters. She has done so much for my dream and me. So that is why I would like to dedicate this performance to her because without her, and of course, Tania, I wouldn’t even be singing for you today. So it is my pleasure to sing during Tania’s yoga session during final savasana, I hope you enjoy yourself.

Thomas Morning Owl Jr. (Pendleton, Oregon)

Thomas Morning Owl Jr. is a tribal leader, linguist, teacher, and musician. He has served as the Chairman of the General Council of the Umatilla Reservation of Oregon. In 1981, he was the youngest individual to be elected to the Tribes Governing Body at the age of 18. Thomas founded the traditional language program for the Umatillas and has supervised the tribe’s preservation of Columbia plateau language, culture, and song. Thomas is an accomplished traditional singer and Powwow producer and announcer. His knowledge of traditional songs – both religious and secular spans many years. His efforts to revive the relatively unknown songs of the plateau lend an invaluable weight to the creation of The Ghosts of Celilo.

Melissa Smith (Katy, Texas)

Melissa is a Mentor with Leeann Carey, Leeann Carey’s exclusively 500 Hour RYT Teacher Training Program. She travels throughout the US and abroad teaching the PY Method. The ‘Method’ is a dynamic and therapeutic yoga practice and teacher training program that takes the student’s learning and teachings skills to the next level on and off the mat. Learn to teach students, not just the poses.  Melissa began teaching Group Fitness over 20 years ago while attending Texas A&M. After a Marketing degree and an adventurous corporate career, Melissa took time off to be Mom of 2 cool boys. Melissa has been practicing yoga since 1992, and teaching since 1995. She transitioned to teaching primarily yoga after obtaining her 200 RYT while living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where yoga is both challenging and intensely focused. Moving back to the US, Melissa’s grown in her practice and training by earning her 500 RYT and blogging about her experiences as a student and teacher. She’s currently a speaker and advocate for research, including yoga and it’s effects on Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers for a non-profit Alzheimer’s Group that raises awareness of the disease, in honor her step-mother who has Early On-set Alzheimer’s. She also runs and leads yoga for a nonprofit group that teaches kids about nutrition and healthy lifestyles while training them to run a 1/2 marathon.

Find Melissa at: www.planetyoga.com, blog: http://graceyoga-live-move-breathe.blogspot.com/, and facebook: http://tinyurl.com/27qk3hf

Continuing Ed: Yoga Alliance & ACE

Email: jason.melissa2@yahoo.com

Liz Kresch (Brooklyn, New York)

Liz Kresch blends yoga with elements of the Pilates method to create flowing movement sessions for meditators to enliven and balance the systems of mind and body.

At 11, Liz was given a series of exercises to do during her daily two hours out of the back-brace she wore to treat scoliosis.

This initiated a lifetime of curiosity and interest in what works and what doesn’t work to support one’s movement through day-to-day activities with sanity and ease. As a life-drawing student, she always pondered what went on under the skin—what caused that shadow or that angle.

It wasn’t until years later she learned how accessible the answer to that seeming mystery really is. She attended her first meditation retreat in 1986, a sesshin at Zen Mountain Monestary with John Daido Loori, and went on to major in philosophy of religion and art at Sarah Lawrence College, the American University of Paris, and the New York Studio School for Painting, Drawing and, Sculpture. She became a dedicated yoga practitioner soon after the birth of her daughter in 1996.

Liz received an associate’s degree at Pratt Institute in graphic arts, and worked in Internet and graphic design until she transitioned into teaching yoga and Pilates and practicing Thai massage full time. Liz has taught at numerous gyms and yoga studios in New York, Miami,Costa Rica and Mexico, as well as working privately with clients of varying levels, strengths, and challenges.

Liz is a student of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche and a Yoga Alliance member at the 500-hour level. She is also CPR-certified, Pilates mat and equipment-certified through the Kane School of Core Integration and has Thai massage certification through the Swedish Institute and Bangkok’s Pai Spa. Liz’s bellydance work with Dunya McPherson also informs her teaching. She strives to create the supports that allow for unlimited physical and mental evolution!

http://www.breathandbones.com/

Michelle Miller (Pendleton, Oregon)

Michelle Miller teaches Nia in downtown Pendleton at Pendleton Yoga and Dance, as well as Biology at Blue Mountain Community College.  She brings to her classes a background in animal behavior, ecology, anatomy and physiology.

The Nia Technique (pronounced knee-uh), developed by Debbie and Carlos Rosas, is an expressive movement class promoting fitness, creativity and wellbeing.  Moving between simple choreography (form) and freedom of movement (free dance), Nia classes combine the grace and expressiveness of dance, the power and explosiveness of martial arts, and the wisdom and stillness of yoga.  Nia is done barefoot to great music.

www.pendletonyogadance.com

Email: michelle.noel.miller@gmail.com

Amanda Tucker (Orofino, Idaho)

Yoga and meditation teacher Amanda Tucker has been teaching students from all walks of life for a little over 6 years. Certified through the Yoga Alliance, Amanda seeks to share her passion of yoga and meditation through various types of yoga. A background in vinyasa flow yoga has given her the freedom to explore movement, dance, and free form flow through breath and body unity.

