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Meet Our Teachers
Susan Fried
Susan is the owner of Budding Buddhas Children’s Yoga and has been practicing for over 15 years. Prior to teaching yoga, Susan was a Casting Director in film and television. She worked with children on dozens of projects and taught them how to relax before their audition, how to be in the moment and confident when filming, and how to embrace self-esteem and joy. Susan believes these lessons can apply to all children.
Susan feels that children of all ages can understand the mind/body connection and she integrates this into her Budding Buddhas Yoga & Mindfulness programs. She empowers students to take yoga techniques off the mat and into their everyday lives.
Susan received her children’s yoga teaching certification through Karma Kids Yoga in New York City. She also completed a 200 hr. adult teaching certificate at Yoga Haven in Scarsdale, NY. Susan’s programs enrich children’s lives in ways she never thought imaginable.
Susan feels that children of all ages can understand the mind/body connection and she integrates this into her Budding Buddhas Yoga & Mindfulness programs. She empowers students to take yoga techniques off the mat and into their everyday lives.
Susan received her children’s yoga teaching certification through Karma Kids Yoga in New York City. She also completed a 200 hr. adult teaching certificate at Yoga Haven in Scarsdale, NY. Susan’s programs enrich children’s lives in ways she never thought imaginable.
Michelle Valentine
Michelle was a preschool teacher for a number of years before she decided to get certified to teach children's yoga. Her love of working with young children and teaching yoga came together perfectly with the addition of this certification. Michelle loves bringing the gifts of yoga to children. Knowing she is giving children the lifelong tools to calm their minds and bodies truly makes her heart smile.
Michelle received her children's yoga certification from Yogakids. She received her 200-hour adult certification from Yoga Haven in Scarsdale, NY. She is also certified in Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga and is a NASM certified personal trainer.
Michelle received her children's yoga certification from Yogakids. She received her 200-hour adult certification from Yoga Haven in Scarsdale, NY. She is also certified in Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga and is a NASM certified personal trainer.
Melissa Lawson
Born in Thailand, Melissa has lived throughout South Asia, Southern United States, and now calls New York home. Her yoga practice began with a college elective course, and she fell in love with it.
Melissa brings a playful aspect to her yoga that carries into her life off the mat. She is a working artist and leads classes that inspire creativity and kindness. She teaches post-natal yoga, children’s yoga (babies through teens), mommy/daddy and me, and yoga and art combined.
With certifications from Karma Kids Yoga, Radiant Child Yoga, Yoga for the Special Child, Yoga Mom Buddha Baby, Pediatric Yoga, Yoga Haven, and is trained in Red Cross First Aid and CPR; Melissa also wrote a NYC DOE Compliant Yoga Curriculum for a private school in Manhattan.
Melissa brings a playful aspect to her yoga that carries into her life off the mat. She is a working artist and leads classes that inspire creativity and kindness. She teaches post-natal yoga, children’s yoga (babies through teens), mommy/daddy and me, and yoga and art combined.
With certifications from Karma Kids Yoga, Radiant Child Yoga, Yoga for the Special Child, Yoga Mom Buddha Baby, Pediatric Yoga, Yoga Haven, and is trained in Red Cross First Aid and CPR; Melissa also wrote a NYC DOE Compliant Yoga Curriculum for a private school in Manhattan.
Susie Menkes
Susie Menkes is passionate about teaching mindfulness and yoga to kids.
She earned her 200 hour teaching certificate from Tovami Yoga and has certifications in children's yoga and meditation from Budding Buddhas Kids Yoga and Kidding Around Yoga. Additionally, she has certificates in Mindfulness Fundamentals from Mindful Schools, and KAY4ALL, a diversity and inclusivity training from Kidding Around Yoga. Susie enjoys teaching kids of all ages and hopes her work will help make the world a kinder place.
She earned her 200 hour teaching certificate from Tovami Yoga and has certifications in children's yoga and meditation from Budding Buddhas Kids Yoga and Kidding Around Yoga. Additionally, she has certificates in Mindfulness Fundamentals from Mindful Schools, and KAY4ALL, a diversity and inclusivity training from Kidding Around Yoga. Susie enjoys teaching kids of all ages and hopes her work will help make the world a kinder place.
Robin Zuckerman
Robin is a certified School Psychologist and kids yoga instructor. She has obtained many kids yoga certifications such as Karma Yoga, Radiant Child, Teen Yoga and circus yoga to name a few. She has been teaching for Budding Buddhas for many years in addition to after school clubs in Larchmont as well as at many other elementary schools, pre-school and summer camps. She also sees kids individually to do yoga and counseling with them.
Melissa Abatzis
Melissa has been practicing yoga for most of her adult life and is a strong believer in the transformative power of yoga and mindfulness. She has over 20 years of experience teaching language to children from Pre-K to 8th grade. Melissa holds a BA in Psychology and a Dual Master’s in Education (Spanish & TESOL.) With her background in childhood education and her love for yoga, it was a natural fit to teach yoga to children. Melissa received her 200-hour Yoga Certification from Tovami Yoga and her Children’s Yoga Teacher certification from Budding Buddhas Kids Yoga. The key to Melissa’s teaching is to always make it fun! She believes that if kids experience joy while learning, they are more likely to develop a lasting love for the subject. Teaching yoga and mindfulness to kids in a creative and engaging way can provide them with lifelong tools to keep their minds and bodies happy and healthy. Melissa is excited to bring yoga into children’s lives, and have it work the magic she knows it can!
Jenna Agress
Jenna loves bringing yoga and mindfulness into the lives of children and has been teaching in this field for over 12 years. Previously, she was the resident yoga and mindfulness teacher at Columbia Grammar School on the Upper West Side of Manhattan for 9 years. At CGPS, Jenna developed and instituted a school-wide yoga, meditation, and mindfulness program for students. She also led weekly parent and faculty meditations, as well as monthly school-wide meditations. Prior to being the in-house "yogi" for Columbia Grammar School, Jenna was a classroom teacher in both first and second grade. Jenna has children's yoga certifications from Karma Kids Yoga, Yogi Beans, and Move with Me (a Movement and Mindfulness training). She received her graduate degree from Bank Street Graduate School of Education and her undergraduate degree from Cornell University. Jenna enjoys cultivating her own yoga practice and resides in Mamaroneck, New York with her husband, two kids (14 and 11), and dog.
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