Who We Are — Mindful Child Initiative

We empower our youth and the adults who support them, to create a healthier community.

Our Mission

Mindful Child Initiative (MCI) provides high-quality mindfulness programs promoting the mental and emotional health of children, and the adults who support them, across the Lehigh Valley.

Our Vision

Every child has the opportunity to become a healthy member of our community.

Short term goal: with guidance, children understand mindfulness and use mindfulness practices during the school day.

Intermediate goal: independently, children use mindfulness practices during the school day.

Long term goal: independently, children use mindfulness practices during the school day, at home and in their community.

Our Values

The Mindful Child Initiative is committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion within our organization and in the community we serve. As an organization dedicated to creating a safe and supportive learning environment for children, we are focused on fostering a culture of belonging.

We have significant work to do to address the structural factors that create inequity and oppression. One of the fundamental causes of health inequity is the unequal allocation of resources.

Our commitment:

We provide mindfulness education to the K-5 students and staff of the Allentown School District (ASD) throughout the school year, at no cost to the school district. We also provide reasonably priced mindfulness and yoga services to those beyond ASD.

The Mindful Child Initiative is inspired by our founder’s son, Pratyush, who strived to help others and longed for the world to be a place where everyone could find moments of peace.

In loving memory.

"I founded the Pratyush Sinha Foundation over 10 years ago in memory of my son, Pratyush. Pratyush's name means 'ray of light' and he most definitely was.

Since he was small, he recognized the suffering in the world and fought for the underdog. He wanted to help others and longed for the world to be a place where everyone could find peace.

I started this foundation to carry on Pratyush's wishes, and it warms my heart to know that we are making a difference that he would be proud of. "

— Prabha Sinha, Founder

Our staff & board.

Alicen is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Registered 500 hour Yoga Teacher and Mindfulness Educator. She earned her master’s degree in Education from the University of Pittsburgh and has been in the mental health field for over 20 years. Alicen has studied countless hours with the Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy in PA.  She continuously refines her teaching to include a powerful combination of modern psychology, yoga philosophy, movement, mindfulness and meditation; all while keeping classes accessible and fun.  She enjoys tailoring programs for various settings.
Alicen’s intention is to help people, of all ages, learn how to find and maintain a place of peace and contentment, even during times of turbulence. She believes breath, awareness, and gentle movement are pinnacles to well-being.

Alicen Arnold (she/her)

I am a native of the Lehigh Valley and have been practicing yoga and mindfulness for more than 20 years and became a RYT 200 about five years ago. I am also a school counselor in the Allentown School District and am currently at Sheridan Elementary School. I have seen firsthand the power of mindfulness in the schools.
I choose to support our mission because our children and educators need effective and practical tools to handle the big emotions of this complex world.

Erica Simmons (she/her)

Bachelor Degree Elementary Education, RYT- 200, RCYT-95 I was an elementary classroom teacher for the Allentown School District for 14 years. Throughout my time in the classroom, I valued the relationships built with students and always aspired to help children understand their true potential, while knowing the value of their well-being.
Upon entering the pandemic, I felt a need and passion to support children-individuals beyond the four walls of my classroom, which led to my current work with the Pratyush Sinha Foundation and other wellness organizations. I hold certifications through Kutztown University, Mindful Schools, Yoga Renew, and Yoga-Ed, focusing on a trauma-informed approach.
I choose to support this mission because I believe that mindfulness helps empower individuals to love themselves, find regulation, live in the moment, and strengthen the mind, body, and heart.

Jena Radcliffe (she/her)

Katrina Kiprizlis (she/her)

Katrina has been committed to serving the youth of her community for over 14 years. She acquired a Master's Degree in Counseling from Villanova University in 2008, focusing her career on school- based and outpatient services in the areas of special needs and mental health.
She began her journey with mindfulness in 2019, earning certifications for Adult Yoga Instruction (200 hour) and Children's Trauma- Informed Yoga Instruction (95 hour).
Continuing her love for working in the school environment she completed the Mindfulness in the Classroom certification with Mindful Schools.
During Katrina's time with Mindful Child Initiative she has provided instruction in grades K-9, served as a community liaison, and designed programming for STEM yoga and mindful art in the community. Katrina enjoys nature and visiting her family's small village in Greece.
I choose to support our mission because it empowers youth to confidently maintain their wellness.

