The American Yoga Academy is a world-renowned leader in Yoga and Health and Wellness Education. We’ve been training and certifying instructors since 1993. We’ve been registered with Yoga Alliance for over 2 decades. (Fun Fact: We were training and certifying excellent instructors before Yoga Alliance existed!)
At The American Yoga Academy. We’ve taught thousands of successful yoga teachers and practitioners all over the globe, and we’d be honored to have you join our worldwide family of students and graduates.
We teach accessible, uncomplicated health and wellness wisdom rooted in the ancient practices of yoga, meditation, and breathwork. Our goal is to help you share this knowledge confidently and authentically, no matter who you are.
Founder & Lead Educator
Claire traveled the globe teaching yoga for decades and has trained and certified thousands of teachers all over the world. Besides being an amazing and inspiring instructor, she is also a professor of Asian Studies at Seton Hall University, a published author, director, and producer, and winner of the National Association of Professional Women’s Executive and Professional Woman of the Year.
As an expert instructor, Claire has taught fitness and wellness programs to the US Navy Seals, the New York City Firefighters, and her past and present corporate clients include JP Morgan, Exxon, CNBC, Dun & Bradstreet, MSNBC, Honeywell, AT&T, and many more. She’s worked with numerous celebrities and has a large private clientele.
Claire’s proudest achievement is being the founder and lead educator of The American Yoga Academy.
As an expert instructor, Claire has taught fitness and wellness programs to the US Navy Seals, the New York City Firefighters, and her past and present corporate clients include JP Morgan, Exxon, CNBC, Dun & Bradstreet, MSNBC, Honeywell, AT&T, and many more. She’s worked with numerous celebrities and has a large private clientele.
School Director & Mentor
Martha’s yoga journey spans more than three decades, weaving together ancient wisdom and modern understanding. From Manhattan’s urban landscape to India’s sacred spaces, she studied under renowned teachers and deepened her practice.
A multilingual educator, Martha’s diverse background enriches her teaching approach. Her academic journey spans from Columbia University to advanced degrees in creative writing and business. Because she’s taught at prestigious universities like Rutgers and NJIT and led teams at Fortune 500 companies, she brings invaluable real-world perspective and academic expertise to The Academy.
Her dedication to yoga education is reflected in her publications, and her extensive certifications, including e500-RYT and YACAP with Yoga Alliance and e500-Hour certification from the World Yoga Federation of India. As an advisor to the Federation, she continues to bridge Eastern and Western approaches to yoga, making ancient practices accessible to contemporary students.
Martha is uniquely positioned to support and mentor our global student population, and our students adore her! She shares the transformative power of yoga with warmth, wisdom, and scholarly insight, helping others discover their own path to wellbeing.
Greatness doesn’t happen alone. The American Yoga Academy has a wonderful team that gets things done. Special thanks to each of them.
Martha
Grant
Mary Ann
Eric
Valerie
Bill
