Linda is a retired teacher and librarian who is constantly involved in her community.  She served for 14 years as a City Council Member in University Place, and served two terms as mayor.  She worked tirelessly as a manager of the “Cityhood for University Place Committee”, and was Chairman of the Playground by the Sound “community built” playground committee.  This means she organized dozens of volunteers and donors to make the playground area at Chambers Bay Park a reality. She has served on many committees, including the UP Planning Advisory Commission Chairwoman, Puget Sound Regional Council Executive Board and the Transportation Policy Board.

Linda has been married to her husband Albert for 48 years, and they have five adult children and seven beautiful grandchildren.  She will be a panelist in the workshop “The Vital Role of Women of Faith in Our Communities.”

The Rev. Dr. Linda Hart is in her 5th year at Tahoma Unitarian Universalist Congregation.  Dr. Hart has served congregations in Vermont, Connecticut, London, and around Washington state.  Throughout her life and ministry, she has been an activist and advocate for social justice causes.

Reverend Hart will be participating in the workshop “The Vital Role of Women of Faith in Our Community”.  This will be a very thoughtful discussion, so please join her there!

Warrior Princess Maggy Delaney is a retired 4th Degree Black Belt and Warrior Princes Rhonda Schimon earned her high color belt. Maggy and Rhonda trained together in Kenpo Karate at Life Christian school where they worked together for a time. They both attend church together and have taught self-defense classes and workshops off and on in the last 15 years and have been friends for about 18years.

Maggy works for Associated Ministries as the Resource team lead; she is very active in her church with her church celebrate recovery ministries, she mentors ladies and writes a devotional blog called Warrior Princess Attitude. She is single with 1 adult child.

Rhonda has been teaching elementary and middles schools students for over 20 years, loves science, has coached basketball, swimming and fastpitch.  She took Kenpo Karate for three years and earned a blue belt. She is married to a wonderful husband and has 4 adult children.

These two strong women will be leading a “Self Defense for Women” workshop that you will not want to miss!

Marilyn Loy Every is visionary and founder of Sagessence, LLC, a company dedicated to providing programs to inspire, guide and prepare women and men to in live with passion, purpose and fullfillment in the second half of their lives. She holds a Doctorate of Ministry in Wisdom Studies with a focus on aging, a M.A. in Counseling Psychology, and a M.S. in Audiology. Marilyn is a certified Spiritual Director, and an International Certified Sage-ing Leader.

Dr. Loy Every specializes in aging issues, sage leadership training, affirmative aging guidance, life visioning and spiritual companioning.   She will be sharing her insight on aging in her workshop, “Aging with Grace and Wisdom: Re-Think the Second Half of Your Life!”

Martha is the Executive Director of the Toy Rescue Mission, a non-profit dedicated to providing children with quality toys for birthdays, Easter and Christmas.  Martha’s business management career helped her to organize serves thousands of disadvantaged children and seniors each year. Volunteers gently restore used toys to like new condition. Martha’s upbeat personality has brought together many volunteers on behalf of others – true kindness in action!

Martha is a panelist in the workshop, “The Vital Role of Women of Faith in the Community” and will share her story of faith and hard work as she has made the Toy Rescue Mission a key part of our Tacoma and families in need.

My family emigrated to the U.S. from Uganda over ten years ago. Due to civil unrest in Uganda and the surrounding countries, families were forced to flee for safety.  This resulted in widespread family separations and internal displacements. For me, growing up without a father left a dent in my heart that was difficult to express. Through writing poetry, I found my voice to give light to the pains and tragedies that young people often grow up with and hold within.

I currently work as a Housing Specialist with the Rapid Rehousing at Associated Ministries. Earned my B.A. in Sociology with an emphasis on Health Care Social Issues, at the University of California, San Diego and M.A. in Counseling at Covenant Bible Seminary, in Lakewood, WA.

My workshop, “Writing Your Story” will help you express your values, strengthen your faith and share with future generations.  Learn how to tell your own story, your way.

