BIOGRAPHY

Noelle Ashley Dunphy is a published writer, business owner, and graduate of Columbia University. She has worked in business development for more than 20 years. In 2001, she interned in venture capital and earned a B.A. degree in Creative Writing from Columbia College of Columbia University in New York, NY.

In the political arena, you may have seen her at speeches and events with President Donald Trump, President Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Governor Andrew Cuomo, Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator John McCain, White House Communications Director Sean Spicer, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Speaker Newt Gingrich, Commissioner Bernie Kerik, Commissioner Ray Kelly, Commissioner Bill Bratton, and the NYPD, among others.

For ABC News, she worked on local, national and international news stories as Associate Producer.

Her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News,  Newsday, Beatrice.com, NewYorkCool.com, The Columbia Spectator and Quarto, Columbia University's literary magazine.  

For The Norwood Bulletin, she wrote profiles of noteworthy people as a weekly columnist. She hosted taped interviews for CHIC.TV and Great Interviews with leaders including Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Commissioner Bill Bratton, and iconic chef David Burke.  

In the modeling world, she has been featured in films, television commercials, and national magazines since she was 12 years old.  

Dove Soap, Teen Spirit Deodorant and MTV hired her as a model and actress for photo shoots and  TV commercials that aired internationally.  

She always plays herself, an All-American Girl-Next-Door.

Winner of the Phi Beta Kappa Writing Award at age 17, she was invited to a series of lectures with famous authors and accomplished journalists as a Harvard University Nieman Narrative Journalism Conference Scholar.  

She was a board member of The Association of Young Journalists and a member of The Women's National Book Association (WNBA), The Publicity Club of New York and Soho House.

Check back for updates or send your email to be on the mailing list.  

On a philanthropic note, she is a supporter of charities that benefit those in need, including the police who keep us safe.  She believes in making the world a better place and, one day, ending sexual assault and domestic violence. She advises victims to stay safe from stalking and cyber bullying, advising: 
*Do not answer "normal" questions: Where do you live? What's your name? Your phone number?  
*Use a different name, address, email and phone number until you build trust. 
*Express your experiences in artistic or creative passions. Find positive things to focus on. Find what makes you feel passionate and happy.

Young Philanthropists Honored by The Observer

http://observer.com/2014/05/going-gala-for-giving-the-observer-celebrates-the-top-20-young-philanthropists

Speaking Today

IvyFON Conference

Tribeca Film Festival

Joshua Seftel's
War Inc.
2008 Tribeca Film Festival
April 23 - May 4, 2008

Starring: John Cusack; Marisa Tomei; Hilary Duff; and Dan Aykroyd.

Reviewed by Noelle Ashley

War Inc. sold out for all three of its screenings at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. Comedy is war and war is comedy in this smart and startling film, which stars John Cusack and Marisa Tomei. Written by John Cusack, Jeremy Pisker and Mark Leyner, the script satirizes the profitability of the war, the military's privatization and global commercialization, with memorably funny scenes as the former Vice President (Dan Aykroyd) has his private company take over a war-torn nation and hires a hit man to kill the competition.

The film makes a striking mockery of not only the government's spin on war, but also the treatment of women. Hilary Duff proves her acting talent in a comically brilliant role as Yonica Babbyyeah, teen heartthrob to all of Turaqi. Babbyyeah gyrates in dance videos to "I Want To Blow You Up" and "Boom, Boom, Bang, Bang, there's a war going on," lyrics that merged politics with pop.

Since their society values women for their virginity, Babbyyeah's fiancé has a money-making scheme that takes capitalism to a whole new level: videotaping their honeymoon night so the girl's first time can be purchased by millions. One ludicrous scene is available to YouTube fans who can download clips of her getting sexy with a scorpion.

War Inc. was filmed in Bulgaria, which had its advantages. The crew consisted of mostly Bulgarian locals and, on a budget of less than $10 million, director Joshua Seftel pulled off explosion scenes resembling a $60-$80 million film.

With fast-moving dialogue and parodies of politicians such as Dick Cheney, War Inc. received early buzz for achieving a laugh-out-loud political satire in a feature film.

War Inc. opens on May 23, 2008.

