FOUNDER / EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Linda Natera, a proud Latina from Veracruz, Mexico, founded Sana Yoga during the COVID-19 pandemic to address the lack of inclusive and accessible spaces in Austin, TX. Having experienced the challenges of growing up in an area of Los Angeles affected by AIDS, drugs, and gangs, Linda is deeply committed to ensuring that everyone has equal access to equitable, inclusive, and accessible pathways to healing. 

As the Founder and  Executive Director of Sana Yoga, Linda collaborates with organizations to improve mental health, physical well-being, and social harmony within the Latine and other marginalized communities. With certifications as a yoga instructor, Yin Yoga Practitioner, Accessible Yoga teacher, Trauma-Informed Yoga Practitioner, Ayurvedic Practitioner, and Mindful Grieving Facilitator, Linda brings a diverse skill set to her work, offering holistic support to those she serves.

Linda has been awarded Accessible Yoga Organization of the Year 2022, Possible ATX 2019, Awesomeness Consuela Award 2022

BOARD SECRETARY

Mary Medellin Sims identifies as a (she/her) Latina and the Founder and Lead Instructor of Guided by Humanity. She is deeply passionate and committed to making yoga accessible to everyone.  She believes that ALL human beings deserve equal access to health. Mary has two decades of experience working with individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities in various capacities from direct care, administration, supervision, advocate, and friend. She has practiced yoga as a student for many years and saw a need for inclusive and accessible holistic health and well-being in her community. With her passion and service in mind, Guided by Humanity was founded in 2017. 

Mary as an instructor leads her classes from the inside out with an open heart and compassion.  Her style is centered on a gentle approach to movement, flow, and breath.  Her focus is to empower students to feel confident and safe in their practice encouraging the use of props.  She takes inspiration from her teachers, family, friends, and students. 

She is also serving on the Board of Directors for ‘Accessible Yoga’, the Board of Directors for ‘Sana Yoga’ Yoga for the Special Child Practitioner, and a ‘Yoga and Body Image Coalition’ Partner.  She is an experienced 200 HR, 500 HR Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance. Mary has additional training in Adaptive Yoga, Accessible Yoga, Yoga for the Special Child, Trauma Informed, Restorative, and Yin. 

TREASURER

Born and raised in Mexico, Danitza moved to the United States 18 years ago. Living first in Washington DC and then in Austin, Tx,  her passion was always to work closely with the Latine community raising awareness about the importance of education and physical and mental health in our underserved neighborhoods.

As ePromotora Program Director/ Coordinator and facilitator, she works daily with several Independent School Districts and Elementary schools in the Austin area training Pre-K families and educators in early literacy and social-emotional learning. This job allows her to understand and connect in a profound way with Latino and immigrant families that don’t speak English and are not familiar with the education system in this country. Advocating for these families and guiding them is of paramount importance to her.

Danitza has been a Zumba Licensed  Instructor for almost 9 years. She has been teaching with non-profit organizations like WeViva, El Buen Samaritano, Foundation Communities, and Stronger Austin offering free bilingual classes for low-income communities in the Austin area.

With strong ties in her community, she also participates every year as a volunteer with the American Heart Association at the Vestido Rojo event and with the  American Diabetes Association in various fundraisers. She has been invited as an expositor and presenter to the Austin ISD conference ADELANTE, also to The Texas Book Festival as a Pura Belpre Award Winners talk moderator, with Families as Partners Initiative as a trainer, and she collaborates in different non-profits and other organizations focused in serving her Latine community.

Director

Stephanie was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. She moved to Austin 11 years ago with her 2 children after receiving a promotion. She is a 4th generation Texan, whose family was brought to what was then Mexico in current-day Gonzales County.

She has been active in her community for many years. She has worked with the NAACP, National Council of Negro Women Ruth Jones McClendon Section as Social Justice Chair to advocate for and raise awareness of policy issues that impact children and communities of color. She is currently working to establish a chapter of the National Women in Agriculture

Association, is a non-profit organization that strives to bring agricultural education and resources to disadvantaged communities. More recently she co-founded a Sister Circle to bring women of diverse backgrounds together to discuss the effects of COVID-19 on their personal lives and strategize for small ways to make a positive impact on their community. She has been a featured speaker at the annual Dream Week celebration in honor of the legacy of Dr. Martin

Luther King. In 2018 she traveled to Ghana to explore her West African roots and establish connections with artisans and small farmers. Hailing from a family of veterans, she also hopes to incorporate outreach to veterans in her service work.

She holds a B.A. in English Literature. Professionally, she worked for 27 years in telecommunications and recently transitioned to civil service.

