The people behind Serendipity.

Karen Nielsen is an E-RYT 500-hour registered yoga instructor. For 38 years she has been guiding yoga participants through the subtle aspects of Hatha yoga practices. Karen has trained with numerous master yoga teachers and holds a certificate as a Master Yoga teacher from the Temple of Kriya Yoga Chicago. She also earned a 900-hour Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy Certificate. For 13 years, Karen taught a meditation course for Ingalls Health and Wellness.

Karen's goal is to continue to share yoga that anybody can do, keeping it simple and making it fun to practice.

Cindy Harn is the owner of Seeds of Serenity, LLC and has practiced yoga and meditation for over 25 years. A senior herself, she specializes in teaching adults 50 and older, with a focus on mobility, balance, and strength. Since 2019, Cindy has studied yoga asana, pranayama, meditation, and philosophy with Kali Om. She completed her 200-hour yoga certification with Kali Om and Satya Yoga and is currently pursuing a restorative yoga certification with Judith and Lizzie Lasater, as well as mindfulness teacher training with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach.

Now retired from a 38-year career in conservation and nature education, Cindy brings deep experience in leadership, nonprofit management, and adult education. Her certifications include RYT-200, Certified Massage Therapist, Level 1 Qigong Instructor, Certified Life Coach & Facilitator, and Level 1 Vedic Meditation Teacher.

Julia began practicing Hatha yoga in 2011 as she followed along with a book/DVD set from Aldi while working on her master's degree in counseling. At first, yoga was simply a way to balance her experience as a runner. Eventually, she came to discover additional yogic benefits of stress management and coping with a chronic medical condition.

Julia has always appreciated the yoga community's welcoming and non-judgmental approach to people of all body types and abilities. She decided to become a yoga teacher to help more people access the benefits of yoga, especially neurodivergent people and others who have experienced trauma. Through a blend of Hatha breathing exercises, moving meditations, and restorative poses, Julia hopes to create safe spaces for students to return to their authentic selves.

Mary was introduced to yoga as a young girl, watching her father practice Hatha Yoga on the living room floor. It wasn't until she became a busy young mother, with little time left for herself, that she realized the importance of caring for her own well-being. That realization marked the beginning of her personal yoga journey.

After returning to the workforce as a Reading Interventionist, she recognized that her students could also benefit from mindfulness and breathing techniques, and completed training through the Mindful Schools program. Following her retirement from teaching, Mary completed her Hatha Yoga teacher training and pursued additional education in Yin, Restorative, Vinyasa, Gentle, and Prenatal Yoga.

Mary believes that yoga is for everyone and is passionate about creating safe, nurturing, and inclusive classes where all students feel welcome, supported, and empowered to succeed.

Meg is a certified yoga teacher with comprehensive training in Hatha Yoga. Her primary style is gentle — an intentional, meditative, Hatha practice focused on the connection of the mind, body, and spirit, meeting the Self where it is and creating space for increased flexibility, overall strength, and personal growth.

Following a beautiful experience at a New Year's Day workshop at Serendipity, Meg found a new way to meet herself on her mat. Training with Liz Smith and the other Serendipity teachers, with Karen Nielsen as her mentor, she completed her 200+ hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training and developed her unique voice as an instructor.

Drawing from her background in music and executive recruiting, she instinctively connects with people and develops music playlists reflecting class content and vibe.

Nykia has been joyfully guiding yoga practices since 2019. A self-proclaimed "go-getter," her personal wellness journey inspires her to hold space for curiosity and connection, inviting others to explore these qualities in their own practice. Nykia is celebrated for creating affirming spaces that encourage clients to meet themselves on the mat with grace and self-compassion.

In her classes, yogis from all walks of life can expect mindful movement, opportunities to explore new possibilities and a generous helping of laughter. Outside the studio, Nykia enjoys reading, brunching, knitting, and taking long walks with her beloved dogs, Bando and Grizzly.

Rachael Poorman Santos initially found yoga as an essential practice to balance both the physical stress of running and the mental stress of a master's degree 15 years ago. Since then, she has practiced many forms of yoga to stay centered and present in her life as a wife, mother of two daughters, dog mom, high school psychology teacher, coach, and mentor.

