Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Kniseley-Foy
Hi Susan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in Houston, Texas. My father served in the Peace Corps and met my Panamanian mother in the rural interior of Panama. From the beginning, my life has been shaped by multicultural influences and a love for travel. Though I spent most of my childhood in Houston, my family attempted to live in Panama for a few years before returning to the U.S. for better access to medical care. We settled back in Houston until I was 15, when we relocated to Arkansas.
After finishing high school there, I moved to Missouri to attend Missouri State University (then Southwest Missouri State University), where I earned a BFA in Theater Performance. After college, I felt the pull for a change of scenery. I spent a year in Portland, Oregon, where I reconnected with a friend who helped me land a job teaching English in South Korea—a move that changed my life. Teaching felt like a natural fit, and the challenge of adapting to a new environment was both thrilling and familiar. It was also in South Korea that I met Ron Foy, my future husband and lifelong travel partner.
Ron and I continued teaching EFL and living abroad in Poland and Chile before eventually returning to his hometown of Jacksonville Beach for a few years. During this time, we got married. Another important detail is that I attended my first yoga class at the Cobalt Moon Center in Neptune Beach. From the moment I stepped onto the mat, yoga felt like home—an experience of profound connection.
Shortly after, we decided to go back to our adventures abroad and found our way to Taiwan. By then, yoga had become a central part of my life, shaping friendships and opening unexpected doors. No matter where we lived, I sought out classes and communities. When we moved back to South Korea, yoga was harder to find, but I remained dedicated, searching for more. My first official yoga training took place in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where I completed a two-week Anusara Immersion with Jonas Westring. It was mind-blowing and heart-exploding to spend 5 hours a day in dedicated practice without distraction. I knew I needed more. We decided it was time to move on from South Korea after I finished my MA in Applied Linguistics. We set our sights on the Middle East.
I attended another immersion in New York with Ashleigh Sergeant before our next move to Doha, Qatar. This time, I had one clear goal: to find a 200-hour yoga teacher training program. While working as a visiting professor at Qatar University, I enrolled in Valerie Jeremijenko’s 200-hour training. It took eight long months in the desert to get my certification, but it was a glorious, indelible experience, and I began teaching at the studio. I went on to mentor future YTT programs and later completed my 300-hour teacher training in Doha with Dave and Cheryl Oliver.
In 2013, Ron and I returned to the U.S. to be closer to family, settling in Jacksonville Beach. By then, I had discovered that balancing teaching English and yoga was my ideal path. I became an adjunct instructor in the English Language Program at the University of North Florida, where I still work today. I found a thriving yoga community and have been teaching public and private classes in Jacksonville and its beaches ever since.
In 2016, I learned about Sansara Surf and Yoga retreat center in Cambutal, Panama—just 40 minutes from my mother’s birthplace. The black sand beaches and jungle backdrop had always fascinated me, and I felt drawn to host my own retreat there. I partnered with Judy Smith, and together, we led our first retreat at Sansara in 2016. Since then, we’ve returned to Panama four more times and expanded our retreats to Costa Rica, Vermont, Utah, Sardinia, (I also co-hosted a retreat in Puerto Rico with Nichele Cihlar, and in Cuba through Cuba Yoga Retreats). In 2022, Judy and I officially formed Yin and Yang Retreat Experience, and we now have exciting retreats planned in Nicaragua, Bowen Island (BC), and Greece. Leading these retreats brings together so many of my passions—travel, culture, yoga, community, and connection.
Over the years, my yoga practice has deepened, shaped by incredible teachers and students. In 2025, I embarked on a new frontier: launching my first 200-hour yoga teacher training program with the guidance of my mentor, Valerie Jeremijenko. I’m grateful to have a strong team by my side, including Judy Smith, Sonia Egyhazy, and Jyothi Behne to bring this curriculum to our wonderful inaugural group of trainees. Our YTT program is currently in session at Consider It Wellness Studio in Mayport. I also teach public classes and workshops at Consider It and Red Skies Yoga.
My passion lies in helping people tap into their own strength, their own language, their authentic voice, their inner teacher, and finding their unique path. I am honored to be able to helm classes and be a part of this greater process. I go back to the teachers I’ve had and the lessons I’ve learned. I dip into the tried and true texts, practices, and disciplines I’ve had the privilege of being introduced to, and I share my interpretation with a big dollop of humor, just in case we start to take ourselves too seriously. The students I’ve met along the way have been my greatest teachers, and for that, I am endlessly grateful.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’ve been incredibly fortunate on my journey. I have a strong network of family and friends, but one of the biggest challenges has been living far from our loved ones. Even now, back in the States, we are spread across the map—my mother in Arkansas, my sister and brother-in-law near Vancouver, Canada. We recently lost my husband’s father, and his mother now lives in Tennessee, his sister in North Carolina. As we grow older, the weight of this distance becomes tougher to handle.
Another challenge is staying relevant and true to oneself in an ever-evolving world. This is true in both education and the wellness industry, where image and public perception play increasing roles.
Yoga, in particular, has become so popular, which brings both opportunity and challenge. It can be difficult to stay centered, resisting the pull of competition, comparison, and ego. But the true essence of yoga isn’t in external validation—it’s in the practice itself. Whether you’re practicing alone or with students, once you’re fully present, the noise fades, and all there is is the connection to the moment.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Education
I come from a family of teachers, and I’m half-Hispanic. Teaching English as a Second language is a natural fit. At UNF, I teach in the English Language Program. I have been working there for eleven years, and it has been so rewarding. Building cultural bridges and witnessing how much more alike we are than we are different is nothing short of awesome. Our students are from all over the world, but when they’re in the classroom together, they are one. It’s inspirational, and it’s evidence that if we take the time to get to know other people, and truly communicate with them, we can surpass that which separates us and causes us suffering.
Teaching yoga is a different but equally rewarding job. I look at myself as more of a facilitator in that setting. This is inner work, and I try to honor that. I don’t feel it is appropriate to push my personal opinions or beliefs on anyone, particularly in this vulnerable setting. That said, I try to be as accessible, approachable, and relatable as possible. I always want to be a source of support for the student as well.
In leading my first 200 YTT program, I’m trying to imbue my trainees with the confidence to find their authentic voice, whatever that may be. I believe that the strongest teachers are anchored in Satya (truth).
Leading yoga retreats is a dream come true. When people are out of their daily routines, expectations, and responsibilities, they start to shine. Discovering a new environment outside and a new landscape inside as well is such a special experience and I love everything about that exploration. I’m also so grateful to have a trustworthy, kind business partner in this venture.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I lean into my intuition when it comes to finding a network. I’m drawn to people who want to continue learning, and that give credence to those they’ve learned from. I think it’s important to stay humble and recognize other expertise or talent. Collaborating with someone to elevate an experience is one of my favorite things to do. I’ve been lucky to collaborate with some wonderful people in this community. Diana Vasquez, Judy Smith, Jess Stringer, Nichele Cihlar, Dan Pascale, Abra Zawacki, Lauren Wycoff, Sonia Egyhazy, and Jyothi Behne to name a few.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yinandyangretreatexperience.com
- Instagram: soozasana
- Facebook: Susan Elizabeth Kniseley-Foy
- LinkedIn: Susan Kniseley-Foy
- Yelp: Yin and Yang Retreat Experience with Judy and Susan
