Andrea Creel, MSW, LCSW-C, E-RYT 200, YACEP
Owner & Educational Director
Andrea is the founder of Shining Kids Yoga, which began as an after-school program at her son's elementary school in 2014. She has been teaching yoga to all ages since 2005. Andrea completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training & prenatal yoga training at Tranquil Space Yoga in Washington, D.C. In addition, she received specialized training in children’s yoga from the Radiant Child Yoga program, training in postnatal yoga from Baby OM, and training in therapeutic yoga from The Samarya Center.
Andrea is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-C) through the State of Maryland, having received her MSW degree from University of Maryland, Baltimore.
She has taught yoga for children at yoga studios throughout the DC area and was previously on the teacher training faculty at extendYoga in Rockville where she taught the children & teen and chanting training modules. Andrea has served as a panelist and content expert for the National Kids Yoga Conference, including presenting the sold-out workshop Adapting Yoga Games for Online Kids Yoga Classes.
Andrea is the creator and lead instructor of the Shining Kids Yoga Teacher Training program, a 20 hour certificate program for teaching for children’s yoga. She also creates audio and video content for the Shining Kids Yoga YouTube Channel.
She is the author of Mystery Pose, a Yoga Guessing Game for Kids (now available on Amazon) as well as the creator of several yoga games and cards for children.
When not teaching or practicing yoga, Andrea enjoys playing board games with her son, Quinn, singing karaoke, and trying out new restaurants and recipes!
Allyson Ger, B.S., RYT-200
Allyson has practiced and taught all types of yoga, creative movement and dance for many years. This led her to go deeper and become a 200-RYT through Thrive Yoga in Rockville, Maryland, as well as a become certified as a mindfulness trainer and first degree reiki instructor. She has a BS degree in Design & Fine Art.
She has worked with all ages & populations, teaching yoga to students at The Oneness Family School, The City of Rockville as well as Yoga in the Park. She has taught dance at the Levine School of Music & Art for over 15 years.
In her classes she creates space for joyful exploration, self-expression, mindfulness practices, body awareness, collaborations, and in-the-moment experiences with her students. She creates an environment to foster learning, connection and community.
As a multidisciplinary artist, performer and a CPCC, ACC certified life coach, she created Soul Sky Coaching, which brings all of her passions and experience together to support others to live a soul-inspired life.
Off of the mat, you can find her creating, playing music, or out in nature.
Mariela Gomez
Ms. Mar has been teaching yoga to babies, parents and children since 2013. After receiving her Budding Yogis certification, she found out she was pregnant! Plans went on hold until motherhood sunk in, and her daughter has been 'teaching' and practicing with her ever since. Mariela's daughter brings such joy, fun, energy and love to her life. As a certified kids, postnatal and adult yoga instructor, she wants to share that experience and playfulness with her students, helping them disconnect from their everyday stresses and connect positively with their children and families. Her kids yoga classes are aimed at helping children focus on breathwork, body movement and overall awareness as tools to help cope with big feelings. Mariela is the owner of My Little Light Yoga in Silver Spring, MD.
Carla Kasun
Carla has over thirty years of experience in special education, behavioral intervention, residential counseling and therapeutic recreation with children and adults. As a certified yoga instructor, she has been instrumental in developing the yoga program at The Maddux School in Potomac, as well as providing direct yoga instruction to young children.
Sydnea Lewis
Sydnea Lewis is a dedicated yoga and mindfulness teacher with a mission to make wellness accessible to all ages and bodies. With a belief that there is never a wrong time to start one's wellness journey, Sydnea offers a diverse range of classes tailored to individuals and groups alike.
Her journey in yoga began with her completion of Budding Yogis Children’s Yoga Training in 2016 and not long after a Hatha 200-hour YTT at Yoga District in 2017. Since then, she has pursued extensive training and certifications to enhance her teaching abilities and broaden her reach in the wellness community. Her qualifications include a 300-hour Advanced YTT from Circle Yoga in 2021, a Rocket Yoga 100-hour YTT from BLM Global Rocket Yoga in 2020, and an Accessible Yoga 30-hour YTT from Accessible Yoga in 2019. Additionally, she holds certifications in Teaching Yoga to Kids with Special Needs, Group Fitness Training from Expert Ratings, and Zumba® Basics 1 from Zumba Fitness.
