Penny's mission is to raise awareness of our own bodies, minds, spirits and place in the world through carefully crafted combinations of scientific knowledge, spiritual insight and experiential teachings. The enjoyable side effect? Greater wellness and ease in our daily lives along with the ability to live on purpose. Penny holds graduate degrees in both Chemical Engineering and Biochemistry and spent 16 years as an educator at both the high school and college level. She currently performs cancer research at the Duke University School of Medicine. Penny is registered with the Yoga Alliance as an E RYT-500 (Experienced Yoga Teacher at the 500 hour level) and has taught thousands of yoga, meditation and mindfulness classes since 2003. She opened Saco River Yoga in Saco, Maine in 2009 and expanded to create the Kusum Institute in 2014. Penny has also developed original Lifestyle Immersion programs, Yoga and Meditation Teacher Trainings and Continuing Education programs sharing her unique view point and skill set as a scientist connected to the inner world. As a musician, she plays Native American flutes and other wind instruments and uses recordings of her meditative music in her classes. Penny's growing body of work offers a unique vantage point connecting teachings from the fields of yoga, ancient texts, energy work, science, medicine and psychology. This knowledge, combined with first hand experiences through yoga practice and meditation, creates deep and lasting shifts in the way we see the world. Whole health and vibrance from the inside out and simple yet powerful techniques that foster more compassion for ourselves and others.