Karen Kirkness

Following the responsible closure of Meadowlark Yoga after 15 years, I established an independent consultancy and research practice that integrates course creation, teaching, and cross-disciplinary collaboration in anatomy, movement, and health sciences.

Key responsibilities and achievements:

• Course creation & consultancy: Conceptualise, design, and market original anatomy and movement programmes for a worldwide audience
• Teaching & facilitation: Deliver in-person and online anatomy workshops, yoga teacher training programmes, CPD courses, and retreats; act as guest faculty for courses worldwide.
• Collaboration & consultancy: Partner with international colleagues (US, Ireland, UK) on cross-disciplinary projects

• Collaborate with international partners to publish in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals.
• Engage with historical and anatomical texts in the development of interdisciplinary scholarship bridging medicine, culture, and embodied practice.
• Contribute to collaborative research projects, publishing activities, and the dissemination of doctoral and postdoctoral work; engage in interdisciplinary dialogue across anatomy, movement education, and medical sciences.

• Used diverse teaching methods, including lectures, presentations and class activities to deliver curriculum.
• Assessed student assignments and examinations, providing constructive feedback to support learning outcomes.

• Founded and grew one of Edinburgh’s leading yoga studios, establishing yoga as a mainstream and accessible practice in the city.
• Created the brand identity, set up the limited company, and built a thriving online and in-person community through social media, outreach, and partnerships.
• Designed and launched a highly regarded Yoga Teacher Training programme, graduating multiple cohorts of professional teachers and strengthening the yoga sector in Scotland.
• Recruited, trained, and managed a team of 5 full-time employees and 25 freelancers, fostering a supportive culture and ensuring high-quality delivery across classes and courses.
• Built collaborations with local and international partners, expanding the studio’s reach and reputation as a centre for yoga education and practice.
• Successfully steered the organisation through significant challenges, including the transition to online delivery during the pandemic, ensuring continuity of community and services.

• Awarded a competitive doctoral studentship focused on Authentic Assessment in the Medical Curriculum.
• Adapted the doctoral project from a hybrid to a fully online/remote design in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring continuity of data collection, participant engagement, and ethical governance.
• Designed and conducted four empirical studies to support the doctoral thesis, including ethics approval, pilot work, snowball recruitment, interviewing, transcription, and qualitative analysis.
• Developed advanced expertise in Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), supported by sustained mentorship with Isabella Nizza, a recognised expert in IPA methodology.
• Collaborated with doctoral researchers in the Health Professions Education Unit to conduct analysis and co-author peer-reviewed publications.
• Conducted qualitative archival-style research, including transcript analysis, ethical handling of narrative data, and interpretative phenomenological analysis.

• Founded and registered Community Interest Company (CIC), establishing governance structures and financial oversight with appointed accountant to ensure sustainability
• Led engagement with the local wind farm community fund (CELCA), developing a successful, evidence-based grant application informed by community consultation (£120k secured).
• Managed competitive procurement process, inviting and evaluating vendor proposals to optimise resource allocation within £120k budget
• Coordinated multi-stakeholder input, aligning project design with community needs and priorities to enhance local engagement
• Built and maintained community support, addressing concerns and aligning stakeholders around a shared vision for a sustainable local asset

• Founded and led a not-for-profit organisation to deliver a rural community playpark, establishing governance structures and financial oversight.
• Led engagement with a local community funding body, securing £120k through a successful, evidence-based application informed by consultation.
• Coordinated multi-stakeholder input, aligning project design with user needs and priorities.
• Managed procurement processes and vendor selection within budget.
• Built community support, addressing concerns and aligning stakeholders around a shared vision. Delivered the project through to implementation.

• Developed workflows for the 3D printing of anatomical models
• Worked on a team that built a bespoke multi-nozzle 3D printer to produce prototype anatomical models

• Coordinated allocation and expenditure of $2 million in funds for public works of art under Florida's "Art in State" legislation, enhancing cultural offerings at University of Central Florida Visual Arts Department.
• Nominated committee members, conducted meetings, procured artists' slides, organised selection process, and developed project from inception to implementation, ensuring alignment with artistic vision and community engagement.