“Cancer didn’t bring me to my knees, it brought me to my feet”
Michael Douglas
Gladys Nicholls PT, CPI
Class Instructor
Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Gladys received her Bachelors in Physical Therapy in 1981 from the University of Puerto Rico and set out to further specialize in Orthopedics and Manual Therapy while traveling the world as a military wife. She took her first Pilates class 17 years ago at Pilates Center of Austin while she was opening a new Rehab Facility for Seton at Seton Southwest. She was hooked. She completed her Pilates Certification Program in 2001 and incorporates the principles in her patient care. She believe in mind-body exercise as a tool to assist with conventional medical treatment.
Oriana Carrasco ACSM/ACS, CES, AFAA, NASM, ACE
Class Instructor
Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Born and raised in Mexico City, Oriana has been an active Yoga practitioner since she moved to Austin in 2006 and as an avid fitness enthusiast, she has adopted weight lifting, biking, kickboxing and swimming as a part of her daily training. In 2016 Oriana decided to pursue a Fitness Certification. Motivated by a client and cancer survivor, she decided to focus in this particular population and has received advanced training and certifications as a cancer fitness specialist. She has been witness of how cancer patients and survivors thrive with the help of exercise and continue their treatments to get back to their lives.
Kimberly Wharton RYT-500
Class Instructor
Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Before relocating to Austin, Kimberly was named in Backstage Magazine's 'Best of L.A.' under favorite yoga class. She has gone thru trainings with Alan Finger (ISHTA lineage), Kia Miller (Yoga Works techniques), Jillian Pransky (Restoratives), Judith Lasater (Restoratives) and Jasmine Lieb, for Therapeutics, where she discovered the amazing healing abilities of yoga. As a result, Kimberly had the opportunity to teach for Team Survivor, a non-profit organization providing free healing modules for women living with cancer during her time in Los Angeles and continues that work here in Austin.
Tammy Flinn PTA, CLT, RYT-500
Class Instructor
Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Tammy has cultivated her personal yoga practice for as long as she has worked in the field of Physical Therapy, since 1994. She has successfully integrated yoga, as a licensed PTA in specialized orthopedic and lymphedema clinics, in local hospitals, and in support groups. She holds an RYT 500 Yoga Alliance certification, with foundations in Yoga Therapy. As a life-long student herself, her teaching style is greatly influenced by many esteemed yoga teachers and mentors of Hatha, Viniyoga, and Restorative yoga.
Tamara Ballif
Class Instructor
Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Tamara was born in Los Angeles California and has lived in South Texas for the last 37 years. The body, mind, spirit and health connection have always been a way of life for her. As a partner of a lucrative and successful catering and food service business in the Rio Grande Valley for more than 25 years her health began to suffer from the stress of it all. She joined a local yoga studio which offered not only wonderful yoga classes but also Ja-api classes. These classes along with the help of a wonderful holistic acupuncture doctor helped her get off the heavy prescription meds she was put on, and regain her enthusiasm and joy for life.
After several years of taking Ja-api classes weekly she wanted to share the magic she felt from the class with others and she became certified to become an instructor. Tamara taught Ja-api classes at Corazon yoga studio in McAllen Texas for several years until they closed due to covid. At that time she started giving Ja-api class by Zoom and has continued Ja-api by Zoom to this day.
Shondi Pugh
Class Instructor and Social Media Manager
Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Shondi trained in dance growing up. While recovering from breast cancer treatment in 2012, she re-entered the dance space after a very long hiatus. Movement became a powerful tool to explore her body and discover a deeper sense of self, as she struggled to recognize herself, and her body post-cancer.
Dance and movement as medicine continue to be one of the most powerful and effective tools in Shondi’s healing toolbox. She continues to cultivate a deeper and more loving sense of embodiment through this practice. It is her absolute honor to guide others on their movement/healing journeys.
Shannon Prescher RYT-200, TIYT
Class Instructor
Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Shannon is a Registered Yoga Teacher certified in Trauma Informed Yoga Therapy. She specializes in supporting individuals who are managing a medical diagnoses such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, chronic illness, pain and terminal illness. Shannon believes yoga and meditation are transformational healing tools that offer individuals the opportunity to reconnect with their body wisdom in empowering ways after a difficult health related journey. She welcomes all individuals to the mat to curiously explore and compassionately reconnect with their new bodies through mindful movement, deep breathing, and restorative rest. She supports individuals in re-aligning their bodies, minds and souls by introducing the experience of being a witness and a listener of self. Shannon finds her work to be rewarding and humbling and believes her students are her greatest teachers.
Nancy Samano CQMI
Class Instructor
Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Nancy is a Certified Medical Qi Gong Movement Instructor (CQMI). She discovered the practice of Qi Gong while undergoing treatments for Stage 3 breast cancer in 2016. Experiencing Qi Gong during her cancer journey proved so healing and transformative, that it awakened her to a new purpose. This new purpose resulted in Nancy undertaking a Medical Qi Gong program of study and dedicating herself to the practice of Qi Gong, as well as sharing this amazing ancient self healing art form with others.
