Wisdom Weavers – Northern New Mexico Nonprofit Women of Color Leadership Program

Alicia Lueras Maldonado, is a facilitator, coach, consultant and strategist.  She holds Bachelor of Arts degrees inCommunication & Journalism, and Spanish from the University of New Mexico.She received her coaching certification from Leadership that Works, which is anAccredited Coach Training Program (ACTP) with the International Coach Federation. Her coaching focuses on personal transformation and growth, equity, and leadership and organizational development. She incorporates visualization, breath work, meditation, journaling, storytelling and movement as part of her coaching.

Alicia’s background in politics, the arts, community and social justice organizing gives her a unique perspective, which she brings to her practice. As the Founder & ChiefExecutive Officer, she has over 25 years of social justice organizing, management, consulting and facilitation experience. In addition, Alicia is also an actor, writer, photographer, level II reiki practitioner and certified yoga instructor. She integrates all these disciplines into her work.

Ariane Mahmud-Ghazi is an Afghan-American somatic psychotherapist, an experiential educator, a creativity coach, and a trauma consultant. Key professional offerings include

- A lifelong commitment to child protection, gender parity, maternal & child health, family welfare and community building.  

- A clinical background in social work and trauma recovery with a focus on ecological approaches to community mobilization & post-conflict transformation.

- Multicultural awareness and experience working locally and internationally.

Ariane is committed to supporting those who strengthen our social fabric, who honor peace & the mosaic of cultures across the globe, who stand for social justice, and for placing the welfare of children & nature at the heart of all levels of innovation & decision-making.  She is passionate about restoring relationships that have been disrupted by social, collective and generational trauma and facilitates conversations and experiential workshops for health, wellness, self-regulation, conflict resolution, and post-traumatic growth to develop joint collaborative actions for social transformation. Find out more at ecologyofbeingyou.com.

Elena Higgins has cultivated a dynamic career touring with her wife, Tash Terry (Diné), as part of the award-winning musical duo Indigie Femme. Together, they have garnered numerous international and national accolades for their powerful performances. Beyond her musical achievements, Elena is the co-founder and executive director ofIndigenousWays, a nonprofit organization devoted to fostering balance and unity through music, arts, outreach, and events. IndigenousWays serves as a bridge for cultural exchange, supporting Native American, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, andDeaf and Hard of Hearing communities with accessible programs and festivals.Through this work, the organization amplifies underrepresented voices, strengthens cultural resilience, and promotes holistic healing on a global scale.

Elena's dedication to community and cultural preservation is deeply rooted in her heritage. Born inAotearoa (New Zealand), she was raised in a Pākehā (white) foster family, while maintaining close ties with her Samoan matrilineal aiga (family) and Māoriwhānau (family). These connections have instilled in her a profound commitment to honoring cultural traditions and building meaningful community connections.

Elise Padilla is the Owner and Founder of Elise PadillaConsulting, LLC, where she passionately pursues her mission of igniting the passion in the heart while maintaining the serenity of the soul. With over 15 years of extensive experience in non-profit leadership and development, Elise now dedicates her expertise to supporting entrepreneurs and non-profit leaders in creating sustainable businesses that make a positive impact in their communities.

Elise holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) and a Master ofBusiness Administration (MBA), equipping her with a unique blend of compassionate understanding and strategic acumen. As a Certified Peer SupportWorker (CPSW), she brings a deep empathy and firsthand knowledge of the challenges individuals face in navigating their personal and professional journeys. Her recent certification an a Workplace Mindfulness Facilitator  gives her the opportunity to incorporate mindfulness and intentionality to encourage wellness in the workplace and drive success in organizations.

Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Elise is deeply rooted in her community, where she serves as the Treasurer of the National Association ofPeer Supporters, the Chair of the NM Peer Support Coalition and as a member of many other local and National Boards. Through her role and her consultancy work, Elise remains committed to fostering growth, resilience, and empowerment among individuals and organizations alike.

With a steadfast dedication to holistic well-being and sustainable success, Elise Padilla continues to inspire and uplift those she serves, leaving a lasting impact on both hearts and businesses.

Giovianna Burrell (she/her) is committed to the work of education and healing with their ability to create authentic change. She has a Bachelor of Science in Family/Child Studies with a Minor in Dance. In 2019, she received her Masters of Art in Educational Leadership, Policy & Administration where she wrote her thesis on the mental health impacts of the education system on Black women and girls and it’s false promises of “liberation”. Both degrees are from the University of New Mexico.

Giovianna has worked in the field of education for over 10 years in various settings from public/community schools to non-profit. Giovianna’s work in education includes developing and managing educational programming for youth, teens, young adults, and in her previous role with adults as she was appointed to the City of Albuquerque Office of Equity & Inclusion as the first Culture Change Leader. She has recently transitioned to the Public Health Institute (based in Oakland, CA) as a Program Manager (Co-Lead) developing & implementing racial equity, anti-racism, and social justice curriculum for the Capitol Collaborative for Race & Equity (CCORE) that is a learning and capacity building program for California state employees. In August 2023, she visioned & launched a healing learning cohort for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color state employees and community members in California called the CCORE Transformative Leadership Cohort. Although, her work is based in California now, she is still lives and works in Albuquerque, New Mexico which she has been for the past 15 years. She also created and facilitated many meaningful workshop spaces to critically dialogue about race, gender, intersectionality, and other social justice topics. Supporting Black, Indigenous folx and communities of color to reach their greatest potential through education, embodiment, and healing is where her passion lies in this work. Through her consulting business Saff’s Sanctuary LLC she is actualizing this passion.

