Leadership Change in 2026
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Before we reflect on 2025 and look ahead to 2026 and beyond, we'd like to let you know about an upcoming transition in Small World Yoga's leadership. Our Founder and Executive Director, Liz Veyhl, will be stepping away from her role to pursue the next stage in her career after March 2026.
We're so excited for Liz to begin a new chapter, and we celebrate the impact she has made across Middle Tennessee as our organization's leader for the past decade. 2026 will mark twelve years since Liz hosted a small group of yoga teachers in a local coffee shop and shared her dream for Small World Yoga. In that time, we have grown far beyond anything she or anyone could have imagined in 2014, and it's largely because of community members like you who have contributed to that mission of connecting people, creating community, and making yoga accessible to thousands of Nashvillians each month.
"Liz has been the spark behind SWY from the very beginning," says Regine Webster, board chair at Small World Yoga. "Her vision, passion, and belief in the power of yoga to build connection and foster healing have touched tens of thousands of people in our community. Her legacy is woven into every program, every teacher, and every relationship we’ve built."
Our organization is stable, strong, and well prepared for this transition, which marks an important pivot point between the strong foundation we've built over the past decade and the fresh possibilities that await us in the years to come. Thank you for continuing to be a part of Small World Yoga. We're honored to have you with us on this journey and we will be sharing more updates very soon.
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Here are some highlights (SWYlights?) from the past year!
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Kylie Morgan Benefit Night
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On February 11, we celebrated our 10-year anniversary with our friends Kylie Morgan, the ladies of Runaway June, Nate Kenyon, and the members of Beacon for our first-ever musical benefit night at Riverside Revival, where we raised almost $6,000!
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| | Baron Baptiste at the Studio
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On May 10, Baron Baptiste, the founder of Baptiste power yoga, returned to the Small World Yoga Community Studio for a masterclass in finding your true north, delivering a powerful experience for our community.
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Nashville Predators Grant
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On May 12, we were honored to receive one of the Nashville Predators Foundation's Helper Grants for 2025! We're over the moon and excited to use this $3,000 funding toward our mission of making yoga accessible for everyone!
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International Day of Yoga
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On June 21, we hosted our tenth annual International Day of Yoga in Centennial Park. Almost 600 people signed up to flow and sweat in the morning heat, and we raised over $13,000! Mayor Freddie O'Connell gave the welcome address!
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On August 27, we brought board members and the broader community together at the studio for our second-ever fundraising breakfast with generous contributions from the Nashville Food Project, and we raised over $7,500!
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| | On October 19, we presented at TEDxNashville, where Liz led the audience through a seated flow to help them stretch between speakers, and spoke about Small World Yoga's mission to bring the joy of yoga to all!
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Every year, Redpepper, a top Nashville creative agency, chooses three nonprofit organizations to help amplify their impact with marketing assets, redesigns, and strategic planning, and we were lucky enough to have been chosen for 2025!
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All-Day Immersion with
Baron Baptiste
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On October 25, we invited our community to learn from Baron Baptiste and Dan Nevins at Belmont United Methodist Church with a sound bath led by Kristin Gore, and we raised over $15,000!
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In 2025, eighteen individuals graduated from our 200-hour yoga teacher training certification program, and five graduated from our advanced 300-hour program. We're honored that many of these graduates have chosen to join our outreach teaching team. Congratulations to each of them for their hard work and achievement!
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Rooted in Service. Growing Through Community.
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Our board of directors and leadership team is excited to share a project that has been underway for the past several months: a five-year strategic plan for the organization. We worked with our key stakeholders, namely our team of volunteer yoga instructors, to gather feedback and reflect as an organization. This strategic plan is the result: a roadmap to deepen our impact, support our team, grow sustainably, and live out our mission with more intention than ever. Specifically, we've developed seven strategic focus areas:
- Governance & Leadership
- Mission Alignment & Impact
- Staff & Instructor Support
- Engagement & Communication
- Marketing, Branding & Public Awareness
- Financial Sustainability & Program Innovation
- Innovation & Partnerships
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What Comes Next?
This plan is already in motion. We’re tracking progress, staying accountable, and centering community voices every step of the way. Your support—whether you’re a student, teacher, donor, or partner—makes all of this possible. Together, we are transforming lives through connection, community, and yoga. Thank you for believing in our mission and growing with us into the next chapter.
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We're a nonprofit organization
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Giving to Small World Yoga, a 501(c)(3), helps sustain our ongoing outreach programming in Middle Tennessee and beyond, providing free yoga and mindfulness to over 3,300 students monthly at 70+ community partner locations. It also helps support our daily operations, teacher continuing education, forging new partnerships, and community building events. We cannot do our work without the generous support of people like you!
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PO Box 90537 | Nashville, TN 37209 US
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