team member spotlight: olivia
Welcome to our our Team Member Spotlights! Our team has been changing and growing this past year, which is why we wanted to re-introduce our team members to you, and give you a closer look at who's behind the wheel here at YFFR. We hope you enjoy this monthly blog series.
Olivia Mead
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Curriculum and Protocol Director
As CEO, I get to wear the bossy pants and put a name plaque on my desk. Actually, CEO of YFFR means I oversee the direction of our external mission and internal culture as a whole. I make high level decisions to ensure our team is meeting goals and staying in alignment with our core values and vision. I am the link between the Board of Directors and Executive Leadership Team. I often represent YFFR during major events, media, editorials and special projects.
As Curriculum and Protocol Director I cook up the meat and potatoes of YFFR’s field-tested methodology. Using my background in yoga, mindfulness, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, I work with advisors in areas such as yoga philosophy and Vedic Science, all branches of public safety and military, and behavioral health to ensure our method for offering yoga is practical, consistent, effective and safe while being job-specific and culturally-informed.
Those you can find "kickin' it" by my side are my fiancé, Eric, my dog, Abby, and my cat, Woody. Eric is a retired firefighter who now also works primarily from home, like I do. We both travel extensively for our jobs and try to travel together as much as possible. We have a good rhythm between "work mode" and "home/relax mode". Eric and I became engaged in November 2019 and hope to get married near the end of 2020, if the pandemic allows. Abby is a 12 year old pitbull mix who lives for snuggles. In fact, you'll often find me working with my computer on the couch, because she needs to be snuggled up right next to my legs. She doesn't like when I sit at my desk, it's too far away. She also loves to participate in my home yoga practice. As I move through different yoga drills she'll lovingly bring me her bone by throwing it at my face. Woody is a black cat who doesn't care about what I do, as long as his food bowl is full.
I grew up in Silicon Valley but wish I knew more about computers. I was a dedicated ballet student and even went to a high school for the arts. (Fame!) I had a 10 year career as a professional dancer and actress.
My first yoga class was when I was 6 years old, I went with my grandmother. My dad also introduced me to yoga, Zen, Tao and breath work for improving one’s golf game. I enjoyed playing golf with my dad when I was younger and hope to pick up a club again soon.
I went to Yoga Teacher Training when I was 21 years old after practicing yoga through different avenues for many years. Later, I would study yoga in India. I miss India even though I lived without hot water for showers yet somehow, the Masala Chai was always hot.