Teacher Bios

Speakers

A woman with medium-length brown hair, wearing a white suit and top

Michelle Zarrin

Michelle Zarrin is the founder of The Mindfulness Expo. A long time meditator, the world of mindfulness is one that is very dear to her. She is also the author of “From My Heart to Yours: Based on a True Story.” She has also been featured in Forbes, Bustle and LAist.com.

Dr. Jeffrey Thompson

Dr. Thompson is the Founder/Director of the Center for Neuroacoustic Research in Carlsbad, California, a research center which is actualizing its vision of “Healing the Body*Heart*Mind and Spirit through the Scientific Application of Sound.” He's also the founder of Scientific Sounds which features dozens of his albums along with his sound healing products. He's also embarked on a new business venture--the Skye Lounge, which is marketed as a "Mind Spa."
Dr. Thompson is considered the world’s premier sound healing researcher, brainwave entrainment expert, and high-tech personal transformation innovator, motivator and futurist. He is a physician/musician, composer, inventor, educator, and author. His work addresses harmony between the body/mind/spirit and is clinically proven to foster deep personal wellness and expansion of consciousness. Certified in multiple healthcare modalities, Dr. Thompson has drawn people nationally and internationally to his clinical practice and to his cutting-edge auditory and kinesthetic therapeutic products and services.
He's been interviewed countless times on various podcasts, TV shows, and documentaries--some of the more prevalent of these would include the "Heal" documentary (which has been heavily marketed and featured on several streaming platforms), every episode of "The Sound of Creation" (a 10-part miniseries that he was also the main consultant on), and the documentary "On a Scale of 1 to 10" (a holistic approach to chronic pain).

Susan Foxley

Life & Empowerment Coach | Holistic Health Practitioner | Reiki Master Teacher | E-RYT Susan Foxley is a Certified Life Coach and life-long yoga instructor who has helped thousands of people live healthier and happier lives. She's also an author, TV show host "Mind/Body with Susan Foxley" public speaker. Learn more at SusanFoxley.com or FoxleyFitness.com

Vani Shiroor

~I am Vani Shiroor, the founder of Doturminds, your Mindfulness Expert. Teaching you the art of Letting go, taking a mental pause and being mindful through the ancient Indian Dot Art Rangoli . I help individuals gain clarity, confidence and purpose by tapping into their core strength to gain balance and contentment in their daily lives.
Website: www.doturminds.com

Holly McNeill

At age 34, Holly McNeill's carefully constructed world collapsed. From that low point, she promised to do better and spent the next twenty years making good on that vow. From one coast to the other, she embarked on a transformative journey, exploring Buddhism, secular spirituality, neuroscience, and psychology through books, teachings, and retreats. After fully embracing Buddhism for six years, including residing in a San Francisco Dharma house, Holly integrated the wisdom of mentors and teachings into the transformative P.E.R.L.O.V.E. formula—a powerful blend of mindfulness and meditation. Today, equipped with these practices, Holly has blossomed into a seasoned teacher, coach, and lecturer.

Mayra Rath

I was certified as a Hypnotherapist (CHt Hypnotherapist) and Past Life Regression Therapist by the American Board of Hypnotherapy in 1999. I have enjoyed regressing clients and groups for over 24 years! I am also a Quantum Healing Hypnosis Level 2 practitioner, certified under Dolores Cannon QHHT Official. Once you experience your higher self in session, you will become aware of that "all knowing" part of yourself. My goal is to empower you in your current life journey with renewed clarity, passion and purpose that exists within you after a regression session. Over the years, I have the honor of learning techniques from Dick Sutphen, Dolores Cannon, Brian Weiss & Marisa Peer. I have guided global clients through their past & future lives in many realms, dimensions and planets.

Christine Garvin

Christine Garvin, MA, NE, RWP is a Functional Nutritionist based in Asheville, NC. She weaves together her personal health journey – including a fibroid surgery that nearly killed her – with her training in functional health, nutrition, and hormones to help women heal their gut and achieve hormonal balance. She has been featured in Health, Shape, Parade Magazine, and MSN, among others. She is the host of the podcast, Hormonally Speaking, works with clients all over the world via Zoom, and offers group programs for gut healing and hormone health.

Val Joy

Trained as a journalist, Valerie stopped in her tracks about 10 years ago and began noticing her own passions instead of supporting and chronicling others’. After acquiring certification in a variety of Willow System healing modalities and treatments, she began helping people rewrite their stories by getting unstuck and creating fluid movement in their lives – body, mind and soul. With the publication of her book, Sombreros and Water Wheels, Rita Harrison’s Amazing World of AYM, she has returned to her roots to narrate more accounts of hope, health and happiness!

