Ilana Nankin, Ph.D.
Founder & CEO
San Francisco, CA
A research-backed education movement dedicated to uplifting and supporting educators to build stronger school communities.
A world where all people are inspired, educated, and empowered to be their whole and brilliant selves in their lives, relationships, and communities.
We offer transformational trainings that empower educators to enhance well-being, foster connection, and improve educational outcomes. Our life-changing programs – rooted in research, community, and a deep understanding of educator’s needs – offer holistic, transformative experiences and tools for both personal and professional growth.
Breathe For Change programs meet ESSA Level III Promising research standards.
A study conducted by Learn Platform found that our programs reduced educator-reported stress and burnout, while improving global health, SEL, self-efficacy, and challenging student behaviors.
A study conducted by Harvard found our programs can play a protective role in maintaining mental health.
Dr. Ilana’s Nankin’s dissertation revealed the critical connection between educator well-being and student social-emotional and academic outcomes.
A study conducted by the California State University of Fullerton found our programs can improve focus as well as attention.
A study conducted by a Ph.D. candidate at the Stanford Mind-Body Lab found reduced teacher stress and burnout enhanced efficacy.
A randomized controlled study conducted by Tulane University found that our programs may improve symptoms of anxiety among students.
Our Theory of Change empowers educators and school leaders with the wellness, inspiration, and community they need to provide the next generation the education they deserve to thrive as human beings.
Founder and CEO Dr. Ilana Nankin is an award-winning entrepreneur, teacher educator, and former public school teacher committed to using wellness as a vehicle for healing and social change. Ilana earned degrees in both psychology and education at UC Berkeley and received her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Wisconsin.
Additionally, her dissertation research revealed the critical connection between educator well-being and student learning. Her research demonstrated the negative impact of educator stress on teaching and learning — as well as the positive impact that enhancing educator well-being can have on student social-emotional and academic outcomes.
In 2015, inspired by both her research and her teaching experiences, Ilana and her co-founder Michael Fenchel created Breathe For Change to empower educators as champions of well-being in their lives, classrooms, and school communities.
Since then, the Breathe for Change team has inspired over 15,000 educators to graduate from our programs and are now collectively enhancing the health and well-being of more than 5 million students throughout the United States.
The Breathe For Change team is now taking its movement to the next level by offering an accredited Masters of Education as well as a Post-Graduate Certificate that will help educators advance their careers and weave well-being into the fabric of the education system.
Founder & CEO
San Francisco, CA
Co-Founder & President
Austin, TX
VP of Operations
Madison, WI
Director of Marketing
San Diego, CA
Director of School & District Partnerships
College Station, TX
Head Trainer
Oakland, CA
Director of Growth
Honolulu, HI
Professional Development Lead
Baltimore, MD
Lead Trainer
New York, NY
Chief Financial Officer
Boynton Beach, FL
Lead Trainer
Austin, TX
Senior Educator Development Advisor
Newark, OH
Educator Development Advisor & Sales Development Representative
Scottsdale, AZ
Sales Development Representative
Whitefish, MT
Community Operations Manager
Bedford, MA
Product Manager
Denver, CO
Infrastructure Engineer
Madison, WI
Community Support Lead
Seattle, WA
Community Support Specialist
Glen Burnie, MD
Tech Admin
Ecuador
Education Success Manager
Madison, WI
Community Manager
Long Beach, CA
Production Lead
Chicago, IL
Meditation Trainer
Los Angeles, CA
Philosophy Trainer
New York, NY
Middle School Teacher
Founder & CEO
San Francisco, CA
Dr. Ilana Nankin—the Founder & CEO of Breathe For Change—is an award-winning entrepreneur, teacher educator, and former public school teacher committed to using wellness as a vehicle for healing and social change. Ilana earned degrees in both psychology and education at UC Berkeley, and received her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at University of Wisconsin. Her dissertation revealed the critical connection between educator well-being and student learning, and the positive impact that wellness and social-emotional learning can have on teachers and students’ lives. Inspired by her research, Ilana founded Breathe For Change, a movement on a mission to enhance the health and well-being of educators, students, and entire communities. Breathe For Change offers the world’s only 200-hour Mindfulness, SEL, and Yoga Teacher Training specifically for educators, and provides wellness and SEL professional development for schools, districts, and organizations. Since 2015, Breathe For Change has certified 10,000+ educators through their 200-hour training, who are now positively impacting the lives and well-being of over 2,000,000 students around the country.
