Instructors

Kate Mackin is a student of yoga, incorporating the science into her daily life with her children, Graham and Abigail. Kate is the Director for the Himalayan Institute of Pittsburgh and certified by the Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy. She also serves as President on Board of Directors for the Himalayan Institute of Pittsburgh and is one of the staff instructors for the Himalayan Institute Teacher’s Association.		Judie Markley has been teaching yoga for 10 years and has been certified by the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy since 1998. She continues her practice, education and study of the Himalayan tradition and currently teaches the Hatha I and Restore and Relax classes at the Pittsburgh center. She has been Secretary of the Himalayan Institute of Pittsburgh since its inception and is one of the staff instructors for the Himalayan Institute Teacher’s Association.
Robert J. Mueller (Bob) earned a Ph.D. in Counseling from the University of Pittsburgh. Bob has been a school counselor for 30 years and a college instructor of World Religions for 3 years. Initiated into the Yoga Tradition by Swami Rama of the Himalayas in 1977. He has been a practitioner of meditation for 25 years and serves on the Board of Directors for the Himalayan Institute of Pittsburgh. Bob is happily retired and enjoys family, friends, reading, listening to music, and golfing.		Bhavna Mehta has studied yoga for 3 years in India. She has practiced yoga for many years and has been teaching it for 5 years. Bhavna teaches one on one with private students and teaches Gentle and Hatha I classes. She likes to practice yoga philosophy in every aspect of her life. Bhavna is currently pursuing her Himalayan Institute Teacher Certification. She love reading, traveling, music and dance. She works with her husband Vijay in his accounting office and has two childre, Ravi and Rupa.
Gene Ellsworth is certified by the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy. He teaches a combination of hatha and flow yoga. He began his yoga training as a result of his affiliation with the Dean Ornish Program and emphasizes the importance of breath in stress reduction and the impact of yoga and meditation on a healthier lifestyle.		Dee Gazdik has studied hatha yoga for 10 years and has been teaching yoga for 7 years. She focuses on breath work to deepen the student’s understanding and benefit of asanas and relaxation. Dee teaches one on one with private clients and teaches beginners and Hatha I classes. “Hatha yoga brings balance to the body and mind, and it brings me great joy to share this with others.” Dee is certified by the Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy.
Elly Riemland has been practicing yoga for seven years and is presently working towards her 200 Hour Teacher Certification. She teaches a Hatha I class and provides a welcoming, gentle, non-competitive setting for students to refine and maintain their yoga practice. Her other interests include cooking, gardening and spending time with her husband, two sons and two very spoiled dogs.		Wendy Mackin is a certified Spanda Yoga Instructor who teaches yoga and Sanskrit. She has been associated with the Himalayan Institute for 20 years as a meditation practitioner. Because of Wendy’s background as a visual artist and professional musician, she is very interested in exploring the creative impulse through movement, painting and music. She is interested in the therapeutic applications of yoga and the application of yoga to everyone, regardless of fitness level.
Alicja Walczak has a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology with emphasis on relaxation, stress management, biofeedback, and meditation from the University of Pittsburgh. She started her yoga training in 1970 with Swami Vishnu Devananda. Through the next 7 years she studied with various teachers in Europe. In 1977, she met Swami Rama who initiated her into the tradition of Himalayan Master. In 1978, Swamiji instructed her and three other initiates to open an East-West bookstore in Pittsburgh. In 1991, Alicja received her CRMS certification in Rubenfield Synergy Method. Alicja works for the Center for Integrative Medicine, UPMC Shadyside. Her passion is to mold her life in accord with yoga philosophy and learn to expand her consciousness to reach a “mysteriously enlightened” state. She loves to share her knowledge and learn form others.		Carmelita Woods RYT is a Registered Yoga teacher with yoga alliance, teaching both Hatha and Iyengar style yoga. I received my Yoga teacher certification through Yoga H’om in Oakdale PA. You can find me teaching to wheelchair bound seniors as well as the general population. Here at the Himalayan it’s all about children, a most rewarding and fun class. The children’s class ages 5-10, requires a lot of imagination, energy and most important an open heart with a sense of humor. A reiki practitioner, I use my reiki level II as a volunteer with cancer patients at St. Clair Hospital. I am also an herbalist trained in Traditional Chinese medicine and am the creator of an herbal edible skin care line called Simply Spiritual. Outside of Yoga you will find me married over 35 years, mother to 4 grown sons, who gave me 8 wonderful grandchildren. Also share my time with Mr. Junker the white boxer, one spoiled dog.