Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Kelly.
Hi Sara, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
If you knew me as a student, you would likely identify me as a high-achiever or a people-pleasing perfectionist with no clue about life balance. I have always been very motivated to succeed, and also to make an impact and help the world become a better place. As a teen and young adult, I had the opportunity to attend the National Leadership Conference in Michigan, a four-year summer program with participants from all over the country, which taught me how to strive for a more balanced life and always aim for my own best self. During those summer conferences, I was exposed to and grew close with individuals of all different backgrounds, and took part in various new experiences, one of which was yoga. Growing up as a dancer, I loved the music-driven movement aspects, but also the mental and emotional benefits I saw.
Throughout college, as I studied to become a special education teacher, I continued building my yoga and mindfulness practices, mostly through accessible formats such as YouTube. After teaching while earning my master’s degree, I moved back to Cleveland and was hired at a local nonprofit, facilitating youth leadership programs in schools, community centers, and even juvenile correctional facilities. As I worked my way up from a program facilitator to alumni director, then curriculum director, I also obtained my 200-hour yoga teacher training certificate and began leading yoga classes in the community. My vision as a yoga instructor has always been to increase accessibility and welcome those who weren’t sure yoga was “for them”. This led me to leading yoga for runners, rock climbers, prison inmates, in corporations such as Vitamix, and even back at the leadership conference I had attended as a teen, now as volunteer staff.
I stepped away from full-time work as I had my first daughter in 2019, and found my way to Zenworks Yoga shortly after.
I completed my training with the organization, including a practicum experience in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, which concluded the day before schools shut down for the Covid-19 pandemic. I navigated all the changes the pandemic brought, alongside the organization, never halting our services, but rather adapting to virtual yoga offerings and expanding our digital access to support the needs of the community.
Personally, I deepened my studies during this time, obtaining a 95-hour trauma-informed children’s yoga training certification, and began to take on more responsibilities in the organization, training our new instructors, and adapting our curriculum to align with Ohio’s Social Emotional Learning standards.
As needs continued to shift in the community and organization, I stepped up as our Director of Curriculum and Instruction, continuing to offer guidance to our growing team which has been rebuilding and adapting to the changing landscape since the pandemic, as well as leading programs in the community such as professional development workshops for educators, family yoga classes, and expanded school-based supports.
As we continue to monitor the needs of the community, and global stress factors impacting everyone, I am honored to step into the role of Executive Director, to work with my incredible small but mighty team to continue to expand our services and impact. While I may remain as highly motivated to succeed as I was in my youth, I have gained the wisdom of various life experiences, mindfulness practices, and a more balanced approach to work and rest (some days are more balanced than others, but the goal remains)!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I don’t think any growth comes from a perfectly paved path, and there have certainly been speed bumps along the way.
Personally, navigating the transition of becoming a parent to two wonderful daughters, while striving to show up for my team and organization, is a constant juggle of priorities, though I wouldn’t trade one for the other. The gift of working for a small nonprofit is the ability to be very engaged in my young children’s upbringing, while also serving the community with our mission-driven organization. I have felt the impact of mental health struggles deeply in my own home, which has only reinforced the need for the work we are doing, and supporting individuals and the community at a young age by instilling skills to regulate, navigate all emotions with acceptance, and understand how to work with their nervous system to improve focus, learning, and overall health and well being.
Stepping into a leadership role in an organization during and following a global pandemic has brought with it a host of challenges as well. As we returned to in-person instruction in schools, the gap in social skills, mental health supports, and other factors were apparent. Thankfully, our work directly addresses many of these issues, but our scope remains limited.
The funding landscape also continues to shift, and we continue to work hard to diversify our fundraising streams, as the need and demand for our services continues to increase, so we can rise to meet the needs of our community.
We choose to see challenges as speed bumps, not road blocks, and work to adapt and evolve, stronger than ever.
As you know, we’re big fans of Zenworks Yoga. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
As a 501(c)3 nonprofit for over a decade, Zenworks Yoga has worked with thousands of students, educators, and families to teach them Social Emotional Learning skills through the lens of yoga and mindfulness. We truly lead from our values of access, empowerment, trauma-informed, accountability, and belonging.
Our values and mission drive us to impact learners of all abilities, backgrounds, and personalities, by creating experiences that are both fun and supportive of the nervous system. Our primary work is in school classrooms, from Preschool through 12th grade, teaching students and their educators yoga and mindfulness tools to apply throughout their daily lives. We also offer Professional Development workshops and series, family and corporate wellness, and community-based yoga classes.
What sets Zenworks Yoga apart is our commitment to evidence-based curricula, teaching not only yoga and mindfulness methodology but integrating the Social Emotional Learning standards with intention. We also pride ourselves on a diverse, highly skilled team of instructors who maintain a consistent, caring presence to build rapport with their learners and meet them where they are. We are most proud of the stories we hear from individuals who take what they have learned, and use these skills to navigate challenges such as difficult family dynamics, physical and mental health issues, and the high-pressure demands of being a student.
We are continuing to expand our partnerships to companies, new school districts, and community organizations who know their community will benefit from our offerings!
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Sonya Patel, the founder of Zenworks Yoga, has gotten our organization to where we are today, and is still actively involved as a highly supportive board member.
My co-director, Liz Kardamis, and all of our incredible instructors and team members have shown their commitment to our mission and make our impact what it is!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.zenworksyoga.org
- Instagram: @zenworksyoga
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zenworksyoga
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zenworks-yoga
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@zenworksyoga