Tribeca Film Festival: The Wackness

Mary-Kate Olsen and Ben Kingsley
in The Wackness

Jonathan Levine's The Wackness
2008 Tribeca Film Festival
April 23 - May 4, 2008

Reviewed by Noelle Ashley

Sometimes a shrink saves his patient's life. Sometimes it's the other way around.

One of the more celebrated movies screened at the Tribeca Film Festival is The Wackness, a term referring to "the glass half empty."

Set in New York City in the hot, sticky months of 1994, it is a moving and witty story of a humorous therapist (Ben Kingsley) who needs even more help than the patient.

Drugs in a doctor's office are usually doled out by the psychiatrist, not a troubled teen. Now meet Luke (Josh Peck), who pays for doctor visits with the currency of weed. Luke, a likable 18-year-old from a dysfunctional family, forms a unique bond with Dr. Squires. Although their ages could make them father and son, their friendship resembles more of a brotherhood.

The two males stray even farther from the typical doctor-patient relationship as they set out on a quest for sex, drugs and money. Dealing drugs is Luke's source of income the summer before college. It's also one way to meet girls.

Union (Mary-Kate Olsen) is a luminous blonde who hangs out in Central Park and past-their-prime bars where she can make fun of "creepy old people." Dr. Squires takes a liking to her, for a few minutes at least. Luke, however, can only think about one girl: Stephanie (Olivia Thirlby), his first love. She is an 18-year-old brunette who speaks in the language of slang and smokes cigarettes while her family fights. Yelling parents is a steady backdrop in both their lives, but Stephanie and Luke escape their problems one chemistry-filled weekend on Fire Island.

Ironically, Stephanie is Dr. Squires' daughter -- or step-daughter, as Luke reminds him.

The plot builds as a coming-of-age, character-driven picture that captures the spirit and the music of city kids in the '90s. The language of teenagers weaves into the dialogue, which flows to the beat of the soundtrack i.e., A Tribe Called Quest, Notorious B.I.G., Method Man, Raekwon and The Wu-Tang Clan. The audience is brought back to '94 as the characters talk about Mayor Giuliani cracking down on crime in New York. It was a time of pagers, before cell phones and laptops became ubiquitous, and a time when M.D.s still hesitated before prescribing medication for depression. In fact, Luke has to beg and plead and finally says, "Just give me the happy pills." Although he never gets his hands on legal drugs, he has plenty of the other kind, and he shares it all with Dr. Squires, who takes enough over-the-counter pills for both of them. These kind of character flaws elicited laughs from the audience.

The theme of youth emanates around the innocence of Luke. Despite his drug dealing, he is just like any other kid trying to figure out life and love.

After the film, the audience is left with the image on the movie's poster: Luke walking around with marijuana tucked away in its hiding place as he and Dr. Squires wheel around an ice cart. As the movie's tagline reads, "Sometimes it's right to do the wrong things."

Written and directed by Jonathan Levine, The Wackness is the winner of the Sundance Film Festival 2008 Audience Award (Dramatic). Its nomination for the Sundance Grand Jury Prize shows that this film could be more than a cult hit.

Acquired by Sony Pictures Classics, The Wackness comes out in cinemas July 3, 2008.

MARTHA STEWART: Done Breaking the Rules - Now She's Inventing Them

Published in "New York Cool About Town" - Click here to read the below article on the website of "New York Cool About Town"

By Noelle Ashley

Martha Stewart has a reputation for rudeness and today’s remarks were aimed at Larry King.

“Larry King is an awful cake decorator,” she said.

King will probably recover from the remark. Especially since she clarified that “he’s a great person,” despite his lack of dessert-making skills on her show.

And this was as bitter as she got. The domesticity mogul was downright friendly, in contrast to all the rumors we’ve heard. But why shouldn’t she be upbeat? The audience was full of fans, with not a heckler in the room.

The newly liberated Stewart appeared at Barnes & Noble's Union Square location for the release of The Martha Rules: 10 Essentials for Achieving Success as You Start, Grow, or Manage a Business.

