2024 Friends & Allies Fall Summit

Facilitator Bios

Keynote Speaker

Alison Mariella Désir
Author, Activist, Athlete

Alison Mariella Désir is multi-talented: a founder, a doer, an activist, a connector, a visionary and an unapologetically straightforward communicator with a passion for movement, mental health, and racial equity. Alison got her start in the running and outdoor industry unintentionally, after seeing a Black friend train and complete a marathon. Inspired, Alison went on to run her first marathon and discovered that she had found a powerful tool to manage her depression. She’s been working to share the transformational power of running and movement ever since.

Alison is the author of Running While Black, the tv host and producer of the award winning show, Out & Back w/ Alison Mariella Désir (now streaming) and the host of Out & Back’s companion podcast; listen here.

Alison is the founder of Harlem Run, an NYC-based running movement, and Run 4 All Women, which has raised over $150,000 for Planned Parenthood and $270,000 for Black Voters Matter.

Alison is co-founder and former chair of the Running Industry Diversity Coalition, a nonprofit that unites the running industry to provide resources, measure progress, and hold the industry accountable to equitable employment, leadership, and ownership positions and improve inclusion, visibility, and access for Black, Indigenous, and people of color.

Alison is the co-founder of Women of Color Take the Lead Retreat, the first-ever running-industry retreat centering the experience of women and femme of color with the mission to validate, support, and lead change they want to see in the running industry.

In 2023, Alison was named as one of the “45 Most Adventurous Women of the Past 45 Years” by Men’s Journal and one of the “Changemakers of 2023” by Well + Good. In 2021 and 2022, Alison was named one of the “Power Women” by Women's Running Magazine. She was also named one of the most influential African Americans, aged 25 to 45, by The Root 100.

Alison holds her BA in History, MA in Latin American and Caribbean Regional Studies, and EdM in Counseling Psychology, all from Columbia University.

Alison sits on the board for &Mother, is part of the Athlete Alliance with Protect Our Winters, and is an Athlete Ambassador for Athlete Ally. She lives outside of Seattle with her partner, Amir Muhammad Figueroa, and their son, Kouri Henri Figueroa.

Morning Session

Nia Harris (she/her)
Healing Us Evergreen (HUE)

Rise and Center: A Mindfulness Session

Nia Harris is a queer Black femme with deep roots in Catawba, Tuscarora, and Lumbee tribal lands (Eastern North Carolina). She lives out her purpose as a community health & birth worker, land tender, and mindfulness guide through her community health practice, Healing Us Evergreen (HUE). HUE integrates Earth-based perspectives and alterNative wellness practices for wholistic care and life experiences. Nia cultivates her mindfulness practice through guided and silent meditations, breathwork, features of engaged Buddhism, and southern Black spiritual traditions. She has facilitated mindfulness workshops and guided meditation sessions with groups and individuals for over 4 years.

Workshop Facilitators

Bea Yeh Ogden (she/they)
Luminous Together

Workshop: Building Bridges through Community Events & Programs

Bea (she/they) is the proud multiracial child of immigrants and refugees, proud to call the PNW home for over 25 years. They are a dynamic leader with over 15 years of expertise in community organizing, nonprofit leadership, and program development. As the founder of Luminous Together, Bea brings a unique blend of creativity, insight, and dedication to every project.

With an MS in Arts Administration & Museum Studies, Bea has a proven track record of designing transformative educational experiences in non-traditional learning environments. Their work has included collaborations with prominent organizations such as Wild Diversity, Zenger Farm, APANO, Ecotrust, PNCA, PICA, Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts, UO, OPB, and other leading arts, culture, and advocacy institutions throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Bea’s work is deeply rooted in anti-racism, anti-oppression, social justice, and trauma-informed practices, with a strong focus on centering communities of color and those most impacted by dominant culture. Through innovative programming, Bea empowers individuals and communities to create holistic, just, and equitable spaces.

Passionate about blending art, nature, and social justice, Bea brings a creative and thoughtful approach to every project. Whether guiding a forest bathing walk, leading an outdoor adventure, or facilitating an immersive storytelling experience, Bea’s work is rooted in fostering deep connections and inspiring meaningful change.

About Luminous Together: 

Welcome to Luminous Together where community, creativity, and justice come to life. Founded by Bea Yeh (she/they), this initiative is dedicated to creating just, equitable, and holistic spaces that your community deserves.

At Luminous Together, we offer tailored experiences designed to meet the unique needs of your community or organization. Drawing from years of professional expertise and rich lived experience, we create environments that are educational, immersive, participatory, and fun.

Whether you're drawn to forest bathing walks, outdoor adventures, interactive art experiences, social justice education, or immersive storytelling, Luminous Together is here to help you grow. Together, we learn, connect, and create, nurturing the skills and energy needed to build a more equitable world. 

Join us in fostering community and inspiring change—let's illuminate the path forward, together.

Derron Coles (he/him)
DRC Learning Solutions

Workshop: Creating Meaningful and Impactful Partnerships

Dr. Derron Coles is a learning strategist with over 20 years of experience designing learner-focused workforce development training. Derron has a wide-ranging portfolio that runs the gamut from learning solutions for technical topics, like a globally utilized online training on river system analysis, to interpersonal skills training, such as his award-winning equity diversity and inclusion (EDI) curriculum. Derron has earned certificates in eLearning design, the Treisman method of collaborative learning, and the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST).

Upon completing his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Derron moved to Oregon to complete a masters and doctorate in civil engineering at Oregon State University. He then spent eight years managing the mathematics program for the OSU Educational Opportunities Program. In this role, Derron led culturally responsive efforts to recruit and retain underrepresented science and engineering students.

Derron is owner and principal consultant for DRC Learning Solutions, a culturally responsive company focused on helping organizations in both the private and public sectors develop and sustain social and environmental justice initiatives. As a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Derron brings a process-oriented and learning-based approach to projects. 

Erin Zollenkopf (she/her)
Susan Matlack Jones & Associates

Workshop: Understanding and Communicating Nonprofit Financial Statements

Erin Zollenkopf is the CEO of Susan Matlack Jones & Associates (SMJ), a bookkeeping firm specializing in not-for-profit accounting that works with over 120 Oregon and Washington nonprofits. Erin is a Trustee of the Oregon Historical Society where she serves as Treasurer. She is also a member of the public advisory board for Portland Parks & Recreation. Erin speaks and leads workshops and board trainings in her field, including on Understanding Nonprofit Financials, Engaging Stakeholders with Financial Statements, and Internal Controls for Nonprofits. Besides accounting, Erin enjoys spending time with her family, playing piano, and adventuring outdoors.