Maritza Dolich (she/her)

She obtained her Bachelor’s of Science in Food & Nutrition from Drexel University, Philadelphia, in 1983. Between 1983 through 1998, she worked in the food service/hospitality industry with the Southland Corporation, Friendly’s Ice Cream Corporation and Aramark Corporation.
In the fall of 1998, after prayerful consideration, Pastor Maritza began her studies at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia where she graduated with a Master’s in Divinity in May of 2002. In the summer of 2004, she was ordained by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to the ministry of Word and Sacrament and called by St Stephen Evangelical Lutheran Church in Allentown PA as their sole pastor and spiritual leader.
In 2007 St. Stephen’s, under the leadership of its governing council, voted to pursue joining with another Lutheran church to strengthen its ministry work in the City of Allentown.
In 2012 St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church merged with Christ Lutheran Church. The St. Stephen’s building was kept as the outreach center in the Franklin Park Playground area. Rev. Maritza was called to be the Pastor of Outreach and executive director of St. Stephen’s Outreach Center of Christ Lutheran Church. Outside of her pastoral work, Rev. Maritza is highly regarded for the best flan in the state of Pennsylvania and if she is not perfecting her next flan, she is on the hook crocheting all sorts of treasures!

Nancy Hernandez (she/her)

I am a yoga and mindfulness instructor. My passion is to lead a healthy and kind lifestyle. My classes are warm, and fun. I enjoy hiking, cooking, and walking my dog (Scout). I love the outdoors!
I hold a bachelor’s degree in Phycology and currently work in the Allentown School District.
I choose to support our mission because I believe everyone should be given the opportunity to change the perception of life and improve its quality through mindfulness and yoga. It is more than exercise for the body but the mind and soul too.

As a Public Health Professional (MPH), Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS), and mother of two daughters, she is passionate about improving individual and community health. She is a William Allen High School graduate ('04) and attended the Allentown School District K-12 (Owls! Bulldogs! Canaries!).
Sara recognizes the value of the nonprofit as a Public Health initiative. She believes that we can create a healthy community and better mental health outcomes by addressing social determinants of health and reducing health inequities.
Outside of work, she enjoys working on her mindfulness and yoga practice, spending time with her family and friends, and running.
I choose to support our mission because it is the shared responsibility of an empathetic community to raise a healthy child.

Sara Martinez (she/her)

Sara Jane Black (she/her)

After a long and rewarding career as a Special Education teacher in the Allentown School District and a Kindergarten teacher at an inner-city private school, Sara Jane decided to begin a new chapter to focus on teaching mindfulness and yoga to children and their families.
In addition to her degrees in Elementary Education, Special Education and Reading, Sara Jane is a certified Childlight Yoga® instructor, and has completed training through Mindful Schools®. Sara Jane is passionate about sharing these tools, constantly seeking to infuse these life skills into the daily lives of her students.
I choose to support our mission because providing children and their families with positive, reliable coping skills directly impacts their lives, and therefore the life of our community.

Tama Tamarkin (she/her)

In my professional role as a school psychologist, I supported early childhood and elementary aged students in public schools in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. My areas of specialization were diagnostics, Autism, and teaching Social Emotional Learning. After transitioning to the field of higher education for many years, I recently completed a program in Applied Behavior Analysis at Lehigh University and became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Licensed Behavior Specialist in Pennsylvania.
I see myself as a helper and lifelong learner. I am currently pursuing ongoing training in Mindfulness to deepen my learning and personal practice. Through mindfulness, I have become more patient, compassionate, connected, and present in my own life.
I enjoy walks in nature, fitness, cooking, and spending time with my husband, three amazing children, and furry pup.
I choose to support our mission because I want to help children create intentional space for calm amidst the ups and downs and teach them practices to enhance their academic, social and emotional wellbeing.

