Meet Our Community

Accountant

Brian co-founded North Star Consulting Services in September 2021, focusing on part-time bookkeeping for nonprofits and small businesses. With a background in audit, tax, and consulting for nonprofits and more, he brings extensive experience. Brian holds bachelor's degrees in accounting and finance from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Besides work, he enjoys travel, co-ed softball, and woodworking.

Program Delivery Educator

On the lifelong path of yoga, Danielle draws on twenty-five years of personal yoga practice, twelve years as a yoga teacher, and a commitment to equity and inclusion. As an experiential, community-based educator with an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from the University of Illinois-Chicago, Danielle is a 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance and an Advanced Teacher of Therapeutic Yoga through the Kripalu School of Integrative Yoga Therapy. She facilitates virtual and in-person classes in Pittsburgh-area studios, community spaces, and outdoor natural areas. Inspired by yoga practitioners of all ages and experiences, Danielle fosters welcoming and accessible spaces for individuals to connect with themselves and the collective. As a facilitator, she strives to stay open and present with each student, supporting their exploration of how yoga reminds them of their wholeness in the present moment and their belonging to the world around them.

Program Delivery Educator

Carol Huncik, Yoga, Meditation and Reiki practitioner, holds an MFA in Dance and was a professional dancer before she found Yoga. She has been teaching for over twenty years and is certified in Kripalu, Anusura, Yin, Yoga Nidra, Yoga for Trauma, and Peaceful Babes Kids Yoga. A compassionate teacher, her classes are gentle and nonjudgmental, combining a rich blend of her experiences in dance, yoga, meditation, breathwork, and healing. She has most recently studied meditation practices from the Center for Mind Body Medicine, Compassionate Mindfulness, Irest Yoga Nidra and HeartMath. She is a SoulCollage facilitator and has been practicing SoulCollage for over ten years which is a combination of art, meditation, and reflection. She has worked with children and adults with disabilities for many years and she loves teaching with the yoga clients of Open Up.

Community Engagement Coordinator

Lorena graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Communication Design. They bring lived experience navigating the world as a neurodivergent individual and prioritize accessibility in design. Lorena practices mindfulness by crocheting, walking outside, and befriending cats.

Program Delivery Educator - Sunday Safe Spaces

April has 20+ years fo experience in education and leadership and holds a BA in History from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She pursued graduate studies in education administration and leadership at California State University, Dominguez Hills, and the University of California, Los Angeles. As a 500 RYT yoga teacher and certified mindfulness practitioner, April combines her expertise with an ICF executive leadership coaching certification. She prioritizes mindfulness, equity, and empowering individuals to navigate their personal and professional spaces autonomously.

Program Delivery Educator

Dr. Tyi-Sanna Jones was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, proud graduate of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She also has degrees from the University of Kansas, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She has been an educator for over 20 years as a classroom teacher, teacher educator, and education consultant. She is a passionate educator and advocate for all things access and inclusion. She is known as a facilitator, community builder, yogi, author, overthinker, fashionista, creative, lover of people, Believer, and living life focused on love and purpose.

Executive Director

Tessa holds a master’s degree in Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies from the University of New Mexico and is a certified K–12 special education teacher through the University of Pittsburgh. Drawing on nearly a decade of experience as a special educator, she leads Open Up’s organizational strategy, partnership development, and inclusive program design while supporting educators and staff.

Tessa completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training at South Hills Power Yoga in 2015 and has additional training in children’s yoga, mindfulness, somatic awareness, and applied improvisation. She brings humor, creativity, and lightheartedness to her teaching—a perspective shaped in part by founding the Penny Arcade Family Comedy Show at Arcade Comedy Theater. You can also see her perform monthly with Irony City at the Arcade!

Program Delivery Educator

Ashley is a certified peer specialist and also works for the Department of Defense. Ashley volunteers with Parent to Parent of Pennsylvania, an organization that links families of children and adults with disabilities or special needs to a volunteer peer support parent for support and information. She started meditation and yoga when she was young, and graduated from Open Up's Yoga Teacher Training program. Ashley loves helping others and believes that pets can also provide wonderful therapeutic support.