As a survivor, Nancy is keenly aware of the challenges associated with cancer and is sensitive to the emotional and physical demands of that journey. Nancy credits her Qi Gong practice with providing her with a perspective that allows her to be compassionate and empathetic to the healing journey of others.
Hanna Liebermann
Program Director
Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Hanna Liebermann is a master’s student at AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine, where she is finishing her clinical rotations to become a licensed acupuncturist and Chinese herbal medicine practitioner.
She works as the program director at MBCC, acupuncture patient coordinator for Cancer Rehab and Integrative Medicine and supports MBCC’s acupuncture community clinic, research efforts, exercise classes, and events. Prior to her transition to healthcare, Hanna was trained as a botanist and worked as an outdoor educator and horticulturist.
Catherine Pierce CPI
Class Instructor
Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Catherine Pierce was an Irish step-dancer for over ten years in New York. Shortly after moving to Austin in 2001, she discovered Pilates while working in a rehabilitation/pain management clinic. After almost five years as a loyal student of the Pilates method, Catherine dedicated a full year in the comprehensive Power Pilates program. She has over 600 hours of self-practice, teaching and observation on apparatus and mat. She is also a certified massage therapist. Catherine happily teaches from my 25 ft Airstream home as she travels with her partner David & Bulldog, Maud.
Patricia Belodoff RYT-200, BFA
Class Instructor
Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Patricia is an artist, art educator and Yoga teacher residing in the Austin metro area. She delights in sharing the peace and serenity as well as the benefits of Yoga’s mind body connection. Belodoff, originally from New York, trained in the US and Canada and teaches Vinyasa style Yoga. Her Art and Yoga Workshops focus on the stimulation of creativity and individual expression.
Patricia is a cancer survivor. During her experience as a cancer patient, she discovered Yoga helped her recovery, by increasing her strength and mobility while relieving stress. It motivated her to become certified in Oncology Yoga with “Yoga for Cancer“ author and Yoga teacher, Tari Prinster and share the practice with other cancer patients and survivors.
Eden Carter
Class Instructor
Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Eden is a breast cancer survivor with a focus on Health & Wellness Companionship, Meditation, and Sound Healing. Incorporating self love, expression through art and utilizing holistic modalities has been a huge factor in her healing process. It was a huge revelation through these tough times, that she wasn’t truly living her life to the fullest. She was not living her true authentic self. Not realizing it could be taken away from her at any moment. She loves sharing her story and hopes her experience can help others.
Dr. Mari Galle L.Ac, DACM
President, Executive Director, Co-founder and Lead Acupuncturist
Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Mari has advanced oncology training from:
Memorial Sloan Kettering Fundamentals of Oncology Acupuncture.
Mari holds a Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine where she focused on oncology acupuncture.
Mari earned her Masters of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine here in Austin, TX.
Her knowledge allows her to explain lab results and evaluate diagnostic tests from a holistic perspective.
She is an active member of the Society of Acupuncture Research, and Society of Integrative Oncology.
She regularly attends continuing education, workshops and conferences on incorporating acupuncture into oncology care.
Angela Wicker-Ramos, PT, DPT, CLT-LANA
Co-founder
Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Dr. Angela Wicker-Ramos PT, DPT, CLT- LANA is the owner, director of rehabilitation, certified lymphedema therapist, and oncology physical therapist for Cancer Rehab and Integrative Medicine. Since 2008 her specialty areas have focused on oncology rehabilitation and lymphedema treatment. Angela has helped develop several outpatient oncology and lymphedema programs: including Lovelace Women’s Hospital, Sullivan Physical Therapy, Seton Medical Center Austin, Seton Breast Care Center and Texas Oncology. Angela was the Director of Health and Wellness at Texas Oncology from 2018-2019. She is actively involved in several committees and cancer care and support organizations.
Dr. Mich Schreiber L.Ac, DACM
Research And Development Project Coordinator
Preferred Pronouns: they/them
Mich Schreiber is a licensed acupuncturist and the founder and director of The Cancer Wellness Center. Their heart passion is in working with cancer patients and survivors, helping each person to navigate one’s own healing experience. Mich has spent many years treating in integrated clinical settings. They are a Radical Remission Certified Workshop Facilitator, a member of the Society for Integrative Oncology, and the International Oncology Working Group.
Dr. Vanessa Huffman L.Ac, DACM
President, Executive Director, Co-founder and Lead Acupuncturist
Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Vanessa's passion is for providing heart-centered, empathic care using an integrative and evidence-based approach.
She works as the community acupuncturist supporting cancer patients, survivors and caregivers through their healing.
She is a Licensed Acupuncturist, and a Licensed Massage Therapist with a certification in Manual Lymphatic Drainage.
She holds additional certifications as a Registered Yoga Teacher and a Mindfulness Meditation Teacher.
