Kim Anderson

In 2006, Kim turned to yoga as a means to deal with chronic hip and sciatic pain. She has never looked back! Iyengar Yoga has had such tremendous impact on her life that she decided to share its gifts by embarking on the teacher education process in 2009. She is currently working toward IYNAUS certification. She conducts a high energy Yoga for Teens class and assists in Yoga Therapeutics. Kim is a librarian at Jefferson Middle School in Champaign. | email

Jerry Chiprin

Jerry Chiprin first attended an Iyengar yoga class in his native Chicago. Recovering from a bicycle accident, which resulted in a traumatic brain injury, he immediately experienced the beneficial effects yoga could have upon his ongoing recovery. After attending several of Lois’ workshops, Jerry moved to Urbana to study at YICU. He assisted Lois in the short courses (and now conducts these classes) and currently apprentices in the Women’s Class. He also teaches Iyengar Yoga at CRCE on campus. Jerry has a degree from Drake University in Actuarial Science, has been a consulting actuary and currently runs his own Pampered Chef business. He successfully completed Introductory 2 assessment August 2011 and received full IYNAUS certification. | email

Penny Hanna

Since the late 1980s Penny has been studying Iyengar Yoga with Lois Steinberg. During that time, she taught high school full time, and attended graduate school. Penny has since retired from the social studies classroom, and devotes more time to learning, practicing and teaching yoga under Lois’ guidance. Penny has attended lectures, workshops, and classes conducted by B.K.S. Iyengar, Geeta Iyengar, Ramanand Patel, Rajiv and Swati Chanchani, Stephanie Quirk, as well as regular study with Lois. Penny instructs an introductory level class, and teaches/assists in the yoga for seniors and therapeutics classes.| email

Becky Meline

Becky began studying with Lois in 1999 and teaching at YICU in 2004. She holds herself fortunate to have attended the 2005 Iyengar Intensive at Estes Park, Colorado where B.K.S. Iyengar shared his deep wealth of knowledge through talks and asana/pranayama classes. She attended Geeta S. Iyengar’s classes during her visit to YICU in 2001 and at the 2007 IYNAUS Convention. In 2008, Becky studied with Geeta and Prashant Iyengar at the Ramamani Iyengar Yoga Institute, in Pune, India. Becky is certified at the Introductory level by IYNAUS and currently teaches experienced beginner classes at YICU. She serves as a member-at-large on the Iyengar Yoga Association of the Midwest (IYAMW). | email

David Yearwood

David Yearwood was formerly on our faculty until 1993 when he moved to NYC and taught at the Iyengar Institute there. David returns for further apprenticeship with Lois and will share his knowledge with our students here. As well as being an avid yoga practitioner, he has an alternate life as a musician playing double bass, guitar, piano, flute, and has been known to surf the waves off of Portland, Maine’s coast, where he currently lives with his wife, Parks, and their four cats.

YICU Assistants

Barb Bair

Barb has been studying with Lois for two decades and assists in the Yoga Therapeutics class. She is also an ESL instructor.

Lynn Corrie

Lynn has a special distinction as Lois’ first yoga student in the late 1970′s, and also assists in the Yoga Therapeutics class. She is a glass artist, and owner of Corrie Glass Arts in Monticello, IL.

Thom Fehrmann

Thom is a work/study student at YICU of many years, and landscaper extraordinaire. The whole community has enjoyed his plantings which surround our beloved Institute.

Silvia Kunitz

Silvia has been a long-term beloved work-study student at YICU, and is a doctoral candidate in Italian Linguistics, with a focus in SLATE (Second Language Acquisition and Teacher Education).

Visiting Faculty

Ezzealdin Alhilou

Intermediate Junior I (2002-2010) | The photographer for most of Lois’ therapeutic books and manuals, Ezze currently lives and teaches in Las Palmas, Gran Canarias. He returns to teach the winter session each year.

Barry Chapman

Introductory II (2006-2011) | Barry returned to his home in Spokane, Washington. He continues to teach there and will return to YICU when he visits his grandchildren in Urbana.

Cherie Earl

Introductory II (2006-2009) | Cherie relocated to the Nederlands (currently living in Rotterdam) in 2009 where she is teaching yoga in Dutch. She returned to attend the 2010 YICU Yoga Intensive and study and taught during our Spring Session 2011.

Netta Sella

Introductory II (2009-2010) | After passing her certification exam under Lois’ guidance, Netta studied at RIMYI Fall 2010. She returned to the US to reside and teach in Columbia, MIssouri, and frequently comes to YICU to continue her studies and substitute teach.

YICU Faculty Alumni

Anne Adams (1997-2001)

Anne is working toward her introductory IYNAUS certification in Portland, OR, where she is a Montessori Assistant Teacher.

Shaw-Juin Chalitsios-Wang | Intermediate Junior II (2005-2007)

Shaw currently lives and teaches in Cleveland, Ohio.

Brendan Clarke  (2011)

Brendan is studying permaculture in Northern California and will be working towards certification.

Anne Copay | Introductory II (1989-2001)

Anne currently works for the Spinal Research Foundation in Virginia.

Grace Giorgio | (2001-2006)

Grace teaches at Amara Yoga and Arts in Urbana.

Julia Visconti | Introductory II (2002-2004)

Julia relocated to and teaches in Rochester, Michigan. She travels regularly to YICU to continue her studies with Lois.

In Memorandum

Rosemary Mathy

In the 1980s Rosemary bought her first copy, in French, of “Light on Yoga” by B.K.S. Iyengar. She was a registered nurse and parent of three successful children. Rosemary had a unique perspective on the practice, study, and teaching of Iyengar Yoga. She began her studies with Lois in 1998. Rosemary taught the yoga for seniors, introductory, plus-size, and heart health classes at YICU. She assisted in the yoga therapeutics, low back, knees, neck and shoulder classes. Rosemary also worked closely with Lois in the low back pain study. In 2001, she studied with Geeta S. Iyengar during the latter’s visit to YICU and at the national convention in Pasadena. In 2010, Rosemary passed her Introductory Level 1 examination. She passed away in the spring of 2011. She is deeply missed.