PRESIDENT

Kathryn has been teaching yoga in Cook County Jail for 10 years. Prior to becoming President of the Board, she served as Vice President, Treasurer, and Executive Board Member. She leads PYC’s marquis trauma-informed training, our Tuesday class in Division 11, and 200-HR yoga teacher trainings.

Kathryn is also a standup comedian and the host of Beyond Bars, a justice-impact podcast breaking down the public perception of crime and highlighting human experience with the prison industrial complex.

TREASURER

Erica Bentley (she/they) sought 200hr teacher certification specifically to facilitate yoga in jails, and has been with PYC since moving to Chicago in 2018. Now an IAYT-certified Yoga Therapist, Erica is dedicated to working with currently & formerly incarcerated people and their families. Erica is a passionate community activist whose practices are deeply rooted in interdependence, collective liberation, and building a world in which every person has the opportunity to feel valued and whole. She is the weekly facilitator for PYC’s Monday night offering in CCJ Div 11, and currently serves on the board as Treasurer.

SECRETARY

Eilis is a licensed clinical social worker who lives and works in Chicago. She received her 200 hour certification in 2017 and has been facilitating trauma-informed Yoga and mindfulness in various environments since. Eilis is passionate about decarceration and is also a member of the John Howard Association’s Young professionals Board. She is the division lead of PYC’s Saturday morning classes in Division 3 and currently serves on the board as Secretary.

SCHOLARSHIP BOARD CHAIR

Bio coming soon

OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT

Celia is a mindful yoga practitioner who fosters community connection and holds space for individuals to process thoughts and emotions. Calm, cool, and collected are the three "C's" of yoga she brings to her classes. Through her teachings, Celia encourages individuals to find stillness, cultivate self-acceptance, and create a connection with themselves and the world. For over a decade she has practiced yoga, earning her 500 hr yoga and 85 hr prenatal yoga certifications along the way. With a commitment to lifelong learning, she engages in community initiatives for well-being and social justice off of the mat.

FUNDRAISING

Aja began her yoga practice 12 years ago in an effort to cope with childhood trauma and addiction. She has since completed 500hrs of yoga training and additional training in trauma-informed yoga therapy. She is thrilled to be a part of the restorative justice movement by joining PYC in 2020. As a teacher, she considers space-holding to be both an honor and an art, and strives to create a sacred container for others to feel held and supported in their healing journey. Her goal is to encourage students to practice from a place of curiosity and compassion while investigating the power of breath-work, movement, mindfulness, and stillness. She is dedicated to helping others cultivate self-awareness and learn to alchemize life in ways that support personal growth, intentional living, and the continued evolution of our collective consciousness. She strongly believes yoga can help us take radical responsibility for ourselves so we can become more effective agents of positive change in our immediate and global communities. Her classes vary from long restorative meditations and gentle flows to challenging vinyasas, and are introspective, light hearted, and balanced.