Alvin Johnson (he/him)

Alvin is passionate about serving the community where he grew up and currently lives, Allentown. He went to school in the ASD from K-12 and later obtained his Master's Degree in Business Analytics from Villanova University then became a registered 200-hour yoga instructor.
He feels his life calling is being a connector and creating a space for folks to be the most authentic version of themselves, which he's done throughout his career in Human Resources. Alvin translates that mindset when he holds space with youth or adults by taking a trauma-informed approach with yoga and mindfulness.
I choose to support this mission because I know the impact mindfulness had on me late in life and equipping our youth with these tools will empower them to be more self-aware, caring, and loving individuals.
“Find peace in the midst of your fire.” –Unknown

Amy Dangler (she/her)

I am a Mindfulness Educator and Yoga Teacher in the elementary schools. I have been working for the Pratyush Sinha Foundation for 4 years and started teaching yoga to students this past fall of 2022. I have a Bachelors Degree in Psychology, (1990) and Masters in Social Work (2003).
In 2019 I completed a Mindful Schools training, In 2022 I became a 200 hour Certified Yoga Teacher, and I am a mom of a teenager. I have been fortunate to have a variety of roles to support and facilitate children and teens learning and growth (camp counselor, childcare worker, school social worker, etc...). I believe in the importance of providing children with a safe, healthy, and fun learning environment.
I enjoy hiking, paddleboard, yoga, cooking, and cheering on my teen drummer at marching band competitions. I choose to support our mission because I feel that teaching and practicing mindfulness tools to children is a vital part of giving them the emotional safety, health, and fun that they need to thrive.

Inge Hart (she/her)

I was referred to yoga for the physical practice and very quickly came to look forward to and appreciate the calm and stillness equally attractive. I completed YTT and mindfulness courses after years of practicing, learning and noticing how this practice helped me navigate more gracefully through life’s challenges.
After leaving a decades long career in a fast paced deadline focused environment it is an honor sharing something that I am so passionate about.
I choose to support our mission because every child is precious, should know they are loved and that peace begins within them.

Judy Hunsicker

Background:

• Employed by and assisted in the 2001 startup of Embassy Bank for the Lehigh Valley, a community bank located in Bethlehem PA, and serves as the Bank’s Chief Operating Officer.
• A yoga practitioner, on and off, for nearly 50 years.
• A yoga instructor for the past ten years, and believe it provides many benefits for people in all walks of life.
• Met Prabha Sinha during the yoga teacher training journey.
I support our mission, because it is important to me to assist the youth of our community to develop healthy coping skills for use now and for their lifetimes.

Prabha Sinha (she/her)

Prabha was born in the Himalayas in India and came to America with her husband and their son, Pratyush in 1988. Her love of yoga prompted her to go for yoga teacher training in 2007 and since then has continued her education.
After losing Pratyush in September 2011, she chose yoga as a way to honor him. And so was born Pratyush Sinha Foundation (PSF) in October 2012. The core belief of PSF is that every child has the potential to become a healthy, happy, and conscious citizen of the world.
We believe that this can happen when an alchemy of mindful classrooms, schools, homes, and communities creates the environment that fosters psycho-social-emotional health of all. Very early on in her work, Prabha realized that the after-school yoga programs were just a drop in the bucket and the children needed psycho-social-emotional support to process their inner and outer worlds in today’s complicated times. And thus, started the Mindfulness journey, which enabled her to extend the emotional and self-regulation skills training in the classrooms.
This work has continued to evolve and grow in answer to the needs of the community. Prabha is grateful to be part of this movement for positive change in our community.

Larissa Noto (she/her)

Larissa has been practicing yoga,and meditation for 24 years, and teaching yoga, meditation and mindfulness for the past 8 years. She took her first class in 1998, while fulfilling a gym requirement in college. Then she became hooked - not just by the physical practice, but also with the way yoga helped her body, mind and soul feel both on and off the mat.
She is a former secondary school teacher and lawyer, turned 500 hour Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 500, YACEP), 95 hour Registered Children's Yoga Teacher (RCYT) and 85 hour Prenatal Yoga Teacher (RPYT) with Childlight Education Company.
Larissa is two practicums away from completing her I-AYT certification from Prema Yoga Institute. Larissa has taught and trained all over the world in various yoga modalities, with a specialty in trauma informed movement that is accessible to all ages and abilities. She “retired" from the law in 2019 and is now a teacher, trainer, speaker and content contributor with Childlight Education Company (NH), Pratyush Sinha Foundation (PA), Prema Yoga Institute (NY), and Outside +/Yoga Journal.
When she is not sharing her love of yoga with others, she is a wife, mom of 3 boys, children’s book author, professor and special needs advocate.
I choose to support our mission because I love working with children, and I truly believe that the earlier we empower students with the tools of mindfulness, the better equipped they will be when they encounter all that life can sometimes bring to us - both the expected and the unexpected.

