Our Team

Mission Statement

Breaking Barriers Yoga Inc. provides yoga, meditation and mindfulness training to the underserved in our Broome County and surrounding areas. We provide a physical yoga space where everyone is welcome to practice yoga regardless of their income. We believe the physical, mental and emotional benefits of yoga should be available to all, regardless of financial circumstances, gender, age, background and challenges.

As a non-profit yoga studio, we raise funds and receive donations that enable us to provide yoga in both a studio setting and as outreach yoga and mindfulness training to public schools, veterans, etc. in and around Broome County, NY.

Breaking Barriers Board members

Board Members

board member

Linda Sambursky
- President -

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Bio

Linda Sambursky, Masters in Special Education, Founder and President of Breaking Barriers Yoga Inc. and Co-Owner of Yoga Body Shop.  She is a 500 Hour Registered Yoga Instructor and a Tier 2 Baptiste Yoga Instructor, and Certified Level 1 Reiki Energy Healer  Linda has been teaching and practicing yoga since 2000.  It is Linda’s continued wish to create community and help humanity by educating and supporting many through mindfulness practices such as yoga, meditation and inquiry.  Linda is also a Yoga Teacher Trainer at Yoga Body Institute.  Linda believes that transformation begins from within as people delve into self-exploration.    It has become her passion to create a community of people who are “change agents” both in their personal lives and with and for the community around them. 

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Erin Brady
- Vice President -

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Bio

Erin Brady is a Financial Advisor at Stifel Nicolaus & Company in Binghamton, N.Y. Erin has 12 years of combined experience in the financial services and asset management business. Prior to moving back to the Binghamton area to work with her father as a financial advisor, Erin was an Investment Management Consultant for BlackRock in Columbus, OH where she travelled throughout the mid-west. Erin started practicing hot yoga in 2013 while living in Princeton, N.J. After having two knee surgeries in her late teens and early twenties, Erin was looking for an alternative to running. Hot yoga not only fulfilled the physical rigor that she was looking for, but also provided so much more from mental strength, increased flexibility, to mindfulness living. Erin has practiced hot yoga at Yoga Body Shop in Johnson City since she returned to Binghamton in 2016. Erin hopes that Breaking Barriers Yoga can help bring change to lead towards growth to the lives that need it most. One of Erin’s favorite quotes is “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”
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Jennifer King
- Secretary -

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Bio

Associates in Business Administration, Secretary for Breaking Barriers Yoga.  Jennifer is a 500 Hour Registered Yoga Instructor, Tier 1 Baptiste Yoga Instructor, and is certified to teach Yin Yoga.  Jennifer’s journey started on the mat and then transformed to teaching after graduating from Yoga Body Institute in 2015.  Jennifer believes that yoga should be available to everyone, and that anyone can develop a mindfulness practice.   Jennifer feels strongly that yoga is a way of life and should be accessible to everyone to create a healthier and happier community. 

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Karen Stelmak
- Treasurer -

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Bio

Karen holds an Associates Degree in Business Administration. Karen has experience in bookkeeping, marketing and branding. Karen fell in love with yoga in 2007 and now Karen is a 500 Hour Registered Yoga Instructor, a certified Yin Yoga Instructor and has taken several Baptiste Programs and is on her way to become a Tier 1 Baptiste Yoga Instructor. Karen believes yoga should be accessible to everyone and Karen is committed to make that happen.
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Officers

Board member

Ronald Sambursky
- Officer -

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Bio

A graduate of Syracuse University, The University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Eastman Dental Center at the University of Rochester, Ron is a Prosthodontist who transforms lives through transforming smiles. Ron has been practicing Yoga since 2005 and teaching yoga since 2007. Under the tutelage of Baron Baptiste, Ron has earned over 1500 training hours and he carries a 500 E-RYT designation with the Yoga Alliance. As a lead trainer for Yoga Body Institute and Co-owner of Yoga Body Shop, Ron enjoys awakening people to their true potential, making people smile and transforming lives.
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Yoga Body Shop

Claire Congdon
- Officer -

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Bio

Claire Congdon is an analyst and co-owner of Congdon Appraisal. She received her B.A. from SUNY Cortland and her M.S. from Liberty University. Several years ago, Claire retired from teaching to help grow her husband’s commercial real estate appraisal business, but she has always had a passion for teaching. Since 2016, Claire has been a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher and teaches at the Yoga Body Shop. Additionally, Claire invests in her community, volunteering her time and talents to serve as PTA president, and to teach yoga at local schools. Claire believes by practicing yoga, one can heal and can learn self-love. Claire has five adult children and is relishing the moments of her youngest child’s high school years. Although she misses having the beautiful chaos of all the children at home, she is truly excited for the opportunity to “spread love like peanut butter” throughout her community through yoga.
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Irene Graven
- Officer -

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Bio

Irene Graven serves as legal counsel for  Breaking Barriers.  She lives in Owego with her husband and they have three children. Irene enjoys traveling, reading and dabbles in painting and drawing. She happily practices law …. and of course, yoga!  

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Christina Olevano
- Officer -

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Bio

Christina Olevano is the Prevention Services Supervisor at CASA-Trinity Inc. in Tioga County and Project Director for Tioga County Allies in Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition. She has worked in Tioga County for 10 years, serving the community and wanting to make Tioga a healthier and happier place to live, work, and raise children. Christina has a passion for helping youth and families and her position at CASA-Trinity allows her to work on educating them about substance abuse and thinking of creative ways to implement prevention programs. Christina discovered yoga more than 4 years ago and has not stopped practicing since. It has helped her decrease anxiety and discover a new way of being. Her passion for helping people and love of yoga is what has compelled her to become a yoga teacher and an officer on the Breaking Barriers Yoga board of directors.

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Volunteers

Ann Honkala
- Volunteer -

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Bio

Ann Honkala, Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and Nursing. Ann is a community mental health nurse, 200 Hour Registered Yoga Instructor and Reiki I certified energy worker. She has certifications in Yin/restorative yoga and Trauma-Sensitive Yoga. She has been practicing yoga since 2003 and teaching since May 2012. She has a desire to empower people within her community to become their best self through practices such as yoga, meditation, energy work and mindful self-awareness. Her passion for alternative health practice has empowered her own healing and grown her desire to support individuals on their journey towards wholeness. Ann believes that no matter what life has shown you or how far off your path you have gone, the journey home can always be found.
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Lisa Cerutti
- Volunteer -

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Bio

Lisa M. Cerutti received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Therapy from Daemen College in 1999. Lisa is the owner of Body Works Physical and Aqua Therapy, a New York State Licensed Physical Therapist and ATRIC Aqua Therapy Rehab Institute Certified. Lisa is a 500 Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Instructor and Baptiste Certified Yoga Instructor. Lisa has been practicing and teaching yoga for over 10 years. It has helped her personally and professionally to find her inner power and true self and not take things so seriously. She uses yoga therapy in her clinic as a tool to improve strength and flexibility, decrease stress, and improve balance with her patients.
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Breaking Barriers Yoga
765 Harry L. Drive
Johnson City, NY 13790

607.595.0659

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