Jen Baker

Jen comes from the world of competitive athletics where, after having several knee surgeries, she sought an alternative workout that would keep her joints healthy. Though she initially stepped onto the mat in hopes of finding an effective means of injury prevention and cross training that would allow her to still contribute on an athletic field, she remains on her mat today for everything else that yoga has brought into her life. Jen initially began practicing in 2006 and shortly thereafter was driven to deepen her practice through teacher training with Ann Richardson in Virginia Beach. She has since completed both 200 & 500hr certifications in Hatha Yoga as well as many other intensives in different lineages including Ashtanga, Jivamukti and Anusara. Her teaching style is characterized by challenging and creative vinyasa sequences set to contemporary music; she gets joy from watching a student find ease in an inversion or arm balance that previously seemed unattainable. A lacrosse coach, Jen is especially inspired to work with athletes and help them to realize the positive impact – both physically and mentally – that yoga can have on their performance in their respective sports. Originally native to Baltimore, Maryland, Jen earned her B.S. in Aerospace Engineering with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy and served seven years on active duty with the Navy. She served half of this time as a pilot assigned to FA-18 Hornets, and the remainder in an engineering role. After the Navy she took up lacrosse coaching and took on teaching high school math at the school where she head coached the girls lacrosse team. She is currently a graduate student at Cornell University, in the 2nd year of an MBA Program where she is a Park Leadership Fellow, co-captain of the Johnson School women's ice hockey team and a member of the Cornell University Womens Lacrosse Coaching Staff. Upon graduation in May 2012 she will remain on campus an additional year to complete her Masters in Engineering while also taking on employment part-time with The Program, LLC - an athletic leadership development company that works with collegiate and professional teams. Throughout, Jen remains committed to her practice, always looking for new ways to carry her yoga off the mat with her and mindful to take moments to appreciate each step in her journey.