Co-Founder & President
Austin, TX
Michael is a social entrepreneur and facilitator who has started four successful companies including Breathe For Change, a movement enhancing the well-being of over 5,000,000 teachers, students, and school community members. Passionate about conscious leadership, Michael is also co-founder of PRDX, a community of founders co-creating belonging and flow, and Prism.fm, a music tech company powering 100,000+ shows per year. Michael lives in Austin with his wife Adriana and dog Zuri where you’ll find him freestyle rapping, playing pickleball, and getting creative with his friends.
VP of Operations
Madison, WI
As VP of Operations, I drive our annual goal setting and ensure company-wide alignment on goal execution. I achieve this through managing the development of team leaders, and empowering team members to adopt strategies to collaborate effectively and enhance efficiency. Through open communication and data-driven discussions, I aim to spark purpose and passion within the organization. Prior to my role in operations I taught math, language arts, mindful movement and SEL for 6 years at a Title I middle school in Madison, WI. I’m also a Cohort 9 graduate of the Breathe For Change Mindfulness, SEL, and Yoga Teacher Training.
Director of School & District Partnerships
College Station, TX
Kelli spent more than 29 years in public education with roles ranging from classroom teacher to building principal to district Director of School Leadership.
After earning her doctorate in curriculum from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, she began to work to design a new teacher induction program for Texas schools that was grounded in positive behavior, systems, mindful practices, and social emotional health. During the years that she served as a district director, a professional development, she always grounded her professional development presentations and trainings in mindful practices regardless of the content being delivered, so that every educator that she had the privilege to lead received tools for their own well-being that then informed their professional practices. She’s also a 500-ERYT yoga instructor, is a certified Masters of wisdom meditation teacher, and is certified by The Chopra Center as an Ayurvedic health coach. All of these yoga tools inform her practices as an educational leader.
One of her greatest strengths is coaching and empowering school leaders to create environments of health and well-being for their staff so that ultimately staff are doing the same thing for the students and families they serve. She firmly believes that without wellness being kept as a priority at the leadership level, schools will never perform at the level of expectations that our state legislature is setting for them.
Head Trainer
Oakland, CA
Michelle Cordero, Breathe For Change’s Head Trainer, has devoted the last 3 decades to deepening her connection to and sharing the powerful practice of yoga with the world. Michelle has led retreats, workshops, and teacher trainings internationally, and was voted “Best Yoga Teacher of the East Bay” by Oakland Magazine. She is certified at the highest level with the Yoga Alliance E-RYT 500 & YACEP credentials.
Michelle’s greatest passion is inspiring educators to teach yoga in an inclusive and accessible way. She teaches with a sense of humor, curiosity and compassion. Michelle’s classes are inclusive, gender affirming, trauma-informed and uniquely tailored to meet the needs of each student regardless of experience, age, gender, or body shape.Michelle has contributed greatly to the development of Breathe For Change’s 200-hour Training, 300-hour Training, Professional Development offerings, and Educator Collective events.
Michelle has her Master’s Degree, a certificate in Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy and is a Certified Wellness Coach and Craniosacral Work practitioner, and has trained with the Trauma Center’s Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TC-TSY) program and the Trauma Informed Resilience Oriented Approach (TIRO). She also completed a 75-hour Skill in Action training with Michelle C Johnson, focused on the intersection of Yoga and Social Justice. Michelle is inspired and honored to be guiding you along your yoga teaching journey.
Director of Growth
Honolulu, HI
A growth hacker by trade, Julia leverages analytics, creative, and innovation to deliver rapid revenue growth and scale Breathe For Change’s impact while staying true to core values of equity and accessibility for all.