The question on everyone’s mind was “Did she write this book in prison?” Without mentioning her incarceration, Stewart cleared that up by saying she’s worked on this book for the last five years. She’s nothing if not diplomatic.

While Stewart signed books, one woman asked how she was “doing emotionally these days.”


Instead of pointing out that it was a personal question, Stewart chuckled and assured her, “I’m fine.”

The TV star sported a manicured look: brown suit, tasteful necklace and sensible heels. The crowd responded favorably when a smiling Stewart spoke about being an entrepreneur. Then she shook hands and encouraged people to believe in their business skills.

“You have to give her credit. She’s good at what she does,” an audience member said. “I’m all for Martha’s comeback. She’ll be stronger than ever.”

Stewart had the ultimate success at the signing – she came across as genuine. And for someone so polished, that’s hard to do.

Reviewing The New York Times

Published on Beatrice.com - Read this article on Beatrice

Writers and book-lovers gathered in Bryant Park for The New York Times Great Read on Sunday. The goal was "A Celebration of Books," but the theme should have been "Acting Classes For Authors." I suggest shy or monotone authors hire appropriate people to impersonate them at readings: Chick lit writers can check Sarah Jessica Parker's availability; sci-fi authors should use William Shatner.

The highlights of the event came from authors who brought their work to life, like Isabel Rose (The J.A.P. Chronicles) who read dialogue from her novel in a thick New York accent. Wearing a tank top and jeans, the young author had the audience howling with her tale of a Jewish mother urging marriage and pregnancy. The protagonist protests that Madonna gave birth in her forties, until her mother tells her, "You're not Madonna. And nice Jewish girls don't get pregnant by their trainers!"

Rose receives the award for Funniest Excerpts, followed by L.A. Times reporter J.R. Moehringer. In a perfectly conversational tone of voice, the handsome Pulitzer Prize winner read about growing up fatherless in Manhasset. His memoir, The Tender Bar, told tales of a reclusive grandfather who suddenly "turned into Clark Gable." Gigi Anders also poked fun at her family, with an air-piercing Cuban accent, entertaining the crowd as she read from Jubana!: The Awkwardly True and Dazzling Adventures of a Jewish Cubana Goddess. In her childhood, her mother took her to a mental hospital and told her to "play with the patients." It was enough to make you want to cancel Mother's Day.

While the event marked the seventieth anniversary of The New York Times Bestseller List, not every author present held the distinction of being on the list. But as author Seth Godin (All Marketers Are Liars: But Great Marketers Tell Stories We Want to Believe) pointed out, "Dale Carnegie's book sold 40 million copies, and it was never reviewed in the Times."

(This article was published on Beatrice.com. Ron Hogan, author of The Stewardess Is Flying the Plane, runs Beatrice.com, the prestigious website known for its daily commentary on the book industry.)

John Travolta & James Gandolfini

Published in New York Cool - Read the entire article here

By Noelle Ashley (Saturday, April 29, 2006)

It started with the encyclopedia of crime.

Writer and director Todd Robinson flipped through accounts of robberies and kidnappings only to find a case where his own grandfather made the arrests. Stories had floated around his family for years. Now, with the help of actors John Travolta, James Gandolfini, Salma Hayek and Jared Leto, he presents the crime thriller Lonely Hearts, a film about two real-life detectives who chased America's notorious “Lonely Hearts Killers." The Killers, Martha Beck (played by Salma Hayek) and Raymond Martinez Fernandez (played by Jared Leto), earned their nickname from using personal ads to swindle and murder women. Travolta and Gandolfini play the two homicide detectives who track them down.

Travolta wore a black suit and striped tie but Gandolfini walked into the room in a short-sleeved shirt. The two men obviously have different ideas about the dress code for a press conference. But after doing four films together, including Get Shorty, A Civil Action and She's So Lovely, they are close friends. Putting their arms around each other, they joked around about the love between them.

One of the first scenes they filmed together involved a fight. “He’s a hell of a lot stronger that I ever thought he’d be,” the 45-year-old Gandolfini said of Travolta, age 52. “He really knocked me around.”

The star of the Sopranos compared playing a cop to playing a mobster. When he leaned into the microphone and said, “It’s the same,” the audience laughed. “They’re all strong men, except one is trying to do the right thing. Both try to get men to do what they want.”

