Board of Directors
The Canton Yoga Loft is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our volunteer Board of Directors takes care of the business end of the operation. This includes:
The board meets as needed, usually on Zoom once a month.
The Canton Yoga Loft is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our volunteer Board of Directors takes care of the business end of the operation. This includes:
- Strategic Planning
- Financial Oversight
- Legal Contracts
- Ethical Integrity
- Community Outreach
- Fundraising
The board meets as needed, usually on Zoom once a month.
Meet the Board Members
Denise Kerr
Denise Kerr, President, has a varied history in fitness, having achieved her first Dan (black belt) in Shotokan Karate in 1994 and completed certification as a personal trainer and fitness instructor through the YMCA in 1997. At the Yoga Loft, Denise teaches several 50+ Yoga classes and beginner yoga workshops, as well as Community Yoga. She is committed to supporting the health of the Yoga Loft organization so it can continue to bring wellness to the North Country community.
Martha Burkum
Martha Burkum, who lives in Canton, is a retired special education teacher. She started taking yoga classes before retirement to decompress and reduce stress. Martha says, "Yoga has improved my balance, strength and posture. I appreciate the variety of yoga classes at the Yoga Loft." In addition to yoga, Martha enjoys traveling, gardening, reading, and volunteering with the Canton Church and Community Program.
Leslie Clark
Leslie Clark: "I have participated in Yoga Loft opportunities for over 15 years! I attended Chair Yoga with Ellie after a knee injury, and I have continued with 50+Yoga ever since! I appreciate the strength and balance I have gained, as well as the support for bone health! In addition to Yoga, I enjoy working with horses, traveling, and hiking with my family and chihuahua! I recently became Gramma Les, and look forward to all of those special times!"
Lianne Knight
Lianne Knight: "I started attending yoga classes after retiring and immediately felt the physical and psychological benefits from the in-person experience. Supporting and promoting community health and wellness is important to me. In addition to yoga, I enjoy cycling, hiking, reading, travel, playing cards, drumming, and grandparent-ing."
Barb Potter
Barbara Potter is native of Morristown in St. Lawrence County, and has lived there her whole life. After leaving her law practice to become a judge, she sought a way to decompress after her day’s work and was introduced to the Yoga Loft in 2002. Except for a brief hiatus, she has been practicing yoga ever since. Since retiring in 2012 she also feeds her soul with spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, travel, playing in a band and part-time work as a Judge in the St Regis Mohawk Tribal Court.
Linda Smith
Linda Smith: "I began enjoying Yoga by going to Yoga in the Park almost 19 years ago! As a Canton native I’ve taken many classes and enjoy the Yoga Loft Community."
Sid Teska
Sid Teska retired to the North Country from Cleveland, Ohio where he worked as a commercial print marketing executive. Sid is also a classical musician (trombone) and music teacher. In Ohio he played with the Cleveland Opera, with Lorain County Civic Orchestra, with the Solid Brass sextet, and with various organizations and venues as a member of the musicians union. In the North Country, he plays with Northern Lights Orchestra, Burlington Film and Movie Music Orchestra, Green Mountain Mahler Festival Orchestra, Tim Zimmerman and The Kings Brass and North Country Brass who practice at the studio once a week when no classes are in session. Sid is also a very good at fixing things around the studio, like our beautiful sign which fell down and broke during a windstorm.
Kathy Wears ... bio coming soon!
Meet the Consultants
Erica Norton
Erica Norton, Yoga Loft Financial Consultant. She takes care of the annual budget, of paying the bills, paying the teachers, taxes, keeping the financial books, etc. Erica is also a certified yoga teacher whose focus includes Pranayama and Ashtanga Yoga.
Ellie Beeler
Ellie Beeler, Administrative Assistant. She is responsible scheduling classes and workshops, for the monthly newsletter, for the website, and for keeping the day-to-day operations of the studio running smoothly. In addition to her administrative/program duties, Ellie teaches Chair Yoga and 50+ Yoga at the Canton Yoga Loft.
Jane Lammers
Jane Lammers, Yoga in the Schools Coordinator. Jane’s special interests are community outreach, innovative collaborative programs with local artists, local organizations & businesses, and yoga as a lifetime fitness activity for young people. In 2023 the Canton Yoga Loft launched "Yoga in the Schools", a collaboration between the Canton Yoga Loft and local public schools, which is designed to provide group yoga classes as part of the school's physical education program. In the past two years over 1000 public school students in grades 3-12 at the Canton and Potsdam public schools have participated! The group yoga classes were taught by highly qualified, experienced & professional Yoga Loft teachers at no expense to the schools. The program has been funded by local businesses, grants, and individual donations. In the coming 2025-2026 school year "Yoga in the Schools" will continue in the public schools plus expand to bring yoga to pre-schoolers in cooperation with the Canton Headstart program.
Sarah Scafidi-McGuire
Sarah Scafidi-McGuire, Yoga in the Park Coordinator, began offering FREE Yoga in the Park in 2007, and has coordinated this every summer since! Sarah also teaches Friday Flow Yoga at the studio. She likes the way practicing yoga leaves her feeling completely content. When not doing yoga, Sarah works at North Country Public Radio (her show "Trail Mix" airs live on Tuesday afternoons). In her leisure time Sarah enjoys the outdoors, especially running, going to the beach, and rock and ice climbing.