Kāvya Raman
Kāvya Raman believes design is the use of power to shape what’s possible. She designs and facilitates spaces for change with organizations, movements, governments, and communities learning how to become good future ancestors. Her work focuses on shaping strategies, practices, and ways of working that help people and institutions cross thresholds with care, courage, and imagination. Over the past fifteen years, Kāvya has lived and worked across war zones and megacities including Afghanistan, Myanmar, Turkey, Jordan, Haiti, Egypt, Italy, and the United States, navigating cultures, languages, and ways of knowing, being, and belonging. Her experience spans social impact design, facilitation, coaching, organizational leadership, and program strategy with nonprofits, foundations, international organizations, and governments, including collaborations with The International Rescue Committee, The Gates Foundation, Oxfam International, Global Affairs Canada, and the U.S. Department of State. Her superpower is adaptation.
Ashley Johnson
Ashley Johnson is a leadership development advisor, facilitator, and executive coach with more than 15 years of experience helping leaders scale their impact when their roles grow. Through Brightwell Leadership, Ashley partners with organizations to design strategy and experiences grounded in real organizational context. Her work spans leadership development programs, team alignment, and coaching leaders through the shifts in thinking and behavior that growth demands. She is known for bringing both strategic clarity and genuine humanity to her work, helping leaders and teams move from insight to action in ways that are thoughtful, practical, and built to last. Before founding Brightwell, Ashley held senior leadership development roles at global organizations including Hilton, Levi Strauss & Co., and BioCryst Pharmaceuticals. During that time, she led enterprise leadership strategy, leadership and executive development programming, and large-scale leadership capability building. Ashley holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership and is an ICF-certified coach, CliftonStrengths trainer, Korn Ferry 360 and ATD-certified facilitator.
Danette Wilkins Marte
Danette Wilkins Marte (they/them, elle, elu) is an expansive strategist, intuitive facilitator, and liberatory changemaker with over 20 years of experience providing strategic, technical, programmatic, and operational support to diverse organizations and groups and implementing research, programming, and training across the globe (primarily Central America, North America, South America, and Southern Africa). Prior to consulting, Danette worked with U.S. government agencies (U.S Agency for International Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Peace Corps), consulting firms (Cultural Practice, Tetra Tech), international non-governmental organizations (Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs), and academic institutions (Emory University, Johns Hopkins University) addressing a wide range of health and development areas including agriculture and economic growth, democracy and governance, education, environment and natural resources, and health (e.g., animal disease preparedness and response, gender-based violence, mental health and psychosocial support, sexual and reproductive health). They also have demonstrated experience in gender mainstreaming and integration (e.g., men’s and boys’ engagement, women’s and girls’ empowerment), social and behavior change (e.g., entertainment education, gender transformative approaches, provider behavior change), and diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (e.g., gender equality, disability, and social inclusion, gender and sexuality diversity, and LGBTQI+ inclusion). Danette holds a bachelor of arts degree in Hispanic Studies and Government from the College of William and Mary, a graduate diploma in Gender and Development from the Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO) in Ecuador, and a master of public health degree in Behavioral Sciences and Health Education from Emory University. Outside of formal schooling and training, they pursue informal learning through popular education and self-directed learning. As an Afrodiasporic child of immigrants and working-class people, Danette’s approach to facilitation values the wisdom of lived experience and centers humility, curiosity, empathy, authenticity, and respect.
Dylan McKenzie
Dylan McKenzie helps people learn, create, and take action by translating complexity into engaging, practical learning experiences. He has spent over a decade designing programs that connect creativity, education, and business, empowering people to build sustainable practices and unlock new opportunities. Dylan co-founded the NYU Game Center Incubator, where independent developers launched successful games and learned how to sustain their creative work. During his tenure, he helped grow the NYU Game Center from a two-class pilot into the world’s top-ranked game design program. At Teamshares, he led education for a national network of employee-owned small businesses, designing and scaling a learning system that supported over $4 million in wealth transfer to blue-collar workers. Now, Dylan is developing Project Rhythm, a music-learning game that helps beginners bridge the gap from curiosity to creating their first track. His consulting work spans clients such as ESPN, the Canadian Consulate, and the Sloan Foundation, with projects ranging from product exploration to curriculum and grant design. As a facilitator and program designer, Dylan centers his practice on clarity, creativity, and collaboration, helping technical and non-technical teams alike learn by doing and turn ideas into meaningful impact. He holds an MA in Arts Entrepreneurship and a BS in Media, Culture, and Communication, both from New York University.