“This part was kind of a sidekick to him,” Gandolfini said, nodding at Travolta. “For once, I’m not the guy losing his temper all the time.”

Published in New York Cool - Read the entire article here

Top Writers Hit Harvard

Published on NewYorkCool.com - Click here

By Noelle Ashley

November, 2005 - Hearing Tom Wolfe talk about Paris Hilton was one of many amusing moments at the Nieman Journalism Conference, Harvard University’s three-day workshop held at the Boston Convention Center. The brilliant, white-haired author of Bonfire of the Vanities (pictured to the left) used the blonde glamour girl to prove the point that truth is stranger than fiction. He said that in a novel, a socialite would cover up her scandals. Who would have thought the porno Paris made in between parties would turn her into a successful businesswoman? The fictional version is never as crazy as the true escapades.

For a writer, finding a great story compares to meeting a husband. “It happens when you’re ready, when you stop making excuses,” said Diana Sug, the Pulitzer Prize winner and journalist at The Baltimore Sun.

• Click here for the entire article, published in NewYorkCool.com

Vanity Fair Party

Published in "New York Cool About Town" - Click here to read the article
April 26, 2006
Written by Noelle Ashley
Photographed by Marlo Clemente

(Photographed: Ed Burns and Christy Turlington)


From Robert De Niro to Jerry Seinfeld, stars of the entertainment field walked a new kind of red carpet: one laid down a long flight of stairs. That's due to the venue of the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival's Vanity Fair party: the New York State Supreme Courthouse at 60 Centre Street and Pearl Street.

Hundreds of candles lined the courthouse steps. Beneath the American flag and the architectural wonders of statues, columns and moldings, the words VANITY FAIR were carved in huge, red block letters above a sign reading, "Tribeca Film Festival."


(Photographed: David Duchovny)

(Photographed: William Dafoe and Giada Colagrande)
The award for best-looking couple goes to Ed Burns and Christy Turlington. Burns, who has a film to promote, said, "It was a no-brainer to come out tonight." When asked what fans yell out these days when they see him on the street, Burns joked, "What fans? Have you seen the box-office returns of my last couple movies?"
Turlington laughed and then praised his new film, The Groomsmen.


(Photographed: Mr. and Mrs. Regis Philbin; Patty Smyth and John McEnroe)
Iman and David Bowie were another glamorous duo. The parade of guests included David Duchovny, Jeff Goldblum, Russell Simmons, Fran Liebowitz, Damon Dash and Harvey Weinstein.
Designers Carolina Herrera and Diane von Furstenberg joined the party, as did television stars Barbara Walters and Regis.
Tennis champion John McEnroe came to support the festival. He graciously stopped and answered questions. "De Niro is a quiet, behind-the-scenes guy who stepped up to the plate," he said. "There's more to [the festival] than just seeing a movie."

Click here to read the article, published in "New York Cool About Town"

AMERICAN ROYALTY

An exploration of the controversial Miss America Scholarship Program from the perpective of a contestant. A first-person essay/editorial published in The Columbia Spectator on 2/9/01.

by Noelle Ashley

Rehearsing for the Miss New York Preliminaries is thrilling, glamorous and hard work. I know because I compete in it.

The Miss America Program empowers women. So why do some people still disapprove of it?

Last year Miss America awarded nearly $32 million in scholarships to help educate bright young women. For this reason alone, it is much more than a starry-eyed girl's fantasy role - it is a feminist's dream.



Photo above: Miss New York scholarship winner Jessica Lynch, Miss New York City contestant Noelle Ashley, Miss New York City scholarship winner Alice Bugman and Miss New York scholarship winner Andrea Miller (left to right)
Photo below: Performing a scene on stage in 2002; New York City



The judges focus on contestants' accomplishments in and out of the classroom. All women involved are not only students but also leaders in their communities.

Contestants are required to choose the issue most important to them and demonstrate dedication to it. For example, Harvard graduate Laura Lawless adopted a platform of mental illness. Other platforms were the prevention of eating disorders, heart disease, smoking and sexual assault.

