Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamara Kenigsberg.
Hi Tamara, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve been teaching yoga for about 16 years and have called Austin home for the last six. My journey into yoga actually started in New York City, where I was working full-time in public relations, including serving as Director of PR for artist Peter Max. Like a lot of people, I was drawn to yoga as a way to find balance—and it quickly became something much deeper. I completed my teacher training there, and from that point on, everything started to shift.
I eventually moved back to my hometown of Miami, where I continued teaching while still doing some freelance PR. Over time, yoga naturally became my full-time path. Since then, I’ve spent years teaching, mentoring other teachers, and leading retreats internationally—it’s something I truly love and feel deeply connected to.
About six years ago, I moved to Austin, and more recently to Apache Shores with my partner. We’re very much lake people—big into wake surfing—and we were really drawn to the lifestyle out here. What I started to notice, though, was that there wasn’t a yoga space in the Lakeway area that I fully resonated with or felt like home.
That’s what inspired me to create one.
When I found the space, it just clicked. It’s truly special—two distinct rooms, each offering a completely different experience. We have an infrared heated room we call the Jungle, where we offer sculpt, cardio dance, and heated flows. Then upstairs is the Tiki Shala, a beautiful A-frame space that feels like a retreat in itself, designed for vinyasa, alignment-based classes, yin, sound, meditation, workshops, and teacher trainings.
Beyond just creating a space, I really wanted to return to something deeper. It feels like, in a lot of ways, yoga has become diluted—focused mostly on the physical—when in reality, that’s just one small part of the practice. For me, The Yoga Tiki is also a learning center. It’s a place where students and teachers can continue to grow, study, and stay connected to the roots and essence of yoga. We’ve already hosted Budokon trainings, have Matt Phippin coming in, and I’m continuing to bring in experienced, respected teachers to share their knowledge with the community – some great ones names coming soon!!
My nickname has always been Tiki, so the name The Yoga Tiki felt like a natural extension of me and the vision.
I absolutely love Austin—it’s such a vibrant, creative, and welcoming city—but there’s something really special about Lakeway. It has this relaxed, lake-life energy, and the community here is incredibly kind. Being able to create a space that brings people together in that kind of environment has been really meaningful.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like any small business owner, there have definitely been challenges along the way. Navigating the impact of COVID was a big one—it shifted the entire wellness industry and really forced a lot of us to adapt, rebuild, and stay resilient.
I’ve also had moments of feeling a bit disconnected from parts of the yoga industry itself. Not everyone is always practicing what they teach, and that can be discouraging when you care deeply about the integrity of the practice. For me, that’s actually been a catalyst to go deeper—staying committed to the true essence of yoga and the tools it’s given me over the years, especially off the mat.
Ultimately, life is always going to present challenges, both personally and professionally. Yoga has been the anchor through all of it. It’s what’s helped me stay grounded, navigate uncertainty, and continue showing up with clarity and purpose—even when things aren’t easy.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I was actually on track to go to law school, and about a week before, I made a completely different decision—I booked a one-way ticket to New York City in my twenties and ended up staying there for about a decade. That’s really where everything began.
Living there is when I found yoga. At first, it was very physical for me—I was going to Bikram classes mostly because I was freezing in the winters—but over time, I started noticing a real shift, and so did the people around me. I felt better, more grounded, more like myself, and that kept me coming back.
I trained and taught throughout the city, eventually finding my teachers at Kula Yoga Project in Tribeca. I studied a range of styles—Ashtanga, Iyengar, Anusara, Katonah,—and what always resonated most with me was alignment-based yoga. That foundation has stayed with me throughout my teaching. One of my longtime mentors, Nikki Villela, continues to influence how I approach both practice and teaching.
Before transitioning fully into yoga, I had a career in public relations. I worked at a boutique firm with luxury lifestyle clients, then spent five years as Director of PR for artist Peter Max, and later worked at a fashion photography studio in the Meatpacking District. That background really shaped how I communicate, build community, and create experiences.
Today, I teach, mentor, lead international retreats, and run The Yoga Tiki. What I specialize in is creating a practice that’s rooted in alignment, longevity, and feeling better in your body—not just during class, but in your everyday life. It’s not about one specific style; it’s about meeting people where they are and giving them tools that actually support them long-term.
What I’m most proud of is the space I’ve created. It’s truly welcoming—come as you are. People feel safe to be challenged without feeling intimidated, and that balance is really important to me. I pay close attention to alignment and detail, but I also want people to feel free, supported, and connected.
I think what sets me apart is that I’m constantly a student first. I don’t believe in teaching from a fixed place—I’m always learning, evolving, and sharing from where I am in that moment. Everything I offer comes from a place of integrity and lived experience, both on and off the mat.
What makes you happy?
What makes me happy is really simple—it’s connection and growth. I feel the most fulfilled when I see someone walk into a class one way and leave feeling lighter, more grounded, or more connected to themselves. That shift, even if it’s subtle, is everything to me.
I also love creating spaces where people feel like they belong. Especially in a place like Austin and out in Lakeway, there’s such a strong sense of community, and being able to bring people together in that way genuinely makes me happy.
On a personal level, being near the water, spending time with my partner, and just living that lake life brings me a lot of joy. It’s a big part of why I chose to build my life and business out here.
And honestly, I’m happiest when I’m learning and growing. Yoga, for me, has never just been a job—it’s something that continues to evolve me as a person. Being able to share that while still being a student myself is what keeps me inspired and fulfilled.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theyogatiki.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theyogatiki
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theyogatiki