Matt Wolf (he/him)

My name is Matt Wolf and I have been practicing Mindfulness for 26 years.  I joined the Pratyush Sinha Foundation staff in January of 2018 and have taught Mindfulness to K-12 students in the Allentown and Bethlehem School Districts.  I am also a published poet, teaching artist, and a library paraprofessional. 
I choose to support our mission because I know first-hand the power a Mindfulness practice has to bring peace to our minds and promote happiness.

Patricia is a former elementary middle school teacher. Currently, she is a Registered Yoga Alliance Yoga Teacher, Children’s Yoga Teacher, a Licensed Yoga 4 Classrooms Trauma-Informed Yoga and Mindfulness Trainer, a Certified Childlight Instructor, a Yoga 4 Teens Instructor, a Mindful Schools Instructor, and Certified Professional Development Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System Instructor.
She is a Trauma-Informed Yoga and Mindfulness Professional Development Teacher Trainer for Mindful Education Systems where she was a contributing writer for the teacher training program, T.I.M.E., and other programs. She also teaches mindfulness to children and adolescents in schools and offers private mindfulness coaching to adults.
In addition, Patricia holds a M.A.T. Degree and B.S. Degree in Psychology. I choose to support this mission because it my life-long passion to help children and adults learn life skills and strategies to help manage the stresses and challenges of life and find health and happiness.

Patricia Wright (she/her)

Sherry Baublitz (she/her)

I have practiced mindfulness and yoga for many years. In my former career as an educator (elementary teacher and principal), I was passionate about bringing mindfulness and yoga to the students and adults in my schools. As such, I was able to observe firsthand how mindfulness positively impacted them.
Currently, I am continuing ongoing mindfulness training and look forward to beginning my yoga instructor training in the near future.
I choose to support our mission because I have seen firsthand how mindfulness provides a path for children to calm their bodies and minds. Emotional health opens the door for students to be able to succeed in all areas of their lives.

Vivian Prensa (she/her)

Hi! My name is Vivian!
I am originally from Harlem, & recently relocated to the Lehigh Valley.
My high school offered yoga classes and while that was what initially sparked my interest, I didn’t start practicing yoga more consistently until quarantine. Initially, my practice of yoga was solely for the physical benefits, but I fell in love with it across all aspects. Yoga has helped me grow as a person, manage my mental health, become physically active, and has been a catalyst for my spiritual journey. As someone who enjoys living life on the edge, yoga creates that balance for me and keeps me grounded.
Yoga has helped propel my healing journey more than any other tool I’ve used in the past few years & I’d love to create that opportunity and a safe environment for others. Moving to the Lehigh Valley allowed me to connect with others on a similar journey and expand my practice even further! The Lehigh Valley deserves access to mindfulness resources and I am so happy and proud to be part of such an amazing project.
I choose to support this mission because I myself have experienced the magnitude of mindfulness and find it imperative for our youth to also experience. The Lehigh Valley deserves access to mindfulness resources and I am so happy and proud to be part of such an amazing project.

Jacqueline Vogel (she/her)

Sherry is a mental health advocate passionate about empowering children and strengthening the foundations of our community. A parent of two, Sherry became aware of the mental health struggles that many of our youth are experiencing and felt a call to help.
As a decades-long yoga and meditation practitioner, she sincerely believes in the profound benefits of mindfulness practices and was driven to bring these tools directly to students and adults. In 2019 she acquired a yoga certification and a trauma-informed children’s yoga certification.
I choose to support our mission because mindfulness can change lives by helping individuals find connections in themselves and the world around them.

