Committees

Our dedicated volunteer board of directors provides strategic direction to both Yoga Alliance™ and the Yoga Alliance Foundation™ in effort to support and foster the high quality, safe, accessible, and equitable teaching of yoga. The board forms standing committees as needed in order to carry out the vision, mission, and objectives of the organizations.


Executive Committee

The Executive Committee implements, influences, and enforces the powers of the board—in accordance with the policies and procedures established by the board—in-between regularly scheduled board meetings.

The Executive Committee regularly reviews the policies of the organization as well as its strategic plan and makes recommendations to the board as such. This Committee keeps a record of all of its proceedings, which then is reported at the following meeting of the board.

Members consist of the Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Yoga Alliance and Yoga Alliance Foundation President & CEO is a non-voting ex-officio member. Committee members, while not elected, do change when new officers are elected.

  • Jo-Ann Bance, Chair, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT, BBA, MHRM | Alberta, Canada
  • Siddharth Kulkarni, Secretary, | California, United States.
  • Yoshi Aono, Treasurer | Colorado, United States & Ojochal, Costa Rica,
  • Shannon Roche, President, CEO & Ex-Officio Member | Washington, D.C., United States

Governance Committee

The Governance Committee recruits new board members, ensuring each director possess the qualifications and experience necessary to not only carry out their responsibilities to Yoga Alliance and the Yoga Alliance Foundation, but to further support the betterment of yoga teaching and practice worldwide.

Regular responsibilities include guiding each board director in their role, regularly assessing the board’s current composition, and ensuring board members practice self-assessment.

  • Swami Asokananda, Governance Committee Co-Chair, E-RYT 500, YACEP | New York, United States
  • Chandana Achanta, Governance Committee Co-Chair | Washington D.C., United States
  • Jo-Ann Bance, Chair, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT, BBA, MHRM | Alberta, Canada
  • Siddharth Kulkarni, Secretary | California, United States

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee assists the board in overseeing all of Yoga Alliance’s and the Yoga Alliance Foundation’s budgeting and financial needs, including ensuring that all financial reporting requirements are fulfilled. Each member is elected by the board and serves a term of two years.

  • Yoshi Aono, Treasurer & Finance Committee Chair | Colorado, United States & Ojochal, Costa Rica
  • Marion “Mugs” McConnell, E-RYT 500, YACEP | British Columbia, Canada
  • Kristoffer Carter | Ohio, United States

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee selects and supervises any independent auditor in the performance of the annual organizational audit. No member of the Audit Committee shall have a material financial interest in doing business with the organization. Members serve a term of two years.

  • Nisha Devi Rodrigo, Audit Committee Chair, E-RYT 500 | California, United States
  • Terri McDermott, E-RYT 200, YACEP, CMA | Michigan, United States


Additional information can be found in the Yoga Alliance Bylaws and Yoga Alliance Foundation Bylaws.

Yoga Alliance is a nonprofit 501(c)(6). Yoga Alliance Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3). This website refers to the two organizations as "Yoga Alliance." Copyright 2024 Yoga Alliance. Yoga Alliance, the Yoga Alliance logo, RYS, RYT, and YACEP are registered marks with the USPTO and other jurisdictions.