Our Teachers & Specialists
The yoga instructors at Willow Tree Yoga are highly trained and certified yoga teachers, registered with National Yoga Alliance. Our teachers are able to teach to all levels of students, including children, seniors and women who are in any stage of pregnancy. They are all skilled at making adjustments and modifications as needed, in order to ensure the utmost safety of everyone in their class. We also have specialists in other wellness modalities. Learn about them here.
Beatrice B. Mattaway
Beatrice, E-RYT 500, YACEP, is the founder and owner of Willow Tree Yoga. She received her 200 and 500 hour Yoga Alliance certification through Yoga Mountain in New City and is a certified Breast Cancer Recovery & Beyond yoga teacher. Beatrice took her first yoga class and began meditating when she was 6 years old, living in Japan.
She spent two years living in an ashram in India, where she practiced yoga, meditation and chanting daily. Beatrice encourages her students to deeply experience the poses by taking time to see how the mind and the body responds to the work done in class.
Her classes are fun and relaxed, allowing her students, from advanced to absolute beginners, to feel totally welcomed and safe to explore yoga in a very personal way. Class intensity varies depending on the experience & ability level of students in any given class.
Jeannie De Marco
Jeannie discovered yoga in 2000, beginning a lifelong journey of exploring both the body and the mind. Her studies continued at Ananda Ashram in Monroe, NY, and under the guidance of Paula Heitzner, Master Teacher at New Age Center in Nyack, where she completed her RYT 200 certification.
Over the years, Jeannie has taught students of all ages and backgrounds in a variety of settings, including New Age Center, Hackensack Hospital, St. Mary's Church, Children on Horseback, Titan Gym, and ARC Rockland & Yonkers. She has continued her studies at the Himalayan Institute and Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health.
Jeannie's intention is to create a safe, peaceful and welcoming space where everyone can experience the many benefits of yoga.
Katrina Kelliher (Sound Baths & Reiki)
Katrina Kelliher is a trained Reiki Master and certified Sound Healer. She has been facilitating group and private sound baths and workshops in Rockland County for the past 2 years. She combines Reiki and Crystal Singing bowls to promote relaxation and balance in the body.
Payal Sahni/Thaper PT, MPT, DPT
Payal Sahni, PT, MPT, DPT, is a licensed physical therapist with more than 20 years of experience in orthopedic rehabilitation, with a special focus on osteoporosis, bone health, balance and healthy aging. She has served in a leadership and educational role with the New York State Osteoporosis Prevention & Education Program (NYSOPEP), educating both healthcare professionals and the public about bone health and safe, effective exercise.
Payal is passionate about helping people understand their bodies and move with greater strength, confidence and safety. Her approach combines her extensive clinical experience with a warm, practical and compassionate teaching style.
Emma O'Connell
RYT-200, Emma has been practicing yoga for over 20 years and most recently decided to fulfill her passion and become a certified Yoga teacher.
When she began her journey with yoga teacher training, Emma's mindset was to strengthen her body and learn to teach yoga. She quickly realized it was that, and so much more. It taught her how to reach deep and learn about herself starting from the inside. She discovered that strengthening her soul and her inner self is more important than anything else and it helped her in every area of her life. This vital discovery helps Emma inspire others to do the same
Her approach to yoga remains focused on the balance between strength and flexibility. Her classes are Hatha Inspired Vinyasa Flow. You can expect modifications throughout as she is trained to teach all levels. Be ready to move with your breath and experience a full body release.
Jenny Papo (one of our beloved subs, when she's in town!)
Jenny, RYT 200, began practicing Yoga in 2018, after completing a Beginners Yoga course at the Sivananda Vedanta Center in NYC. She has since completed her first 200-Hr Certification with Lila Flow in 2020 and a 25-Hr Yoga and Social Justice Training with Shanna Small in 2021. Driven by her passion for anatomy and functional movement, Jenny also completed her first Pilates Mat certification in 2021.
Jenny has found joy and peace through her yoga practice, and she wants to provide that experience for her students. Jenny's classes are creative and lighthearted, with the mission of creating a safe space for her students to find comfort within their own bodies and minds.