Operations Director

Karryn’s background in education, Ed Tech support services, and writing and editing aids in strengthening Open Up’s organizational effectiveness, administrative tasks, and overall coordination processes. Karryn holds a Master’s degree in English from Miami University of Ohio, a Bachelor’s in both English Literature and Writing from the University of Pittsburgh, and a teaching certificate in secondary English education from the University of Pittsburgh. She has experience working one-on-one with individuals with disabilities and has personally benefitted immeasurably from a variety of movement and mindfulness practices.

Program Lead

Anna has a background working as a Recreation Therapist in a variety of settings to bring the joy of movement and activity to everyone. She found yoga as a personal practice before wanting to further her knowledge to bring yoga to the populations she served. Anna is a RYT - 200 registered with Yoga Alliance and holds certifications in Adaptive Yoga and Trauma-Informed Yoga.

Program Delivery Educator

Emily is not only a dedicated instructor leading weekly yoga classes at our studio, but she also co-teaches yoga classes for the Down Syndrome Association. Her journey with Open Up began when, at the age of 20, she expressed a strong desire to enroll in our Yoga Teacher Training program. Working collaboratively with her school district, Hampton, Open Up became integral members of her Individualized Education Program (IEP) team, ensuring comprehensive support and encouragement throughout her training.

Program Delivery Educator

In 2003, after a long workday as a TV News Reporter in Austin, Texas, Lonni found yoga. Or as she likes to say: Yoga found her. Years later, she moved to Northern California where she took her first 200 hour Teacher Training at Yoga Shala Sacramento. She began offering Karma Yoga classes on the front lawn of the California Capitol and teaching at the beach and several studios in the San Francisco Bay Area.

In 2021, she completed a Yin Yoga Teacher’s Training continuing education at Yoga Noho Center in North Hollywood. In 2022, she completed another 200 hour Teacher’s Training at Soul Play Yoga in the Los Angeles area.

In late 2022, she returned to Pittsburgh to be closer to her mother. Being present and caring for her has brought even more meaning to her yoga practice and to her life. It has also provided an opportunity to be a part of a new yoga community, expanding her practice and her teaching.

Director of Fundraising and Community , Co-Founder

Megan is a graduate of The University of Pittsburgh with a BA Marketing and a BA in Creative Writing. Megan is a 500 hour RYT and the lead teacher of Open Up’s Inclusive Yoga Teacher Training which empowers participants with and without disabilities by teaching them to become yoga facilitators and leaders in wellness spaces. She is Accessible Yoga certified, a certified Personal Trainer and Crossfit Coach, and holds several certifications in mindfulness. Her passion and ability to connect with people by meeting them where they are is her superpower.

Program Delivery Educator

Colton teaches improv and yoga. He's studied with City Theater and was part of Duquesne University's theater program. Colton's work includes bridging the gap between disability and wellness through content creation. His mindful communication has transformed how Open Up operates and communicates.

Board Vice President

Astrid is mom to an adult son with multiple disabilities for whom she currently works as a Person Directed Supports (PDS) provider. Her experience as a parent advocate began when her son Kai transitioned to public school kindergarten following an early intervention preschool program. She served as a Parent Mentor for the PEAL Center from 2008 – 2011 and is a graduate of several of the organization’s training programs, the PEACE Project, and Family Leadership: Serving on Groups. Astrid is also an alumnus of the LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and Related Disorders) Family Trainee program (2019 – 2020) and C2P2 –Competence and Confidence: Partners in Policymaking (2021). Additionally, Astrid was the Chair for the Allegheny Task Force (2010 – 2012) and ran an Autism Parent Support Group in Pittsburgh’s North Hills area for 6 years.

