Dr. Steffany Moonaz is a yoga therapist, health coach and research scientist residing in the San Diego suburbs. She serves as the Research Director and Professor at Southern California University of Health Sciences. Dr. Moonaz became curious about importance of mind-body activities at a young age, and has always had a passion and a curiosity about the healing power of mindful movement. She completed undergraduate work in biology and dance at Oberlin College, earned an MFA from University of Maryland as well as a CMA (movement analysis) from the Laban Institute and spent eight years at Johns Hopkins University, helping to develop and evaluate a yoga program for individuals with the chronic diseases of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, which became the basis for her PhD in public health. She then spent a decade at the Maryland University of Integrative Health, helping to develop a Master of Science in Yoga Therapy and a university-wide culture of research and evidence-based practice. Along with ongoing research collaborations at the National Institutes of Health and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Dr. Moonaz is working to bring yoga to people with arthritis in communities around the country, as well as educating yoga professionals about the unique needs of this population through Yoga for Arthritis courses and training programs, her podcast The Yoga Rheum, and related advocacy work.  Her first book, “Yoga Therapy for Arthritis: A Whole-Person Approach to Movement and Wellness” was published by Singing Dragon in 2018.  A subsequent memoir entitled, “Driving Home: Cancer, Concussion, Mom and Me” was released by FriesenPress in 2024