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ABOUT OUR TEAM

Kelley Black - Founder, CEO

Kelley Black is the Founder of Balancing the Executive Life™ and is one of the top stress management consultants in the country. She is frequently called upon to lend her expertise to major print and broadcast media including, most recently, ABC News Now and The Huffington Post. Kelley’s work will be featured this fall in Conde Naste’s Portfolio Magazine and Pink Magazine, among others. An accomplished keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, Kelley’s next speaking engagement is at the Working Mother Media Work/Life Balance Congress New York City in October, 2008.

A former burnt out advertising executive who healed herself and became a NAAM Yogi/Universal Kabbalist, Kelley realized that her business experience combined with her extensive knowledge of how to sustain high levels of mental, emotional, spiritual and physical energy gave her many tools to give back to the business community. Kelley’s passion is taking NAAM yoga "off the mat," enabling people to use it to create exquisite, stress-free lives while simultaneously attaining their highest personal and professional goals. Kelley is continually inspired by the ability of the teachings to rapidly transform the performance of individuals and organizations regardless of the challenges they face.

Kelley’s clients include executives from an impressive roster of diverse industries, including: Calvin Klein, Credit Suisse, Conde Nast, Warner Entertainment, Prudential Douglas Elliman, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, Pfizer, Visiting Nurses Service of New York, Pepsico and more. She is also a communications consultant, training Key Opinion Leaders from a variety of medical specialties in the art of effective communication.

Kelley lives in New York City with her husband Andrew, is an avid reader of The New Yorker, loves travel and good wine/champagne (in moderation of course), her goddaughters Ameena and Bianca and her two crazy cats (Vindaloo and Lola). She wishes to thank Gurunam and all the angels in her life (you know who you are) without which none of this would be possible.

Taunya Black - Executive Vice President

Taunya teaches Kundalini and NAAM Yoga, as well as the esoteric principles and practical application of Universal Kabbalah. Taunya is also a practitioner of the Harmonyum Healing System. Taunya is dedicated to helping others release themselves from the unhealthy emotions, thoughts and habits that only serve to hold us captive. Her own experience, as well as that of her clients, has proven time and time again that the practical, consistent application of the Divine Spiritual Wisdom - Naam/Kundalini Yoga, Universal Kabbalah, Harmonyum - is the key to unlocking the gates of self-knowledge, self-healing and, ultimately, self-mastery and actualization.

Taunya brings a unique perspective to BEL. Her bi-racial background has taught her that the essence of the human experience transcends the boundaries of race, religion, class, gender, and culture. She is able to communicate in a way that breaks down man-made constructs. A mother who spent many years working as an educator and administrator in private school settings, Taunya brings a keen sense of the professional and personal stresses we face on a daily basis in the urban landscape. In addition to her work with BEL, Taunya works directly with her spiritual mentor, Gurunam, writing extensively about philosophical, spiritual and esoteric matters, and how we can apply ancient wisdom in the service of healing modern problems.

Taunya believes that life is a process of continual self-revelation and that, given the proper tools, we can all achieve lasting health, happiness and prosperity. She has been blessed to study and work closely with Joseph Michael Levry (Gurunam) and Rootlight, Inc. She wishes to express her gratitude to Gurunam, who has been a constant source of love, light, wisdom and support.

Sonia Sequeira, PhD

Sonia is a neuroscientist specialized in brain cancer research, a science writer and author. At Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, in NYC, she is currently on a team that translates scientific discoveries into clinical trials in humans. She is also a certified Instructor in Hatha, Kundalini and Naam Yoga, teaching since 1997, and a practitioner of Harmonyum Healing. Having served briefly as Executive Director of Universal Force, Inc., home of Naam Yoga, founded by Master Joseph Michael Levry, she has embarked on yet a new journey at the interface of science and spirituality: she is studying the physiological effects of these ancient practices on a multi-disciplinary project aimed to integrate spiritual and physical therapy with conventional medicine.

DJ Gray

DJ has taught Pilates and Gyrotonic in New York for 7 years. She was certified at Long Beach Dance Conditioning in Pilates and Gyrotonic, and with Gyrotonic Manhattan received her certification in Gyrokinesis. Her strengths as a teacher include working with injuries, pregnant/post-pregnant clients as well as working with healthy clients-increasing body awareness, strength, and muscle tone. She has found the work to be an ever-inspiring movement system that promotes healing on a deep level.

DJ received her Bachelor's degree in Visual Arts/Media from the University of California, San Diego, and has an MFA in Acting from the University of Irvine. Along with her Pilates and Gyrotonic teaching skills, DJ is a performer, director, and choreographer. On Broadway, she has performed in the Tony Award-winning production of The Producers, and has assisted the choreography to The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Xanadu.