Inspiring Ambassadors
On & Off the Mat
Kristen Boccumini Thwing, M.S. E-RYT500, YACEP
Kristen started Yoga for Unity and Yoga On The Mountain to support local and global humanitarian work. Through these efforts she has raised over $26,000 for charity. Kristen is a co-founder of Yoga Lab Studio in State College, PA. She teaches to help people connect to their bodies and release tension through fun creative yoga flows in a positive atmosphere. Kristen cares about helping you move in biomechanically healthy ways to support physical longevity. She believes body awareness leads to self awareness to improve the quality of your life and your influence in the world. Kristen is also a holistic life coach and certified in yoga for pregnancy and postpartum, with 4 of her own kids (teachers) at home.
Ariel Xu, E-RYT200, LMT
Ariel wears many hats. She is a business woman. She is a Yoga, Mindfulness, and Meditation teacher. She is a Licensed Massage Therapist in PA. She is a co-founder of Yoga Lab Studio, PA. And most importantly, she is a mother of her animal kids and a baby girl. Ariel is passionate about protecting our earth and striving to live a sustainable lifestyle. She is an advocate for animal rights and social justice. Ariel and her husband both believing in sharing resources with people in need, donating part of their yoga teaching incomes to various charities.
Laura Van Velsor, E-RYT500, YACEP
Laura wants to make the world a better place for her fierce and compassionate daughter. Laura started Happy Dog Yoga in January 2015 as a way to help animal rescues while engaging the yoga community, and has raised over $10,000 for local charities just by doing yoga. Laura’s intention is to provide a sustainable yoga practice for humans while raising funds for animal rescues. Loving-kindness for all animals is something that inspires her everyday. She holds special events where animal co-teachers may be present and 100% of the funds raised go to the animal rescue. Yoga Lab Studio in State College, PA is thrilled to have Laura as a teacher and to host her Happy Dog Yoga events.
Lara Heimann, M.S., PT, E-RYT500, YACEP
Lara Heimann, a world-renowned yoga instructor and certified physical therapist, created Movement by Lara and the LYT™ Method to unify the traditional teachings of yoga with a more modern understanding of the human body by emphasizing intelligent sequencing and proper body alignment, while re-educating compensatory movement strategies that place unnecessary strain on the body.
Lara’s mission is to create a more compassionate world that values all beings, which is why she is creating a foundation in partnership with Movement by Lara to support vegan causes close to heart. Lara also created Coast to Coast for Compassion for her family’s self-funded charity treks, raising $25,000 Parkinson’s Disease research, over $45,000 for the Institute for Humane Education, and $16,000 for Farm Sanctuary. Lara and 25 other LYT teachers from around the world also came together to support the Black Lives Matter movement, raising $16,400 for various causes committed to supporting and empowering the Black community and actualizing change.
Katie Travis, RYT200
As an actor, Katie has performed in “The Phantom of the Opera” on Broadway and in over 700 performances as Christine Daae in the North American Tour, and she currently sings with symphonies and regional theaters across the country. Katie is an MFA candidate in Musical Theater Vocal Pedagogy at Penn State. She is a graduate of the Yoga Lab 200hr Teacher Training program and she connects her years of breath work as a singer into her yoga practice and teaching. Her yoga classes are rooted in curiosity and the desire to learn. In 2017, Katie made the decision to have preventative double mastectomy. She is passionate about sharing knowledge and information about Breast and Ovarian Cancer risks. She is a marathon runner, a level 2 certified Reiki practitioner, and has taught abroad in both Ghana and Kenya. She has hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro and is dreaming of her next adventure.