Our Board of Directors

ARABELLA PÉREZ, DSW, MSW, LCSW

President

Arabella is Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for the National Association of Social Workers in Washington, D.C. She is also a Clinical Faculty Member and Trauma Informed Certificate Coordinator at the University of New England. Originally from Newark New Jersey, Arabella is a licensed clinical social worker and therapist of 24 years. She holds a Master’s Degree and a Doctorate Degree in Social Work from Tulane University in New Orleans. She is a native Spanish speaker and daughter of parents from Cuba and Puerto Rico. Prior to joining UNE, Ms. Perez was a system of care director from 2005-2015, leading three Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants for the state of Maine. During these years she managed to find time to start a non-profit, THRIVE, a technical assistance center for trauma-informed care. She is a certified cultural competency trainer and has presented and provided consultation extensively, both locally and nationally, on Trauma Systems Change, Organizational Healing and Resiliency, Cultural and Linguistic Competency issues, and Youth-Adult Partnerships. She provides technical assistance and consultation to states and communities on the development of trauma-informed systems and provides system of care consultation through federal site monitoring and coaching for the University of Maryland's Technical Assistance Network. Arabella has practiced yoga for 30 years and is also a certified instructor interested in the benefits of yoga for the treatment of trauma.

Lynn teo

Vice PResident

Lynn has worked in complementary medicine for over 15 years. An acupuncturist and shiatsu therapist, Lynn specializes in stress, anxiety, pain, and chronic conditions. Focusing on cultivating resilience and trauma recovery, she is currently training to be a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. Lynn holds a Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and is now completing her doctorate at the Pacific College of Health and Science. Lynn trained as a yoga teacher with Esther Myers (750 hour) and has been teaching yoga in the Scaravelli tradition, Vipassana meditation and somatic awareness for over 20 years. With a background in theatre and clown, she encourages curiosity and playfulness as a means to cultivating embodied wisdom, resilience, and joy. As a researcher, Lynn has published several systematic reviews on complementary medicine. She holds an MSc in pain studies from Tufts University School of Medicine where she focused on the role of empathy within the patient-practitioner relationship. She is an editorial board member of the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Lynn lives in Portland, ME and enjoys relaxing by the ocean or hiking in the Maine woods with her husband and two young kids. She is proud and honored to be serving on the board of Sea Change Yoga.

MAGGIE WALKER

Treasurer

Maggie Walker (she/her) is a semi-retired Human Resources and Technology expert with industry experience in information and financial services, consulting and non-profit board work. She is a passionate advocate for inclusion and diversity in the workplace, in our communities and in our education systems. Since 2012 she has served on the Advisory Board of the Posse Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports future leaders through training, mentorship and university partner provided scholarships. Maggie is a long-term yoga practitioner and believes that yoga is a powerful way to connect mind to body, improving our self-awareness and overall health and well-being. In 2022, she became a certified yoga instructor with the mission of giving back to non-profit organizations and local communities through yoga. Maggie also loves the outdoors and fitness activities in all seasons, and is a runner, hiker, skier and triathlete. She is honored to be a part of Sea Change Yoga.

Gila Cohen-Shaw

Secretary

Gila Cohen-Shaw (she/her) is a seasoned Speech-Language Pathologist specializing in Education Technology with a focus on empowering clinicians to maximize learning differences. Her passion is equity in education and diversity, inclusivity and belonging across all spaces. She has served in leadership roles on the board of Global Volunteers and is currently the Co-President of the Beth Israel Synagogue in Bath, Maine. Gila is a lifelong learner, currently completing her 200-hour yoga teacher training and a student of Mindful Self Compassion. Gila holds a BA in Sociology and an MA in Speech-Language Pathology. Gila moved from New York City, where she was born and raised her children, to Maine in 2018. When not practicing yoga, Gila enjoys traveling and learning about different cultures, hiking with her husband and dogs and enjoys any opportunity to be in, on or near the sea. She is honored to be part of Sea Change Yoga.

