Board of Directors
Natalie HallNatalie is an avid backpacker and gardener and is dedicated to bringing yoga into mainstream medical culture, having attended multiple seminars and symposia on the medical and therapeutic applications of yoga.
Prior to moving to Silver City in 2012, Natalie and traveled around the country and the world for several years as a locum tenens physical therapist. Her travels twice brought her to Silver City, where she was always drawn back for the natural beauty and relaxed, yet stimulating culture.
Lotus Center provides another reason to feel at home in Silver City, and Natalie is committed to the success of Lotus Center and its mission of availing the benefits of the practices taught therein to the community at large.
Suzanne GershensonSuzanne has lived in Silver City for the last 20 years, raising a family and being a small business owner. She is a licensed general contractor and co-owner of B and S Construction & Design, Inc. along with her partner Bone Ortega. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Southwest NM Home Builders Association and currently serves on the Historic Design Review Committee whose mission is to help preserve the historic architectural qualities of our building structures, commercial and residential.
Suzanne has been personally involved in alternative health practices and spiritual pursuits for more than 40 years, striving for a balanced lifestyle that includes commitment to community as well as self. Lotus Center has been her second home since opening day, where her sense of community is continually deepened. She looks forward to working with board members and all of the exceptional clients of Lotus Center, each helping to create a more peaceful world one breath at a time.
Becky GlennBecky brings 32 years of business experience to the board. This includes 20 years in the corporate environment, working for major companies such as, KPMG as a CPA auditor, First Union Corporation as a Financial Accounting Manager, and The Coca-Cola Company as a Director of Information Technology. Since 2003, Becky has owned her own consulting business, focusing on executive coaching and personal development. Becky is passionate about working with individuals and teams to achieve challenging personal and business goals.
Becky currently teaches several yoga classes at Lotus Center and brings her experience as a yoga teacher to the board. She is a registered yoga teacher (RYT) by Yoga Alliance in the vinyasa (flow) style of yoga – receiving her initial teacher training from Stephanie Keach at the Asheville Yoga Center in Asheville, NC, in 2006. From then on, Becky has been consistently teaching multiple yoga classes each week – first at the popular in-town yoga studio in Atlanta, Yoga Samadhi, then in Silver City after moving here in 2009.
Jeff GoinJeff has been teaching and leading secular meditation classes in Silver City, on a volunteer basis, since 2008. His classes provide people with practical ideas and methods for improving relationships, overcoming anger, dealing with stress and, in general, establishing and maintaining a peaceful state of mind.
Jeff is former national budget manager of Greenpeace U.S. A resident of Silver City since 2007, he co-founded Single Socks, a non-profit thrift store that donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to anti-hunger programs in Grant County, New Mexico. He holds an MBA in finance from George Washington University, and a B.A. in economics from University of Northern Colorado.
Patricia StonePatricia is a Grant County native who returned home after 30 years, and is looking forward to bringing yoga and other healing arts to the broader community. She had a career with IBM in project management and marketing and then stayed home to raise her two children. She volunteered on her children’s school board throughout their childhood, and taught ESL (English as a Second Language) adult basic education classes for over 6 years at Plano Family Literacy in Texas.
When yoga became part of her life over 11 years ago, she realized that it was more than just the physical practice, it was also a practice for the mind and the spirit! In 2016, she become a RYT (registered yoga teacher) with the Yoga Alliance in order to share yoga with those in her corner of the world.
Patricia and her husband Joe reside in Bayard with their dog Kobi, where they have many on-going projects. She enjoys spending time with her family, oil painting, traveling, gardening and teaching. Her daughter Jordan is a RN, BSN and son Jarod is attending Harvard.
Gillian SherwoodGillian comes from a long line of New Mexico farmers, educators and spiritual seekers. She grew up in Silver City and received her B.A. from WNMU, her grandfather’s alma mater, and the school where her parents met. After teaching elementary school for fifteen years and earning a M.Ed. from UNLV, she was accepted to UNM School of Law. Her law office opened in 2018 and since then she has had the privilege of serving her community in southwest NM. The Lotus Center offers a beautiful space for healing through meditation, yoga, and dance, among other modalities. The classes, seminars and workshops have greatly enhanced quality of life for Gillian and so many other Silver City residents and visitors. It is Gillian’s honor to participate on this board and work to further its vision and growth. Gillian enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, backpacking and cycling. She has maintained a regular yoga practice for over thirty years. Daily meditation has become another tool for bringing peace, presence and connection to divine love. Gillian also enjoys spending time with her three sons, grandchild, extended family and beloved friends.
Erin PalmerErin Palmer is a Doctor of Pharmacy who spent well over a decade practicing in western Idaho before relocating to New Mexico in 2017. In 2020, she made Silver City her home and quickly cultivated deep roots within its heartfelt community. Through fortuitous happenstance, Erin found an opportunity to work with a local real estate office—a career change that beautifully acquainted her with the town’s vibrant spirit. Deeply connected to the landscape, Erin celebrates the profound healing qualities and unparalleled access offered by the Gila Wilderness and its surrounds. Her holistic wellness journey spans more than twenty years of dedicated yoga asana practice and study, beautifully complemented by her deep spiritual roots; in 2014, she formalized her path by taking Buddhist vows in the Tibetan Dzogchen tradition. Seeking a deeper connection to Eastern lineages, she recently completed an exceptional Yoga Teacher Training program through Western New Mexico University, focusing extensively on yogic philosophy and tradition. This transformative study sparked a passion for Ayurveda, an ancient mind-body medicine system she hopes to introduce as a wellness resource for the community at large.Erin is honored to support the Lotus Center’s mission, serving as both a board member and an active contributor to the visualization & manifestation subcommittee. When she isn’t at the center or exploring the outdoors, Erin loves life at home in Silver City with her husband, Ryan, and their two dogs, Mazie and Rosie.