Ed Sydlik (he/him)

Ed is married with 2 children. His wife Darlene teaches piano in their home in the west end of Allentown. His daughter Stefanie and son David both attended school in the Allentown School District. Ed was active in the parent groups through his childrens’ high school years.
Ed is a retired analytical chemist. He graduated from Mansfield State University of Pennsylvania. He continued with post graduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh and Lehigh University. The bulk of his career was spent with Air Products and Chemicals. He spent 30 years with Air Products before retiring. He spent 10 years with Intertek after their acquisition of his lab from Air Products.
Once again, he retired from Intertek. Currently, he has returned to part time work with Intertek as a technical consultant. Ed enjoys sports and exercise. He has been practicing yoga for better than 10 years and is currently enrolled in yoga teacher training at West End Yoga in Allentown. He has been a member of the board of Pratyish Sinha Foundation for more than 5 years. Currently, he holds the office of Treasurer.
I choose to support the mission because it brings the ability for students to bring calmness to their minds and the ability to deal with stress.

Jason Sizemore (he/him)

Jason served K-8th grade public school students in Harrisburg, PA, the five boroughs of NYC and Allentown, PA for 21 years as a teacher & administrator. Jason’s passion for the welfare of all beings who are within the walls of our schools and beyond has driven him to support the Pratyush Sinha Foundation by working directly with students, school staff and community organizations to provide self-care and mindfulness training and experiences while also serving as an advocate for the importance and value of trauma informed mindfulness education.
I choose to support our mission because I have seen the powerful impact mindfulness has on the lives of all who embrace it.

Karen is the owner and founder of Crystalline Wellness, a business focused on helping others discover the self-love and self-acceptance they deserve. Born and raised in the Lehigh Valley, she attended Penn State University and put her marketing communications background to good use by serving various agencies in the Washington D.C. metro area.
Finding her way back to her hometown, she started a family and soon realized that her career aspirations had begun to shift. In 2021, she took a leap of faith and started her own company. Now a 200-hour certified yoga instructor, Karen is also an Usui Reiki Master and offers energy healing services, private and group yoga instruction, as well as specialized classes and workshops to those who seek them.
I choose to support our mission because the earlier one can learn about themselves and the world around them, the more enjoyable life will be.

Karen Paisley (she/her)

Lynette Smith (she/her)

Lynette is a retired educator who resides in Allentown and shares her time volunteering in the community and spending every minute possible with her two beautiful grandchildren. A graduate of Hood College and Lehigh University, Lynette was an elementary school teacher, reading specialist, curriculum coordinator, and elementary principal with Parkland and East Penn School Districts for 36 years, and an instructor of literacy at Penn State Lehigh Valley for 5 years.
Lynette is a member of Women United of the Lehigh Valley, a literacy tutor and volunteer at Central Elementary in Allentown, a volunteer for Fields to Families on Johns Island, SC, and a member of the Pratyush Sinha Foundation. She loves to travel, practices yoga, recently began taking piano lessons and reads voraciously, especially enjoying her monthly book club discussions.
I choose to support our mission because I believe that mindfulness is a powerful tool for children to develop focus, patience, compassion, and self control - all tools that promote academic success, and healthy personal, social, and emotional development.

Melissa Kamyab(she/her)

As a lifelong resident of the Lehigh Valley, she is an Assistant Professor of Education at Cedar Crest College, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She earned her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and Psychology from Moravian College, as well as both her Master of Education in Reading and Doctor of Education from Lehigh University.
At Cedar Crest College, Dr. Kamyab teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses in the areas of literacy, planning and pedagogy, and educational research. In addition, she serves as the Director of the Education Department’s Graduate Program.
The recipient of The Keystone State Literacy Association of Central Pennsylvania 2021 Celebrate Literacy Award, Dr. Kamyab works to promote the use of diverse literature in classrooms with preservice and practicing educators, through the Department’s #WeRead360 Children and Young Adult Book Collection. She has also been named to the International Literacy Association’s Administrative Task Force for the 2022-2023 academic year.
I choose to support our mission because our work profoundly impacts children, schools, and our community.