For nearly a decade, Sydnea has taught yoga to children of all ages in schools, studios, and community spaces. She finds joy in watching young students discover the fun of movement and the calm that yoga can bring, and she believes their natural curiosity and playfulness are reminders that yoga is truly for everyone.
Today, Sydnea offers a variety of classes, including adult, kids, private sessions, and specialized programs for businesses and corporations. Her classes can be found in diverse settings, from corporate offices and residential buildings to schools and community centers, ensuring that yoga and mindfulness are accessible to all.
What sets Sydnea apart is her dedication to continuous learning and growth. She believes that even teachers need teachers, and her love for teaching is fueled by the constant evolution and exploration within the yoga and mindfulness world.
When Sydnea isn’t teaching yoga classes, she is teaching university courses on graphic design and entrepreneurship, painting, sharing her insights on Busyness and Burnout, or simply spending time in nature.
Paulina de la Mora
Paulina has been teaching yoga for nearly 10 years and has been immersed in the yoga world for over 15. She first discovered yoga while recovering from an injury, but what kept her coming back were the deep emotional and physical benefits it brought to her life. After completing her first 200-hour certification in 2015, she hasn’t stopped studying and exploring different yoga methods complementing yoga with understanding biomechanics and movement. She has shared her passion for this discipline with athletes, adults, and teens.
While her teaching initially focused on adults, the pandemic broadened her perspective. She saw firsthand how simple yoga postures and breathing techniques helped her own children ease anxiety and find calm. Inspired by these changes, her passion for sharing yoga with kids grew, leading her to create a yoga program at her children’s school—first online and later in person—along with private small group classes.
Today, Paulina combines her experience, curiosity, and love of yoga to help children (teens and adults as well) explore movement, mindfulness, and self-regulation in fun, supportive ways.
Amy Morrison, B.A.
Developed a passion for yoga after her twins were born in 2008. Yoga provided stress relief from the demands of balancing a full-time job as a graphic designer and two infants. She began teaching kids yoga in 2013 after completing her 200-hour yoga teacher training with YogaFit International, and has also completed training programs focused specifically on children's yoga with YoKid and Move with Me Yoga Adventures.
Amy holds a BA in Journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park. Since becoming a teacher, Amy has taught yoga to participants ranging in all ages and ability levels, including baby/parent classes, preschool and elementary aged classes. She also teaches classes tailored to the needs of the elderly and disabled, individuals with Parkinson's disease, cancer, dementia/Alzheimer's and autism.
She loves getting to work with children and has fun showing them the benefits of yoga. Amy uses age-appropriate approaches and offers children tools for keeping their minds and bodies healthy.
In her free time, Amy likes to do yoga, paddleboard, travel (especially to the beach!) and spend free time with her mother, twin teen daughters and dog(ter) Darla.
Seema Ranchhoojee, LLB
A mother and lawyer turned Yoga teacher; Seema trained as a children’s Yoga teacher in her beautiful birth country of South Africa. Her training includes a100- Hour Children’s Yoga teacher training, 200-Hour Vinyasa Yoga Training and a 300–Hour Highly Adaptive Yoga Teacher training. Seema also holds a Bachelors in Law and a tax law qualification in South Africa (HDIP tax).
She has led children of various ages through breath and asana practices over the past 8 years. She currently teaches Yoga to middle schoolers at Barrie School’s Health and Wellness Program.
A privilege and joy to share the gift of Yoga with All, Seema’s intention is to weave a small piece of its authentic, ancient Indian philosophy into every class she teaches. To understand the benefits of Yoga, it must be practiced as the residue of peace and connection which it brings accompanies us out into our lives and touches everything we encounter.
Seema loves to walk in nature, to read, listen to audiobooks and inspirational podcasts and hang out with family and friends. She is a foodie and finds great pleasure in creating delicious things to eat with forgotten veggies lurking in the fridge.