Oren Jay Sofer teaches meditation and communication retreats and workshops nationally. A member of the Spirit Rock Teachers Council, he is a Certified Trainer of Nonviolent Communication, a Course Trainer at Mindful Schools, and a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner for the healing of trauma. Oren also holds a degree in Comparative Religion from Columbia University and is the author of Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication and coauthor of Teaching Mindfulness to Empower Adolescents.

Ali Miller is a therapist in private practice in Berkeley, CA specializing in helping people who are struggling in relationships develop the self-compassion and communication skills it takes to have fulfilling, authentic connections. She also teaches Nonviolent Communication to therapists, educators, couples, and in various community settings. She is on Instagram @the.connection.therapist and can be found online at AliMillerMFT.com.

Michelle Nguyen is a graduate of the year-long BayNVC Leadership Program and a certified massage therapist. Years of dance opened Michelle to the nuanced world of embodiment, feelings and sensations, while NVC helped refine her use of language to connect with others. Michelle loves to encourage body awareness in NVC because she considers our bodies powerful transmitters of our deepest truths and longings. Influenced by her study of Hakomi somatic therapy, Michelle integrates mindfulness and her understanding of the nervous system into empathic coaching. She values creating space to acknowledge the diverse ways that our social location and cultural context shape experiences in the world.