Meet the iRest Institute Team

Kathryn Ashworth | Digital Marketing Specialist

Kathryn is a digital marketing specialist at iRest Institute who has been working in the yoga and wellness industry for nearly a decade. She is passionate about mental health and has always been curious about the role visual art and storytelling play in healing, which is what drew her to the career path she’s on today.

Kathryn is the former Senior Editor and Social Media Manager of Yoga International and she played a key role in their launch from print to digital back in 2014. She also co-edited and contributed to the anthology Embodied Resilience through Yoga: 30 Mindful Essays About Finding Empowerment After Addiction, Trauma, Grief, and Loss (Llewellyn, 2020). She is a 200-hour yoga teacher and has been studying/practicing since 2013.

In her free time, she loves to play with her calicos, hike with friends, garden (peppers, tomatoes, and strawberries are her favorites), and enjoy quiet moments by the river near her home in VA. 

Eli Bresler | Director of Digital Strategy

As the Director of Digital Strategy, Eli Bresler offers keen strategic insight and superb human relations skills that help broadly convey the organization’s positive impact. He draws on an impressive toolkit in the realm of digital marketing, which he assembled while running his own independent marketing research firm. Eli is passionate about using his skills to help iRest reach underserved and at-risk populations.

Eli is the son of a yogi and lifelong meditator who has been involved in the iRest community his whole life. He spent most of his life playing sports and taking advantage of the great outdoors. After graduating from Colorado College, Eli packed up his snowboard and mountain bike and moved to Denver, where he currently thrives amid the mile-high fresh air. 

Jennifer Cabanero| Supervisor of Trainers​ 

Jennifer Cabanero ​w​as introduced to the teachings of Richard Miller​ in 2003 and has been assisting in iRest trainings since 2012. She is also one of iRest Institute's Senior iRest Trainers. ​ 

Jennifer has been ​teaching Hatha Yoga since 1998​ and​ since 2000​ ​​has been the studio manager of The Yoga Tree ​in​ Seattle. It's at the yoga studio where she has the pleasure and the honor of teaching iRest classes, trainings, and immersions. ​ 

In her spare time she runs wild with her two nieces, enjoys cooking (she used to be a pastry chef!),​ and spending as much time out of doors as possible. 

Through iRest, Jennifer has become aware of a deep sense of wholeness that has always been present and with this wholeness, an ability to fully welcome life with all of its ups and downs. ​What a gift it is to be working for the Institute!

Sara Clerk | Director of Operations

As the Interim Director of Operations at iRest Institute, Sara Clerk supports the Operations team in keeping our not-for-profit running smoothly. She also contributes to the growth of our organization through a variety of special projects. 

Sara brings with her a diverse background in health and wellness coaching, audio engineering, customer service, sales, store management, and fundraising. Her workplace passion lies not just in facilitating efficient processes, but fostering a meaningful and wellness-oriented workplace. 

Having recently completed her Master’s degree in Integrative Health Studies at California Institute of Integral Studies, Sara has now turned her focus of study to the iRest Certification program. She also loves to spend time outdoors hiking or hopping in the car for road trip adventures near her home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Samantha Feller | Senior Marketing Manager

Samantha is the Senior Marketing Manager at iRest Institute. She is tasked with overseeing event marketing, strategic planning, and supporting the Marketing Director in daily operations. She became involved with iRest in 2018 while working at Yoga International and facilitated the launch of the level 1 training on their platform. She also moderated the live question and answer sessions with Richard Miller and Stephanie Lopez for level 1 students participating in the training on Yoga International.

Samantha has been working in the yoga and mediation industry for more than six years and the communication industry for more than eight years. She is a 200-hour yoga teacher and has extensive experience in marketing, journalism, public relations, project management, and sales.

In her free time, Samantha loves exploring the Rocky Mountains near her home in the Denver Colorado area, by hiking and rock climbing. She also practices, teaches, and studies yoga and meditation (including iRest!), and enjoys dancing.

Alana Siska | Executive Director 

Alana Siska joined iRest institute in 2016 as a consultant and was appointed to the board of directors in 2017. She was named executive director in 2018. With two decades of communications and marketing experience, Alana has worked as both a journalist and as a senior executive leading large communications and marketing teams in the government of Ontario. She has a passion for connecting people, building teams, and driving project goals forward.

A Canadian transplant, Alana now lives in northern Kentucky with her husband Mike, their daughters Avery and Isabella, and their sheepdog Sadie-Grace. She enjoys hiking, skiing, and playing in and around large bodies of water.

