Roosevelt Island resident Marie-Michelle Strah, PhD is a disabled Military Veteran and an inductee of the NY Senate Veterans Hall of Fame by NY State Senator Liz Krueger. Dr Strah invites you to a November 8th Yoga Class she is teaching in support of the Veterans Yoga Project at the Sportspark Athletic Facility (250 Main Street).
Veterans Yoga Project is Changing Lives. One Heart at Time.
I’ve been a Veterans Yoga Project instructor since 2023. It’s been a lifechanging experience for me as part of my long road of rehabilitation from multiple traumatic brain injuries incurred in military service. Yoga has also been the springboard to my adaptive sports journey and I’m thrilled to share the benefits with fellow veterans in the NYC area.
This year I’m joining with Sportspark Athletic Complex in NYC to host a fundraiser class on November 8, 2026 at 10:15 am. Information on the class is below. If you can’t join us in person a donation to Veterans Yoga Project to support our mission of mindful resilience would be most welcome!
Register here for in person class….
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) adds:
Are you passionate about supporting veterans and their mental well-being? We invite you to be part of something truly special. Join us on Sunday, November 8th, from 10:15 AM to 11:05 AM at Sportspark for a donation based 50 -minute yoga class taught by 2026 NY Senate Veterans Hall of Fame inductee and Roosevelt Island resident Michelle Strah.
Join us for a morning gentle flow yoga class supporting Veterans Yoga Project. Awaken your body and mind with a practice designed to open the heart chakra (thoracic spine, brachial plexus, upper body). This Iyengar-inspired flow class uses props to encourage and support the body and increase range of motion. Open your heart with guided meditation at end of class. Modifications are provided. All are welcome.
This event is a key highlight of Veterans Gratitude Week, an annual fundraiser hosted by the Veterans Yoga Project. It’s more than just a yoga class—it’s our way of coming together as a community to honor the bravery, strength, and sacrifices of our military veterans. Veterans face challenges that many of us cannot imagine, from PTSD and physical injuries to navigating everyday life after service. That’s why we’re committed to offering free yoga and mindfulness resources that empower them to LIVE, THRIVE, and BELONG.
Your Presence Matters: By participating in this event, you’ll not only experience a rejuvenating yoga session but also take part in something bigger—showing our veterans that we stand with them. The class is open to all levels, ensuring that everyone can join in and contribute to this powerful cause. Together, we can make a real difference in the lives of those who have served us so selflessly. Let’s unite in gratitude, support, and healing. We can’t wait to share this inspiring experience with you. Class registration is on a first come, first serve basis and is capped to the first 25 participants.
Here’s more on the Veterans Yoga Project.
According to the NY Senate Veterans Hall Of Fame Honoree Profile:
Marie-Michelle Strah, PhD, volunteered for the United States Navy Reserve in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks.
In 2005, Dr. Strah transferred to the Regular Army as a directly commissioned Medical Service Corps officer, leading theater-wide digital transformation and force realignment initiatives in response to evolving operational demands.
Dr. Strah earned her Master’s degrees and doctorate at Cornell University, and she built a career focused on cybersecurity, cybercrime, and online extremist threats.
After multiple traumatic incidents, including three brain injuries, Dr. Strah was discharged in late 2008 as a Second Lieutenant and redirected her work toward improving outcomes for fellow veterans. She served as the IT lead for the initial outfitting and transition of the National Intrepid Center of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury at the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, advancing digital health, logistics, and mobile solutions that helped shape the integrated DoD/VA Polytrauma Network.
After returning to New York for polytrauma rehabilitation, Dr. Strah pursued graduate coursework and teaching at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice under the GI Bill. A nationally recognized disability justice advocate, she received the CUNY Passantino Students with Disabilities Scholarship and the John Jay Graduate Achievement Award for triumph over extreme adversity, and she was inducted into the Delta Alpha International Honor Society for Disabled Individuals.
Dr. Strah’s teaching and innovation were recognized with the John Jay College Digital Innovation Faculty Award, the Distinguished Teaching Prize, and selection as Provost Digital Faculty Fellow.
Dr. Strah continued to support other veterans with service-related disabilities, providing pro bono help to hundreds of veterans filing claims related to military sexual trauma. Currently, she volunteers as a yoga and meditation instructor with Veterans Yoga Project in New York City.
Since 2023, Dr. Strah has received awards for photography, fiber art, and music through the VA National Creative Arts Competition at VA New York Harbor. A passionate advocate for the power of adaptive sports, she participates with Team HOPE (Hope for the Warriors) and was recently named a Warfighter Ambassador for Move United to mentor other veterans in their adaptive sports and prosthetics journeys.