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SANKOFA YOGA FOUNDERS
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Dr. Tamisha J. Ponder
Founder & Owner, Sankofa Yoga & Wellness Center | E-RYT 500, RPYT | Reiki Master Teacher | Yoga Teacher Trainer | Scholar & Community Healer
Dr. Tamisha J. Ponder is a master teacher, community organizer, and scholar whose work bridges the worlds of wellness, education, and social justice. As the founder of Sankofa Yoga and Wellness Center in Laurel, Maryland, she has cultivated a sanctuary for holistic living—where yoga, mindfulness, and integrative healing meet cultural consciousness and community care.
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Her journey began long before Sankofa. After years as a community organizer and equity director in higher education, Dr. Ponder turned to yoga to heal her own body and spirit from the effects of chronic stress and burnout. What started as a personal wellness practice soon became a calling. Guided by the eight-limbed path of Raja Yoga, she began weaving together the spiritual, physical, and ethical dimensions of the practice—grounding her work in the truth that self-care is a radical act of liberation.
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Dr. Ponder holds a Ph.D. in Language, Literacy, and Culture, where her research explored the emotional and physiological dimensions of Black women’s activism. Her scholarship and teaching at the University of Maryland and Towson University bring embodiment and mindfulness into academic spaces, blending rigorous inquiry with somatic awareness and compassion-centered pedagogy.
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An E-RYT 500 and Prenatal Yoga Teacher, Dr. Ponder is also a Reiki Master Teacher, Thai Massage Specialist, Full Spectrum Doula, and Meditation Guide. Her practice integrates somatic, ancestral, and energy-based traditions to help others reconnect to the wisdom of their bodies and the stories that live within them.
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In 2019, she and her husband, Marcus Ponder, opened Sankofa Yoga and Wellness Center to serve as a community home for healing, movement, and belonging. Their work later expanded into Sankofa Health, an integrative health center offering culturally responsive mental health services.
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Dr. Ponder is a peer reviewer for Race and Yoga, the first academic journal dedicated to critical yoga studies, and has been featured on Roland Martin’s NewsOne Now discussing the role of yoga in urban communities.
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Beyond her roles as teacher and scholar, Dr. Ponder is a lifelong student—deeply influenced by diverse spiritual traditions and indigenous healing practices. Whether leading yoga teacher trainings, sound and energy healing immersions, or university courses in embodied activism, she invites others to return to themselves—body, breath, and truth.
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When she’s not teaching, you’ll find her hiking with Marcus, exploring the world, or laughing with their daughter, Camille. She is a proud life member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.​​
Tamisha J. Ponder
Marcus Ponder
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Marcus Ponder
Founder & Owner, Sankofa Yoga & Wellness Center | Founder, Sankofa Health | CYT | Community Builder & Wellness Advocate
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Marcus Ponder is a visionary leader whose work bridges community, business, and wellness. As Co-Founder of Sankofa Yoga & Wellness Center and Founder of Sankofa Health, he brings both strategic acumen and a deep commitment to service—creating spaces where holistic care and cultural consciousness meet.
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Raised in the DMV, Marcus spent much of his childhood in Washington, D.C., witnessing the profound impact of his grandmother, Hannah Hawkins, founder of the Children of Mine Youth Center. Her lifelong dedication to service, advocacy, and community transformation deeply shaped his values and continues to guide his path. Today, as Board President of the Children of Mine Youth Center, Marcus carries her legacy forward—championing education, empowerment, and holistic development for families across Southeast D.C.
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Before opening Sankofa, Marcus spent more than a decade in corporate finance and operations, leading large-scale transformation initiatives in financial services, technology, and higher education. He holds an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in finance, and is a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
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As a Certified Yoga Teacher (CYT), Marcus integrates mindfulness, discipline, and presence into his leadership. At Sankofa, he oversees business strategy and operations while advancing the mission of accessible, culturally responsive wellness through both Sankofa Yoga & Wellness Center and Sankofa Health, an integrative health center providing holistic and mental health care.
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Rooted in legacy and service, Marcus continues to reimagine what healing looks like in community—proving that wellness, leadership, and justice are inseparable paths toward collective transformation.