Before her career specializing in urban family medicine, Dr. Linda Alvarez’s passion was serving the underserved. Linda started her career at the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, a seven year BS/MD program focused on providing access to primary care in all communities. After completion of the program, Linda wanted to broaden her medical knowledge and was one of the first medical students in the country to do an independent study in complementary medicine, as featured in The New Physician magazine. During this one year sabbatical, Linda studied Ayurveda and obtained her 200 hour yoga teacher training certification. It was at this time she met Ghylian Bell, in the very first months of Urban Yoga opening its doors. Linda became UYFs operations manager as well as a senior yoga instructor and contributor to the UYF teacher training and manual.

After a year of dedicated work at the foundation house, Linda returned to medical school and graduated from New York Medical College in 2015. She currently is a senior resident through the department of Family Medicine at the University of Miami-Jackson Memorial Hospital, and will be continuing her post graduate medical training there in Hospice and Palliative Medicine where she hopes to use her yoga, meditation and mindfulness training in chronic pain and end of life management. Linda also serves her resident and patient communities working as the Regional Vice President of the Florida Region for the Committee of Interns and Residents. Dr. Linda Alvarez currently serves UYF as an advisory board member, senior instructor and guest lecturer for the UYF Urban Kids Yoga Teacher Training.