CHRIS BYRNE

Chris (he/him/his) has been on the Sea Change Yoga teacher team since 2018. He has facilitated classes for adults and teenagers in correctional and recovery programs. Chris is also a Project Manager at IDEXX Laboratories. Over the course of his career, he has assumed diverse leadership roles centered on the development of world class customer experience systems, operations, and team. In his current role, Chris leads a variety of initiatives that support complex strategic objectives.

At the heart of Chris' personal mission is the commitment to provide inclusive and accessible yoga practices within the community. He advocates for classes that embrace all bodies, abilities, life experiences, and circumstances. Rooted in his own transformative journey, he believes these practices play a pivotal role in individual healing and contribute significantly to collective liberation from suffering. 

Chris lives in Biddeford with his wife Noreen. When not immersed in work or teaching, he finds great joy in his wonderfully mediocre running ability.  He also delights in his daily practice of walking meditations at sunrise. Chris extends his profound gratitude for the supportive community at Sea Change which has been instrumental in his personal growth both on and off the mat.

KATE CURTIN

Kate is a librarian currently pursuing a Master of Information and Library Sciences degree.  As a lifelong helper, Kate has worked as an esthetician, massage therapist and energy worker.  After sustaining a back injury in a car accident as a teenager, she had given up hope of ever having an active, healthy life. Incorporating a yoga practice into her daily routine relieved the back pain that she had experienced for more than fifteen years, and her deep love and reverence for the transformational nature of yoga was born.  Kate completed her 200 hour yoga teacher training at Arcana with Jennie Ferrare in 2018.  As Director of Philanthropy for her family's business in West Virginia, she has worked to connect with the local recovery center and high schools to offer meaningful support to the community.  When not working or doing homework she enjoys traveling, yoga, reading, knitting, learning about the natural world and discovering new ways to be creative.

SUSAN MIELE

Susan is a bold, transformational talent leader who is passionate about growing teams, people, and organizations. Most recently the Chief People Officer at Ginkgo Bioworks, Susan led a smart, motivated team to accelerate Ginkgo’s mission to make biology easier to engineer.Adept at organizational change and development, Susan leads from a position of deep expertise and has held several senior human resources leadership positions during her extensive career.

Susan earned a PhD in Human and Organizational Systems from Fielding Graduate University in 2016. Her dissertation explores the connection of friendship and self-esteem in 14 - 17 year old girls. This researchenabled her to bring together her non-profit work with girlsandher passion for deeply understanding complex problems.Susan is a board member of A Company of Girls in Portland and spent 15 years on the board of Strong Women Strong Girls in Boston.

Susan spends as much free time as she can on her yoga mat and has completed a 150 hour student training program, a 200 hour teacher training program, and numerous intensive, deep dives into yoga philosophy. She believes deeply in the healing and transformative power of yoga and is truly delighted to be part of Sea Change Yoga’s board.

Natalie kent

Natalie Kent has built a successful career in business development within the technology and consulting sectors. Passionate about fostering growth and efficiency to enable the “greater good,” she has made a significant impact on organizations in Maine and beyond.

Natalie’s yoga journey began as a (perhaps “troubled”) teenager, offering her necessary resilience. Her practice took off during college and continued worldwide, from a class in Seoul taught completely in Korean to an ashram in Thailand, and donation-based classes in New York City after moving there as a cash-strapped 24 year-old. Yoga was a key support through her cancer treatment and recovery in 2018. In 2023, she completed 150 hours of Yoga Student Training at Portland Yoga Collective and is currently pursuing her 200-hour certification. As a master-level Reiki practitioner, she aligns with Sea Change Yoga’s mission to offer inclusive, trauma-informed yoga.

Natalie lives in Cumberland with her husband, also an avid yogi, and their two dogs. She is a major animal lover who enjoys writing, baking, and hiking across New England and exploring the world over. She holds a BA in Philosophy from the University of Colorado.