Faculty

200 hour Viniyoga Wellness Instructor

Mary Hilliker, RD, E-RYT 500, CYT
Mary has been a student of yoga for over 20 years and a teacher for 12 years. She started taking workshops with Gary Kraftsow in 2000, completed the 500 hour Viniyoga Teacher Training in 2007 and the Viniyoga Therapist Training in 2009. She is Director of Administration for the American Viniyoga Institute and Training Coordinator for the AVI 2011 Foundation for Yoga Therapy Training. Mary coordinated AVI's strategic alliance with Aetna, Inc. to pilot and evaluate the Viniyoga Stress Reduction Program.

Mary has a special interest in Yoga Therapy and the potential of practice to reduce pain, improve function and promote inner transformation in the face of challenging health or life-changing issues. She has a passion for mentoring and teaching teachers in the Viniyoga tradition. She is informed by her 25+ year career in public health nutrition and chronic disease prevention. She resides in Wausau, WI and Kamuela, HI with her husband, Kim. She owns and operates River Flow Yoga in Wausau, WI where she provides Yoga Therapy and teaches general, worksite, senior and therapeutic classes and workshops.

Nancy Chapdelaine RYT-500, CYT
Nancy has been a student of yoga for ten years and a teacher of yoga for seven years. Nancy began her studies with Gary Kraftsow and the American Viniyoga Institute (AVI) in 2005, became certified as a Viniyoga Yoga Teacher in 2007, and became certified as a Viniyoga Yoga Therapist in 2009. She currently works in the telecommunications industry and teaches Viniyoga classes, workshops and private lessons in suburban Chicago. She also serves as a faculty member for the AVI Viniyoga Foundations for Teaching and Yoga Therapy Program. She is registered with the Yoga Alliance, a national Yoga Teacher accreditation organization, at the 500-hour training level. Nancy’s primary interest in yoga is helping others to discover how to use yoga to promote their own well-being including use of yoga tools such as asana (physical posture practices),pranayama (breathing practices) and meditation (mindfulness practices). Nancy’s teaching is greatly inspired by the Yoga Sutra-s of Patanjali. She is enthusiastic about helping her students to develop personal practices to promote clarity of mind and a feeling of well-being as well as to meet their individual needs.

A Time-Tested Curriculum Developed and Supervised by Gary Kraftsow
Gary Kraftsow, MA, E-RYT 500 is Founder and Director of the American Viniyoga Institute. He has been a teacher of teachers for 30+ years. His time-tested curriculum is now available in a 200 hour format through senior AVI faculty. The curriculum is true to the authentic teachings in this lineage and provides an accurate transmission in the Viniyoga methodology. The program maximizes adult learning and balances didactic and experiential learning. Students have the option to participate or observe practices that demonstrate Viniyoga principles and teaching methodology. In addition, students practice teaching core principles of Viniyoga to each other, and refine observation and language skills for teaching individuals or groups. Learn more about Gary Kraftsow and the American Viniyoga Institute at www.viniyoga.com.