Micah Mortali, MA, is a visionary leader and expert in mindfulness, rewilding, and nature connection. He is the Founding Director of the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership, a pioneering training program that certifies mindful outdoor guides to lead experiences that promote deep connection, awe, and healing in the natural world. Micah's passion and dedication to his mission have inspired countless individuals to realize their full potential and experience the transformative power of nature. He is the author of the book Rewilding: Meditations, Practices, and Skills for Awakening in Nature, which found its way onto the International Space Station in 2022 and profoundly impacted US astronaut Colonel Mark T. Vande Hei's record-breaking mission.

Micah holds a Master's degree in Health Arts and Sciences from Goddard College and is deeply committed to the belief that humans are a self-aware expression of the living earth. He recognizes that our future depends on recognizing this truth and rekindling our communication with the systems that sustain life on this planet. Micah lives in the Berkshires with his wife and children, where he embraces the great outdoors and spends time listening to the Earth, sitting by a fire, or enjoying the sounds of a brook.

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Katie Hagel, RYT-500, is an ANFT-certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide, Ayurvedic Health Counselor, and Kripalu Yoga instructor. Katie helps people manage stress, improve their health, and experience more joy by re-establishing a meaningful connection to nature and the healing rhythms and cycles of the living earth. Katie envisions a world where people will awaken to the reality of their interconnectedness with all of life and be inspired to become caretakers of the Earth. Katie is delighted to be on the faculty of the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership. She loves getting creative in the kitchen, watching wild birds, and disappearing into the Adirondacks with her kayak for days at a time.  

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Lisa B. Nelson, MD, is a practicing family physician with Community Health Programs, a federally qualified health center in Great Barrington, MA. She serves as the Director of Medical Education for the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health and is a graduate of both Kripalu's 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training and 200-Hour Foundations of Ayurveda.

Lisa is a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health in the School of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts and Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University Of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. She works with medical schools, community groups, and allied health professionals throughout the US to increase awareness about the treatment and prevention of chronic disease through yoga, exercise, and nutrition. She has presented her work at the US Capitol and Library of Congress, and provided the keynote address for the Advocacy Academy, hosted by the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

Lisa is coauthor, with Annie B. Kay, of the book Yoga and Diabetes: Your Guide to Safe and Effective Practice, published by the American Diabetes Association, Spring 2015.

Shawn Stevens (Red Eagle) is an enrolled member of the Stockbridge Munsee band of Mohicans. He lives among his people who are originally from the Hudson Valley, NY, but now reside in Bowler, WI. A Spiritualist, musician, artist, historian, and sharer of knowledge, Shawn has been fulfilling his path journey for the past few decades by doing a variety of sharing in his people's ancestral lands as well as the Midwest. Shawn describes himself as a “helper” to not only his people but to all. He explains that his spiritual path is to share the many things given to him for spiritual direction and purpose. He does not have nor will accept any titles such as “medicine man” or “shaman.” Shawn is also a traditional Native American storyteller, drummer, dancer, singer, and flute player. He is an ordained minister of the Universal Church of Light and a certified facilitator of White Bison’s Mending Broken Hearts. 

Dale Abrams, the education coordinator for Mass Audubon’s Berkshire Sanctuaries, is a lifelong naturalist whose specialties include birding, wildlife tracking, and forest and wetland ecosystem studies. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Humboldt State University in California and a master’s in environmental studies from Antioch University New England. Dale has worked as a naturalist for state parks in California, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, the Fish and Wildlife Service in Puerto Rico, and many environmental education organizations. His home base for the past 17 years has been in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, where he explores the diverse ecosystems and rich cultural history of the Northeast.

Erin Casperson is Lead Kripalu Faculty and the director of the Kripalu School of Ayurveda. As an Ayurvedic Health Counselor and Ayurveda yoga teacher, Erin loves to share how ancient wisdom of yoga and Ayurveda is practiced in modern day life. An enthusiastic and heartfelt teacher and student, she has continued her studies in Ayurveda both at Kripalu and in India. What Erin has come to most appreciate about the practices of Ayurveda, yoga, and mindfulness is the inquiry into how simplicity of daily practices done over long periods of time generate enormous internal transformation. A student of planet earth and the universe, she spends as much time outdoors as possible walking the path in her backyard, gardening, or navigating the New England woods—even summiting all 48 4,000 foot mountains in New Hampshire. Erin invites others to develop awe and wonder of our natural habitat. When not geeking out on Ayurveda or hiking with her dog and partner, you will find her in the kitchen, reading a book, or finding a spot in the sun to keep warm.

Tammah Watts is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified Kripalu Mindful Outdoor Guide, birder, and an advocate for the equitable accessibility of nature, health, and mental health for all. She has served communities for over 35 years in managerial, clinical, and consulting roles for private, non-profit, colleges, and public sectors.

Tammah is the Best-selling Author of KEEP LOOKING UP: Your Guide to the Powerful Healing of Birdwatching. She lives in San Diego, California with her husband, Harrison, and their little dog Sophie Cat, and enjoys visiting (and birding) with their children and grandchildren.

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