Each woman promotes one charitable cause, and the winner uses her title to make a difference through volunteer work, speeches and fundraisers. Her "reign" can be equated to a "year of service."

In other words, Miss America is no bimbo. She is well-spoken, well-informed, and works actively to improve society. In addition, the interview stresses career ambition. Former Miss Americas are doctors, lawyers, businesswomen, teachers, and journalists (Diane Sawyer was a scholarship pageant winner), showing that the women succeed beyond their looks. Therefore, the "ditz" stereotype is unjustified.

Contestants work hard to prepare their minds and bodies. Rehearsals require about six hours total. On our own, we practice talents of singing, dancing, monologues and gymnastics. We sing songs in cabs, on the subway, and walking down the street so it comes like second nature. We read The New York Times to be proficient in current events. Then we hit the gym, hope for the best and look forward to performance night.

The categories of evening wear and swimsuit spark controversy, but judges don't rate one's physical attributes. Instead, they evaluate the woman's onstage answers to two impromptu questions and her poise while she sports a one- or two-piece bathing suit. Is this degrading? It isn't, because the point is to encourage contestants to be comfortable with their bodies and to lead healthy lifestyles.

The swimsuit category does not promote anorexia or bulimia, nor does it prevent larger women from competing. It simply stresses the importance of regular exercise and nutrition. As exemplified by such platform issues as heart disease, extra weight puts one's health at risk. The public also was polled: "Should swimsuit be abolished?" The majority voted "No."

Character is another area that raises critics' eyebrows. Popular stereotypes typecast Miss America as "Mary Sunshine" or the always smiling "girl next door." This is not necessarily negative, but at the same time, it is not wholly accurate. Miss America deals with serious topics, visits schoolchildren to discuss education, and does not take being a role model lightly.

The idea of a fake blonde with a nose job and breast implants is quite off-base. In fact, contestants are diverse and winners include African-Americans and Asian-Americans. See for yourself when this year's Miss America is chosen on September 22.
It's not an old-fashioned beauty pageant but instead an opportunity for academic advancement, with a $35,000 scholarship for each winner.

But the rewards of the Miss America Program far exceed monetary value. The atmosphere is inspiring and lifelong friends are made. These are people who understand the true meaning behind the crown: character, education and overall excellence.

Vogue editor and New York icon

Published on Beatrice.com - Click here or read below

Two Sides of Vogue
Tuesday, December 6, 2005 - There are two sides to the Vogue editor and New York icon André Leon Talley (far right).
When Naomi Campbell, Donald Trump and Vera Wang joined him at the New York Historical Society benefit on Monday night, I expected a breathtaking presence to stand before us. Often caught on camera in flamboyant fashions, Talley delivered a surprisingly subtle look, with black on black simplicity. The only hint of color peeked from his pocket in the form of a cranberry silk handkerchief.

Co-chairing the event were Pat Aschul and the pregnant Melania Trump, in a cleavage-bearing, gorgeous black gown, who stopped by with her husband en route to the premiere of King Kong. Unlike Melania, Talley looked like he wanted to blend in—but his height didn't let him. Talley is too tall for anonymity, and too graceful to slouch.

Who is this New York icon? He studied French at Brown University, but found himself eyeing the art students at the Rhode Island School of Design. He was inspired by beauty since childhood, when he'd watch his grandmother get ready for church with her navy stilettos and matching purse.

Talley is the author of A.L.T. 365+, a book that is itself a testament of style. He scrawled his signature on the large, glossy pages that highlight his life from 2003 to 2004. Next to each photograph is a description of an A-list person he encountered, beginning with Anna Wintour. He admits he was afraid of her at first, as are most people, but their friendship solidified on her wedding day, when she stuffed her bridal bouquet into his arms.

Talley tells this tale of Diana Ross in Paris: Though she went shopping without money or credit cards, the owner of an estate jewelry store let her leave with diamonds. A.L.T. 365+ also pays homage to another star, Oscar de la Renta, featuring photographs of the manicured grounds of the designer's Connecticut estate and showing off the private waterfall on his farm in Santo Domingo.