Kirsten Guest | Head of iRest Teacher Certification

In addition to leading the iRest Teacher Certification program, Kirsten Guest serves as a Supervisor and Senior Retreat Teacher. She has been an ardent student and teacher of iRest and nondual teachings for two decades. Kirsten leads several weekly classes in BodySensing and iRest Yoga Nidra Meditation in her hometown of Kimberley, B.C. Canada, and also travels to offer workshops and teach at retreats. She is passionate about sharing the "waking in" teachings that nurture a deep sense of self-acceptance and willingness to embrace all of life’s ups and downs with a sense of ease and grace. In her search for balance, Kirsten can often be found hiking, biking, and skiing in the mountains that surround her home.

Tim Langlamet | Systems Administrator and Book Keeper

Tim Langlamet has built more than a decade of experience supporting nonprofits with all things technological, including desktops, peripherals, databases, mobile devices, networks, and operating systems (i.e., Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chrome). He holds an associate degree in information technology and is certified in CompTIA A+ in both hardware and software. Tim has worn many hats for iRest Institute, contributing to special projects that involve website maintenance, accounting, copyediting, and more. As he leverages technology to create greater organizational efficiency, Tim lives by the motto: Work smarter, not harder. 

An avid yogi, Tim completed a 500-hour Somatic Yoga Therapy Teacher Training with Janice Gates in 2015. And is also an iRest Level 2 Teacher in Training. In line with the teachings of the Yoga Sutras, Tim maintains a commitment to his personal practice every morning.

Natalie Lowe | Administrative Specialist

Is there anything Natalie Lowe can’t do? We often wonder. As the wearer of many “hats,” Natalie is responsible for everything from community engagement and event communications to daily office management. She draws upon her background in HR, sales, executive assistance, and nursing to create a supportive environment for customers and teammates alike.

As a Level 1 iRest Teacher, yoga teacher, and Registered Nurse, Natalie is passionate about expanding awareness of iRest and its teachings.

Natalie is a curious and open-minded adventurer. A Bay Area native, she has spent time living throughout the Southwestern US, and has visited 32 countries and counting. In her free time you can find Natalie hiking, cooking, or hatching new travel plans.

Francisco Lopez | Event Coordinator

Extensive experience in corporate training and event coordination, along with a fine attention to detail, make Francisco Lopez well-suited to help iRest events run successfully. He not only minds the nuts and bolts of workshops, trainings, and courses; he develops procedures that improve organizational efficiency and guest experience. 

Originally from Chicago, Francisco now makes his home  in the delightfully warmer climes of California. He is a marathon runner, Bikram Yoga devotee, and longtime meditator. With a background in neuroscience and philosophy, Francisco enjoys spending evenings engaging in consciousness studies, exploring the relationship between the brain and mind.

Stephanie Lopez | Senior Director of Teachings and Programs

Stephanie Lopez LISW-S, C-IAYT is the Senior Director of Teachings and Programs, Trainers, and Community; as well as a Senior iRest® Trainer and Retreat Leader for the iRest Institute. She also serves as a research consultant studying the benefits of iRest Meditation on such issues as PTSD, insomnia, chronic pain, and resilience. In addition, she serves on the Certification Committee for IAYT (International Association of Yoga Therapists) helping to promote standards and credentialing for the yoga therapy field.

Stephanie is committed to spreading the iRest teachings throughout the world and she considers it a great privilege to support the thriving iRest community of teachers and students. Her offerings are informed by 25 years of immersion in nondual teachings. As a psychotherapist, yoga therapist, and meditation teacher, she bridges Eastern wisdom with Western psychology and neuroscience to support healing and transformation.

Stephanie lives in Northern California, where she enjoys hiking in the redwoods with her husband Francisco, and basking in sun spots with their two cats Juniper and Luna.

Elana Maggal | Event Development and Relations

Two decades of events management and corporate consulting make Elana Maggal a treasure to the iRest Institute team. Previously, Elana not only founded an international events consulting company, but spent 13 years as conference director for Yoga Journal, developing a successful vision for the magazine’s national conference business. Prior, she spent six years as executive director of The Learning Annex of San Francisco, leading California’s largest adult education organization.

Trained in the dramatic arts, Elana is an accomplished thespian who has performed off-Broadway, in summer stock, and regional theatre. She lives with her two teenagers and an affectionate kitty in San Rafael, near the iRest home office. She enjoys hiking, biking, and practicing yoga and meditation.