Jackie comes from a martial arts background, practicing and teaching Taekwondo and mixed martial arts for over ten years. As a lover and not a fighter, she soon fell in love with yoga and meditation, and the way the practices bring us into deeper awareness and connection with ourselves. Before joining the Shala, Jackie studied the Katonah yoga tradition. She’s honored to be part of the 2023 cohort of Shala teacher trainees, studying with Kristin Leigh and Barbara Verrochi. Today, her vinyasa practice finds inspiration from ashtanga sequencing, incorporating pranayama breath work and meditation for a experience that brings us to ourselves. In her free time, Jackie enjoys hanging out with her cat Tofu, communing with squirrels and birds in parks, and the lively Brooklyn music scene. She is most influenced by the Bhagavad Gita, and teachers Thich Nhat Hanh and Ram Dass.