Melannie Denise Cunningham’s professional and volunteer service spans several decades and industries including federal, city and state government, non-profit, radio, television, higher education and entrepreneurship.  She has served with the Department of the Navy, Department of Commerce, City of Tacoma and Washington State Department of General Administration in progressively responsible capacities including Equal Employment Opportunity, Materials Management and Community Partnership.  In 2006, she joined the Office of Admission team at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) as Director of Multicultural Recruitment.  She recently moved to the PLU Campus Ministry team as Director of Multicultural Outreach and Engagement with a dedicated focus on student of color success.

In April 2018,  Melannie received the Greater Tacoma Peace Prize for her exemplary work in promoting racial reconciliation.  The Greater Tacoma Peace Prize was founded in 2005 and the area is the only one with a laureate recognized by the Norwegian Nobel Institute. As Tacoma’s Peace Laureate, Melannie receives a trip to Oslo, Norway, to attend Nobel Peace Prize events in December 2018.

She holds a B.A. from Washington State University, Certificate of Training in Broadcast Production Technology from Bates Technical College, an M.B.A. from Pacific Lutheran University, and is currently a doctoral student at Fielding Graduate University pursing a PhD in Organizational Development and Change with a concentration in Inclusive Leadership for Social Justice.  Melannie expects to graduate in 2021.

I'm Melissa--owner of Sweet Beets.  Sweet Beets is an integrative wellness coaching program specializing in plant-based nutrition and dedicated to wholehearted wellness.  After 20 years of struggling with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and a decade of being ruled by disordered eating, I found my home with plant based living and long-distance running.  Changing my diet changed my life.

I integrate diet, exercise, career, relationships, and spirituality to support clients on their journey toward wholehearted wellness.

My workshop, “Plant-based Eating for Health and Healing”, will guide you to by identifying lifestyle habits that are not serving their greatest well-being and replacing them with life enhancing habits.  It will literally change your life!

Pamela is dedicated to the practice, study, and teaching of yoga and its sister science, Ayurveda. Her yoga journey began when she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 25.

​The diagnosis was the primary driver that helped to make yoga a daily part of her life. Seeing the positive effects that yoga had on her health, Pamela decided to become a certified yoga teacher and Certified Ayurveda Yoga Specialist.

Pamela is an Experienced Yoga Teacher, Registered with Yoga Alliance, ERYT500HR.

She teaches weekly classes, leads 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training, workshops, and retreats.

​Pamela is a teacher of flow, incorporating the teachings of Vinyasa Krama, Ayurveda, and Pranayama. Pamela's approach to teaching is joyful and light and you will most likely find yourself laughing now and again in her classes. Pamela is leading two workshops for our conference:  “A Little Love: Self Care for Mid-Life” and “Your Body Is a Temple,”.  She draws on Ayurvedic practices and life experience to delve deeply into how to care for ourselves as we fulfill the many roles of life.

Polly has worked professionally as an American Sign Language Interpreter for more than 35 years.  Prayer using a rosary was part of her spiritual upbringing, and as an adult, she has sought learning from many faith traditions to enhance this early teaching.  Prayer has always been a meaningful part of her life.

Polly feels that nature gives us true art – and seeks to use the beauty in nature to enhance the connection to peace and a higher power.

In her workshop, we will be creating our own individual  prayer beads. Inspired by the book “A String and a Prayer”, Polly will share with us a way to use prayer beads to keep us grounded in the present moment, become more meditative, and honor the intuitive spirit in us all.

Sara is a Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki II practitioner, certified Sound Healer, Shamanic Energetics practitioner and a 500 hr. Registered Yoga Teacher. Many of her classes include vibration (mantra, music, gong or singing bowls) and meditative visualizations with movement and breath woven in. Both a shadow worker and a light weaver, she’s not afraid of the depths and is honored to light the way and hold space for this work. In recovery from disordered eating and addiction she is continuously gathering tools to help herself and others on this path.