Tahia Lameer

Tahia Lameer has been passionate about Vedic Astrologer and Tarot for over 20 years. Always a stargazer, this ancient astrology of India has mesmerized her since she first discovered its richness and complexity in understanding personal development and destiny. She has found that Vedic Astrology offers a unique and exclusive understanding of ourselves and others, and when peeling back the layers of complexity, unearths our authentic selves. She discovered Tarot was like playing cards with a twist. The vibrant images and symbols speak to her on a deeper level. Having been around for centuries, people have been turning to tarot for guidance, much like you'd turn to that wise friend.
She realized she had stumbled upon something and found when combining both these ancient systems of divinations, provided a deeper understanding of our own personalities, relationships, and life paths. She is a firm believer that both Vedic Astrology and Tarot in conjunction are far more powerful together than apart. They are influential tools of self awareness and personal transformation that together, can then be used to help us make better choices and live more fulfilling lives.

Jade Venhaus

I am Jade, your dedicated Reiki & Sound Practitioner from the serene shores of Huntington Beach, CA.
In founding Vibrantly Balanced, I am driven by a profound desire to introduce a mindful approach that enables you to embark on a transformative journey from pain to peace.
My ultimate mission is nothing short of elevating the world's energy by converting collective pain into lasting harmony. Having experienced the longing for healing myself - grappling with anxiety, stress, chronic illness, and trauma - I am passionately committed to helping others find peace and well-being.
Now, let me take you back to the roots of my spiritual journey...
It all began when I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 7, but I didn’t have the support I needed to live a happy life with diabetes. So I became depressed and attempted to take my own life at age 13.
As I journeyed into my early 20s, the burden of an IBS diagnosis weighed heavily on my mind and body, manifesting as an unhealthy physique and a negative self-image.
The turning point came in 2020 when I received the diagnosis of fibromyalgia... I was bedridden in constant pain with no peace. I couldn’t walk, complete basic living tasks, and had lost what I thought was my dream job at the time.
Nevertheless, I made a life-altering decision to reclaim my health and happiness. I devoted every ounce of my energy to the pursuit of healing and renewal, even though I was at my lowest mentally and physically. This is when my personalized healing sessions using the potent combination of Reiki & Sound Healing were born.
Through these sacred sessions, I experienced a remarkable transformation, transmuting my pain into peace, rekindling my love for life. Today, I have discovered balance in managing my anxiety, stress, chronic illness, and trauma.
I am grateful for this beautiful journey, because without it I wouldn’t be here sharing this highly vibrational healing medicine with you.
Join me on this path of healing and allow me to share the gift of high-vibrational energy with you, so you too can find the peace and vitality that you deserve.

Master Emma Choi

Master Choi, also known as Emma Choi, is a dedicated and visionary leader in the holistic wellness community, currently serving as the Regional Director of the Los Angeles South Region. With an illustrious career spanning over 19 years of practice and more than 18 years of service with Body and Brain, Master Choi has been an inspiring force behind the transformative growth of countless individuals.
In her role as the Regional Director, Master Choi oversees six prominent centers: the Brea, Cerritos, Garden Grove, Irvine, Rolling Hills, and Torrance. Her commitment to fostering a nurturing environment in these centers has created a space where individuals can embark on a profound journey of self-discovery and inner transformation.
Throughout her extensive training and mentorship under the esteemed Ilchi Lee, Master Choi's mind has been illuminated with wisdom and insights, motivating her to become a beacon of positive change for the betterment of all and the preservation of our precious Earth. Her devotion to her members and unwavering fellowship within the Body and Brain community has earned her numerous rewarding roles.
Master Choi's dedication to creating a harmonious world and her commitment to personal growth and the wellbeing of others have garnered immense respect and admiration within the Body and Brain community and beyond. Her influence reaches far beyond the confines of her centers, as she continuously seeks innovative ways to spread the message of coexistence and holistic wellness.
As an inspiring and compassionate leader, Master Choi stands at the forefront of a movement for positive change. Her profound insights, leadership, and unwavering dedication to the vision of a healed and interconnected world make her a true guiding light for all who have the privilege of crossing paths with her.

