Erica Kaufman
Yoga Director
Influenced by Krishnamacharya’s teachings and Krishna Murti’s philosophies, I was brought into this beautiful lineage of yoga. When I think of yoga, I think of life. Through my life with yoga, I began to refine my awareness, my choices. I experienced moments of yoga–true integration beyond the limited body/mind. These moments were so potent that I felt compelled to practice more–to learn more. By age 14 I was practicing 3-5 times a week with my meditation teacher Dr Clayton McCracken.
Grace Emmerling
Grace was drawn to her yoga practice after spending many years of her life training as a dancer. The style of Lila Yoga reminded her of experiences dancing — incorporating creativity, energy play, and self-reflection. After experiencing Lila Yoga during her years as an undergraduate, she spent many hours in the studio in State College…
Hannah Inglesby
Hannah Inglesby is an RYT 200, certified in Lila Yoga with Erica Kaufman in 2015-2016. For the past ten years she has worked as an educator, gardener/landscaper, and caregiver. A Centre County native, she attended Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina, where she earned a B.A. in Environmental Studies (’06). Her community…
Mark Mancuso
Mark is a recent follower of yoga. When deciding where to begin his practice Mark chose Lila Yoga. He enrolled in the Intro to Yoga class with teacher Erica Kaufman and shortly thereafter Mark embarked on a retreat to India with Erica where he found a deeper appreciation and understanding of yoga at…
Debmalya Nandy
Namasté, beloved Souls! Born and brought up mostly in Calcutta (now Kolkata), India, I have been blessed with a spiritual family, and have grown up with the Advaita Vedanta philosophy of the realized soul, Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, His spiritual consort and counterpart Shri Sarada Devi, and His foremost disciple, Swami Vivekananda, the Cyclonic…
Kathleen Ammon
Kathleen joined Lila Yoga Studios in Fall 2017. She teaches Yin and Flow classes and offers various workshops for the studio.
Denise Strayer
Denise received her RYT200 certification in Spring 2018 through the Lila Yoga Teacher Training program. She is a musician who performs accordion with local artists including Eric Ian Farmer. Denise is a piano and accordion teacher with over 20 years experience in private instruction. Her studio is located at her home in State College…

Katy Lehman
My name is Katy Lehman. I am 21 years old and I study Art Education at Penn State University. It was my innate desire and love of movement and health that led me to join Lila Yoga Studios. I am in absolute awe of the effect yoga has on the movement of the…
Christa Mahlobo
Hey everyone! My name is Christa (you may call me Chris if you’d like) and I am RYT-200 from the Lila Yoga Studio. I am a writer, grad student, traveler, music connoisseur, and profound lover of puns and people. I began a beautiful yoga journey 5 years ago when I was in undergrad,…
Haley Stauffer
Haley Stauffer has been practicing at Lila Yoga Studios since 2016. She completed her 200 hr teacher certification with Erica Kaufman in the Fall of 2018. Lila has become a second home for Haley as she has grown tremendously through the support of the Lila community. When she isn’t at the studio, Haley is working…
Chris Velez
Chris Velez (RYT-200) has been practicing meditation for four years and Lila yoga for two years. He recently underwent his Lila Yoga Teacher Training in Fall 2018 under the guidance of Lila Yoga Founder, Erica Kaufman. Chris is currently pursuing a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at Penn State University. His pastime pursuits involve analog photography,…
Bridget Agostinelli
I’m excited to be teaching yoga after finishing my 200-hour Lila Yoga Teacher Training at the start of 2019. I have loved being a student of yoga and I’m eager to share and keep taking more steps on my journey! I’m especially interested in the play of energy in our practice and in our lives…
Aaron “Bear” Berger
Aaron “Bear” was first introduced to yoga in 2010 and began a daily practice in 2015 after meeting his primary teacher, Erica Kaufman. Upon realizing the depth of offerings available through a committed yoga practice, he adopted yogic philosophy and study as a lifestyle. He completed RYT-200 in January 2019 at Lila Yoga studios with…