Marisa Page is an enrolled citizen of the Pawnee Nation ofOklahoma and descends from the Ponca and Comanche Nation. Marisa was born and raised in Albuquerque, NM and currently resides in Rio Rancho, NM with her family. Ms. Page’s education includes - Master of Legal Studies with a focus inIndigenous Peoples Law from the University of Oklahoma, Bachelor of Arts inAnthropology with a minor in Psychology from the University of New Mexico, and two Associates of Arts from Central New Mexico Community College. She is a current candidate for 2024 cohort for the Native American Studies, PhD. program at the University of New Mexico. For more than 20 years, Marisa has worked and advocated for Indigenous peoples throughout the world. She has been a fundraiser working with major gifts, planned giving, and grant writing; managed a pre-college education department; guest lectured at various universities; and participated in community organizing. BIPOC-led organizations she has worked for include - First Nations Development Institute, New Mexico Environmental LawCenter, Native Community Development Associates, Americans for IndianOpportunity, Campo Band of Kumeyaay, and the American Indian Science andEngineering Society. Ms. Page is currently the Executive Director for thePawnee Evening Star Fund, a tribal 501c3.

Nathana Bird, M.A. is from Ohkay Owingeh and Kewa Pueblo, a life-partner to chef Ray Naranjo and mother of four. She has served in many roles and currently serves as the Executive Director of Tewa Women United, where she leads with respect, honesty, and compassion, and carries forward the vision of TWU’s founders to nurture healing, cultural resilience, and community self-determination. She previously served as Program Manager for the Women’s Leadership and Economic Freedom Program, grounding her work in the values of reciprocity and connection to community.

Her journey as an organizer began in Northern New Mexico and across the region through youth organizations, with a strong focus on environmental justice and education. She holds an M.A. in Language, Literacy & Socio-Cultural Studies with a concentration in American Indian Education and a B.A. in Integrated Studies in Psychology.

Rooted in the teachings of her people and the wisdom passed down by mothers and grandmothers, Nathana is passionate about creating spaces where young people, families, and communities can thrive. She credits the elders, community, and staff of TWU for shaping her own path of healing and empowerment, and she remains committed to serving the communities of the Española Valley with love, care, and accountability.

When not working, she enjoys tending her plants, road trips, organizing, and spending time with family.

Savage recently retired from Tougaloo College where she was an Associate Professor of Art and has relocated to Santa Fe, where she operates a small but highly successful grants management service for nonprofits.  In addition to maintaining a studio practice as a sculptor, Savage directs the Santa Fe Community Yoga Center’s Yoga inPrison Project, now in its second year.

Savage received a Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture from Georgia State University and holds two additional graduate-level degrees: Medical Anthropology from theUniversity of Mississippi, and Art History from Northwestern State University.  Savage received her undergraduate degree inPhotography from Mississippi Valley State University, as well as having a degree in Advertising Design from the Art Institute of Philadelphia.

Phoenix is the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships. She has received the Scholar-in-Residence award from New York University on three separate occasions for her research on Euphemia Toussaint, a Haitian American who left behind the only child’s perspective of 19th-century New YorkCity. 

Savage received the 2019 Humanities Council of Mississippi Teacher of theYear Award. In 2012 Savage was awarded the Being Humans Fellowship from theInstitute of Arts and Humanities at Penn State University where she inaugurated the Human Touch Project. The United States’ State Department awarded Savage aFulbright Fellowship in 2011 where she spent a year in Nigeria conducting research on the Yoruba concept of Ori, (human head) while also investigating metal casting in the ancient city of Ile-Ife. Savage also taught at ObafemiA wolowo University during her time in Nigeria. Savage maintains her relationship with Africa as Chief Yeye Olomo Osara of Ile-Ife, Nigeria where she is a contributing member of the Osara community. Here in the United States,Savage maintains her devotion to Osara, serving as psychic medium channeling Osara, the maternal essence of water.  

Savage is widely known for her cultural writings:  Peju’s Indigo appearing in the art catalog for the exhibition Peju Layiwola, IndigoReimagined; University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria, 2019 and I Declare for the works of Tina M. Dunkley, Sanctuary for the Internal Enemy: AnAncestral Odyssey published by Wilmer Jennings Gallery of Kenkeleba House, NewYork, NY.  Other works by Savage have appeared in the Encyclopedia ofSlavery and Resistance, the Encyclopedia of the Blues, and the Encyclopedia ofMississippi. Savage has published two books: African Americans of Jackson, 2009and African Americans of New Orleans, 2010, featuring community histories of two iconic cities in America.

In addition to her scholarship Savage maintains a strong record of national exhibits and art residencies. In 2022 Savage was the recipient of theREVOLUTION Artist in Residency with the Santa Fe Art Institute.