Wendy Barron (she/her)

Lori believes that EVERYONE has unique and important contributions to the world, and in order to do so, we need to be at our best, operating from an authentic state of wellbeing and connected to our truest self. TOGETHER in mindfulness, we remember, re-establish and reconnect to who you truly are and what you truly love, and REALLY enjoy your lifetime.
As an Advance Practice Nurse (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist + Board Certified Nurse Coach), Lori has cared for people at all ages of life. Lori often pondered the missing piece to alchemize the human experience that seem to tidal-wave people during an acute health crisis.
Lori is committed to serving her community as a (r)evolutionary Advanced Practice Nurse (RN) + Certified Mindfulness Mentor by bridging the gaps of eastern healing philosophies + western medicine.
In 2012, Lori completed 200hr yoga teacher training at West End Yoga. She has been attuned to Usui Reiki I + II by Nora Riley (2017). In 2019 Lori completed the following Mindful Schools programs: Mindfulness Fundamentals, Mindful Educator Essentials and Mindful Communication. Recently, in 2023, she completed a 2 year mindfulness meditation teacher training with Tara Brach + Jack Kornfield, under the direct mentorship of Eve Decker.
Lori, lives in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania with her husband Erman, and 2 children, Amelia + Xander. She loves the outdoors, wellness, self-mastery, and connection. Lori is a Nursing graduate of the University of Scranton.
I choose to support our mission because I wish I had access to these practices + mentors of mindfulness earlier in life. Mindfulness has given me the tools + capacity to live fully as a human.

Kenya Marsh (she/her)

Hi there! I'm Kenya Marsh, founder of Elevated Yoga Academy and SimplyFitandCurvyYoga. Born and raised in the vibrant city of Brooklyn, New York, I now call the beautiful Lehigh Valley my home after over 20 wonderful years here.
I've been immersed in the transformative power of yoga for over 9 years and feel so grateful to have been sharing my passion as a teacher for 7 years now.
My passion is to lovingly guide busy yoga beginners in starting their own journey from the comfort of home. My teaching style emphasizes mindfulness, self-acceptance, and finding your inner peace. I completed an intensive 500-hour yoga certification at Aura Wellness Center in Attleboro, Massachusetts where I deepened my practice. I'm certified in Hatha yoga, Meditation and Rocket Yoga. I also provide adjunct yoga classes at LCCC and enjoy organically sharing yoga tips on social media.
As a wife, mother of two teenagers and fur baby Egypt the labradoodle, I appreciate how yoga helps me find balance and calm. I love traveling, cooking, and living joyfully.
I choose to support our mission because helping children discover the power of mindfulness and empowering them is a wonderful experience.

As a Professor of Communication at Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC), Wendy has been working with students from the Allentown School District for over 20 years. She has been a practitioner of yoga and meditation since graduate school and over the last several years evolved into her role as an instructor.
While on sabbatical in 2016, she was introduced to the benefits of integrating mindfulness and education. Since then, she has earned certifications and attended numerous workshops, retreats, and conferences to deepen her learning and practice. In 2018, she created, and now teaches, the Mindfulness for Academic Success course at LCCC.
Over the last several years, she has facilitated various mindfulness workshops in communities with children as young as five through seniors in their 80s. In addition, she recently completed the practical components of Yoga Teacher Training (YTT200) at the Yoga Loft.
I choose to support our mission because to walk into a classroom where students raise their hands to request mindfulness exercises, or ask if they can teach them, inspires me and makes my soul happy.

Lori Tasci (she/her)

Demia Shetayh

Yoga Instructor

Carolyn Hamilton

Board Member

Monique Shetayh

Yoga Instructor

Katrina Pelkanakis

Board Member

Alex Cook

Creative Director

Alyscia Rivera (she/her)

As a Latina and an Allentown School District native I choose to support our mission as an example of what walking a path of mindfulness and healing can offer. Through my love of traveling I discovered the power of different mindfulness modalities and began my mission of bringing these tools to the Lehigh Valley.
As a certified reiki practitioner, yoga teacher, pilates instructor, herbal practitioner and mindfulness guide I educate others in creating healthier lifestyles and hold space for healing. I am also very committed to diversifying the wellness industry, making wellness accessible to all and keeping the integrity of these sacred practices.
I look forward to continuing my outreach to underserved communities in the Lehigh Valley through this initiative.