Tessa Karel (she/her/hers) is a community partner and instructor at the University of Pittsburgh, where she teaches a course on inclusive mindfulness. She holds a Master’s in Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies from the University of New Mexico and is a certified K-12 Special Education teacher from the University of Pittsburgh. Tessa is a co-founder of the non-profit organization Open Up Pittsburgh.
With over 10 years of experience designing tailored learning experiences and emotional/behavioral support interventions, Tessa contributes her expertise to Open Up, an organization whose mission is to teach mindfulness tools through movement practices and interactive arts while centering people living with disabilities. Open Up envisions a world where all people have ease of access to practices that enhance their overall well-being and where joy can be experienced in community with others.
Tessa’s work with Open Up is grounded in the belief that mindfulness tools help us evaluate how we feel in the moment, empowering us to make choices that support our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. These tools cultivate self-awareness and healthy relationships, which in turn foster greater joy and resilience.
A 200-hour RYT graduate from South Hills Power Yoga (2015) with additional certifications in Kidding Around Yoga and multiple Mindfulness and Somatic Awareness programs, Tessa integrates trauma-informed practices into her teaching. She specializes in making mindfulness and movement accessible, incorporating play and improvisation as mindfulness techniques that enhance interpersonal interactions. Improvisation provides tools for presence, adaptability, and connection, offering a way to practice mindfulness in real-time—plus, it’s often funny and fun to practice!
Beyond education and mindfulness, Tessa brings humor and creativity to her work as the founder of the Penny Arcade Family Comedy Show at Arcade Comedy Theater. She is an active improviser, performing monthly with Irony City. at Arcade Comedy Theater.
Tessa is excited to share with you the knowledge that many others have shared with her as well as her own experiences about how mindfulness practices can benefit not only you as an educator but your whole learning community!
Tessa Karel (she/her/hers) is a community partner and instructor at the University of Pittsburgh, where she teaches a course on inclusive mindfulness. She holds a Master’s in Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies from the University of New Mexico and is a certified K-12 Special Education teacher from the University of Pittsburgh. Tessa is a co-founder of the non-profit organization 
