Yoga With Jake Podcast

Laura is a licensed physical therapist who graduated with an exercise science degree from St. Olaf College. She then attended Creighton University’s physical therapy program and graduated with her Doctor of Physical Therapy.

Her experience is in general outpatient orthopedics, but she also has a special interest in post operative joint replacements and has been certified to treat dizziness, vertigo and balance dysfunctions since 2019. She received her advanced vestibular rehabilitation certification in 2025 so that she could continue to grow clinically and improve patient outcomes.

Laura transitioned from the clinic to home visits in the last couple of years and loves the way that she can be fully one on one with patients to fully customize patients’ physical therapy plan and goals to positively impact their lifestyle.

She has been very fortunate to be part of a healthy, active family and loves educating and assisting people of all ages how to avoid chronic pain, immobility and balance disorders that typically stigmatize aging. She has always found the vestibular (balance) system fascinating and loves to educate in this area since it can be so beneficial for patients’ well-being.

Laura lives in Dallas, Texas with her family. She enjoys running, yoga and trying new restaurants.

Laura's website: www.dr-laura-pt.com

On Point Movement and Performance: www.onpointmvp.com

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Keith Humphreys is the Esther Ting Memorial Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. His research addresses addictive disorders and the translation of science into public policy.  In addition to over 400 scientific publications, he has written extensively for outlets like The Washington Post and The Atlantic.

Dr. Humphreys’ public policy work includes testimonies to U.S. House and Senate Committees, to the Canadian and U.K. parliaments, and in many state legislatures. He served on the White House Commission on Drug-Free Communities during the Bush Administration and as Senior Policy Advisor in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy under President Obama. He created and co-directs the Stanford Network on Addiction Policy, which brings scientists and policy makers together to improve public policies regarding addictive substances. To recognize his service to addiction-related scholarship and policy, Queen Elizabeth II made him an Honorary Officer in the Order of the British Empire in 2022.

Dr. Keith Humphreys' Website

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Elise Riley is one of Australia's leading holistic performance experts, renowned for coaching elite athletes including England footballer Ben Chilwell, Dylan Grimes, and Adam Hollioake, as well as hosting the Generation Elevation Podcast.

Elise empowers high performers from professional athletes to corporate teams at Google, ASOS, and Soho House to excel in their careers by harnessing the power of breathwork, meditation, and mindfulness to reduce stress, boost energy, and unlock their full potential.

Based in London, Elise specialises in helping creatives, performers, and leaders break through mental blocks and step into their power through transformative wellness practices.

Elise's Instagram

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Mark D'Esposito is a  Distinguished Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute.  Drawing on his training in Neurology, Neuroscience and Psychology, his research focuses on investigating the neural bases of high-level cognitive processes such as working memory and cognitive control, achieved through several different experimental approaches and methodologies. First, functional MRI (fMRI), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electrocorticography (ECoG) are used to identify the neural substrates and temporal dynamics of various cognitive processes, especially those supported by the prefrontal cortex, in normal human subjects. Second, the role of the dopaminergic system in working memory and cognitive control is investigated with pharmacological studies during which direct dopaminergic agonists are administered to normal human subjects, as well as patients with Parkinson’s disease. Third, behavioral studies in patient populations with frontal lobe dysfunction (e.g. stroke, brain injury) are performed to further understand the mechanisms that underlie working memory and cognitive control. Fourth, based on the knowledge gained from our research on frontal lobe function, we are developing and implementing cognitive therapeutic approaches to patients with traumatic brain injury and healthy elderly with executive function deficits. Finally, our methodological research is aimed at developing improved techniques for the acquisition and the analysis of fMRI and TMS data.

Center for Brain Health Website

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I am thrilled to start the new year by sharing a conversation with a longtime friend and student, Keith Tomaselli. Keith, while he might deny it, is an impressive, experienced, avid runner, and is one of the founders of the Northern Liberties Run Club in Philly. When he isn’t running with the club, Keith says he prefers to run solo miles over races—yet here are just some of his running highlights:

- He’s completed 19 Broad Street Runs 

- 7 half marathons

- 9 full marathons (PR 3:21 at Marine Corps)

- 9 ultras, including a 50-miler at Dirty German (2017).

He came to my Broga class in Philly after a chance meeting me at, of all places, a South Philly brewery called Brewery ARS, and after a few pints, we sparked up a conversation about my male-specific class, and Keith decided to give it a shot. 

Keith is a great example of a regular guy who came to yoga extremely tight, injured, in serious pain and with zero experience practicing yoga. Now, it has been seven years since Keith has been practicing Broga and Iyengar yoga with Gabriel Sigal, and the progress he has made is nothing short of inspiring. 

He joins me to discuss:

What his process was like becoming a yogi or I like to say, a bro-gi. 

Why he decided to come to an all-male yoga class. 

What the benefits are of practicing men’s-specific yoga.

How the low-key vibe of Broga where “regular” dudes take their practice seriously, but don’t take themselves seriously, is a great fit for him, and how yoga informs his running and vice-versa.

And how communities, regular practices and social gatherings – like Broga and his NLRC are the key for his physical, social and mental health. 

Link to Northern Liberties Run Club Website.