“Yoga is about having fun, bringing out that inner child that is bursting to play and explore within each of us.”

Amanda has studied with various teachers representing a broad spectrum of yoga including; Erich Schiffman, Max Strom, Bryan Kest, and Gyandev and Diksha McCord. Amanda received her RYT training through Shanti Yoga in McCall, Idaho.

Classes taught:

Vinyasa power yoga, Wisdom yoga for seniors, Children’s story-time yoga, Yoga for beginners, College level yoga for Lewis-Clark State College, Yoga for pre-teens as well as various workshops and retreats.

Email: manda_lynn7@yahoo.com

Leah Carey (Dalles, Oregon)

Leah grew up in the Pendleton area and developed a passion for yoga at 18 years old. Introduced to yoga by Tania Wildbill  she was inspired to live at Kripalu Yoga Center for 6 months where she practiced yoga, dance, conscious living and became a yoga instructor.  Over the past 12 years she has taught Hatha yoga classes in Pendleton, Portland, California and the South Pacific Islands.

Leah’s classes focus on staying connected to the inner self with an emphasis on breathing, developing body and mind awareness, as well as core strength, improved posture, balance and inner confidence. Leah encourages students to listen to their bodies and work in a way that feels right and safe while having fun.  Using those energies to harmonize body, mind and spirit it is an inward experience that helps to develop not only your physical strength, but your mental and spiritual strength as well.

Email: yogaleah@gmail.com

Jenny Buergermeister (Houston, Texas)

Jenny is the founder of the pioneering Houston studio Jennyoga, now Cura Yoga in its expansion into three locations. Jenny is the current president and founder of One Yoga USA, the Texas Yoga Association and Texas Yoga Conference. She has passionately studied many traditional and nontraditional subjects, and quantum healing techniques to synthesize what she calls PsycheSynergy: Synergizing the Heart with the Body, Mind and Soul.

Jenny began studying Transpersonal Psychology in 2002 at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto, CA completing her masters in Transpersonal Psychology, specializing in Health and Wellness with an emphasis in archetypes and transitions through life’s stages and spirituality. She specializes in Power Vinyasa Flow and has been practicing yoga since 1992 and has studied Hatha, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Vinyasa, Anusara and Forrest Yoga with Swami Vidyadhishananda Giri, David Williams, Robert Boustany, Jonny Kest, Shiva Rea, John Friend and Ana Forrest respectively.

Email: jennifer@jennyoga.com

Valerie Fouquette (Pendleton, Oregon)

Valerie Fouquette is the Senior Manager of Human Resources at Cayuse Technologies, a company owned and operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.  She has 22 years of HR experience and has been with Cayuse Technologies for 2.5 years.

In her spare time, she likes to cook, garden, write poetry and study new energy.  Valerie practices an energetic healing method known as Spiritual Response Therapy (SRT) and incorporates healing poetry into her work with clients.  She also believes that conscious breathing is integral to good health and well-being.

She is married and has 2 grown children.

Email: vfouquette@yahoo.com

Karen Hill (Pendleton, Oregon)

Karen Hill is a spiritual seeker, wife, mother and grandmother who has spent her business career in sales, marketing, and fundraising for nonprofit organizations.  Slowing down and remembering to breath is one challenge she enjoys during her retirement.

Email: 2hills@charter.net

James Dean Kindle and the Eastern Oregon Playboys (Pendleton, Oregon)

James Dean Kindle has been writing songs since his teenage years and cut his teeth early on in a punk band called The Sick Kids (with childhood friend Paul Collins who now plays in the band Beirut.) He continued his solo career living at times in Portland, Eugene, Or., and Richland, Wa. often playing with a revolving cast of backing bands as well as a stint as a member of alt-country rockers Blue Is Cold. When he returned to Pendleton, his long-time friends Matt, Brian and Peter naturally came together to back him up on a few songs for shows. The chemistry was familiar and soon The Eastern Oregon Playboys were formed. On his own, JD has shared showbills with artists like Pete Krebs, The Helio Sequence, Calvin Johnson, Laura Gibson and Jason Webley and with the band he’s played with Point Juncture, Wa., Blitzen Trapper and in 2008, opened for Beirut at a sold-out show at Portland’s Crystal Ballroom. James Dean Kindle and the Eastern Oregon Playboys have enjoyed tremendous response from audiences of all ages while playing venues from dive-bars, coffee shops and house parties to rodeo arenas, water parks and even medium-security prisons for inmates on good-behavior (No joke!) Two tracks from their new album have already been featured on Oregon Public Broadcasting. With all this behind them and a full-length in the bag, the band has begun recording songs for their next installment of their Depravity Hymnal.

“Mind your tongue if you believe that Eastern Oregon is little more than methamphetamines and rodeo. James Dean Kindle and the Eastern Oregon Playboys roll through town like a tumbleweed, dispensing their haunting sound (think Nick Cave from high desert country) along the way. The Pendleton-based band is touring in support of Campfire Pop Abstraction, a soulful recording that covers a massive swath of musical real estate (Americana, pop, and just about everything in-between) and proves that there just might be life beyond our precious city limits.” -Ezra Ace Caraeff, The Portland Mercury