Jenny Kierstead is an educator, wellbeing expert and visionary in the yoga and mindfulness movement. She is the co-founder of Breathing Space Yoga Studios, Yoga in Schools, Mindfulness in Schools, Girl on Fire Empowerment and Women of Light Program. Having worked intimately with the Department of Ed in Nova Scotia, she’s written and developed ten Yoga in School programs. Jenny and her husband, Blair Abbass, have trained thousands of teachers in yoga, mindfulness and trauma-informed practices. In her 20 year entrepreneurial life, she’s received numerous national business awards, including the RBC Women of Influence award. Her greatest achievement, however, is raising two incredibly wonderful daughters, Sophia and Bella.

Sophia is a bilingual high school student, a singer/songwriter, intensively trained dancer, actress, mental health advocate and public speaker on trauma and teens, having presented in schools and conferences throughout Atlantic Canada. She's danced on national televised platforms, performed in her mom’s TEDx talk with her sister Bella, and achieved the top 100 in the CBC Searchlight Competition.

She brings a rare maturity and wisdom to every conversation and possesses a strong commitment to remaining a lifelong student of the journey.