We are thrilled to have Sara lead “Singing Bowls,” an experience in sound and healing that you will never forget.

“When he died, he gave me purpose”

Shalisa Hayes is no stranger to grief.  At the age of 5 her father became a victim of homicide. From that point on she was raised by her single mother and encountered much of what our youth see today, both good and bad. As a result, she focused her free time as an adult on volunteer projects that focused on at-risk youth.

After experiencing the loss of her 17 year old son to gun violence in August of 2011, Ms. Hayes formed The Billy Ray Foundation (www.billyray.org) in his honor with hopes of seeing her son’s dream of having a community center built on the eastside of Tacoma come true. As a stimulating speaker, she has become the motivation for many to act on change as she shares her courageous story of dealing with life after the death of her teenage son.

Shalisa will share her story in the workshop “Triumph For the Soul.”  She will help us realize that good can come from grief, and that we can all help create better communities within a better world.

I am a single mother of a teenage son still living at home, and three adult daughters living outside of the home. I work at Associated Ministries (AM), where I have the opportunity to learn and grow on a daily basis through contribution to different programs that are important to me. My expertise in data and programming has allowed me to contribute to AM’s Coordinated Entry Program, Representative Payee and Homeless Mail, Paint Tacoma Pierce Beautiful and VITA programs while studying Human Services at Tacoma Community College.

Prior to returning to school, I worked thirteen years in the real estate industry. Towards the end of housing market crash in 2012, I was laid off. In the four years since, my son and I have experienced both sheltered and unsheltered homelessness three times. My experiences as a student, an intern, and a mother have provided me an understanding of homelessness from the perspectives of program development, service delivery, and its impact on families and communities. As an unsheltered homeless woman, I experienced the significant toll homelessness takes, physically, mentally, and spiritually.  I learned a great deal about needs within the homeless population and am happy to share my experience, as well as what helped and what did not.

Sonja Lorrigan Hopkins is a certified professional coach, and a personal/professional development trainer.  Sonja received her coaching certification from Academy for Coach Training, Bellevue, WA.

She is an accomplished motivational speaker, writer and poet. For the past 5 years she has been a group leader for an Addiction Recovery Program focusing on pornography and sex addiction, working with addicts, spouses and families of addicts. Her focus is working with clients who experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from childhood trauma/abuse, emotional and sexual abuse, domestic violence, and substance abuse disorders.

She was a staff analyst with the Boeing Company (Seattle, WA) for 15 years and did contract training for Bates Technical College, Business & Management Training Center (Tacoma, WA) providing communication training for Dept. of Internal Revenue. She trained employees who work and live internationally and those who interface with multi-cultural teams.

For 15 years, Sonja served on the research and development team of the Rapid Eye Institute (Salem, OR). They developed a unique method of working with stress management and the collapsing of emotional toxins. She was a curriculum developer and trainer for Life Skills Classes to assist clients in implementing choices that would lead them to a more productive lifestyle. She is a Master Rapid Eye Technician (MRET).

Sonja’s workshop will focus on helping to overcome addictions and the consequences of addiction through spiritual and emotional skills that strengthen our minds and hearts.

Suzy received her mindfulness training through the UCSD Center for Mindfulness, she is one of 5 certified yoga therapists in the State of Washington, is the Director for Work Well NW, a company that provides on-site mindfulness and yoga classes to employees and executives of various corporations and is one of the owners of Three Trees Yoga.  She has found mindfulness practice to be an anchor during life's challenges and has connected her to a deeper sense of joy and gratitude in her every day.  She feels profoundly blessed in being able to share this practice with others.

Suzy will be leading the pre-conference meditation session, as well as a workshop entitled, “Deepening Your Meditation.”