Dahlia Quiñonez

DAHLIA QUIÑONEZ is characterized by her ability and innate desire to praise others and bring out the best in them. She is an empathetic person and stands out for always wanting to help others. She has been a business owner since 2012 and in 2015 established Dalia's Travel Agency. She loves to travel, exercise, and enjoy nature.
She is a philanthropist who has volunteered with various non-profit organizations that help women and small businesses. She has served as Director of Community Relations at ALPFA, the Association of Latino Professionals for America. A non-profit organization that helps empower and develop Latino men and women as leaders of character for the nation in all sectors of the global community.
Currently, she serves as a Community Ambassador for the non-profit organization Orange County SCORE. A resource partner of the SBA, U.S. Small Business Administration, which offers free and low-cost business mentoring and training, as well as numerous resources and tools to help start or grow a business. She has also volunteered at WHW, Women Helping Women. A non-profit organization that provides the unemployed and underemployed with the skills and resources they need to get and keep a good job.

Mo Zinatbakhsh

Mo is an electronics engineering technician by profession, in the field of avionics, testing, troubleshooting and repairing aircraft flight control computers and all kinds of other aircraft electronic instruments. Because of his interest in metaphysics and spirituality, along the way, he became involved with the work of Share International since early 1980s as a volunteer and doing Transmission Meditation ever since.

Dr. Paige Roberts

Paige Roberts is a sports psychology consultant and an energy optimization expert. She specializes in helping high performers and athletes reset their nervous system to overcome performance anxiety, decrease reaction times, decrease mistakes, increase performance confidence, decrease recovery time, get in on command and stay in flow state and reverse the damage from past stress or injuries. Paige owns a private practice (Performance Neuro Training) where she implements various neuroscience and quantum physics performance expansion modalities. Paige has a degree in Exercise Science, Master of Social Work and a Doctorate in Holistic Health. She is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social worker, Certified Light Therapist, Certified Brain Health Coach, Certified Brainspotting Practitioner and Consultant, Neuro Linguistic Programming Coach, Hypnotherapist Coach, QEEG Brain Scan Practitioner. Paige was led down the path of sports psychology through her personal experience as an NCAA athlete and the various mental and physical health challenges she faced. And through the loss of multiple athlete friends to suicide. Paige is on a mission to shift the mental health stigma paradigm.
Paige spoke at The First Seattle Sports Medicine Combined, International Brainspotting Conferences, Sports and Society Annual Conference, Seattle TechStars Startup Week, has sat on many mental health and athlete panels, has been a guest on numerous podcasts, featured in Ski Magazine, Runners World, Authority Magazine. Her revolutionary work has been published in the book "Healing with Red Light".
Paige is an ambassador for the Concussion Legacy Foundation, and volunteers with the Sick Not Weak Initiative. She is a member of the Los Angeles chapter of the national organization Women In Sports and Events (WISE).
Paige enjoys mentoring upcoming females in sports and supervises clinical mental health candidates seeking their state issued clinical licenses. As well as provides consultation to other athlete mental health providers all over the world. To date she has helped thousands of athletes win state championships, gain collegiate sports commitments, obtain national titles and Olympic medals.

Violet Mileva

Violet Mileva is a cosmetic chemist by trade and has been in the beauty industry since 2009. She is the Founder of a cosmetic company called Champione by Mileva, a place where people can perform at their maximum for real healing. She is a beauty professional by trade and passion with a Masters in Human Science. From working with terminally-ill kids in the beauty parlor, to helping thousands of men and women discover their greatest power within, now it is your turn. Her mission is to impact 200,000 women in the next year .

Elizabeth Haddad

Brahma Kumari (BK) Elizabeth (Liza) Haddad has been a student of Raja Yoga Meditation for over 30 years and began teaching this ancient spiritual knowledge soon after, for over 25 years. She comes from an IT background with a Masters degree in Computer Information Systems from Boston University. She has a background in business and higher education, while also having been a parent to one son, whom she now considers to be more of a friend and also more of a spiritual companion and teacher (at times). Although BK Liza was in the corporate and academic world, her main and ongoing calling and passion always was and continues to be the integration of spiritual well being into everyday life and authentically demonstrating a practical example of a conflict-free spiritual life that not only brings benefit to her but to the world - living by example. She is currently the Communication and Outreach Manager at the Los Angeles Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Meditation Center and the instrument to teach on an on-going basis, the Advanced Raja Yoga Series called The Language of God.

Yoga Instructors

Chris Woolley

Chris started practicing Qigong and other energy practices 7 years ago. He came to the practice after many years as an athlete, coach, and personal trainer. He was looking to heal his body from years of overuse, reduce stress and manage emotions. After quickly experiencing the benefits he began teaching classes 6 years ago. He is now the manager for the Rolling Hills Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi class specializing in energy healing and energy movements.

