A Journey to Mandala
The journey to the Mandala Yoga Festival began with just two people and a simple idea. United at the perfect moment, they envisioned creating a space where community and yoga could thrive. In 2024, this vision blossomed into the first-ever Mandala Yoga Festival, an event that has been warmly embraced by our community.
As the initial spark ignited excitement, our team grew, bringing together passionate individuals who shared a commitment to promoting connection and mindfulness. This expanding team has been instrumental in shaping and enhancing the festival, allowing it to flourish beyond our expectations.
It is quickly transforming into a vibrant celebration of diverse yoga practices and community spirit. As we continue to grow, we invite everyone to join us on this incredible journey, cultivating love, growth, and unity within our yoga community.
“The movements of my yoga practice
Meet the MYF Team
Danita Nelms | Co-Founder | Event Manager | 500-Hour ERYT
The first glimmer arrived during the pandemic. when Danita felt scared and worried. Didn’t we all?! Some yoga studios closed and teachers were not teaching. Yoga practices radically shifted at home. Her heart felt so achy and heavy.
She does not recall the exact day the idea arrived. There were a lot of quiet days that all felt the same. Danita had been practicing Sun A Salutations (no worries if you do not know what they are) and birthday leg lifts (again, no worries) daily in her sunroom that first summer when everyone was in lock down. The sun would peak around the rooftop and plant a few sparkles on her yoga mat. Those sparkly moments inspired celebration and she did not want the feeling of the celebration to end. There she was, a festival, tiny and perfect on Danita's mat, full of expansive energy.
Danita spoke to groups in the community, letting them in on what was coming through for her. Some folks around the area told her they remember hearing her talk of a festival those years ago. The seed of the festival sat. She was ready for a willing crew.
They showed up in their yoga clothing with all the props. It is time. There are huge smiles on their faces, happily tipped to the sun. The festival is being nurtured to life in Wisconsin. A very long time ago, yoga was one teacher and one student practicing together. Now we are practicing together in connection and community.
This is your Yoga Festival! This is your celebration of practices that enrich your mind, body, and spirit. Maybe this is your sparkly moment. Please join us! We cannot wait to practice with you. More Love
Namaste and Welcome!
Jenni Davel | Co-Founder | Event Manager | Sponsorship Manager | 200-Hour RYT
Jenni Davel is a co-founder and event manager of the Mandala Yoga Festival, where she weaves together her love for yoga and community with a deep spiritual intention. She was confident and convinced she would build a festival, without fully knowing how or when it would all come together—or what that even meant. Yet, she felt an undeniable pull to bring it all into existence. When Danita asked if Jenni wanted to create a festival with her, her immediate response was a resounding YES!
As a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT), Jenni sees yoga as a sacred practice that connects us to ourselves and to each other. She aims to create a nurturing space where individuals can explore their unique journeys and celebrate the joy of being present.
As sponsorship manager, she cultivates partnerships that resonate with the festival's mission to inspire yoga within ourselves, inviting others to join in the collective experience of love and connection. Jenni is dedicated to nurturing an environment where everyone feels welcomed and inspired to expand their practice and deepen their connection to the heart of yoga.
Victoria Guns | Vendor Experiences Coordinator
Jackie Paplham | Healing and Mindfulness Experiences Coordinator
Jackie Paplham is the Healing and Mindfulness Experiences Coordinator. Jackie has a passion for holistic healing methods. The Healing Haven is created to give healers a space to unleash their gifts into the community and a safe place for the community to explore and receive diverse modalities of healing.
Kathy Davis | Yoga Experiences Coordinator
Kathy Davis is a transplant to the Fox Valley from the Milwaukee area and is the owner of Yoga Elements in Menasha. One of the most important parts of a yoga practice to Kathy is connection – connection that we develop with ourselves, between the teacher and student, among practitioners, and with our community and the outside world. The Mandala Yoga Festival is a celebration of this connection. As the Coordinator of Yoga Experiences, Kathy works to gather a wide variety of yoga teachers and holistic practitioners to provide opportunities for sharing yoga practices of all types to inspire connection!
Chris Marcks | Youth, Athlete and Accessible Yoga (YAAY) Experiences Coordinator
Chris brings her passion for serving youth, athletes and people of all abilities to MYF as the Youth, Athlete and Accessible Yoga Coordinator. In the season of being a mom of grade school kids, including a soon-to-be teen, in addition to years of family friendly event planning, a main focus of Chris is to ensure the under 18 get to experience yoga in ways suitable for their age. She envisions an inclusive environment that is welcoming and engaging for all who attend. This includes people of all abilities, from extremely athletic individuals looking to enhance their sport through mind body practice, to those seeking to flourish by embracing their life journey, wherever it has taken them. Together with the dedicated team of MYF volunteers, they will seek to do their part to create a space primed for self love, growth and discovery, for people of any age, and of all abilities.
Allison Butt | Brand Experience Coordinator
As the Brand Experience Coordinator for Mandala Yoga Festival, Allison strives to use her creativity and love for yoga to create a compelling and cohesive experience which resonates with yogis and wellness enthusiasts. With over 20 year’s experience as a graphic designer, web designer, brand manager for AB Creative Studio, and a 200-hr Registered Yoga Teacher, her experience and insights enhance the festival’s visibility and engagement that builds a sense of connection and belonging throughout the MYF experience. Allison is passionate about teaching and practicing yoga, and believes that MYF is about creating meaningful experiences that empower individuals on their yoga and wellness journeys.
Jess Haessly | Volunteer Experiences Coordinator
Jess has been serving the community offering professional yoga services since 2016. As a Yoga Professional, Mental Health Advocate, Empowered Mindset Coach, and Speaker, Jess is committed to creating inclusive experiences and environments. Her role as Volunteer Coordinator for the Mandala Yoga Festival is an extension of her desire to serve the community through heart-centered leadership. With a servant-leader attitude and collaborative spirit, her goal is to create an excellent experience for all volunteers from the Volunteer Application process to Day-of Execution of Roles and Responsibilities. She sees a festival that is welcoming to all, fun, and filled with a combination of light-hearted and deep experiences that attendees, volunteers, vendors, and the MYF planning committee can give all of us a deeper sense of belonging and pride in our community.
Ashley Gauthier | Media Coordinator
Kari Mattioli | Support Coordinator for Healing Haven
Kari is the Support Coordinator for Healing Haven at the MYF. In her role, she assists in bringing together healers from diverse backgrounds to offer a rich variety of healing experiences for festival attendees. She will work to ensure that Healing Haven is thoughtfully organized, building on last year’s success, and supporting both healers and the community. Kari’s vision is to provide a space where people can explore different healing modalities and discover what our community has to offer. In addition to her role at Healing Haven, she is a co-owner of SolRising The Rock Shop, a practicing Reiki Master and Crystal practitioner here in Appleton, WI, and she is working towards an astrology degree.
Wendy Janu | Support Coordinator for Yoga Teachers
Wendy Janu practices as a functional nutritionist and 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher, teaching in the Valley since 2008. Throughout her career, she has witnessed the profound transformative power of a consistent yoga practice, both in her personal journey and in the lives of her clients. Yoga meets individuals exactly where they are and has the potential to guide them toward discovering and embracing their true selves. At the festival, Wendy’s role is to support Kathy and the talented instructors who generously share their gifts with the community. She can confidently attest to the success of the festival’s inaugural year, where participants left feeling lighter, more energized, and uplifted.