Previous to Breathe For Change, Julia was the co-founder and CEO of Yoga Ed., acquired by Breathe For Change in June 2023. Julia spent her formative years immersed in Buddhist mindfulness practices while learning to code at 10 years old on her first computer. At Brown University, Julia received her Bachelor’s of Science in Human Biology: The Brain and Behavior where she explored the nuanced intersection of data-driven science, centuries-old mindfulness practices, and how human beings find connection in themselves and the world around them.
Julia’s unique and integrated expertise allows her to bridge Breathe For Change’s vision, strategy, and execution. Outside of work, Julia finds joy through the simple moments of love and laughter with her two children and puppy at home in Honolulu, Hawai’i.
Professional Development Lead
Baltimore, MD
Shatera is a Special Educator and Breathe for Change graduate who’s love for yoga stemmed from her struggles with Sickle Cell Anemia. Shatera was born with a disease that impacts the red blood cells’ ability to carry and transfer oxygen efficiently. This has meant a frayed relationship with her body and physical activities throughout childhood into adulthood. Years ago, Shatera discovered asana through classes offered at a local gym, stating that “It was the only class I could complete without feeling inadequate or embarrassed. In fact, I left those classes feeling centered and emboldened.”
Grateful for this resource, she’s become devoted to sharing it with others. Especially after Shatera noticed that she was often the only one that looked like her in the gyms and studios she practiced in. This encouraged Shatera to earn her RYT200 from B4C in 2018, with the aim of helping more Black folx to meet on the mat – inviting their minds and bodies to reunite, as she’s been blessed to experience. Since then, Shatera began teaching asana and meditation classes, and implementing wellness practices into her curriculum and structures as Dean of Culture at a 6-12 NYC public school, and within her day to day life and interpersonal relationships.
Now, Shatera has reached RYT500, and serves as a curriculum designer for schools and after school programs all over the nation that challenge the current inadequate and inequitable status quo of the traditional education system. She offers services that rise from the intersection of wellness and education at byShatera.com
Lead Trainer
New York, NY
Brie is a self described lover of life. She truly believes there is no better way to honor the gift of life than to maximize your potential mentally, spiritually and physically. This is what led her to her the yoga practice and continues to keep her coming back to her mat. At the core of all of her values is equity. She believes that we, all, each being, deserves the opportunity to be our biggest and brightest selves and maximize our capability and fulfill our true purpose. Her mindfulness practice has pushed her professionally in the areas of educational activism and social awareness, because at the core of the practice is the deep awareness. Brie has been in the field of education since 2010. While volunteering during her undergraduate years at Spelman College was inspired to become an education. She developed a passion and understanding for working with students with disabilities. This prompted her to apply to the New York City Teaching fellows to pursue her master’s in Special Education at Hunter College. It didn’t take long for her to realize that the demands of working in a school were not only impacting her, but her colleagues and students, as well. The demands of education drew her to the yoga practice. In July 2017, she chose to deepen her practice by pursuing her RYT-200 Certification. She now shares mindfulness techniques with people of all ages and currently is a lead trainer at Breathe for Change.
Lead Trainer
Austin, TX
Rabia Meghani (she/her) is a Medical Researcher, Behavioral Therapist, Educator, Yoga Therapist and a student of Kathak. Rabia’s formal education is in public health, epidemiology and education. Merging her knowledge of disease and education with the ancient science of Yoga and Ayurveda, Rabia aims to make these practices accessible to the masses while honoring the roots of the science. Her passion lies in integrating yoga and mindfulness in K-12 and higher education spaces.