Link to NLRC Instagram.

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Rachel Bambrick is the founder and executive director of Women In Ultrarunning, a nonprofit dedicated to helping more women access the sport of ultrarunning. She lives in the Philadelpha area, and is also an ultrarunning coach and pediatric occupational therapist. She is an avid ultrarunner herself, with her favorite distance being 200+ milers. When not ultrarunning herself, she loves spending time with her husband and cat, going to drag shows, hiking, and camping.

Rachel's Instagram

Women In Ultrarunning Instagram

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Mel Mah was born and raised in Toronto, and she moved to Los Angeles in 2011 to pursue a professional dance career. During her time as a performer, she had the privilege of working with top artists such as Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, and Kanye West. In 2017, Mel has now transitioned into filmmaking and she’s pursuing her passion as a writer, director and producer. She’s created 6 short films which has screened at festivals such as Cannes, the LA Asian Pacific Film Festival and the Cleveland International Film Festival, and she was an
associate producer on Sony’s BIG GEORGE FOREMAN (2023).

Mel is also a passionate yoga and meditation teacher, and she’s been teaching since 2012. She has her 200 hour certification in Vinyasa Yoga from CorePower Yoga, her 200 hour certification in Hot Power Fusion from CorePower Yoga, and an additional 500 hour certification in Tantric Hatha Yoga from The Practice Bali. Mel currently teaches for the mindfulness app Calm where she produces, writes, and hosts a show called the Daily Move. Her mindfulness videos have garnered over 1 million views and she was also featured on THE TODAY SHOW for her work on
Calm (watch video here). In addition, she’s the founder and director of an empowerment company called ANVITA (https://anvitacommunity.com). Anvita’s mission is to help others cultivate their authentic voices and uncover their purpose through mindfulness. With Anvita, she facilitates online coaching programs, retreats, mentorships, and community events for individuals all around the world.

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Dr. Dominick Shattuck is a public health researcher whose work focuses on
reproductive health, technology integration, vaccine uptake, HIV, and engaging men in care. His research examines how men’s health-seeking behaviors, masculinity, and gender norms shape outcomes. He has led pioneering studies, including evaluating a mobile contraceptive app (the Dot Study), conducting the first randomized trial of male engagement in reproductive health, developing the first reproductive health mobile games (Nari Paila), and leading Rwanda’s national vasectomy scale-up.

At Johns Hopkins University, he is a faculty member in the Bloomberg School of Public Health and the OB-GYN Department in the School of Medicine. He’s also the CEO of Relational Ground, LLC, on the Advisory Boards of Next Life Science, the Men’s Health Network, a member of Global Action on Men’s Health, and he’s the Men’s Health Fellow at the American Institute for Boys and Men.

AIBM

AIBM HEAL Jobs

Boys & Men Online

Outsmart Ovarian Cancer

Dominick's Personal website

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Jett Stone, Ph.D., is a writer and clinical psychologist on a mission to improve men’s mental well-being and bring their inner life into full color. Stone went to undergrad at the University of Michigan and earned two master’s degrees in journalism and psychology from Columbia University. He completed his Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Adelphi University and continued training at the Manhattan Veterans Affairs Hospital. Stone eventually founded a clinical practice in Connecticut, focusing on individual and couples psychotherapy. After years of psychotherapy with a diverse range of men, he authored Quiet Your Mind: A Men’s Guide, a comprehensive book of his creative, evidence-based strategies for overcoming worry and rumination.

Outside of his practice, Stone is an organizational consultant for Work Haven, helping leaders thrive in high-stress careers. In addition to Psychology Today, his writings and contributions have appeared in the New York Times, American Institute for Boys and Men, the Guardian, and Fortune.

Dr. Jett Stone's Instagram

“The Existential Load: What Dads Carry That No One Sees.” Published in Psychology Today.

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One of the most accomplished U.S. track athletes of all time, Shannon's career longevity is unmatched. Shannon is a 3x Olympian, Olympic Bronze Medalist, 2x World Bronze Medalist, World Record holder (DMR), and American Record holder at three distances (1500m, 2 miles, 5000m). Ranked in the world's top 10 for over a decade, Shannon made history at the London 2012 Games as the first American woman ever to medal in the Olympic 1500m. 

Shannon is also an Emmy Award winner, recognized for her work in sports broadcasting and storytelling. She has served as a broadcaster and in-stadium announcer for CBS, World Athletics, USA Track & Field, and the NCAA, and in 2024 she made her NBC Sports debut as a Track & Field analyst for the Paris Olympics. 

Beyond sport, Shannon is the co-founder of Imagining More, a nonprofit that promotes arts and athletics for youth. She was selected by the U.S. Department of State as a Sports Envoy to Morocco on the topic of Women's Empowerment Through Sport. 

A Duke University alum, Shannon graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in English, Theater & Film Studies, and later earned her Master's cum laude in the Humanities. She also holds executive certificates from Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business (Next Step), Harvard Business School (Crossover to Business), and IMD (Innovation in Action). 

Shannon lives with her husband, Pablo, and their two children in her hometown of San Francisco, CA. 

Shannon's Instagram

Shannon's LinkTree 

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