2023 Board of Directors

President:  Bethany Valentini

Bethany, a musician, songwriter, and mother to two children ages 5 and 8, began studying Iyengar Yoga with Chris Saudek in LaCrosse, WI in 2004. In 2007 she studied with Swati and Rajiv Chanchani at Yog-Ganga Centre for Yoga Studies in Dehradun, India. She began studying with Kristin Chirhart in 2013 and several years later began studying the art of teaching under Kristin’s mentorship. She lives in St. Peter, MN.

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Vice President:  Nancy Footner  

Nancy discovered Iyengar Yoga in the mid-1980s while living in San Francisco.  Moving to Iowa City, IA in the early '90s, she founded Friendship Yoga in 1993.  Since 1998, Nancy has made four trips to RIMYI and is certified CIYT Level 2. For over 20 years, Friendship Yoga has sponsored two-yearly weekend workshops with Senior Iyengar teachers, drawing students not only from Iowa City but from adjoining states.

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Treasurer:  Dawn Talbert

Dawn has been an Iyengar Yoga practitioner since January 1999. Joy Laine has been her primary instructor. She has taken numerous workshops through IYAUM and IYANUS and have been on many, many retreats. In 2011, she attended a 3-week intensive workshop with Rajiv and Swati Chanchani in Dehredun, India. She is proud to serve the Iyengar Yoga community because it has served her for so long. 

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Secretary:  Hallie Evans

Hallie lives in the very beautiful and hilly corner of Northeast Iowa.  She started taking Iyengar yoga classes in 2013, and knew from the very first one that she had found something special.  In June of 2018, she attended her first teacher training workshop with Chris Saudek, and then in September 2021 she received her certification in Iyengar yoga.  As a CIYT Level 1, she currently teaches classes for three yoga studios.  She spent 21 years as a wood-firing potter and is the mother of three boys.

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Media & Communications:  Katharine Wood

Katharine has been practicing Iyengar yoga since 2005, studying primarily with Nancy Marcy and Shannyn Joy Potter. She has a background in market research and evaluation, and currently teaches at and manages a Minneapolis Pilates studio. She is also studying to become a CIYT.

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Membership:  Sean Scott

Sean is a level 1 CIYT who lives with his family in rural west central Minnesota. He has been practicing Iyengar Yoga since 2010 and currently teaches one online class per week. He is also a ceramic artist working at the University of Minnesota Morris as a teaching specialist. Sean believes in the transformational qualities of yoga within the structure of the Iyengar system and the many benefits it can give to those who practice, as an art, science, and philosophy. 

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IYAUM Liaison to IYNAUS:  Susan Johnson

Susan is a CIYT, level 1. She began studying the Iyengar method of yoga in 1997 and continues to study regularly with senior Iyengar teachers, visiting Pune twice. She has found that through a dedicated practice one can attain a cultivation of physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. She believes it is important to incorporate the philosophy of yoga in her personal practice as well as in her teaching. Susan also teaches 2nd grade in Saint Paul.

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Regarding Trademark Usage:

In accordance with his lifetime contribution to the art, science, and philosophy of yoga, B.K.S.Iyengar pursued trademark protection to ensure that yoga associated with his name reflects his work.  As of August 14, 2007, the name "IYENGAR" associated with "YOGA" has been registered as a trademark and is protected in the United States in connection with the teaching of Iyengar Yoga.  Because the Iyengar name is trademarked, teachers who are not certified in the Iyengar method are not permitted to represent or describe their classes using the word “Iyengar” in any way. They may not claim to teach “Iyengar Yoga” or any variant of that label, such as “Iyengar influenced,” “Iyengar based,” or “Iyengar style.” They may not claim to mix Iyengar yoga with other styles. On the other hand, any yoga teacher may make factually correct biographical statements such as “I have studied with senior Iyengar teacher [name of teacher] at the Iyengar Institute of X,” or “my personal practice has benefitted from the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar.”

- IYNAUS, Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States

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Regarding Ethical Guidelines:

We as an organization adhere to the ethical guidelines set forth by the Ethics Committee of IYNAUS. If you should have any questions or concerns please contact here us or IYNAUS. through the link provided.