our founders & staff

sharing the healing power of mindfulness

Mindfulness has made such an impact in our lives – so much so that we wanted to share this transformative practice with as many people as possible! It has helped us in our relationships, parenting, business and, most importantly, it has changed the way we relate to ourselves and how we choose to live our lives. We have seen an incredible group of like-minded people connect through this practice and are thrilled to create a dedicated space for this growing community to gather and pause together.

Stephanie Falk

Head of Engagement & Development

Stephanie Falk is the Head of Engagement and Development at Pause Meditation and oversees all business aspects of the studio including marketing, development, special events and community outreach. Mindfulness has had a significant impact on her life by providing necessary balance while juggling a busy career and raising three children in Edgemont, NY.

In addition to co-founding Pause Meditation, Stephanie works at Gilda’s Club Westchester, a non-profit organization that provides free emotional support to anyone impacted by any type of cancer. Since 2008, Stephanie has worked in various development capacities and currently oversees corporate giving and strategic partnerships.

Prior to working at Gilda’s Club, Stephanie worked as a Vice President, Retail Brand Director for Lady Foot Locker and then as a marketing and communications consultant, providing strategic planning and brand development for corporate clients in the areas of special events, retail and marketing. Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from Syracuse University.

Cheryl Vigder Brause

Chief Mindfulness Officer & Lead Instructor

As one of the leading experts on mindfulness in Westchester, Cheryl has created and led hundreds of programs and taught mindfulness locally and nationally to thousands of adults, teens and children in schools, businesses and privately. Once a corporate litigator and investment banker, Cheryl now uses her decade of personal practice and training to write, speak and teach about the transformative practice of mindfulness meditation.  As a busy mother of three, she has expertise in mindful parenting, stress reduction, finding balance and making these ancient practices accessible in our busy, modern lives. Cheryl teaches people from her own personal and relatable experience how everyone can use a few simple tools each day to create a more peaceful, joy-filled, healthier life. She is thrilled to create this incredible space for people to pause and explore the transformative power of meditation.

Cheryl has had extensive training in the fields of meditation and mindfulness. She is a graduate of Mindful Schools Year-Long training, as well as a Mindful Schools Certified Instructor.  She is certified in Learning to BREATHEMBSR for Teens, and Stressed Teens (MBSR-T) and has completed her Level I and Level II Meditation Teacher Training with David Nichtern. Cheryl is a featured expert on the Simple Habit meditation app, which has 2.7 million total signups and an average of 30,000 new users every week, and is a founding teacher for Journey LIVE, an exciting new live-streaming group meditation app.  She is also the creator of www.2bpresent.com and the 2bpTV,online resources that have helped thousands of people discover the true gifts of learning how to slow down and connect inward to their inner strengths, stillness and unlimited potential.