Preserving and educating people on holistic healing and connections to the land and each other are at the forefront of any work she undertakes. She also enjoys world travel and never misses a chance to enjoy partner dancing.

DIRECTOR

Melissa Villarreal began dancing under the direction of Rodolfo Mendez at the age of 14, with Ballet East Dance Company. Throughout her years as a performer with Ballet East, Ms. Villarreal had the opportunity to work with various talented and notable local, national, and international choreographers such as Fred Benjamin, Max Luna III, Regina Larkin, Carmen De Lavallade, Bruce Wood, Hope Boykin, Sabrina Madison-Cannon, Eugene Slavin, Stephen Mills, Jason

Ansara Brooks, Andrea Ariel, Toni Bravo, Andrea Beckham, Lyn Wiltshire, Gina Patterson, Eric Midgley, and Danny Herman to name a few. In June 1997, July 1998, and July 2000, Ms. Villarreal attended master classes in New York through scholarships awarded by Regina Larkin, Artistic Director of the Joyce Trisler Danscompany.

In 1996, Villarreal became the Assistant Artistic Director, resident choreographer, and teacher of Ballet East Dance Company, and in 2010 - the Associate Artistic Director. She has set over 35 original works for the company. Her first Work And God Created Woman ", premiered in December 1997.

She has been invited as a guest choreographer for Tapestry Vision in Rhythm, Paramount Theater Summer Youth Project, EastSide Memorial High Drill Team, Nudo Piedi Contemporary Dance Company, UpRise! Productions, and Proyecto Teatro.

Ms. Villarreal collaborative and independent works have been featured at the Annual National Spitfest, The Hot September Flurries, Frontera Fest, ZilkerTrail of Lights, Austin Dance Fest, and the Paramount Theater in Austin. Her 1999 choreography, Liquid Diamonds, was commissioned by the Muse Project and performed in Hollywood, California. Her choreography for the collaborative production of “Ella”, with Proyecto Teatro, was nominated for best choreography by the B. Iden Payne awards in 2017. In March 2018, an excerpt of her recent work, “Going at the Stop” was selected for the ModArts Dance Collective Thread Festival and performed at Dixon Place Theater in NYC.

As a guest teacher she has been invited to teach workshops and master classes for St. Edward University Ballet Folklorico and Ballet Afrique in Austin; and Nudo Piedi Contemporary Dance Company in Laredo, Texas.

She has trained, taught, and mentored dancers for over 30 years. Her dance protégé, Juan Pablo Flores received a nomination from the 2012 Austin Critics Table Awards for her 2012 work of Engulfing Addiction which she choreographed and directed.

Ms. Villarreal is also the National Director of Strategic Partnerships for Southwest Key Programs. Since 2008, she has led community events and health & wellness, cultural arts, and continuing education programming to engage the community at Southwest Key Programs. An active arts advocate in the East Austin Community, Ms. Villarreal’s focus is building strong relationships and serves as a catalyst in advocacy for black and brown representation in the arts and providing equitable access to the arts to underserved populations of Austin.

In May 2015, Ms. Villarreal branched out and created her 501c3, Lotus Contemporary Performing Arts, while still providing support to Ballet East.

In May 2019, Mr. Mendez personally asked Villarreal to continue the work of Ballet East Dance Company, which she humbly accepted. She rejoined Ballet East as Executive Artistic Director and continues to honor the commitment and mission of Mr. Mendez works by bringing arts to the community and the community to the arts.

Additional key roles she holds are Board Chair of LULAC National Educational Service Centers (LNESC) Austin, Deputy Director of LULAC District 12, Vice President of LULAC Council #4760, Vice President of East Austin Lions Club, Arts Advisory for Ashe Arts Academy, and Dove Springs Youth Advisory Council.

In Spring 2010 and 2012, she was nominated by Southwest Key for the Ballet Austin Guilds & Women On Their Toes Award due to her extensive commitment and dedication of services to the East Austin Community through the arts. In December 2015, Ms. Villarreal received the Southwest Key Programs “Angel Award” for her dedication to the arts in the East Austin Community.

Angel is a social entrepreneur with a strong dedication to service. They have spent over ten years working and volunteering in nonprofit and social sectors. In 2020, Angel founded Higher-Self Friendly, a social enterprise and movement that offers support to LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals exploring their connection to their higher selves.

Angel, who is also a facilitator and yoga instructor, emphasizes the roots of yoga and its connection to social justice. Their regular meditation and yoga practice has provided a solid foundation for their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Describing themselves as a seeker of communion and bliss, Angel is a creative, passionate, and caring individual. They are devoted to personal and spiritual growth, as well as the well-being and prosperity of their community.