ANNIE KIEL, MPH, MA, E-RYT 200, YACEP Owner | She/her
Annie Kiel is a public health practitioner and organizational consultant specializing in multisector trauma-responsive design. With experience spanning over 20 years, her background includes work on trauma as a public health issue, trauma-informed systems change, global sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender-based violence prevention and response, government-funded clinical research, nonprofit administration, and community mental health program development and management. Annie has provided consultation on trauma-responsive design to US federal government agencies, international non-governmental organizations, domestic nonprofits, and those in the private sector. She has trained individuals from over 60 countries on the principles and practices of integrating a trauma-responsive approach.
Annie also has experience in direct service delivery with various trauma-impacted populations including survivors of interpersonal violence, combat- and non-combat U.S. veterans, immigrants and refugees, first responders, adolescents, and others. She conducted qualitative research on the sex trafficking of women and girls in Costa Rica, and performed an ethnographic field study of the restorative justice practices used by Saraguros, an indigenous community in Ecuador. In 2013, Annie co-founded Firefly Yoga International to train yoga teachers and other professionals on the principles and practice of trauma-informed yoga as a public health intervention.
Annie earned a Master of Public Health, with specialization in global health, from Boston University School of Public Health, a Master of Arts in Gender and Peace Building from the United Nations University for Peace in Costa Rica, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Additionally, she is a trained health and wellness coach through Wellcoaches, and an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (with over 2K teaching hours and 550 hours of training).
History of Firefly Yoga International
Firefly Yoga International was founded in 2013 by Annie Kiel and Emily Winter. Firefly began as a direct-service and training organization focused on using yoga as a complementary public health intervention for those impacted by trauma. Since 2014, The Firefly Training (level 1) equipped more than 500 professionals - in 26 states and 5 countries - with the knowledge and skills to incorporate trauma-informed principles and practices into services they provide for clients and students. The Firefly Program (2014-2017), a 12-wk trauma-informed yoga intervention, served over 450 trauma-impacted individuals including: survivors of sexual and/or interpersonal violence, those with symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression, LGBTQI+ individuals, combat- and non-combat U.S. veterans, adolescents, first responders, and others.
Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Commitment
Firefly is committed to elevating those who have been historically marginalized and/or underrepresented in yoga spaces. In an effort to promote diversity, inclusivity, and representation in the yoga industry we offer reduced rates for those who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and/or a person who has a disability. Use code DIB22 to receive 10% off the training investment.