Meet the Yoga Maya Team
Father and daughter Keith and Tammy
Tammy began practicing yoga in their teens as a way to give self-support through the myriad of mental and emotional problems they faced through those times and into young adulthood. Tammy’s innate desire to move and live mindfully continues, forming a basis to exist with nurture, care and wisdom toward self, others and planet.
Keith began practicing yoga after attending a class with his daughter Tammy in 2008. Keith also share’s the desire to feel easy and comfortable in body, mind and heart. His practice continues fostering tenderness, insight and calm in all journey’s particularly with relations to himself, others, and inner and outer worlds.
Tammy Nah Afipong Jacobson-Rooke (they/them) – Yoga Maya Founder, Senior Yoga Teacher, Mentor, Psychology Student.
Tammy has been practicing yoga since their teens and teaching since 2009, founding Yoga Māyā as a space for inclusive, mindful movement and community connection. With over 750 hours of certified training, plus specialized studies in yoga therapy, functional movement, and somatic practices, Tammy’s teaching blends Eastern and Western philosophies to create classes that are accessible, grounding, and deeply nourishing.
At the heart of Tammy’s approach is a commitment to social justice, accessibility, and self-awareness. Their ongoing Bachelor of Psychology at ECU, with a focus on Indigenous Knowledge, Gender Studies, and Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing, informs their perspective on movement, breath, and mindfulness as tools for both individual and collective well-being.
Tammy co-founded the Beginner Yoga Courses at Yoga Māyā, helping hundreds of students begin, return to, or deepen their yoga journey. They also run Yoga in the Park at Stirk Park, Kalamunda, a beloved summer tradition since 2009.
Beyond yoga, Tammy is a proud parent, animal lover, and lifelong student of intersectional awareness, privilege literacy, and cultural humility. Their classes offer a space to move, breathe, and come home to yourself in a way that honors your unique experience.
Nicola Brimson (she/her) - Yoga Maya Yoga Teacher & Studio Assistant
I'm Nicola ☺️ currently loving books, baking and breathing in the bush air.
I committed to Yoga in my late 20s and immediately loved how it crafted me into a more emotionally stable person and helped me find comfort in my body. Yoga carried me through personal trauma with the asana and pranayama providing me with tools to cope and I became really interested in the philosophy of yoga, leaning on the teachings to guide me through my grief. Yoga again was my backbone as I dived into Motherhood, allowing me to prioritise my own nourishment and find my way with grace.
Knowing how powerful Yoga had been for me over those 5 years, I embarked on the journey to further my knowledge and completed my 350h Hatha Vinyasa teacher training in 2022. I have since completed further training in Restorative Yoga, Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra. I practice Yoga for the embodiment it provides, the self study and compassion for myself that it nurtures, and the grounding companion it has become in my everyday life. I teach Yoga to encourage the exploration of some of these gifts and hope that it can provide comfort and discovery.
Susie Whitelaw - Yoga Maya Qigong Teacher, Bowen Practitioner, Reiki Master, Sound Therapist, Hypnotherapist, Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach.
Susie is self described as lifetime learner, and a global citizen. She enjoys researching longevity and health, setting her basis in science and its innovative qualities. She does feel overall it can be challenging to find the place were Modern Science, lifestyle, Eastern and Western medicine and spirituality meet. Finding the Balance is the challenge, and what Susie feels she can help offer to our beautiful Hills community.
Susie has had a lot of fun in her life, working for the airlines and as a travel agent for over a decade which allowed her to experience some amazing places on our beautiful planet. When Susie started her family, she became interested in different types of education and began to first study and then work as a Montessori Educator for over 12 years, and then 8 years as a Education assistant with children with disabilities. Susie is a Qualified Bowen Practitioner, The Bowen Academy of Australia, Qualified Reiki Master Teacher, Qualified Kyela Advanced Sound Therapist and Group Sound Facilitator, Forest Rock Monastery School Qigong Teacher, Has completed her Advanced Diploma of Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy, with The Australian Academy of Hypnosis + more!
“I’m passionate about these practices as I have seen many improvements in my own health and my clients health over the past 25 years. I’m honoured to offer these complimentary therapies to support and guide you to a balanced lifestyle full of Vitality and Tranquillity.” - Susie Whitelaw
Angela Black - Yoga Maya Yoga Teacher and IAYT-Certified Yoga Therapist
Angela lives in the Perth Hills, where she enjoys drinking matcha, gardening, connecting with nature and appreciating the fresh air and birds.
She has been practicing Yoga and Buddhism for over 15 years, a journey that has played a huge role in who she is today, gently peeling away the layers, one petal at a time.
Angela is an IAYT-certified Yoga Therapist and a Yoga Australia registered yoga teacher. She has completed 800 hours of yoga therapy training and over 500 hours of yoga teacher training. She is trained to support people with Cancer and Palliative Care, Chronic Illness and Pain, Trauma and Mental Health.
She is also a qualified and experienced Sound Healing Practitioner and, a Nutritional Counsellor, specialising in Therapeutic, Sports and Chronic Disease Nutrition.
Angela volunteers as a yoga teacher with the Buddhist Society of Western Australia, bringing together her love of yoga, Buddhism and community.
Angela is passionate about supporting people to come home to themselves, become more comfortable with who they are, and create space in their lives to breathe, nourish and simply be. She believes yoga can be a journey of self-discovery, connection and coming home to ourselves, both on and off the mat.
She especially values the sense of community that yoga creates, from sharing a practice together and forming friendships, to chatting after class and heading out for a coffee. For Angela, yoga is about connection, compassion, and creating space for people to simply be themselves.