Talley dedicates the book to his father, who gave him his first camera at age ten. A dignified guest of honor, he showed an affinity for children as he urged the audience to stay seated and watch the kids on stage. Before Talley spoke or signed books, he arranged for the spotlight to showcase the liturgical dancers from his church in Harlem, the Abyssinian Baptist Church. During the show, Talley stood alone in a dark corner with an expression of almost paternal pride.

Step dancers from Riverside Church performed inspirational numbers, followed by Joan Faye Donovan, who delivered a beautiful rendition of "Silent Night." The music of singer Aaron Conley and the Harlem Festival Orchestra sealed the holiday spirit. Talley compared the evening's music to a performance he heard in St. Petersburg on a recent trip to Russia with Marc Jacobs.

Talley acted humble and selfless throughout the night, a vessel of charity. He was only comfortable reversing roles after the event, when a circle formed around him. A friend handed him an open gossip magazine. "Here you are in Brazil."

"Look at me!" Talley laughed, thrusting the photo spread into the air. "Look at me!" He broke the quiet, dignified aura, as animated as a child at play. His eyes widened while he waved the pages in front of his friends, who leaned in to see him in a floor-length animal print coat. He'd spent the entire evening directing attention elsewhere — to the young dancers, the singers and the orchestra — making sure the night was about everyone else, not him. But now the crowd had cleared and, for the first time that evening, he let us look directly at him, albeit through the medium of a magazine. Beyond his generosity, beyond the hard work of the self-made man, the energy in his voice gave a glimpse of a youthful spirit.

• The article continues here, published on Beatrice.com

FASHION WEEK

Designed by Nicole Romano

• Article on FASHION WEEK by Noelle Ashley- click here

Celebrity Fashion Shows

FASHION WEEK - Click here for another article by Noelle Ashley on the designers, models, celebrities and latest lines from the houses of style

Published in Newsday at age 16

Please Don't Ask
By Noelle Ashley

A few weeks ago, I auditioned for a Post Cereal commercial. "How did you do? ... "What did you do? ... "Did they like you?" I barely had time to take a deep breath before my parents asked these questions, forcing me to dwell on the situation. The professional response is to put it out of mind.

Let me give you an example. Two months before the Post tryout, I auditioned for an AT&T commercial. After meeting me, the casting director announced that I "would be perfect for the role." I received similar encouraging comments at the call-back, but I made a mistake: I relayed the casting director's praise to friends and family. Later, I wished they had never asked because it only heightened my disappointment when I was never cast. This prompted a new batch of questions: "What happened? ... Why didn't you get it?"

Who knows why I didn't get it? Casting agents themselves don't know sometimes. Often they change their minds. Also, they don’t have the final say. The sponsor must approve their choice. Maybe AT&T did not agree with the casting agent's decision.

I don't mind so much that I make the long trip into New York City for an audition that leads to nothing. What bothers me are the well-meaning but annoying questions people persist in asking. Why do they do this? Perhaps they're curious or drawn to potential fame. Maybe, like a cheering squad, they're rooting for me. If I succeed, they're on the winning team.

I try to teach my parents not to bombard me with questions, but they can't help themselves. Like others, they probably feel they're supporting me. They don't realize that discussing the topic prolongs the agony. They're not familiar with the industry or the rejections that actors face as a standard part of the job.

Mulling a booking I probably won't get wastes energy and only sets me up for disappointment. If I keep thinking about it, I start to doubt myself. Should I have interpreted the script differently? Did I sound too sarcastic? When they took my picture, was my head tilted right?

Once, the audition was canceled. I was partly relieved, because I could dismiss all questions. "Did the like you? ... Do you think you go the job?" I found satisfaction in simply explaining, "It was canceled."

Still, my friends get so excited at the mention of a TV show or film. They don't realize that it's like a test in school. You don't know how you did until the teacher grades it and tells you. Unlike a test, however, there are no right answers in auditioning. You may have the wrong color hair, be too tall, too short, too sweet-looking, too sleek. Or, for whatever reason, the casting agent does not perceive you as right for the role.

I have another audition soon. Please, don't ask me any questions that night or the next day. If I get the job, you'll be the first to know.

