Faculty and Board Members
Frank Dettloff – Board President, Teacher
A student of the Himalayan Yoga Tradition since 1974, my practice of yoga is an attempt to structure my life on the core principles of yoga. This provides me with the philosophical and ethical guide posts on which I can build my life. Yoga means union, and it is a holistic system to develop and integrate the physical (hatha), social, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of my life.
I took my first yoga class in 1974 because as an athlete I had incurred many sports injuries over the years and I thought yoga could give me the tools to help improve my health and prevent future injury and pain, which proved true. Once I began studying yoga I realized that hatha yoga is only one of the eight rungs on the ladder of yoga as taught in this the Himalayan Yoga Tradition of Raja Yoga. Yoga is not a religion but it has a systematic approach to teaching meditation, really self study, that has led to my spiritual growth in a profound way. Yoga has helped my health, helped save and improve my marriage of 50 plus years, and has assisted me in becoming a more confident, decisive and generous businessman and teacher.
Wesley Van Linda – Board Vice President and Treasurer, Teacher
Wesley is a lifelong and devoted student of Swami Rama and has also studied with Swami Veda Bharati, Behram Guard (Iyengar yoga,) AG Mohan (vinyasa yoga,) Ganesh Mohan, MD (yoga therapy) and many, many other generous and gifted teachers in the Himalayan tradition. He began his meditation practice in 1970 and was initiated by Swami Rama in May of 1972. In 1973, at the request of Swami Rama he began teaching meditation and yoga and was a charter member of the Himalayan Institute Teacher’s Association. More recently, in 2015, Wesley completed a 700 hour course in Yoga Therapy taught by Ganesh Mohan, MD.
Over the years Wesley has taught classes in many areas of yoga and meditation including hatha yoga, meditation, philosophy and stress management. He is a mentor in the AHYMS Teacher Training program and has a particular interest in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and yoga breathing practices.
In addition to teaching at Himalayan Yoga & Meditation, Wesley teaches credited classes in meditation through the College of Health Science at UWM and co-teaches a class for veterans combining writing and relaxation practices in the UWM English department.
He serves on the board of the Swami Rama Society of the US and works with the Swami Rama Center in India on posthumously publishing the works of Swami Rama through HIHT Press (Lotus Press) and CD Baby.com.
Susan Pack – Board Secretary, Teacher
Susan Pack attended Kanyakumari Ayurveda and Yoga in Milwaukee. She also happens to be a student from the very first graduating class. During her graduation trip to India, she was fortunate enough to get advanced training in Pune followed by a completion ceremony on the shores of Kanyakumari. Susan’s love about all things Indian came when she learned how to cook Indian food many years ago. She now combines her knowledge of Ayurveda with her cooking skills to show students not only the wonders of Ayurveda but also how to make delicious food Ayurvedically to nourish their bodies. Susan, a certified Ayurvedic Chef, is constantly reading, attending lectures and webinars to learn more about this 5,000-year-old healing system. She is also one of the founders of the statewide Ayurveda Association of Wisconsin.
Sue Chartrand – Board Member
Sue feels that she has found a home at HYM. She has been a student of yoga most of her adult life. She loves the teachings of the Himalayan Tradition, wants to share them with as many people as possible, and feels privileged to be part of the community as a student and board member. In her free time Sue enjoys hanging out with her grandchildren, gardening, cooking and making things with yarn and fabric.
Melanie Manuel – Board Member
Melanie is the newest member of volunteers at Himalayan Yoga and Meditation. She has a background in Ayurveda, education, plant-based cooking, and community development. Melanie enjoys meditation, reading, art, the outdoors, kirtan, yoga, and supporting others on the path to growth. She assists with organizing events and communication at HYM.
Brian Butler – Teacher
I was interested in learning mediation and met Nina Johnson by chance. The year was 1987. Nina introduced me to Swami Veda Bharati who at that time was known as Pandit Usharbudh Arya. I met with Swami Veda and was later on initiated into the Himalayan Yoga Tradition by Nina Johnson. I attended classes which were being taught by Nina: Joints and Glands, Hatha Yoga, Meditation and Yoga philosophy. I met more teachers in the Tradition at the ashram located Glenview, Illinois. Later on, I was interested in more extensive training. I participated in the Himalayan Yoga Tradition Teacher Training Program at University of St. Thomas, St. Paul MN and Prana Vidya level 2. The classes took place 2009 and 2012 respectively. It has been quite a journey and continues: “Yoga is the mastery of the activities of the mind-field. Then the seer rests in its true nature.”
Jillian Holy-Skaja – Teacher
Jillian Holy-Skaja became interested in Yoga in 2000 through an internship and restorative Yoga classes at a holistic health center for individuals living with HIV and AIDS in Chicago. After moving to Milwaukee in 2004, Jillian met Nina Johnson at The Yoga Society and had the opportunity to meet Swami Hari and Swami Veda when they visited and lectured at the center. During 6 months of travel to India in 2006, Jillian attended the 10-year Mahasamadhi (10-year anniversary of samadhi) of Swami Rama and spent time studying at the ashram Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama. She traveled around India, studied with the Krishnamacharya Yoga tradition, and spent time at the Kaivalyadhama Yoga Health Care Center. After her time in India, Jillian began teaching Yoga and was initiated by Nina Johnson in 2007. She returned to India in 2010 for Himalayan Yoga Teacher Training.
Jillian’s personal passion is to bring Yoga to various populations. She has taught Yoga in a variety of settings and worked with many individuals who might not normally have access to Yoga because of financial or physical limitations. Due to her interest in integrated and holistic medicine, she also brings Yoga, stress reduction and relaxation methods into traditional medical settings. She has taught classes at CORE/El Centro Natural Healing Center, The Yoga Society, Aurora Sinai Hospital, the Whitefish Bay Recreation Department, Chiropractic Care Center as well as various non-profit and health care organizations in Milwaukee. She holds a Bachelors degree in Psychology and a Masters degree in Public Service with a specialization in Health Care Administration.
Lata Massa – Teacher
Lata began classes at the Yoga Society in 1982 and was initiated by Nina Johnson in 1983. She attended yoga lectures for several years taught by Swami Rama at the Himalayan Institute in Honesdale PA. Her 200 Hr teacher certification was completed in 2012 and she has continued with training in the US and India.
The benefits of yoga sadhana were useful throughout her employment in the public school setting and in the healing arts. Lata has offered classes at the Himalayan Yoga and Meditation Center, UW-Milwaukee, Alverno Telesis, Boerner Botanical Gardens, Unity Church of Light, senior living centers and several local community education centers since 1995. She is also on the roster for the Sunday Community Meditations offered online by the Center.
Maya (JuLee) Vajgrt – Teacher
Maya began practicing Hatha Yoga around 1995. She holds a BA in Philosophy with a minor in Comparative Study of Religion. Her studies focused on Eastern philosophy and religions. Maya received initiation into the Himalayan Tradition from Swami Rama through Nina Johnson in June of 2011. She then began teaching at Himalayan Yoga & Meditation Milwaukee in the fall of 2013. She has completed Level II (400 hours) of the Himalayan Yoga Tradition – Teacher Training Program through The Meditation Center in Minneapolis. Maya was given her Sanskrit name by Pandit Dabral on September 25, 2022.