Rabia uses her knowledge of yoga, ayurveda and mindfulness to help those experiencing physical and emotional ailments. When it comes to healing, Rabia believes that one size does not fit all. This is why she works on the full person and caters her practices to each and every individual. Currently Rabia is working on creating mindfulness and yoga tools to be made accessible in K-12 and higher education settings. Her hope is to lobby for systemic change to make these nervous system healing modalities accessible to all. To learn more about Rabia, please visit www.rabiameghani.com
Community Operations Manager
Bedford, MA
Izzi has been practicing yoga in various spaces since 2008, and has always worked within the realms of education and service. While living in Denver, CO, she worked as an Early Childhood Lead Teacher, completed a Master’s Degree in Education and Human Development, participated in over 500 hours of Yoga Teacher Training with The River Yoga, supported her first Breathe for Change 200-hour training, and led weekly classes in deep stretch meditation, candlelight vinyasa, and power vinyasa. Izzi is now living in Massachusetts, and – alongside her work with B4C – she is a Lecturer in Human Development and Family Relationships, teaching online undergraduate courses for the University of Colorado Denver’s School of Education and Human Development. In addition to all of the inspiring B4C trainers she has worked with, her mentors in yogic training and practice include Dr. Christa Kuberry (Yoga Alliance Vice President of Standards), Christen Bakken (let it be Meaning Full), Anthony Davis (Shapeshift Wellness), Steph Winsor (stephwinsor.com), Kady Lafferty (Yoga Alliance Director of Standards; Big Booty Yoga), and Samy Mattei (Yoga Mattei)
Meditation Trainer
Los Angeles, CA
Kirsten Rogers is a meditation trainer and proud member of the Breathe for Change team. She became a yoga teacher in 2017 with the intention of sharing this practice with people of color and communities that have historically had little exposure and access to yoga. She is a co-creator of Black to Yoga, an organization with the mission of making yoga and wellness more accessible for Black people. Kirsten has deepened her practice and understanding of yoga through trainings in trauma informed yoga, non-violent communication & meditation and yoga for teens. She is honored and grateful to share this indiginous practice and explore healthful ways to feed the mind, body & soul.
Educator
Special Education Teacher
Elementary Teacher, OCT
Middle School Teacher
Special Educator
Social Work Educator, Therapist & Coach
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor/Chair Yoga Instructor
Social-Emotional Learning Practitioner
Director of Early Learning
Middle School Teacher
Elementary Educator
Chief Communications Officer for Springfield, Massachusetts Public Schools
Special Needs PreK Teacher
Elementary School Counselor
Middle School Teacher
Middle School Theatre Teacher
Primary Teacher
Elementary Educator
ABAR Elementary Educator
Elementary School Teacher
Respite Worker & Special Education Teacher
ELA Teacher
Middle School Teacher
Education non-profit professional
Teacher of students with learning differences
Yoga Instructor
Teacher
5th Grade Teacher
Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Wellness Coordinator
PreK Teacher & Yoga Instructor
High School Counselor
Associate Vice President (Higher Education)
Nonprofit Arts Leader
School Social Worker & Psychotherapist
Music Lead & Music Education Program Manager
Crisis Intervention Specialist DOE
Kindergarten Teacher
Music Educator
Community Engagement Manager, Diverse Leaders Group
Middle School Math Teacher
Yoga Instructor & Nutrition and Life Coach
ECE Lead Teacher
Chicago Public School Teacher
Sr. Educator Museum of Science and Industry
ESL Teacher
Elementary School Counselor
Yoga Instructor
Middle School Teacher
Early Childhood & Elementary Administrator
Special Education Consultant
Teacher at Integral Yoga Institute
Music Teacher
Therapist
Primary School Head
PE Teacher
Waldorf Teacher & SEL Specialist
Assistant Principal
Yoga & Zumba Instructor
Elementary School Teacher
Yoga Instructor
Elementary School Teacher
High School Teacher
High School Math Teacher
Mental Health Counselor
Yoga & Mindfulness Facilitator
High School Administrator
Meditation Coach
Elementary School Teacher
High School Learning Specialist
Yoga Teacher and Trainer
Middle School SEL Coordinator
Kindergarten Teacher
Director of Teaching and Learning
Therapist
School Social Worker
High School Educator
Educator
I have been an educator as long as I can remember and I realized early on that it wasn’t simply about teaching content, but about connecting with diverse groups of people, whether children or adults from so many different backgrounds that I enjoyed most. I loved conversing with folks about any challenges they were having, supporting them in problem-solving said issues, and celebrating when they were successful. Yes, there were times that we had to come back to the drawing board, and when this happened, there were lessons learned that could be applied to the next strategy.
Take the first step with curated wellness, SEL, and trauma-informed strategies for you and your classroom.