Dorian, neosoul Artist and Christina Wherry

DORIAN, NEOSOUL ARTIST BIO:: LA based singer, Dorian won LA yoga studios over with Dorian's Live Neosoul & Yoga – a fusion of his conscious, live, feel good neosoul music you can groove to with yoga flows to create a concert-style yoga experience complete with freestyle dance breaks and unplugged segments where he speaks about the inspiration behind his songs.⁠
CHRISTINA WHERRY, OWNER THICK GIRL YOGA LA BIO: Christina Wherry is passionate about sharing holistic wellness practice and offers a variety of services to support and nurture others on their path to whole body-mind wellness. Offering Body Positive and Trauma-Informed Yoga, Mindfulness Meditation, Kemetic Reiki, Womb Wellness, as well as Coaching and Support needed to thrive during Pregnancy, Birth and Postpartum. Her Mindful Botanica is a line of plant-based bath and body products she created with love, care, and attention in her home with her daughter. Her entire line of products are not only healing, but they smell and feel absolutely delicious.

Ashlee Sunshine

Meet Ashlee, a Holistic Lifestyle Guide who has traveled the world and amassed over 1,000 hours of Yoga Teacher Training. With a passion for helping busy individuals prioritize self-care and relaxation, Ashlee has become a certified Yoga Instructor based in Los Angeles, CA. Her sessions incorporate a variety of holistic methodologies such as meditation, food and plant medicine, yogassage, aromatherapy, sound healing, visualization and guided imagery, art, and dance.
Ashlee's journey began after graduating from UCSB with a BA in Philosophy and Minor in Clinical Psychology. Despite working full-time as a Direct Support Professional and training to become a Behavioral Therapist, she felt burnt out and yearned to explore the world. She traveled extensively, living in places such as India, Dubai, Qatar, Thailand, and Hawaii, where she studied various holistic medicine practices.
Her love for yoga led her to specialize in Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, and Kundalini Yoga styles, and after just a couple of years of teaching in Los Angeles, she opened her own all-inclusive wellness retreat in Yosemite, CA, receiving rave reviews from her guests. Now, she's taking her expertise on the road with her first traveling destination being in Ojai Valley, CA.
Currently studying for her Doctorates in Natural Medicine and recently certified in Thai Yoga Massage and Holistic Nutrition, Ashlee's ultimate goal is to help her clients achieve optimal wellness and rejuvenation. Join her on this journey to a healthier and happier lifestyle.

Thais Tiosi

Thais Tiosi journey started at a very young age, growing up in Brazil, a country where people are very connected to the Earth and a lineage of healers and spiritual people.
Her deep surrender to work with her gifts happened when she was on a path to healing from an auto-immune disease. It was a blessing in disguise so she could face all her emotions that came from the pain; it made her decide to live fully in the present, and in a slower pace. In a place where she could allow all her emotions to come in and digest one at a time to find her inner wonders.
Thais Tiosi is a sound and energy practitioner, quantum healer, reiki master, and qigong practice leader. She is passionate about helping people through energy and sound frequencies to clear blockages, release emotions and help them gain clarity about their lives by tapping into their soul's purpose.
Thais is also the co-founder of Inner Wonders Soundbaths, a guided soundbath meditation app, creating a magical space for beginners and advanced meditators to discover inner peace through sound meditation.

Kay Abdullah

Kay is known for her approachability, humor, and ability to empower her students. It all began with a low back injury that led to a class in a yoga studio, and slowly blossomed into a transformational experience, a thirst for knowledge, and focus on health and wellness through the vast practice of yoga.

The Mindfulness expo was an exciting and successful event that I was honored to be part of last year. I was impressed with how well organized and well marketed it was. The planning was meticulous and everything flowed superbly. There were so many people attending both the lectures that were going on back to back and in the exhibitor hall. I am looking forward to this annual event in Orange County! Thank you Michelle for creating this fun event, t I have no doubt that it will grow and grow!

Ajita Patel

A day of mindfulness. What a wonderful tournout and energy! All I kept hearing was hot great all the workshops were, and how they couldn’t wait for the next expo! I’ll be applying for next year myself.

Karla Amador

It was a joy and honour to be part of the inaugural Mindfulness Expo. Michelle created a varied and quality line up, the participants were engaged and the whole experience was lovey.

Cassandra Carlopio

It was such a wonderful experience to teach at the very first year at The Mindfulness Expo! The outpour of support from the students was heart warming and so welcoming. I look forward to the journey of this event growing each year and watching how it touches so many peoples lives. The more we can all share our spiritual tools the greater this world will be. What a blessing you are to create such a beautiful space for transformation and healing!

Lisa Vitta