Katy Mamen
Katy Mamen is a creative and collaborative systems change consultant and facilitator helping leaders, organizations and networks find strategic clarity and build collaborative leadership. Recognized as a highly effective and culturally competent facilitator, systems change capacity builder, and nonprofit & philanthropic strategist with a track record of success working with diverse stakeholders to design aligned strategies for an equitable and regenerative future. Katy is principal and founder of Water Bear Collaborative, a consultancy that supports leaders in the climate change, food and agriculture, and water sectors to envision and implement system-informed strategies in service of social justice and ecological health. Katy is particularly skilled at cultivating the wisdom of the whole, whether that’s an organizational team or leaders spanning a field, creating the conditions for all voices be heard and honored while tending to power dynamics, group culture, and results. Her clients in the philanthropic sector have included Water Foundation, the Energy Foundation, UNFI Foundation, Garfield Foundation, and Lumpkin Family Foundation. Katy is a Fellow of the Academy for Systems Change and previously managed multi-stakeholder policy roundtables and led the California Food System Alliance Network as Director of Programs at Ag Innovations. Before turning to process work, Katy studied emergence in complex systems and the role of traditional knowledge in sustainable agriculture while pursuing her MSc in the UK. She also worked with an international think tank researching the impacts of the international mining sector on indigenous communities and supported traditional agrarian communities in Central and South America, Asia, Europe and North America. Katy currently lives in a rural, consensus-based intentional community in northern California, where she honed her group process skills over the past 20 years.
Mark Hecker
Mark Hecker is a social worker and educator with varied and extensive leadership experience. A former DC Social Worker of the Year, Mark’s work has been recognized by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Aspen Institute. As the Founding Executive Director of Reach Incorporated, Mark built and led an innovative and impactful organization that won multiple, national awards and gave hundreds of teens the opportunity to demonstrate leadership in their communities. He holds an A.B. from Duke University, an M.S.W. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and an Ed.M from Harvard University.
Amy Fisher Bruey
Amy Fisher Bruey is a dynamic and experienced facilitator specializing in leadership development within international contexts. As an ICF-certified coach, she brings a unique blend of coaching and facilitation skills to her work, empowering individuals and organizations to achieve meaningful growth. Amy has designed and led over 50 workshops, training programs, and retreats for a variety of clients, including USAID, the Department of State, and international NGOs. Her facilitation expertise spans a wide range of topics, including leadership, team building, strategic planning, and mentorship, with a focus on creating engaging (fun!) and transformative experiences for her clients.
Beatrice Roby
Originally from Toulouse, Béatrice Roby obtained her Master 2 degree from Toulouse Business School in France. Direct and tenacious by nature, her professional journey is marked by two distinct phases. The first, in salaried positions based in Paris, included numerous professional assignments in the United States, Asia, and Northern Europe. She began her career as a financial auditor at KPMG Paris and later became Financial Director overseeing 12 subsidiaries at SAFT. Following a professional retraining validated by a second Master in Training Engineering and Employment Services, Béatrice transitioned into a new role as European Director in charge of compensation. This stage of her career was focused on professional development and career growth. At the age of 40, Béatrice’s path led her to Africa—specifically Mali—marking the beginning of a new entrepreneurial chapter dedicated to human capital. As the founder and director of the HR consulting firm BR CONSULTING, she carries out missions in Human Resources, recruitment, training, and, since 2020, coaching. Her work spans Mali and the broader French-speaking West African region. Equally at ease in both local and international contexts, Béatrice partners with organizations that strive to place people at the heart of their development strategies.Her credentials include:ACC Certified ICF Coach (coachingfederation.org)Erickson International Certified CoachCertified Cultural Coach (expatcommunication.com)Certified in Leadership and Management with CEGOSMember of the International Coaching FederationMember of the CGBB (Club of Good and Benevolent People)Vice-President of the CSR Committee at CIEM (Club of European Investors in Mali) A strong advocate for environmental protection, Béatrice led the organization of the R’PLAST competition, which honored three start-ups engaged in plastic bottle recycling. Building on its success, she co-founded an association to promote recycling and the circular economy in the region. She is the proud mother of a 16-year-old daughter of Fulani and French-Bambara heritage and champions an educational philosophy rooted in autonomy, balance, and holistic development. In her personal life, Béatrice finds joy in walking, painting, reading, and cooking—skills she developed through training with renowned chefs Alain Ducasse and Lenôtre. She is also deeply committed to actions that promote zero waste living.
