Executive Director Jonathan A. Garber is a certified Yoga Ed, Kripalu Yoga and Yoga for the Special Child teacher and therapist since 1997. Jonathan has been practicing yoga since 1988 and has taught yoga to teachers, families and is specially trained to work with children with and without developmental and learning disabilities.

Jonathan began his professional life as a public educator, teaching at inner-city elementary schools and community settings as well as in a Waldorf School, a spiritually-based creative arts school. He was a director of an arts program for The Boys and Girls Club of America and was a Community Educator and trainer for PICADA, a social service agency for the prevention of alcohol and other drug abuse.

When an unexpected lay-off disrupted his social work career, Jonathan took the opportunity to pursue a life-long dream of working with children. He studied with master yoga teacher Sonia Sumar of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Sonia is the creator of Yoga for the Special Child, an early intervention method for children with developmental and learning disabilities. Jonathan also has received certification in adult yoga through the Kripalu Yoga Center in Massachusetts in 2002.

Building on what he learned from Sonia Sumar, Jonathan combines the holistic philosophy of educating children, teachers and families in the discipline of yoga.

Jonathan has taught yoga for the Madison and Verona School Districts, Northern Illinois Hospice Association, Suzuki Strings of Madison and with Families and Schools Together (FAST) as well as community centers, health organizations and in private settings. He has given presentations at Circles of Life, a state-wide disability conference, Southern Wisconsin Educational Inservice Organization (SWEIO) as well as other teacher organizations throughout the state of Wisconsin.