leaders
Corey Kantola
Corey is a an adventurer at heart and drawn to intensity, high energy and non-stop movement. But through his unique challenges in life, he's learned the important of balance: that you must sometimes stop, and focus on you. You can't be there for others if you're not truly in a good place yourself. In life, there must be balance: he can't have the energy without the relaxation and rest. Enter yoga & meditation.
Corey is someone who genuinely loves sharing his knowledge and helping others, often using the lessons he's learned along the way from his own life experiences. That love of teaching has taken him to teaching culinary courses, general interest courses, group fitness, spinning and now meditation.
Fariya has over 22 years of experience in dealing with the art and science of healing the body. She is an experienced Registered Massage Therapist and a Feldenkrais Practitioner ® .
She has a Bachelor of Science degree at McMaster University (1990), a Massage Therapy Diploma at Sutherland-Chan Massage School (1993), and is a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner (2004). She has continuously advanced her knowledge in Bodywork, taking courses and workshops yearly.
Her practice involves being a “Movement Detective” for people. Seeing glitches in a patient’s movement habits, she helps them correct and maintain better postural patterns.
Fariya has a specialization in joint problems, chronic conditions, and respiratory issues.
Feldenkrais Method Practitioner
Geoff Hoover
Geoff Hoover is a faculty member in the Goodman School of Business at Brock University where he teaches courses on finance. Prior to his current role, he worked as a Financial Analyst at Canadian Tire Financial Services as part of the team responsible for financial planning and analysis. Geoff attended Niagara University as a NCAA Division I student-athlete (baseball) on scholarship where he was appointed team captain, named to the All-Conference Team and All-Academic Team, as well as inducted into the Niagara University Athletics Hall of Fame. He is a four-time recipient of the Goodman School of Business Professor of the Year award. The award is presented annually by the Brock Business Students' Association. Geoff is a CPA, CMA and holds an MBA (Finance) as well as a BA.
Lecturer, Finance, Brock University
Jinnie Gordon
Prefer to wear many hats, and utilize my diverse skill set. Working with people is important to me, and I thrive on counselling and reintegration of the disenfranchised.
Work Specialties: Human Resources Management, Marketing and Advertising, Special Events Coordination, Non-profit Fundraising, Career Counselling and Mentoring, Adult Training and Development, teaching (Microsoft Office, Bookkeeping, Simply Accounting, Quickbooks, ACCPAC, Business & Office Skills)
Sports Specialties: Keelboat fleet racing tactics, sail trim, navigation, fitness for high performance sailing athletes, diet and nutrition for performance, mental fitness, sports psychology, competition logistics, athlete marketing and promotion, team building.
Rigger, Education Professional, Coach/Trainer
Julie Van Horne
Julie is an enthusiastic yoga instructor with 8 years of certified teaching experience and loads of sunny energy. Her focus is on the Eight Limbs of Yoga, particularly movement, meditation, pranayama and the mind-body-spirit connection. Julie believes yoga is a moving meditation, stimulating the body and calming the mind, providing balance.
Julie specialises in Hatha flow, but also enjoys teaching restorative yoga.
Yoga instructor
Kim Manley Ort
Kim Manley Ort is a photographer and workshop facilitator from Niagara-on-the-Lake. Her mission is to live life with greater awareness and richness of experience and her camera helps her practice. The photographic exercises in her book, Adventures in Seeing: The Camera Teaches You to Pause, Focus, and Connect with Life, help others to tap into this deeper awareness of themselves and the world around them. You can connect with Kim through her website, Facebook page, or on Instagram.
Photographer, workshop facilitator
Lauren O'Malley
I started LOCOL to have a place to make all of my crazy community dreams come true. A serial entrepreneur, I currently run LOCOL; Gathering Niagara Events; and LOCOideas—design, marketing and communications. I'm also developing CHOICE drinks, and BOCO foods.
LOCOL founder; artist, crafter, communicator
Lewis Stevenson, BBE, CFP
Lewis has been in the financial services industry since 1992 helping clients achieve their financial goals, protecting against financial disaster, and reducing their tax burden. Lewis graduated from Brock University in 1991 and currently is teaching Corporate Finance at Brock. As a family man he has gained the experience of the diverse financial needs and requirements that families face.
Lecturer, Brock Unversity; Associate, Donro Financial
Marion Griese
Marion Griese completed a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Toronto in 1992. After travelling and working in Europe, she studied jewellery art and design for two years at Vancouver Community College. These two art forms have allowed her to explore ideas and concepts from different angles. A found object may inspire a painting, which consequently may inspire a piece of jewellery. Other times the jewellery may spark ideas for a painting. She has a deep appreciation of balance, proportion and colour and looks to both natural and urban forms for inspiration. She is currently working on projects that include both paintings and jewellery pieces. She resides in the Niagara area of Southern Ontario with her family where she teaches art to young children.
Artist and art teacher
Mary Towndrow
Mary's mum started her intense interest in beading when she handed Mary a large cake tin full of beads when she was 8 years old. Opening the tin was love at first sight!
Although many other crafty activities have come into her life, beading remains her primary love. Exploring the amazing possibilities of colour and shape in jewelry design and creation, as well as being driven by the last minute need for an outfit accessory, Mary has continued to create and enjoy making jewelry for over 30 years. Mary has taught beading to all ages - from 6 to 66+ and enjoys sharing ideas and skills with everyone she meets.
Rose Bartel
Bartel Farms is on 3.3 acres of land where Rose and Ken have created a gardeners' paradise. Flower gardens blooming throughout the property, a variety of vegetable and berry plants as well. A green thumb and a passion to grow is what Rose & Ken have at their organic farm. What started as a hobby of Rose’s has grown into a business bringing farm fresh vegetables, berries, herbs, eggs, honey and cut flowers to your table.
100% Home Grown Goodness.
Organic farmer
Whitney Pea
Whitney's sound is playful and original with lyrics that often illustrate the connection between the human heart and nature. She is loved for her soothing voice and genuine approach to songwriting.
Whitney and her husband live on their organic farm in Southern Ontario where the land continues to be a vital source of inspiration for her music. It is no surprise that her latest catalogue of songs including "Yellow Finches" were recorded in a barn-turned recording studio. Producer Joe Lapinski (Woodshed Orchestra, Creature Speak) flawlessly captured Whitney's knack for charming the listener into a love-affair with nature.
Singer-songwriter