As a youth I lived a hard and traumatic life experiencing homelessness and addiction. Over time I managed to get myself out of homelessness and addiction with little support because only beacuse I refused the help as I was lost in my life and my own mind. I later learned that all along I had the strength to make a change and a better life for myself. It was an uphill battle but I am now in the best place I have ever been. I am now a single mother of a beautiful 2 year old little girl living a healthy happy life doing great work within our community.

I feel as though my past battles and defeats lead me to my employment here at Associated Ministries as a Coordinated Entry Specialist II Team Lead. I came to this organization as an intern in 2012 in the development office. I have worked my way up in this agency into the direct service line of work. I never thought this career path would be where I landed. Coming here I have gained a passion for this work and serving our community.

Terri Conger, CFP

Terri is a lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest.  She is a Certified Financial Planner, and an Advisory Representative at Merrill Lynch in Federal Way.   She has a passion for helping others achieve their goals, especially financial ones.

Terri loves the outdoors, and does plenty of hiking, snowshoeing, running, biking and anything else that gets her outdoors.  She is on the Board of Directors for the John Volken Academy, a live-in addiction recovery program for young men.  Working with these men, who are determined to change their lives in a positive direction, brings her tremendous joy and satisfaction.

Terri has four grown children, and six grandchildren.  Her workshop, “Women,   Faith and Money”  will help all of us use our values and faith principles define the way we look at money, both saving and spending.

If Tracie is in the room, somebody’s laughing….WHY???

Because Tracie Davis truly believes God wants His children to laugh and definitely knows He has gifted her to make that happen. This native North Westerner has presented her brand of fresh and positive humor throughout the country.

Tracie Davis is brilliant at creating comedy tailor-made for each of her audiences. Whether opening for national recording artists Mary Mary, Angela Spivey and Pastor Hezekiah Walker or relaxing executives at the Boeing Company and Alaska Airlines, TRACIE DAVIS is on target. But if you think her routine is structured and predictable, think again.

Tracie a quick-witted, multi-tasking mother of one is also multi-dimensioned. She recently shared her gift of laughter at the15th Annual Celebration of the Gospel Today Magazine in Atlanta. Tracie Davis recorded her DVD to a sold out crowd in Atlanta, in November. Tracie also has done a guest spot on BET’s Lift Every Voice and Sing Television show.

Tracie will be leading a workshop entitled “Laughing Through the Journey”, and will help remind us how to have joy in the face of adversity.

T’wina Franklin Nobles is President & CEO of The Tacoma Urban League, a School Board Director of University Place School District, TEDx speaker, and was selected as a ParentMap Superhero for Washington State Families. She is a graduate of The University of Puget Sound and has her Master of Arts in Teaching and a degree in U.S. Politics.

In 2007 she began teaching middle school science and recently taught a high school college preparation course at Lincoln High School and Stadium High School. By 2013 T’wina gained experience consulting political campaigns for candidates including current Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards, Tacoma School Board Candidate Dr. Dexter Gordon, and Congressman Denny Heck.

T’wina describes her workshop:   “I want to show you what can happen when you dream up the life you want to live, create an open space in your heart ready to connect with women & girls in your community, and then pursue opportunities to be a go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, and leader. Spoiler alert...your outlook on life will change.”   Workshop:  “Become Super You: Be a Leader, Starting Now.”

Victoria Woodards was elected to the Tacoma City Council in 2010 and served as the deputy mayor in 2014. She began her professional career by serving as a member of the U.S. Army and is a proud veteran.   She was elected to Tacoma’s Metropolitan Parks Board of Commissioners in 2004 where she served until 2009 as its president. Currently, she serves as president and chief executive officer of the Tacoma Urban League.

Victoria was raised in Tacoma and is a graduate of Lincoln High School. She lives in the South End of Tacoma and, in her free time, serves as choir director of Allen AME Church.

Mayor Woodards’ workshop, “The Wise Leader”, will explore ways to lead effectively in a fractured world that is often divisive and hostile.  Victoria shares her own life experience serving in the US Army, and in our community to this discussion to mentor present and future woman leaders.