Meet your Guides

Alison Margolies

host, teacher & founder

Alison Margolies was born and raised in Philly. She lived for a year in Tlaxcala, Mexico after college. There she was completely immersed in another culture and learned how to be both excited, challenged and uncomfortable at the same time. She learned to push past her edges and began her yoga journey in Mexico to help support her anxiety and panic attacks that she was suffering from at the time.

After coming home in 2011 she began her first year teaching 8th grade in Philly Public Schools and doing her first 200 HR Yoga teaching training. She was immediately compelled to share yoga with her 8th graders. She first took them to do yoga in order for them to have a quiet and calm space, which was hard to access in their homes. Then after many years in the community, when they were not her babies anymore but adults with different needs, she realized everyone needed more money and resources. From this birthed Pana Con Prana Retreats. After traveling many times to Colombia and forming a community there, Alison began hosting retreats in Medellin, Colombia. The intentions of these retreats is to create a micro-economy both in Colombia and in North Philly by employing both communities on these retreats. They integrate both Colombian-ness and Philly-ness and allow for people to have access to travel and resources that might be difficult to attain. Alison is extremely proud of her three retreats and how they were able to meet her intentions for each person to truly experience themselves, their group (their pana), Colombia, the food, the dance, the music and yoga in all of its forms.

Jullian Baez

CO-HOST AND MEDITATION TEACHER

Jullian Baez (LCSW) is a clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and meditation teacher based in Philadelphia, PA. A native of St. Louis, MO, Jullian has had the privilege of visiting many cities, and he learned how to meditate while living and studying in Chicago, IL in 2014. Jullian’s passion for mental health and social justice propelled him towards a career in social work, and he has acquired experience working with populations of all ages in academic, social service, inpatient and outpatient settings. 

The foundation of his self-care practice, meditation, has equipped Jullian and his students with a practice that helps people stay grounded and present while navigating busy lives. Jullian is a certified teacher in the 1 Giant Mind Being meditation technique, a self-sufficient, effortless, and highly beneficial form of meditation. He is excited to bring his teachings to the group (Pana). He has found that the ability to meditate while traveling allows him to focus and explore one’s inner landscape while connecting to the outer landscape in a more curious and appreciative way. He loved being able to do this last year on his first trip to Colombia and is eager to facilitate this practice in the beautiful city of Medellin. 

Alex Laboy

RETREAT COORDINATOR

Alex and I met when Alex was in 8th grade! He went to John B. Stetson Middle School where I spent my first four years teaching full time in North Philly. I have been blessed to have created a beautiful community and family from those four years. Alex has practiced yoga with me now for nearly ten years and came on his first retreat through our scholarship. On that retreat he realized his amazing ability to create space for people to be vulnerable in our circles and also twerk out our fun at night. After going to Colombia one time he has become dedicated to our mission of creating a space that is inclusive and loving for all of our pana that join these retreats! He is an amazing and aspiring teacher!

Daniela was born and raised in Cali, Colombia. A true Caleña. The full but short story is, I was married to her cousin and they became my family. After ten years of spending time in Cali, I am finally ready to have my first retreat there. Daniela and her family are my Colombian team. We have done three beautiful retreats together in Medellín. This has become a project that has developed into a space where Daniela has allowed her creativity as a dancer and artist to flourish in the dopest ways. Daniela is literally the best person to dance with and knows how to make any human she comes in contact with feel comfortable in their own skin. The whole family in Cali does not speak English and have a way of making everyone feel so loved and at home, proving that communication exists in so many forms. Daniela is an amazing fashion designer as well, working hard towards pursuing her dreams despite the economic difficulties of the beautiful but too often corrupt politics of Colombia. This project has become an opportunity to support myself, my students in North Philly and my family in Colombia.

Get to know us!

Send us an email and we can find a time to grab a coffee/tea and chat:

calison76@gmail.com @alison_leah_margolies_yoga