Leslie Contreras Schwartz, Owner of Still Well Collective

Leslie is a yoga instructor and was certified through YogaView in Chicago and brings a twenty-year practice and a background in mindfulness and meditation. She is also an award-winning poet and educator who brings together mindful movement, creativity, and a deep appreciation for the connection between mind and body.

A 2021 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow and former Houston Poet Laureate (2019–2021), Leslie is the author of multiple poetry collections and the lyrical memoir From the Womb of Sky and Earth. She has taught creative writing at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.

Drawing on her background as a writer and educator, Leslie approaches yoga as an opportunity to cultivate awareness, balance, and connection. Her classes emphasize intentional movement, breath, mindfulness, and accessible instruction, welcoming students of different experience levels and abilities.

Leslie is particularly interested in making yoga and mindfulness approachable in everyday life and creating opportunities for people to connect through shared wellness experiences.

Through Still Well Collective, she brings thoughtfully designed yoga and mindfulness programming to residential communities throughout Evanston and Chicago's North Shore.