Finance Committee Chair

Cristina Robles Bahm started her career as a Database Administrator for a large Washington DC based nonprofit where she learned how fulfilling and fun data management for nonprofits can be. When she left her job to pursue a Masters of Information Management at the University of Maryland she started a nonprofit consulting company focused on data and evaluation. She then went on to earn her PhD in Information Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh and eventually became a professor of Information Systems and Technology at La Roche University, all the while working with nonprofits on their data and analytics decisions. While she was at La Roche, she was approached by MonkeyPod.io to become their Head of Community and Learning, she said yes and this is where she has landed today. She loves teaching people how to best use MonkeyPod to meet their goals. It is from here that she shares her love of data management and all things tech with Open Up. She recently moved back home to San Diego where she enjoys spending time with her two kiddos, pupperoni, and her husband David.

Finance Committee Volunteer

Paul brings over 40 years of experience as a CPA, specializing in nonprofit taxation for two decades. He holds a BS in economics/mathematics from Allegheny College, an MS in Taxation from RMU, and an MBA and JD from Duquesne University School of Law. Paul is a member of various professional organizations, including the American Institute and PA Institute of CPAs, and actively serves on multiple boards, including Chatham Baroque, Service Coordination Unlimited, The Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellows Program, The Three Rivers Business Alliance, POWER, and The Allies for Health and Well Being.

Board President

Ryan is an information professional who works at the University of Pittsburgh, where he earned his Masters in Library and Information Science. He studied interdisciplinary collaboration and memory practices in scholarship and carries forward that training by acting as a connector and boundary spanner in his role as Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations. Ryan is a proud LGBTQ+ community member, enjoys sharing food with friends, and values transparency, mutual respect and graciousness.

Board Member

John Cunningham Jr. serves as a System Technical Consultant at Highmark Health, a role where he applies over 38 years of robust corporate experience. His career journey includes significant contributions in management, business analysis, and system development, particularly adept at navigating the complexities of high-speed imaging processing technology and operations. Academically, John holds a Master's degree in Information System Management from Robert Morris University, with a strong foundation in system management and analysis. Beyond his professional achievements, John is deeply invested in community building, dedicating the last decade to fostering environments that promote youth excellence through servant leadership. His personal interests also include landscaping and community beautification efforts.

Board Member

Kevin Erdner stands at the nexus of his two greatest passions and fascinations: Leadership and Innovation. With over 20 years of product and team development experience, Kevin currently finds his purpose operating within the healthcare industry, serving as a Senior Director of Product Management for Labcorp leading their digital provider engagement initiatives. Kevin has studied and performed improvisational comedy throughout Pittsburgh, and has incorporated improvisational comedy techniques into the development of leadership consulting programs delivered via his role as a member of the Robert Morris University Executive Service Corp as well as independently. Kevin received his B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis in information technology from Duquesne University, where he later returned to obtain a Master’s of Organizational Leadership (summa cum laude).

Board Member

Mallory Hudson is the Disability Justice Program Director at Keystone Progress Education Fund. Mallory is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied psychology, studio arts, social work, and public health. Over the last decade, Mallory has worked in the disability community across a wide range of settings including health care, research, community mental health, home and community-based services, and civic engagement. Mallory's favorite forms of mindfulness and movement include running and painting.

Equity Committee Chair

Dylan (they/them) is a queer, trans, autistic sex educator. They are currently writing their dissertation about why the autistic community needs sex education that is built specifically around their needs and what that should look like. Dylan also leads workshops and professional development on autistic sex education and LGBTQ+ inclusion in the classroom for educators across the country. When they are not writing their dissertation, they enjoy snuggling with their cat and seeing Broadway shows. You can get involved with their autistic advocacy by following them at @transteachertales on Instagram!

Governance Committee Chair

Amanda brings her expertise in Law and her community connections in the sectors of Corporate, Government and Politics, Health Care, Media, Philanthropy, Political, Small Business, Social Services to Open Up's team.

Board Member

Julie brings her experience in amplifying strategic missions through communications, driving high-priority initiatives for global brands, and leading developmental programming designed to help people achieve their highest potential. She is currently a Director at BNY and holds a B.A. in Communications from Grove City College. Julie lives in Pittsburgh with her husband, two children, and two cats.