Erin Attere

Life Coach, Speaker & Retreat Guide Erin sees you—because she was you. A (mostly) recovered perfectionist and people-pleaser, Erin spent years chasing the image of what a “successful woman” should be—until the world cracked open and so did she. What followed was a sacred unraveling and a bold reclamation. She walked away from a high-powered corporate career, stopped living on autopilot, and began asking the bigger questions: Who am I, really? What do I actually want? And what would it look like to live with more joy, meaning, and presence? Now, as a coach, speaker, and guide for women on…

Francie S. Richards

Francie Richards (she/her/hers) Yoga, Wellness, Feminism and Social Change  Francie is a yogi, social worker, Virgo, Enneagram 2 and ISFJ (importantly, like Beyonce).  After 20 years of advocating for social justice in nonprofits, politics, government and corporate settings, she found herself buried and burnt out.  Having never practiced yoga before, and frankly finding it all a little too “woo woo” for her at the time, she is forever grateful to have found Christina Thomas’ Yoga & Adventures Worldwide in 2018. Not only did she find extraordinary cultural experiences, but she also found the healing she’d been seeking in yoga.  She’s been on…

Ilana Zafran Walden

Ilana Zafran Walden Chief Executive Officer  Ilana Zafran Walden is a passionate leader with two decades of nonprofit and public sector experience. Ilana spent the first eight years of her career working directly with high school students and staff across the City of Chicago. From chaperoning multi day overnight college trips to supporting youth at (literally) all hours of the day; she knows first hand what it feels like to immerse your whole self into work. In 2015, Ilana became a Mom for the first time and shifted from direct service work to operations and policy; with the (erroneous) assumption…

Kara Valentine

Social Impact Entrepreneur | Thought Leader | Humanitarian Kara Valentine is a social impact entrepreneur, nonprofit founder, and devoted mom of two. She co-founded Backpack Dreams, a youth-led fundraising initiative that empowers students to fundraise for enrichment programs while creating economic opportunities for women overcoming barriers to work. She also co-founded Threads Worldwide, a global fair-trade organization that creates life-changing work for women artisans by launching U.S.-based social impact businesses. Through Soul Journeys, Kara creates immersive experiences where women feel safe, seen, and inspired to explore new possibilities for themselves and the world. She is committed to work that aligns…

Klaudia Burian

National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach | Functional Nutrition Counselor | Mindset & Meditation Teacher Passion and service driven, Klaudia has dedicated her life to reconnecting individuals with nature’s wisdom and healing power, and fostering a mindset of wholeness and spiritual alignment. She invites others to return to the wild wisdom of nature, lovingly meets people where they are, and co-creates with them their unique approach to nourishing their personal ecosystem; a tapestry of mind, body, and spirit. Rooted in her upbringing on a homestead in Poland, with deep reverence for ancestral wisdom and stewardship of the land, she’s…

Leah Swartz Strapec

Leah Swartz Strapec is a middle school civics teacher, licensed social worker, executive functioning specialist, Master Gardener, Girl Scout Troop leader, and water ballerina. As a yoga practitioner for 15+ years, she completed her Yoga Teacher and Social and Emotional Learning Facilitator training with Breathe for Change in 2020.  Leah’s personal philosophy about yoga is that there are one million and one ways to practice yoga, not just with your body but with your mind and your actions. She teaches regularly to teenagers and focuses on honoring the things our bodies can do, and especially teaches young women and nonbinary…

Lindsay Mueller

Lindsay is a lifelong book lover, community builder, and certified coach who believes deeply in the magic of stories—and the power of rest. After nearly two decades supporting small business owners, nonprofit leaders, and grassroots organizers, she created the Readers’ Retreat as a space for people to slow down, reconnect, and get lost in a really good book. The idea for this retreat was sparked after Lindsay attended one herself at South Shore. Being surrounded by nature, good books, and thoughtful conversation left a lasting impression—and she knew she wanted to create a similar experience for others. A space where…