Erica N. Sanders
Founder & Director

Erica N. Sanders attended Miami-Dade County's public fine arts and International Baccalaureate schools. She graduated from the University of Miami, where she majored in Art History and Photojournalism. Here she was also trained on how to teach dance to school aged children.

Erica began her professional career at the Conference Board, a non-profit research organization in New York, where she was an event coordinator for Diversity and Work-Life networking groups of Fortune 500 Executives for companies such as BellSouth, IBM, Lockheed Martin and AARP amongst others. Additional assignments as a Project Manager and administrative professional to the Chairman of Estee Lauder and their various brands: Stila and MAC Cosmetics followed.

After working in the non-profit and corporate realm, Erica was a tutor and nanny to a family of four children who attended the prestigious Brearley School for Girls.  She also worked as an organizational consultant with companies in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Miami.  Erica returned to Miami, expanded her knowledge of the fitness industry and dedicated herself to regular yoga practice while working at the Sports Club LA in the Four Seasons Miami.  

Her volunteer experience includes teaching and chaperoning at Groove with Me, a non-profit dance school in East Harlem, assisting at New York Cares, teaching at the former PACE Center for Girls in North Miami and at St.Alban’s Enrichment Center in Coconut Grove.  She has taught dance at various locations in Miami Shores for the past three years and began teaching children's yoga classes in 2006. She was feature instructor at Fishe rIsland Day School’s Peace Day and a guest lecturer at Miami Shores Elementary School’s family health and wellness presentation.  Her client roster also includes the Miami Beach JCC, Miami Shores Montessori School, Miami Shores Community Center and the City of North Miami. 

Erica is a certified Holistic Lifestyle Counselor, Zumba instructor and was certified at Karma Kids Yoga in New York on how to teach yoga to children. In 2008, Erica will complete certification to teach yoga to special needs children.  She is an avid photographer, artist and classically trained ballet dancer who has studied for over 20 years. Her memberships include University of Miami's Black Alumni Society, the Miami Women's Club, The Miami Shores Chamber of Commerce and The Children's Peace Pavilion. She is Red Cross CPR and first-aid certified.

Jennifer M. Rivero
Designer, Creative Coordinator & Instructor

Jennifer M. Rivero graduated with honors from Newfield High School in New York, and attended Suffolk County Community College where she earned a degree in Graphic Design and Photography.

Jen was hired as a Production Artist at MV Sport/Weatherproof the leading maker of custom decorated apparel for college bookstores, resorts, golf shops, military exchanges, and the advertising specialty industry. In 2004, she relocated from New York to Miami where many of her Cuban born family have resided for decades. The National Marine Manufacturers Association, a non-profit trade association representing the U.S. recreational boating industry hired Jen as Project Manager.  At NMMA she was instrumental in coordinating more than 2,300 of the world's leading marine industry manufacturers that attended the 2005 Miami International Boat Show and created dynamic promotional flyers, newsletters, and advertisements for all of the South Regional Boat Shows. 

Jen’s expertise in several programs such as Illustrator, Photoshop, Flash and Microsoft Suite assisted her to become a successful and confident designer, while exposure to the culturally charged and diverse environment of New York City made her an eclectic and innovative designer.   Envisioning and designing the P.E.A.C.E logo, marketing material and website is one of many creations she is proud of.

Her artistic training and passions include photography, computer arts, printmaking, and art history.  Merging these passions together has allowed her to create dynamic, culturally diverse, cultivating, and most of all fun Art Curriculum for P.E.A.C.E classes.

Jen’s volunteer experience includes more than a decade long commitment to the Special Olympics, recruiting participants for the New York Aids Walk; as well as walking herself, donating time to the former PACECenter for Girls in North Miami, volunteers with the Boys Scouts of America and donating design services to The Girl Scouts of America.  Currently she is enrolled in Hands on Miami and participates in many charitable projects.

She is certified by Karma Kids Yoga to teach yoga to children.  Jen is Red Cross CPR and first-aid certified. 

Amy L. Burleson
Instructor

Amy Leigh Burleson graduated from the University of Pittsburgh where she studied Social Sciences and Education.  Amy has worked with children since the age of 16 starting with pre-school and then after school programs in trendy spots of the Pittsburgh area where she was the director of annual talent shows.  Upon the completion of her degree she moved to South Florida in hopes to create her own after school programs.  However, another opportunity was presented to start a career as a wine and spirits consultant, which she did for almost 7 years.  Within that time she discovered yoga while living in the Miami Beach area and although she was involved with the Big Sisters Big Brothers program it was not enough.  Through her practice of yoga she began to realize her true purpose was to be with children full time.  Amy left her fancy job and Miami in the fall of 2006 to teach English to Korean children in Korea.  Upon her return to Miami in 2007 she enrolled in the Yoga Alliance certified Chakra Flow teacher training.  When school began in 2007 Amy started working full time teaching yoga to “At Risk” youth in Opa Locka.  Amy was also granted partial scholarship for her work in  Opa Locak to the Off the Matt Into the World training with Sean Corn, Hala Khouri M.A., and Suzanne Sterling where her work was recognized by the group and money was raised from the training for her to continue her work with the kids in Opa Locka for the school year and  into the summer.  She has also taught Bambini Yoginies at the Miami Shores Community Center and at the Miami Beach JCC.