CENTER FOR WELLNESS AND INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE - Key Persons
Amy has been in the health and fitness industry for decades. Her expertise ranges from spin and group exercise classes to teaching and continuing her education delving deep into the discipline of Pilates. Amy's background in Exercise Physiology provides her a deeper understanding of the "why" and "how" Pilates can enhance our everyday functional movement. Amy's passion is teaching Pilates and attending workshops and continuing education seminars. She is a self-described "Pilates nerd" She is certified to teach mat Pilates as well as all Pilates apparatus. Amy's warmth, knowledge and humor are an asset to her teaching style. When not teaching Pilates, you'll likely find Amy outdoors, cycling, hiking, skiing, kayaking, paddle boarding, surfing or planning her next travel adventure. Her general enthusiasm and positive outlook translate well with her teaching style.
Having exercised all of her adult life, Amy was of the belief that you had to jump around in order to get a workout. All of that changed when she was introduced to Pilates. The mind-body connection of Pilates is real - it improved her life from the inside out. Amy's personal journey to share this practice was beginning to take shape.
Training in the Pilates Method at Gramercy Pilates NYC, included the Joseph Pilates Classical Pilates repertoire. Amy enjoys challenging her clients to fulfill their fitness potential while still maintaining a fun and encouraging environment. She is particularly passionate about working with those with special needs, injuries, and pre and postnatal mothers.
Deborah has been the primary investigator in nursing research studies involving imagery, massage, and three studies focusing on health promotion and wellness. She has published these studies, papers and book chapters on topics including self-care, reflection, integrative assessment, coaching, reflexology and healing. A frequent speaker in the community, faith -based and professional organizations, she has presented the results of her research both nationally and internationally.
Elizabeth is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher (CIYT) and RYT 300. She has studied in Pune, India, with the Iyengar family and continues her education under Abhijata (B.K.S. Iyengar's granddaughter) and Prashant (B.K.S. Iyengar's son), as well as the many wise and inspiring teachers near and far (thank you Zoom). Elizabeth has also studied Feldenkreis and Alexander technique and credits her initial interest in movement from Eija Urpalainen Celli, with whom she studied modern dance and was a research assistant to her book on modern dance during the Weimar period.
Elizabeth's classes are wonderful for both beginners and experienced practitioners who want to work on the fundamentals of yoga asanas (postures) and Pranayama (regulated breathing). Elizabeth "meets you where you are" on the mat, creating sequences and working on poses that are tailored to each student's needs with clarity and lightness. When she is not practicing yoga, Elizabeth is a fine art book editor and enjoys playing Frisbee with her COVID-no-longer-a-puppy Mila. Along with her husband, who is a local boat broker, you can often find them sailing on the Long Island Sound. Elizabeth will be teaching level 1 / 2 and prenatal classes this fall.
Jenni was first introduced to yoga 15 years ago while living in Manhattan and looking for something to balance out her physical regime and daily stressors. As a mom of 3 girls, Jenni has continued her practice throughout the years with Vinyasa, prenatal yoga and meditation. It wasn't until 2014 that she packed up her running shoes and began diving deeper into her yoga practice. In 2015 Jenni completed her 200 hour RYT Vinyasa yoga certification. At The Center for Wellness and Integrative Medicine, she teaches a multitude of classes ranging from beginner to advanced Vinyasa Flow. As a student and practitioner of the Ashtanga tradition, Jenni integrates her love for Ashtanga yoga into her Vinyasa Flow classes. Her playful teaching style make her classes fun and accessible to all levels. She loves to empower her students, offering a safe place to explore and progress.
Lisa Langer, PhD, is a Clinical Psychologist in private practice, a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Northwell/Hofstra School of Medicine, and the Founder of PRACTICE Body Mind Soul Company, a wellness center in Roslyn, NY, acquired by the Katz Women's Institute/Northwell Health System as their first ever Center for Wellness and Integrative Medicine.
Lisa is also a mindfulness teacher and speaks extensively to healthcare professionals, educators and community organizations about the benefits of mindfulness for improving our lives. She has been published in the Huffington Post, Thrive Global and featured in local magazines citing the benefits of mindfulness meditation.
Dr. Langer received her PhD at the Derner Institute for Advanced Psychological Studies/Adelphi University and completed her Clinical Internship and Fellowship training at North Shore University Hospital Manhasset, is a 200-hour trained yoga instructor and holds a 3-year certificate in Gestalt psychotherapy. Dr. Langer has a 30+ year history of training in mindful meditation and body practices and is certified to teach the Mindfulness based Stress Reduction course through the Professional Mindfulness Based Training Institute at the University of California- San Diego School of Medicine Center for Mindfulness.
Lisa's life-long devotion and passion for living from her heart and mind informs her psychology practice. Lisa blends traditional psychotherapy with mindfulness practices to create a unique roadmap that helps her clients transform their lives.
Maryjo has been in the fitness industry for over 25 years, holding various positions. She began her studies in Pilates, both Mat and Reformer in 2007. Maryjo is trained through Advanced Mat, Advanced Reformer, and Chair. She began her training with PHI Pilates. She completed her advanced training in Mat and Reformer with Scott Pilates. Maryjo is also certified with the Athletics & Fitness Association of America.
During her career she managed Group Fitness programs for New York Sports Clubs, responsible for running 4 locations with 30 instructors under her supervision. She was the Regional Manager for Group Exercise for Xsport Fitness, managing 2 locations with a team of 30 instructors. Maryjo is currently a Spinning® Master Instructor. Her responsibilities include the certification and education of Spinning® instructors. She has also presented, both nationally and internationally, at fitness conferences.
Job Titles:
- Chief, Preventive & Lifestyle Medicine, Katz Institute for Women 's Health
Penny Stern MD, MPH, FACPM, FACOEM is the Chief, Preventive & Lifestyle Medicine at the Katz Institute for Women's Health and the Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology, and Prevention. Dr. Stern is an Assistant Professor at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and is physician oversight for the Center for Wellness and Integrative Medicine. Deeply involved in public health education, she routinely presents to dozens of community and workplace groups each year, as well as at various Northwell site under the auspices of the Employee Wellness Team. She is a facilitator and speaker for Unconscious Bias training as part of the Northwell Center for Equity of Care's efforts throughout the system and has presented hundreds of Unconscious Bias workshops. Dr. Stern earned her MD with special distinction for research in neuropathology from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha National Honor Medical Society. As part of her residency training in Preventive Medicine at Cornell, she earned her MPH at the Columbia (now Mailman) School of Public Health. She completed an additional residency in Occupational Medicine at the Mount Sinai Medical Center. She maintains appointments as a Clinical Assistant Professor at both Weill-Cornell and Mount Sinai and has taught medical students at Cornell for over two decades. Dr. Stern is board-certified and is a fellow of both the American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM). She is also New York State-certified in medical acupuncture. She is also an experienced medical editor and journalist, having worked in television, on-line, and print. In those capacities, she published hundreds of medical news articles for both consumer and professional audiences.