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Bright Mind Enrichment

Wellness Classes at Bright Mind

Some of Our Lead Instructors

Paula Casanova
Executive Director, Bright Mind Wellness; Bright Mind Director of Mindful Education

 

Paula is an Indigenous Peruvian educator with 17+ years of international experience teaching yoga and mindfulness. She has been a certified Tibetan Yoga instructor since 2018 and has taught across Europe, parts of Asia, notably India, and Latin America. 

Roopa Sridhar
Lead Health & Nutrition Instructor




Roopa is a wellness educator and community leader who integrates health, nutrition, mindfulness and cultural education. With professional experience in health services across a range of settings, she brings a holistic approach to supporting growth, youth development, and compassionate community engagement. She is a longtime chef focused on providing food at community, nonprofit, and civic events. and has trained in both traditional and contemporary ways of providing nutritional access. For decades, she has led classes and programs for children and families.

Martin Brooks
Lead Nature & Outdoor Education Instructor




Martin is a community educator who blends outdoor-focused programming with mentoring, notably to support youth and underserved communities. He has extensive experience guiding groups through national parks and trail systems, including hiking large portions of the Appalachian Trail. Along with teaching workshops for Bright Mind since 2019, he has led  outdoor programming for three decades, including working with Habitat for Humanity.

Sridhar Shanmugam
Lead Performing & Martial Arts Instructor




Sridhar is an expert teacher, performer, and choreographer with decades of teaching experience in traditional and contemporary performing arts.  He has performed and collaborated internationally with award-winning artists, including internationally acclaimed composer Philip Glass, and has performed and choreographed at Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall (Lincoln Center, NYC), as well as other world-class venues. He has been a soloist for the most renowned modern and traditional dance companies in India.  In addition, he has served in senior roles at major hospitals and medical centers, working closely with doctors and patients to support compassionate, holistic health care. Drawing from traditional and modern dance, music, and Indian martial arts, he integrates these disciplines into wellness, education, and community programs.