Our Founder

Having experienced the benefits of mind-body practices in her personal wellness journey, Niki has masterfully infused elements of yoga, mindfulness, and breathwork into her heart-centered teachings. Presently, she teaches graduate-level courses and continuing education seminars integrating education neuroscience, polyvagal theory, neurodiversity, mindfulness, and social-emotional learning for educators and school counselors. A sought-after speaker, retreat facilitator, curriculum developer, and trainer, Niki is a staunch advocate for children whose lived experiences include learning differences, mental health challenges, foster care placement, and/or marginalization. Her mission is to galvanize an education workforce that establishes inclusive and holistic learning communities where all students and educators thrive.

Niki founded the Mindful Leaders Project, an education consulting company designed to help child-serving professionals increase personal well-being while building thriving learning communities. The Mindful Leaders Project has been implemented in San Bernardino City Unified School District, Pasadena Unified School District, Riverside County Office of Education, and Berryessa Union School District, among others. Known for her innovative trauma-informed programs and community-based retreats, Niki has supported thousands of administrators, educators, and counselors in building heart-centered connections and advancing equity for the children and families they serve.

Additionally, Niki teaches Embodied Equity for Educators and Helping Professionals, an 8-week certificate course she designed for the Polyvagal Institute. Through her work with Dr. Stephen Porges, creator of Polyvagal Theory, she supports educators and other helping professionals explore the impact of unconscious or implicit bias from a nervous system perspective. Through a polyvagal and trauma-informed lens, she helps human service professionals understand what it means to train our bodies to communicate a sense of felt-safety, connection, and belonging to people we have been socialized to perceive as a dangerous “other.” This transformative work has led to significant reductions in discipline referrals and expulsions for African American students, as well as improvements in classroom climate and student engagement among teachers working in diverse school communities. Thanks to virtual learning platforms, her course has reached professionals from 13 countries worldwide.

In 2023, Niki published a book chapter titled “Cultivating Heart-Centered Connections: Using Mind-Body Awareness Practices to Help Adults Create Safe Spaces for Marginalized Youth” in the book, Reconstructing Perceptions of Systemically Marginalized Groups. This chapter, and her upcoming book on the same topic, best outline her ground-breaking approach to transforming the hearts and minds of child-serving professionals.

Niki earned a bachelor’s degree at UC Berkeley, a master’s degree and teaching credential at Teachers College, Columbia University, and a PhD in Education from UCLA. Niki has also earned certifications to teach yoga, clinical breath work, and secular mindfulness practices. She firmly believes that the holistic integration of mind, body, and heart in professional training programs will lead to optimal outcomes for children and families. Her unique approach to integrating education sciences with mind-body nervous system wellness has inspired thousands of educators and helping professionals worldwide to uplevel their work with children and families.

A fun fact about Niki is that she sleeps with her passport in hand, and is always ready for her next travel adventure with her husband and blended family of 6 children. Niki states that her spirit animal is a peacock, and she encourages everyone to show up in grand fashion, feeling proud of their own uniquely beautiful self-expression.