We are a group of researchers, athletes, & educators.
Our Values
All of our work is born from our core values that drive both why and how we do what we do.
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Care reflects the innate human capacity to care about what happens to the world and our fellow human beings. It is the overarching value behind everything we do. Because we care, we are driven to improve the health and well-being of the people close to us and in the greater world. Because we care, we work with integrity and rigor and with the ultimate goal of providing information that will be helpful to others.
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Our curiosity leads us to wonder how breathing practices can help more people. It leads us to read studies on the topic and create new studies to answer this question for specific populations. Because we are curious, we continually explore ways to improve the health and well-being of our own bodies and minds, and those of the larger world.
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Humans need each other to survive. We also need each other to achieve great things. To do rigorous, quality research, we connect and collaborate with scientific researchers and other individuals and groups who are passionate about this topic. Together, we can achieve more. This is how we do our work.
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We started HHPF because we want to not only learn these things for ourselves but most importantly to use this knowledge to contribute to the greater good. Everything we do revolves around contributing in this way.
Meet the team
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Co-Founder, CEO
Tanya is an experienced health services researcher with a demonstrated history of health economics and outcomes research in the health policy and life sciences industries. In addition to her role at HHPF, she also conducts health economic analyses for the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center. Tanya is skilled in business development, study design and implementation, health economic analyses, decision sciences, scientific writing and presentation, and team leadership. She earned her Bachelor’s of Science from Cornell University, and a Master's and PhD in Health Policy/Decision Sciences from Harvard University. Having recently transitioned into mind-body medicine research, Tanya has a specific interest in the effectiveness of active, voluntary breathing practices on health and human performance outcomes.
She resides in Wyoming with her husband, two kids, and the family dog.
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Chief Operating Officer
Terra is a software executive with a wealth of experience leading business growth across all aspects of the go-to-market and business lifecycle. She has expertise in marketing, business development, strategy, sales, and operations, and has worked at large multinationals such as Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Akamai Technologies as well as a business-to-consumer video start-up. Earlier in her career she worked as a statistics professor at Endicott College and a business strategy consultant at Accenture. Currently, she advises nonprofits and municipal government.
Terra has a BA from Cornell University and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business. She is based in the Boston area. She loves outdoor activities where she can breathe deeply in the fresh air.
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Director, Eduction & Outreach
Robert Fortune researches and creates content for HHPF outreach via social media, webinars, lectures, and other educational platforms. With a longtime meditation and physical training background, Robert is deeply interested in human physiology and performance. He is the founder of Elevate Breath, where he works one-on-one with people to help integrate breath practices into their lives.
He lives in Santa Barbara, CA.
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Research Assistant, Consultant
Rachel Berman is a researcher and consultant to nonprofit organizations, with a focus on strategic planning and program evaluation. She previously worked in state and local governments as an administrator in social services agencies. She received her Master's Degree at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and her Bachelor's Degree at Wesleyan University.
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Research Director
Gina is a neuroscientist, fitness coach, and health writer. She earned her B.A. in neuroscience from Dartmouth College and her Ph.D. in neuroscience at the University of California San Diego. Through her research, coaching, and writing she aims to investigate and educate others about the impact of lifestyle choices and chronic stress on the mind, brain, and body.
She resides in San Diego, CA.
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Research Associate
Nick is a scientist and breath educator with expertise in translating breathing research into practical applications for health and wellness. With a Ph.D. in atmospheric science and over seven years of study and teaching breathing, he brings an evidence-based approach to understanding how breathing impacts physical and mental health. Nick is a certified Oxygen Advantage® instructor and Level I Pranayama teacher under the Yoga Education Collective.
Nick lives in Melbourne, Florida, with his daughter and dog. When he’s not studying the air, you can find him surfing or out for a walk.
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Research Associate
Sophie is a neuroscientist and former international-level athlete with a passion for translating research into actionable insights for performance and well-being. Holding a Master’s in Neuroscience from King’s College London and a Bachelor’s in Psychology, she blends scientific expertise with lived experience in high-performance environments to help others master the brain and optimise the body.
Sophie is currently travelling, creating neuroscience-based materials for businesses, and building a platform to bridge neuroscience with everyday human performance.
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Research Associate
Bryan Adams, MSW, is a clinician and researcher interested in the intersection of psychology, human performance, and breath regulation. His work focuses on translating scientific research into practical strategies that support mental health, resilience, and physical performance. Bryan holds graduate degrees in psychology and social work and is currently completing his Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) at California Southern University. He works as a psychological associate and has experience supporting diverse populations, including veterans, first responders, and individuals with trauma-related conditions. As a graduate of the Army Ranger School and endurance athlete, Bryan is particularly interested in research that bridges clinical psychology, physiology, and performance.
Bryan lives in Northern California with his wife and two children, and outside of his professional work he trains for endurance events and practices as a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Meet our Ambassadors
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Taylor Somerville
Taylor is a breath and performance coach and founder of Symmetry, which he started in 2018 after 15 years in the investment business. At Symmetry, he coaches busy professionals to help them regain control of their lives and have more time, more energy, and less stress. He also works with professional athletes to help them manage their stress and boost performance. He has worked with numerous companies such as Nike, Faherty, Vistage, and others. He is one of a select group of XPT master coaches and holds numerous other breath and performance certifications.
Taylor lives in Memphis, TN, with his wife, daughter, and two dogs.
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Dani Mae, RRT
Dani is a Registered Respiratory Therapist and founder of Breath Guidance, an education platform offering breath technique and teacher certification trainings. She is passionate about bridging holistic breath practices with clinical respiratory science and integrating evidence-based therapeutic breath guidance into clinical practice. Her work aims to advance breath research, improve patient outcomes, and transform breath practitioners worldwide.
Dani lives in St. Petersburg, FL and enjoys traveling, rock climbing and freediving.
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Josh Fly
Josh is a performance coach, endurance athlete, and humanitarian dedicated to helping others unlock their full potential. As founder of FlyLife Performance & Wellness Coaching, he integrates fitness, breathwork, and adventure to help people thrive in body, mind, and spirit. Josh holds certifications in performance training, behavioral change, and breath science, and leads workshops on stress regulation, mindfulness, and lifestyle management for schools, organizations, and businesses. His goal is to inspire others by making movement enjoyable, sharing credible science, and guiding people toward sustainable health, happiness, and vitality.
Josh lives in Southwest Colorado.
Meet our Board of Directors
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Tanya GK Bentley, PhD
Chairperson
Co-Founder, CEO, HHPF -
Brian MacKenzie
Director
Co-Founder, HHPF
Founder and Creative Director, SH//FT -
Dr. Andrew Galpin, PhD, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Director
Executive Director, Human Performance Center, Parker University -
Michael Juergens
Chief Financial Officer
Principal, Deloitte Risk & Financial Advisory -
Terra Samuels
Secretary
COO, HHPF -
Mary Lee-Wlodek