Denise brings over two decades of expertise as a trainer, consultant, and practitioner supporting children, families, and communities facing adversity and trauma. A Community Resiliency Model (CRM)® Trainer and Somatic Healing Practitioner, she integrates body-based practices and resilience skills into schools and community settings, helping youth and adults restore balance and strength.

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Denise has conducted more than 7,500 child forensic interviews, serves as an expert witness, and has trained thousands of professionals in child abuse investigations, human trafficking response, child forensic interviewing, disclosure patterns, and trauma response. She began her career in child welfare as a social worker and supervisor for 16 years, later serving as Director of Forensic Services and Victim Advocacy at a local Child Advocacy Center, where she expanded forensic services and co-led the Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force. Today, she continues her work as a forensic expert, somatic practitioner, consultant, mentor, coach, and trainer.​

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A proud first-generation Mexican American and Desert native, Denise attended K-12 schools in the Palm Springs Unified School District (PSUSD) before continuing her education at College of the Desert, later transferring to complete her university studies. Having persevered through adversity, she hopes to inspire students to see that with courage and determination, they too can overcome challenges and achieve their goals. Denise holds a Master of Social Work degree from California State University, San Bernardino, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.​

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As Founder and Executive Director of SpeakHeart Alliance, Denise leads with heart to develop programs rooted in justice, healing, and community resilience. Guided by a deep belief in the power of inner transformation and the ripple effect of each person’s actions, she approaches leadership as a practice of courage, compassion, and continual growth. She serves on the Board of Nickerson-Rossi Dance, teaches dance to children, and remains a lifelong advocate for empowerment, equity, and collective well-being—trusting that when individuals awaken their own strength, they help illuminate the path for others.

Nichi Renea Aviña, 2022 California Teacher of the Year, is a nationally recognized trauma-informed educator transforming classrooms into spaces of healing, connection, and resilience. A first-generation Filipino American and middle school science teacher in Palm Springs Unified, Nichi integrates somatic education, social-emotional learning, and sustainable innovation to support both academic success and nervous system well-being.

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With a background in cancer research and a degree in Biology from UC San Diego, Nichi began her career focused on healing at the cellular level. Inspired to pursue broader systems of healing, she earned her master’s in Education at UCSD and shifted her focus from the body’s cells to the body of the classroom—where relational safety and self-regulation form the foundation for learning and belonging.

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A Certified Community Resiliency Model (CRM)® Teacher, HeartMath® “Resilient Heart,” Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, and 300-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher, Nichi trains educators and youth mentors nationwide to embed body-based practices that rewire learning pathways, strengthen relationships, and prevent burnout. As Co-Author of Regulate to Educate: An EduProtocol Field Guide for Calm, Caring, & Resilient Classrooms and consultant of SpeakHeart Alliance, she designs trauma-responsive professional development that bridges neuroscience, mindfulness, and equitable teaching practice.

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Nichi has pioneered programs such as Rooted in Regulation, Coherence Club, and Peer Mentoring for Resilience, empowering students as wellness leaders. Grounded in a belief in every person’s innate potential and dignity, she leads with love and curiosity—drawing inspiration from Soka Education and its core principle of fostering the happiness and limitless capacity of each child. Her vision is to create schools as sanctuaries of healing and joy, one regulated nervous system at a time.

Mia earned her B.A. in Psychology from UCLA and is pursuing her M.A. in Clinical Psychology at Pepperdine University, specializing in Marriage and Family Therapy. She has interned at a local child advocacy center focused on child abuse and human trafficking prevention, experiences that strengthened her passion for supporting youth and families.

 

As part of Project Empower, Mia acts as a guide and mentor for children, helping them build resilience, emotional awareness, and self-confidence. She is honored to learn alongside the youth she serves and to help nurture spaces where every child feels seen, heard, and valued.