Committees

Our dedicated volunteer board of directors provides strategic direction to both Yoga Alliance™ and the Yoga Alliance Foundation™ in effort to support and foster the high quality, safe, accessible, and equitable teaching of yoga. The board forms standing committees as needed in order to carry out the vision, mission, and objectives of the organizations.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee implements, influences, and enforces the powers of the board—in accordance with the policies and procedures established by the board—in-between regularly scheduled board meetings.

The Executive Committee regularly reviews the policies of the organization as well as its strategic plan and makes recommendations to the board as such. This Committee keeps a record of all of its proceedings, which then is reported at the following meeting of the board.

Members consist of the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and Chair of the Governance Committee. The Yoga Alliance and Yoga Alliance Foundation President & CEO is a non-voting ex-officio member. Committee members, while not elected, do change when new officers are elected.

• Jo-Ann Bance, Chair and Governance Committee Co-Chair, RYT 500, BBA, MHRM | Alberta, Canada
• Terri McDermott, Vice Chair and Audit Committee Chair , E-RYT 200, YACEP, CMA |Michigan, United States
• Marion “Mugs” McConnell, Secretary and Finance Committee Chair, E-RYT 500, YACEP | British Columbia, Canada
• Arun Tilak, Treasurer, E-RYT 500 | Oklahoma, United States
• Swami Asokananda, Governance Committee Co-Chair, E-RYT 500, YACEP | New York, United States
• Shannon Roche, President & CEO | Washington, D.C., United States

Governance Committee

The Governance Committee recruits new board members, ensuring each director possess the qualifications and experience necessary to not only carry out their responsibilities to Yoga Alliance and the Yoga Alliance Foundation, but to further support the betterment of yoga teaching and practice worldwide.

Regular responsibilities include guiding each board director in their role, regularly assessing the board’s current composition, and ensuring board members practice self-assessment.

• Jo-Ann Bance, Chair and Governance Committee Co-Chair, RYT 500, BBA, MHRM | Alberta, Canada
• Swami Asokananda, Governance Committee Co-Chair, E-RYT 500, YACEP | New York, United States
• Marsha Banks-Harold, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500 | Virginia, United States
• Yoshi Aono | Colorado, United States & Ojochal, Costa Rica
• Chandana Achanta | Washington D.C., United States

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee assists the board in overseeing all of Yoga Alliance’s and the Yoga Alliance Foundation’s budgeting and financial needs, including ensuring that all financial reporting requirements are fulfilled. Each member is elected by the board and serves a term of two years.

• Marion “Mugs” McConnell, Secretary and Finance Committee Chair, E-RYT 500, YACEP | British Columbia, Canada
• Kristoffer Carter | Ohio, United States
• Lucia Pham-Sinclair, RYT 200, BBA, INNER MBA, | Virginia, United States

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee selects and supervises any independent auditor in the performance of the annual organizational audit. No member of the Audit Committee shall have a material financial interest in doing business with the organization. Members serve a term of two years.

• Terri McDermott, Vice Chair and Audit Committee Chair, E-RYT 200, YACEP, CMA | Michigan, United States
• Nisha Devi Rodrigo, E-RYT 500 | California, United States
• Siddharth Kulkarni | California, United States

These slots are effective Jan. 1, 2023. Officer Positions on the Executive team are one year terms except for the Board Chair who serves a two year term. Service on the Governance, Finance and Audit Committee are two year terms. Yoga Alliance and the Yoga Alliance Foundation may form additional committees as needed and at the discretion of the board.