Rachael was certified as a Christ-Centered Yoga Instructor through a 200-hour program from Inspiritus Yoga and Wellness in Arizona. She has always loved Vinyasa yoga as a way to stay fit physically, mentally, and spiritually, and has recently found appreciation for restorative and Hatha.

The culture of Rachael's classes is one of love, support, and meeting students where they are in their yoga journey.

Steve discovered yoga in 2015 after struggling with sciatic nerve and back pain. Seeking relief and balance, he walked into a Homewood yoga studio and began studying with Liz Smith. What started as a way to strengthen his core and quiet his mind soon became a lifelong practice. Over the past decade, Steve has explored Hatha, Vinyasa, Hot Yoga, and Pilates, and earned his 200+ Yoga Teacher Certification in 2024.

Steve teaches Beginners, Hatha (Mindful Flow), Stretch + Strength, and Energetic Flow, creating a welcoming space for students of all backgrounds. His classes emphasize patience, alignment, and the inner stillness that comes from consistent practice.

Tiffanny has always believed that stillness is its own kind of strength. Drawing from her training in Yin, Restorative Yoga, and Yoga Nidra — as well as her practice as a Reiki Master — she creates space for students to slow down, turn inward, and reconnect with themselves.

She completed her 200-hour foundational training through InnerJasmine and has since expanded into her 300-hour certification, with a focus on the slower, more contemplative practices that she finds most transformative.

Her hope is simple: that students leave the mat feeling more at home in themselves than when they arrived.

Vanessa is a passionate and experienced yoga teacher who has been guiding students for over a decade. Through extensive training and certifications since Yoga Teacher Training in 2014, she has studied Vinyasa, Reiki, Prenatal Yoga, Sound Healing, Yoga Nidra, and Chair Yoga. Chair Yoga has become a central part of her offerings, allowing her to make yoga more accessible to individuals with varying mobility and needs.

She approaches yoga as a living practice — one that goes beyond the mat to influence daily life, self-awareness, and personal growth. Her classes are grounded, intuitive, and empowering, inviting students to explore yoga in a way that feels authentic and deeply transformative.

Marie was born and raised in France and moved to the USA in 2011. She has spent the last 17 years exploring the human body through Physical Therapy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shiatsu, Craniosacral Therapy, Reiki, Tai Chi Chuan, MBSR (Mind Body Stress Relief), and more recently the discovery of herbalism. Her goal is to integrate this knowledge into her Yoga and Qi Gong classes.

Marie's classes are therapeutically and energetically inspired by Qi Gong and work on the subtle body. You can expect a safe practice integrating movements that emphasize a therapeutic approach to alignment, specific breathing techniques, and an aptitude to embrace and welcome your very own limits.

Brianna helps clients release emotional blockages, restore energetic harmony, and return to a state of deep peace and inner clarity. Her sessions weave together Reiki, chakra balancing, sound therapy, and intuitive healing to support the well-being of her clients' mind, body, and spirit.

Whether you're navigating stress, moving through trauma, or seeking spiritual renewal, Brianna holds a compassionate space for your healing and transformation.

Andrea started her yoga journey over 25 years ago by taking a yoga class at the park district with a friend. She went on to try other forms of exercise but always returned to yoga. She felt like yoga introduced her to her own body — and this still rings true today.

Andrea strives to create a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment for her students. Her classes are structured to guide students on a journey of self-discovery and growth that will improve their physical and mental well-being in both obvious and subtle ways on and off the mat. She was trained in Vinyasa, Yin, Restorative, and Hatha.

Brian is a student of many disciplines. He is a technologist, woodworker, scout leader, handyman, husband, and most importantly a father to three amazing kids. Brian completed the 250-hour training at Tejas Yoga in Chicago.

Brian began yoga to rebuild his mobility and strength to return to triathlons. Through his yoga practice, he found more than he sought. Brian's approach to yoga is that of a pragmatist: try anything, question everything, observe honestly, build solid foundations, and above all, "do what works."