Meet our Brand Ambassadors

At ilaStrate we have a unique relationship with our Brand Ambassadors. It’s about community and helping each other thrive. Each one of our ambassadors and affiliates has come to us because they believe in our product and are passionate about yoga.

Melissa Boyd-Sloan - Brand Ambassador + Stockist

Owner: Satya Yoga and Pilates Wellness Studio + Yoga University East Coast

59 Nesconset Hwy, Port Jeff NY

Melissa has been our top Brand Ambassador for the past few years and has facilitated our entrance into the local industry here on Long Island. Melissa is a loyal to our brand and LOVES our yoga mats! We are grateful for her working with us as we grow!

BIO:

Melissa Boyd is the owner of Satya Yoga & Pilates studio in Port Jefferson Station, New York and has been a yoga teacher for the last 21years, a dance teacher for the last 24 years, and a Pilates instructor for the last 17 years. She is a 500 hour E-RYT and specializes in pre-natal yoga, fertility yoga, and chair yoga.

Melissa has a rich history of studying and working with masters including Judith Lasater, Shifu Shi Yan Ming, Beth Lepkowski Maloney, PT, DPT, Nelly Lugo, PT, BS, OCS. CHFS, CPT Polestar Pilates Ed, and many others. She was formerly the Director of The Yoga Institute East Coast with Lex Gillan, and recently has started her own 200 hour yoga teacher training and certification program.

It is Melissa's path in life to facilitate health and healing, which led her to devote so many years to becoming the amazing resource she is today. It is now her goal to share her learning with as many people as possible in order to help the world.

Melissa practiced the principles and postures of yoga at a very young age, but received her first certification from The Yoga Institute 20 years ago. She was given the opportunity to train with Judith Lasater Ph.D. and Dr. Roger Cole 16 years ago, and became a Relax and Renew trainer (Restorative Yoga) under their tutelage. She believed so strongly in the Yoga Institute and she has completed her 500 E-RYT in order to become a branch of the Yoga Institute called The Yoga Institute - East Coast. I served as the Director of that training for five years. I started my own teacher training in school over ten years ago and it call Yoga University-East Coast. We have certifications for the 200 hour, 300 hour, and 500 hour course.

Being certified in restorative yoga gives Melissa a unique opportunity to help people recover from injuries as well as work with people from all fitness levels. Teaching restorative yoga has also enabled her to work with pre-natal and post-pregnancy students. In addition to Vinyasa and restorative yoga, Melissa also teaches fertility yoga, kids’ yoga, gentle yoga, chair yoga, and stroga (partner-based yoga incorporating strength training and yoga).

In Yoga for Fertility, Melissa has found great success working with women who are combating infertility by combining Yoga philosophy to combat stress and incorporating poses that balance female hormones. She has used her expertise at East Coast Body and Mind, which is located at East Coast Fertility. Currently, she gives private lessons and is the referring Yoga Instructor for Long Island IVF.

To enhance her ability to help people with their injuries as well as their fitness goals, Melissa became certified in Polestar Pilates Allegro PF- A4, 6 years ago. The principles of Pilates and core stability add to her knowledge of rehabilitation of the body. She has also completed the Polestar Studio certification in all of the equipment.

Melissa has been a student of dance for 26 years and a teacher of dance for 13 years. During this time, she has studied many different types of dance including ballet, jazz, lyrical, ballroom, and belly dancing. She has offered classes and workshops at many different establishments throughout the course of her teaching career. Currently Melissa has weekly classes in belly dancing and workshops in all dance, as well as private lessons.

Currently, Melissa is enjoying every moment of being the director and owner of Satya Yoga & Pilates Wellness Studio. The studio also includes nutrition seminars, massage therapy on-site, and various other workshops.

Find Melissa on Instagram