Hello, my name is Toye Jones. I am a lifelong Oregonian with over 15 years of Management Team leadership experience in Human Resources at several Portland area nonprofits. I’ve established partnerships with Portland Public Schools and led PTAs and Site Councils throughout my career working as an advocate in both children’s Alternative Education and Foster Care. I am a member of SHRM, I have an HRCI certification and earned a B.S. in Social Sciences from Portland State University. I have a passion for empowering those who feel powerless. My lived experience as a member of America’s marginalized communities and my commitment to helping children and families is what I view as my life’s purpose. I’m always looking forward to an opportunity to meet and discuss our mutual dedication to our children, families, and fighting for a more equitable society.

T. Aisha Edwards, LMHC (xey/xem) is a somatic trauma therapist, embodiment facilitator and traditional healer based in Vancouver, WA. Xey received xer Masters in Clinical Psychology from Pacific University and has concentrated on socialized oppressions, interpersonal violence, abuse and neglect in marginalized populations throughout xer decade-plus career. Prior to private practice, xey worked in community mental health, high acuity treatment settings and as an adjunct faculty at Portland Community College. Aisha is the Vision Guide and founder of Radical Rest, a nonprofit that provides collective healing events for BIPOC folks and trauma informed education for the communities that serve us. Xey are also the co-host of Emergent Liberation Collective, a podcast about somatics and spirituality as instruments for personal healing and collective transformation.

Erica Briggs is a learning facilitator, DEIB consultant, community caretaker, creative artist, and writer. In each capacity, she is a storyteller, sharing connections that equip, inspire, and support healing and growth. Born and raised in Oregon, Erica has traversed the globe, living and working in various locations. Currently, she is a Nonprofit Education Specialist at NAO, the owner and residential manager of a co-operative living community, and the founder and CEO of a small arts and nature nonprofit based in Troutdale. As a single mother, she earned a BA in Communications at Mills College in Oakland, CA, and a Master's in Africana Studies at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, where she studied the social construction of race in America through literature. For over 25 years, she has served various roles in nonprofits, and both traditional and alternative learning environments from elementary through college. When she is at play, you will likely find her wandering in her garden, making a mess in her art studio, or hiking with her children to the nearest body of water.