Marketing and Communications Writer | Faculty

Aliah is a lifelong writer who left the traditional academic path after receiving a Master’s degree in Irish Studies from New York University. Since then, she has made a career in supporting nonprofit missions through marketing writing and fundraising, from protecting civil rights to conserving wildlife habitats. Aliah is interested in learning from others’ perspectives and experiences, communicating with compassion, and examining her beliefs and values to live each day with intention.

Originally from New Jersey, Aliah moved to Oregon after falling in love with the endless pine forests of the Pacific Northwest. With thanks to an amazing mentor, she has become an active guitarist and singer, and now teaches guitar and ukulele to young students. She is also training to become a certified forest therapy guide. In her spare time she enjoys connecting with nature, developing her meditation practice, petting neighborhood cats, and playing with her band – Sagitttaire!

Lab Program Coordinator | Faculty

Aria is a professional problem-solver and educator from Portland, Oregon. Driven by a roving curiosity and commitment to personal and collective growth, Aria has worked in or adjacent to the education space for 10+ years. Though she always thought she’d teach in a public high school, Aria naturally seemed to gravitate to less conventional educational spaces. She’s worked on an educational farm, with a startup helping universities better serve their students, at an international artists residency and ceramics school, with a career coaching program, in a grassroots community organizing space, with a radical “free school,” and with countless other educational projects as a facilitator, organizer, and program designer.

When she isn’t teaching or coordinating the Labs program at Wayfinding Academy, Aria works as a community-centered consultant, helping organizations to design and develop programs to better meet the needs of their members. In work and life, she believes deeply in participatory design processes, democratic decision-making, and the power of asking good questions. When she isn’t helping start or grow amazing programs, you’ll find Aria relaxing on her front porch or teaching herself to surf on the Oregon Coast.

Director of Community Engagement/Development Director

In the haze of post-grad, Co impulsively moved to Oregon and found herself on the doorsteps of the Wayfinding Academy. She loved the learning, independence, and friendships that came with college, but spent endless hours rereading majors trying to mold herself to fit one. She’s thankful to be a part of a higher education focused on the individual. In her spare time, she likes trying new restaurants, discussing books, and questioning existing hierarchies.

Contact Co directly by clicking here!

Director of Student Services and Equity & Inclusion and Guide

Jean’s background is in post-secondary education with some dabbling in early childhood and K-12. Throughout her career she has always been passionate about equity and inclusion issues. She has advocated for student access whether it’s been for Latinx high school students to explore careers, or leading diversity efforts at a community college to ensure barriers are removed for all students. She thrives in environments in which all people are treated with respect and dignity and in which all people are provided opportunities to participate, to be fully engaged, and to contribute to their communities. She believes that we learn from each other and that there is hope for a better world.

When she is not working, Jean likes to play hard. She likes to work up a good sweat at the gym, or grab a recipe out of a food magazine and cook up a storm. She loves planning, planting, and harvesting from her garden. And she has OCD – Obsessive Canning Disorder!

Chief Business Officer

Jen is a master artisan of organizational flow. Her consulting work across arts & culture, education, entrepreneurship, health & wellness, and religion & spirituality has gifted her with a broad perspective on how to survive, transform, change and grow effectively, efficiently, and gracefully. Jen loves multi-cultural experiences, world music and ethnic food every day of the week. Jen is very funny she is often told.

Founder and President

Michelle is doing her life's work right now, which is exhilarating and terrifying. During her 15 years teaching Leadership and Organizational Behavior courses in the traditional college system, she had a front row seat for what is broken about that system. About 3 years ago, she began gathering a group of like minded badasses around a vision of what a revolution in higher education could look like. After years of helping groups and non-profits organize for social impact as a volunteer (SuperThank, TEDxMtHood, World Domination Summit) Michelle started her legacy project and the Wayfinding Academy was born.

Michelle earned a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology and Leadership from Claremont Graduation University in 2002.

Lead Guide

Sarah is a graduate of Portland State University where she studied philosophy and Women's Studies, with a focus on women of color. As a former middle and high school humanities teacher in Chicago and Detroit, as well as a short time spent teaching in Ramallah, Palestine, she has cultivated a holistic and interdisciplinary educational philosophy based on social justice, creative and critical inquiry, and a radical rethinking of our world. Her passion is empowering students of color through radical curriculum, restorative justice, and authentic social and emotional learning. She also spent time in New York in Democracy Now's education department, creating social justice and media literacy curriculum resources for teachers. She enjoys being in nature, writing, reading, and film photography.

Contact Sarah directly by clicking here.

Halfway through a rigorous Interior Design program at the #1 school in the nation--and following a life-changing study abroad in Australia--Gina realized that she didn't want to be an Interior Designer. She spent the rest of her time at college twisting and bending projects to fit her desire to become a student of culture and a creative problem solver (who more often than not, is working with her first love... food). She now lives in Denmark.

Iggy helps individuals and groups function like champions. From working in the wilderness to working with gritty roller derby teams, Iggy brings calm and a sense of humor to helping individuals and groups function at their best. Iggy has worked for Outward Bound, several liberal arts colleges, and now through her own independent business to make the world a better place through thoughtful attention to human growth and team development. Iggy also sometimes teaches courses with our students.

recently finished her Educational Specialist Degree in School Psychology. She also completed a certificate in Ecopsychology, at Lewis and Clark. She transitioned to this career after teaching high school English, hoping to maximize her positive impact on students and schools. Mary is interested in how numbers can affect people's daily lives, sustainable systems, and building healthy learning communities. She lives in St. John's and enjoys hiking with her dog son.

has been working in higher education for over 10 years. She describes herself as a student affairs professional turned academic and has passion for helping students learn, development, and grow. She also loves teaching faculty and students how to strengthen their self-efficacy - beliefs about what they can do. In 2019, Ayeesha plans to bring her meaningful work to life by starting her own consulting business. Work-life integration is important to Ayeesha as well. She enjoys midday workouts, spending time with family and friends, learning, eating, and doing work that matters.