Azmiri Mian
Azmiri Mian is a dynamic facilitator, mental health and wellness coach, and leadership expert who thrives on empowering individuals and groups to achieve transformative outcomes. Rooted in a rich tapestry of global cultural experiences, Azmiri brings a unique perspective to her work, championing human connection and embracing diversity as the foundation of collaboration and growth. With a strong foundation as an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, Azmiri seamlessly integrates evidence-based strategies with innovative approaches such as Polyvagal Theory, somatic healing, and breathwork. Her expertise enables her to meet people where they are, guiding them through life’s complexities with empathy and clarity while fostering resilience and authentic connection. Guided by UFacilitate’s principles, Azmiri embodies the belief that “Relationships are the way.” She prioritizes creating safe, inclusive spaces where individuals and groups can navigate the “messy human stuff” with trust, vulnerability, and confidence. Her facilitation style is both compassionate and empowering, enabling participants to embrace their uniqueness and contribute meaningfully to shared goals. As a workshop leader, Azmiri excels in designing tailored group programs that inspire collaboration and transformation. Her signature offering, Reset Your Vagus Nerve and Live the Life You Want, empowers participants to build emotional regulation, resilience, and connection. Her ability to “nudge mountains” aligns with UFacilitate’s emphasis on sustainable change through small, consistent shifts, ensuring lasting impact for individuals and teams. Azmiri’s journey across Bangladesh, Greece, and Australia has cultivated a deep appreciation for diverse perspectives and a commitment to fostering belonging. Her mission to help others “embrace their weird” reflects her belief in the power of authenticity and the value of every voice in creating innovative, inclusive solutions. Currently training as an internationally accredited Breathwork Facilitator, Azmiri is continuously expanding her toolkit to ensure her clients have access to cutting-edge modalities. Whether coaching individuals or facilitating groups, Azmiri’s approach is rooted in empathy, cultural awareness, and an unwavering dedication to unlocking human potential. Azmiri Mian is a transformational guide who helps individuals and organizations achieve meaningful change by aligning purpose, connection, and action. Her work is a testament to the power of collaboration, resilience, and embracing the unique strengths that make us human.
Solonia Teodros
Solonia Teodros is a cross-sector facilitator, innovation strategist, and career coach with 15+ years of experience designing and delivering transformative programs for organizations and individuals navigating change. Of Ethiopian and Chinese heritage, with life and work chapters across North America, Asia, and Europe, she brings a rare blend of cultural fluency, systems thinking, and human-centered design. Her facilitation style is immersive, reflective, and values-driven—focused on activating leadership, building and bridging cultures, and enabling purposeful growth. Currently Chief Growth & Innovation Officer at JUMP! Foundation and co-founder of The Change School, Solonia has led retreats, strategy sessions, and learning labs for youth, executive teams, educators, nonprofit leaders, and public sector changemakers. She is bilingual in Mandarin and English, a TEDx speaker on global citizenship and identity, and a certified coach supporting individuals through career shifts and personal realignments. Her coaching draws from strengths-based, narrative, and values-led approaches, while her facilitation often centers on leadership development, culture transformation, identity, and inclusive collaboration.