Our Staff
Senior Director, Programs, Research, & Operations
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Pronouns: she/her/hers
Location: The ancestral lands of the Abenaki people, today known as Vermont
My Superhero Is: Anyone who leans into adversity for learning and growth.
Kyla serves as the Senior Director of Programs, Research, and Operations, overseeing the design, implementation, and evaluation of LoveYourBrain programs on a large scale. She has been part of the Pearce family for years, and, following Kevin's accident, played an integral role in the launch of LoveYourBrain. By turning inward through yoga, Kyla believes we learn to be with our whole selves with greater compassion, which is fundamental to wellbeing and inspiring positive social change. Kyla has blended her expertise as a yoga and mindfulness teacher and practitioner, researcher, and advocate to develop evidence-based, TBI-centered yoga curricula, which she trains yoga teachers and clinicians to deliver through yoga studios and health care facilities across the United States and Canada. She teaches the LoveYourBrain Yoga and Mindset programs and co-facilitates LoveYourBrain Retreats across the country. She recently completed a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Dartmouth College investigating the impact of yoga and meditation for people with neurological conditions.
Director, Communications & Marketing
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Pronouns: he, him, his
Native Land Acknowledgement and Today-Known-As Location: The ancestral land of the Lenape (“The People”), who spoke Algonquian and whose homeland was Lenapehoking, now known as New York City.
Superhero: One of my superheroes is Shantideva, an 8th-century Indian Buddhist monk, philosopher, and poet, who wrote the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, his personal testament and guidebook to living with an altruistic spirit.
As the Director of Communications and Marketing, Sasha oversees the creative direction, brand presence, and messaging of LoveYourBrain. Sasha is a creative storyteller, strategic systems thinker, and collaborative leader. Previously, he was the Chief Operating Officer of Narativ, the listening and storytelling company, which uses storytelling for community building, advocacy, executive leadership, and employee onboarding. He has also held a long-standing volunteer position at Mangala Shri Bhuti. Having multiple family members with TBI, Sasha has a deeply personal connection to LoveYourBrain’s mission—witnessing firsthand the impact of brain injury on the whole person, and the potential for healing and growth. Meditation has been a central part of his life, and he is honored to support an organization that utilizes mindfulness to be of benefit to others.
Director, Development
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Pronouns: he, him, his
Native Land Acknowledgement and Today-Known-As Location: The ancestral and traditional homelands of the Anikituwagi, commonly known as the Cherokee Nation, as well as the Yuchi, Miccosukee, and other Indigenous nations that have stewarded this land since time immemorial, today known as Asheville, NC.Superhero: My superhero is my son, Risden. His resilience through adversity has shown me that you can become what you dream, as he carries out the mantra of my father, “Do it, who can stop ya? As long as you’re not intentionally hurting anyone along the way.”
As the Development Director, Jonathan specializes in building the systems and relationships that transform organizational vision into measurable impact. With 20+ years of experience funding missions from international universities to holistic educational retreat centers, Jonathan helps to bridge the gap between heart-centered narratives and the operational integrity required for long-term sustainability. He believes fundraising is a core program of the mission, not a separate department. Jonathan focuses on moving organizations away from transactional gifts of support toward an authentic Culture of Philanthropy where donor values and organizational goals align for a more compassionate future. Outside of work, Jonathan is also a singer/songwriter/guitarist and is often found playing at an open mic night or in the bleachers cheering on his son playing baseball.
Program Manager, Clinical Affiliates
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Pronouns: she, her, hers
Native Land Acknowledgement and Today-Known-As Location: The ancestral land of the Massachusett and their neighbors the Wampanoag, and Nipmuc Peoples, now known as Boston, Massachusetts.
My Superhero Is: my mom for teaching me what it means to allow strength, resilience, faith, compassion, and joy to co-exist.
As the Clinical Affiliate Program Manager, Ellie spearheads the implementation and expansion of our partnerships with clinical facilities to offer the LoveYourBrain Yoga program across the U.S. and Canada. She also manages outreach initiatives to increase awareness of and access to our mindfulness, yoga, and community-building programs. As an Occupational Therapist (OTD, OTR/L, CKTP) she has experience working in inpatient and outpatient neurorehabilitation with adults and pediatrics, including for patients with TBI. As a clinician and yoga teacher (RYT-200) she is passionate about offering holistic rehabilitation services that integrate traditional therapy with yoga and meditation, as well as providing clinicians with the tools to offer this approach in their respective settings.
Senior Program Manager, Retreats
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Pronouns: she/her
Location: The ancestral lands of the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya, Molalla, and many other tribes, today known as Portland, Oregon
My Superhero Is: anyone who turns toward uncertainty and change with curiosity and a light heart, even if only for the smallest moments.
Elizabeth spearheads the implementation and expansion of our Retreat program while supporting organization-wide fundraising efforts. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Writing and a Master’s degree in Education, and is a registered yoga teacher and certified mindful educator. Elizabeth has previously worked in diverse education and nonprofit spaces supporting the social emotional growth of young people and professional educators through movement, mindfulness education, nature-based interventions, and community care practices. These practices have taught her the value of perpetual studentship and encouraged her to explore with genuine curiosity what lies beyond the edges we so often believe define us. She is grateful to support others on their own paths of personal discovery as a part of the LoveYourBrain community.
Program & Operations Coordinator
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Pronouns: she/her/hers
Native Land Acknowledgement and Today-Known-As Location: The ancestral lands of the Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Ute, and Sioux people, today known as Denver, Colorado.
Superhero: is anyone who is brave enough to show up authentically, be seen for who they are at their best and at their worst, and see others with an open heart.
As the Program and Operations Coordinator, Irene supports the coordination and delivery of LoveYourBrain’s holistic health programs, bringing heart, clarity, and grounded organization to each step of the process. Irene brings 7+ years of experience coordinating nonprofit programming to serve individuals with visible and invisible disabilities and always aims to create spaces rooted in trust, presence, and possibility. Her work is guided by a deep belief in the power of connection to others, connection to self, and the incredible potential that exists in every individual. She is also a 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher and holds a bachelor's degree in Marine Biology and a Master’s degree in Experimental Psychology.
Senior Program & Operations Manager
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Pronouns: she/her/hers
Location: The ancestral lands of the Mvskoke or Muscogee people, today known as Greenville, South Carolina.
My Superhero is: Richard Rohr - his teachings on contemplation and nondual thinking inspire (and challenge) me grow, embrace mystery, and approach life with a sense of awe, wonder, and love.
As the Program Manager for LoveYourBrain Mindset and Trainings, Bridget oversees their delivery, growth, and quality. She also mentors our large network of Facilitators to engage and empower them to skillfully deliver our research-backed curricula. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and is an ERYT-500. In addition to teaching yoga since 2015, Bridget has extensive experience in developing yoga teacher training curricula, as well as facilitating training programs. With a profound belief in the transformative power of yoga, she is dedicated to cultivating inclusive environments that embrace individuals of diverse backgrounds. More than anything, she aims to cultivate accessibility and equity within the yoga community, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to experience its healing capacity.
Design and Product
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Pronouns: she, her, hers
Location: The ancestral lands of the Cheyenne, Ute, and Sioux people, today known as Wheat Ridge, Colorado.
My Superheros are my mom and my grandma
Courtney has been part of the LoveYourBrain family since its inception, contributing to the design and execution of products. She brings expertise in graphic design and project management.
Salesforce Admin
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Pronouns: he/him
As the Salesforce Admin for LoveYourBrain, Eli oversees CRM operations to ensure efficient data management. Eli has expertise in systems design and innovation, which he applies to mission-driven organizations to maximize their impact.