The Yoga Effect

From Anxiety to Ashtanga
Published in Noelle Ashley's weekly column in The Norwood Bulletin

New York’s emphasis on material things didn’t suit Inez Stein. Growing up, she found the city pace oppressive.

Stein signed up for the fast track, finishing high school by age 16. At 19, she graduated college and got married.

Cramming her school years into such a short time stressed Stein out. “I was usually a nervous wreck,” she said. That was before she discovered yoga.

When Stein first heard of yoga, the only instructors were privately hired gurus. “It was the ‘70s,” she said. “I didn’t even have aerobics classes near me.”

Stein found a calmer life in New England, where her husband attended law school. As a CPA in Norwood, Massachusetts, she feels less pressure – except during tax season.

She was an unlikely fit for a career in accounting. “I was a psychology major, but I wanted to eat,” she said. On the CPA exam, Stein received the highest mark in the state, and one of the top in the nation.

Stein, 51, never stopped challenging herself. Now a certified yoga instructor, she feels she has come full circle. As director of In The Moment Wellness Center, she has “reconnected” with the psychology of both the mind and body.

When Stein was in her 30s, a friend insisted they drive two hours each way to try yoga. “The class was worth it,” Stein said.

After leaving a high-strung accounting firm in Cambridge, Stein opened her own CPA practice, but being her own boss was not worry-free. It took Stein a full hour to relax during tax season. “Preparing taxes can be stressful in itself,” she said. Yoga served as her release.

The most interesting place Stein taught yoga is the historic mansion at Pequitside Farm where, during the Revolutionary War, people held meetings in front of the fireplace. It was a yoga room with a view: huge, glass doors and panoramic windows overlooked the wooded grounds. One day her students watched a family of skunks walk right up to the glass. Quite a different atmosphere than a gym.

One student, Babette Mortell, broke her leg and doctors told her she wouldn’t be able to walk again. “But I had good balance from years of yoga,” Mortell said. “I may have a metal plate in my leg, but I still do yoga.”

Mortell has taken classes with Stein for ten years. “I like how Inez does something different in each class and she doesn’t buy into fads, like heating the yoga room to 100 degrees.”

According to Stein, not all fitness centers understand that yoga is more than cardiovascular. To get the full effect, one must practice meditation and breathing.

Stein begins each class with a philosophical reading. She likes to wander into bookstores, like the one in Harvard Square. She often finds material in the spiritual and meditation section.

Yoga has helped Stein break habits of how she views the world. She values the power of positive thinking and nonattachment, which involves being happy even when life doesn’t turn out the way we want it to be.

Stein quoted The Sayings of the Buddha: “We are what we think. Speak or act with an impure mind and trouble will follow you as the wheel follows the ox that draws the cart. Speak or act with a pure mind and happiness will follow you as your shadow, unshakable.”

With six other instructors, Stein offers classes in Pilates and Hawaiian Hula. For her husband Andy, there are lessons in Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese exercise combining martial arts and flexibility.

“I’ve tried to convince my friends and family to do yoga, but they weren’t interested,” Stein said. “I realized that everyone has their own path. People learn and evolve in their own ways.”

One of Stein’s interests is helping those with multiple sclerosis. She runs a class for people with MS, who find that yoga relaxes them and in some cases, brings more feeling to their feet and legs.

Affirmations are another practice Stein supports. She says these short sentences should be chosen carefully and repeated often. For example: “I feel healthier and happier,” “My legs are stronger and support me” or “My body is using the medicine successfully.”

Stein’s father died fifteen years ago, and although her mother does not practice yoga, she shares similar beliefs. Stein values the principle that healing and wellness come from within. She wants to empower people to seek answers for themselves in life by raising their awareness.

Stein’s studio is decorated with chimes, the ying and the yang, leis and flowers on the wall. A unique touch is “Gymnastics Barbie,” who can demonstrate yoga poses like the forward stretch and straight back.

Of course, Stein’s students don’t aspire to be Barbie. “She’s too stiff,” Stein laughed, moving the doll’s legs. “And she fails Breathing and Meditation.”

Yet the inanimate object epitomizes peace, and the absence of anxiety, a value Stein and her students aspire to on a daily basis.