Transformation

from the inside out.

Many of our facilitators carry lived experience with incarceration. They know the weight of those gates and the courage it takes to hope. That experience isn’t a shadow; it’s a strength that builds trust, credibility, and deep empathy. Their leadership shows what’s possible when healing begins from the inside out.

Meet Our Facilitators

Nikki is a creator and communicator who leads with curiosity, deep listening, and heart. Her commitment to women’s empowerment is shaped by her own story and her mother’s legacy working in California prisons. She holds degrees in the dramatic arts, teaches mindfulness and movement, and founded On The Inside to help women connect and heal together.

Atieno is a facilitator who leads with intuition, presence, and deep respect for each participant’s process. Trained in psychodrama, coaching, and restorative practices, she follows unfolding stories with acceptance and collaboration. She has co-led women’s circles globally and now facilitates for On The Inside from her farmhouse in the Blue Ridge.

Caroline brings lived experience, resilience, and creativity to her role at On The Inside. Her healing began during incarceration, where she chose to face her trauma and rebuild from within, work she now pours into facilitating and leading a support group for system-impacted people. She is a mother of three who believes creativity can heal both individuals and communities.

Jen’s background spans dance, education, yoga, and coaching, but her deepest growth came after surviving a major accident and a period of incarceration. These experiences reshaped her understanding of resilience and the systems so many women navigate. She continues her healing while working with On The Inside, a space where her story is valued and her voice helps others feel seen.

Jessica, or Jae, is a creative and outgoing facilitator who began her healing journey while incarcerated, learning to love herself and support others in their own growth. Her childhood trauma gives her a unique capacity to connect with people deeply and without judgment. As a mother and spoken-word poet, she leads with authenticity, determination, and a desire to bring hope where it’s most needed.

With over ten years of experience in domestic violence, mental health, and trauma recovery, Beck Thompson creates compassionate, grounded spaces for healing. Her trauma-informed, strengths-based approach helps individuals move from crisis toward clarity, stability, and hope. As a facilitator, coach, and author, she guides people toward resilience and meaningful transformation.

Julie’s passion for helping others began at 16 as a CNA, where she learned how joy and human connection can transform care. She is completing her psychology degree and is ACE-certified in group fitness and personal training, blending movement and mindfulness to support healing. Julie loves cooking, dancing, and exploring the Pacific Northwest with her daughter.

Our facilitators are uniquely positioned for this work, bringing lived experience, deep empathy, and training in trauma-informed, creative, and movement-based practices. They lead with curiosity, compassion, and grounded presence, creating spaces where healing, connection, and possibility can take root.

On the Inside Board of Directors

Tina Packer

Artist, Writer, Advocate, Founder of Shakespeare & Company
Dr. Lisa Collins

DEI Strategist, Author, Professor at Lewis & Clark College
Atieno Bird

OTI Board Chair
Executive Coach, Two Bird Coaching
Katie Morell

Freelance Journalist
Dr. Mercy Nyangulu Nyepudzayi

Women In Business, Pastor
Megan Gaffney

Mental Health Therapist, Dwellness Therapy
Jazmin Jimenez

Director of Liturgy & Worship, American Martyrs Catholic Community
Beck Thompson

Social Worker, The Relationship Circle
Marie Gonzalez

Lawyer & Senior Risk Specialist, Federal Reserve Bank Boston
Fungai Mubayiwafu

Mother & Nanny
Elena Bower

Writer & Mindfulness Teacher, Glo
Reema Zaman

Author & Writing Coach
Caroline Cox

Project Manager, Formerly incarcerated at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility
Mia Zara

Artist & Advocate, Psychotherapist
Heidi Stoner

BHRN Program Manager, Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon
Formerly incarcerated at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility