I'm an executive transitions strategist who guides people and organizations through critical moments of growth and transformation. Drawing on my Kañari and Western wisdom traditions, I work with leaders and teams through complex organizational change, helping them align their operations with their commitments to deeper regenerative practice.

Current Works

  • UK published Emergence Magazine

    Upcoming

    Spring 2026

    Emergence Magazine V.7

    “Seeds and Structures”

    By Tyson Yunkaporta, Gabriela Romero, and Stephanie Beck

    Emergence’s seventh print volumewill explore the role of seeds and structures in bridging the worlds and sowing a future where we embody an ontology of spiritual ecology. Central to this inquiry will be an examination of ancient and existing ways humans work with seeds and structures—spanning physical, cosmological and spiritual, and ecological knowledge systems that honor our sacred relationship with the Earth.

  • Published Work

    June 2025

    Published on Swamphen, a journal of cultural ecology of the University of Sydney, Australia

    Keynote Essay : Indigenous Embassy

    As Indigenous Peoples, we are afflicted in modernity by the barriers and borders of transgressive cultures and imperial bullies. Our own orientation to boundaries is incompatible with these oppressive constructs because, for us, borders are dynamic, semipermeable sites of relational increase. We will share this orientation from our unique experience of emergent embassy rituals between Cañari and Kara::Kichwa of the Andes::Amazon and Bama/Murri of Australia’s northeast (see Jacobs & Narváez; Yunkaporta).

  • Embassy in Process

    Embassy Collaborator | Indigenous Knowledge Systems Lab

    With Dr. Tyson Yunkaporta

    I have engaged in building kinship networks and research practices through patient, deliberate exchange across epistemologies. Deep research and writing we have developed approaches have contributed to multiple conversations and ongoing projects with the IKSL

    Gum Tree Embassy, The Other Others Podcast, on Spotify.

  • President & Director

    2023- Present

    La Fundación Biocorredores Amazónicos

    I co-led the establishment of la Fundación Biocorredores Amazonicos (BioAm) in Ecuador, successfully securing legal status in 2023.

    After securing our initial seed funding a united a diverse board of directors comprising of Indigenous leaders and urban professionals came to from the board of directors.

    We intentionally anchored our work in Andean modalities, ceremony, and development as the foundation for all initiatives.

Practices and Systems

My Journey

  • 2021-2024

    Executive Director

    The Andes —Amazon Conservancy

    U.S.A & Ecuador, S.A

    Led a $3M p/y connectivity conservation program engaging 175+ communities across four Amazon Indigenous nations, overseeing all aspects of implementation, resource allocation, and Indigenous Nation engagement and governance.

    Created operational frameworks integrating Andean practices with  goals while ensuring legal compliance across nations and the state.

    On field community engagement and co-living, for over three months per year to create networks on the ground and community centered efforts. 

    Implemented Ministry-approved leadership training and communications program for Indigenous-western bridging and program-building capacity.

    Cultivated partnerships through fundraising development in meetings, conferences and presentations.

  • 2017-2020

    2017-2020

    Ceremonialist & Strategy

    Inner Alchemy; U.S.A

    Community practitioner of Andean spiritual arts and modalities for community and business expansion strategy.

    Provided guidance to multiple business owners seeking to integrate spiritual arts approaches into their operations and governance.

    Established collaborative relationships with land developers, counselors, farmers, media creators, educators, and NGOs.

  • 2016-2021

    Founder & Transitional Systems Consulting

    Opportunas; U.S.A 

    Created hybrid curricula of Andean modalities for governance and finance principles, informed by post-mortem analyses and patterns encountered in financial lending.

    Integrated biomimicry and natural framework principals to support business transitions, expansion, and culturally-responsive workplace outcomes.

    Supported women-owned businesses in strategic transitions and growth, including partnership with Bridget de Socio of Socio X.

    Furthered hybrid curricula by securing seed funding to design and develop transitional educational initiatives showcasing the value of traditional knowledge systems in public and private education; successfully designed and implemented a 30-week program across Massachusetts schools, engaging more than 100 students.

  • 2007, 2011- 2015

    Investment Recovery Coordinator

    The Grow America Fund;NYC

    Conducted post-mortem analyses of business and organizations identifying key success factors and pitfalls in organizational restructuring during early or late stage development.

    Analyzed and researched clients performance to support management  and determine investment viability. 

    Streamlined a $3-4 million fund recovery process, liaised with the US Federal Reserve for funds approval and processing.

    Achieved 98%  recovery rate and prepared portfolios for secondary markets sales.

    Completed total  archive and recovery protocols for 300+ active loan portfolios.

    Developed a deep understanding of lending processes and portfolio management through creation of comprehensive documentation architecture, database design, and file systems in local servers.

  • Cañar Ecuador 1970's

    Education

    M.A., Political Science; Policy & Urban Development

    Magna Cum Laude; City University of New York; Brooklyn College (2013)

    B.A., Political Science; International Relations

    Pi Gamma Mu: Trinity College, CT (2010)

    My education began at home, guided by my family, teachings and the movements of my Kañari grandparents.

On navigating power dynamics and transformation

  • date: 2022-2024

    key take away: The importance to continue to sit and invite into (challenging) ethical spaces.

    When allies in attempts to collaborate with those experienced and at the eye of systemic inequities, often fail to develop functional, truly representative-led enterprises or projects.

    Working with Indigenous Peoples and other groups requires the unpacking of inherited power imbalances and aggressions.

    These dynamics require thoughtful, respectful processes to ensure outcomes and above all prevent perpetuating harmful actions. Individuals in positions of privilege must demonstrate advanced emotional intelligence and a willingness to examine their biases, particularly as traditional power structures are reconfigured within their own organism.

    Key learnings from this project: recognizing early pitfalls of tokenism, establishing appropriate cross-cultural communication protocols, calling out knowledge extraction, implementing transparent financial agreements, and cultivating resilience.

  • date: 2021-2024

    key take away: center relationship and ceremony as organizational intent.

    This project operated in both the United States and specific regions of Ecuador. As director and CEO, this initiative successfully scaled achieving both financial sustainability within one year and wide community and nation impact within two years.

    Critical insights gained from this initiative underscore the importance of establishing robust accountability mechanisms and meticulously addressing international diplomatic protocols when developing cross-border collaborative partnerships.

  • 2023- Continuous

    The essential nature and necessary functioning of a nucleus, as in any organism that wishes to survive- requires a clean, clear and kind communication stream with all its components. Non-cooperative struggles impact the whole and delay systems and created emotionally charged backlogs. Crafting time for ceremony, ritual and community labor is necessary to a core board formation, as well as ritual conflict enactments and Elder supervision.

Resources and relationship-building efforts includes complex interactions between cultures, communities, historical contexts, and peoples. These experiences are frameworks within:

  1. natural cycles referred to as "Begen-endings" (The constant mark of some - thing, as End-ing. And the Begin-ing of something else.) (From Maestra Therese Jornlin); appreciating the change it takes.

  2. lived-processes to establish appropriate protocols for engagement between non-Western communities and women, Indigenous, and rural leadership; also known as proper (embassy) protocols.

Conversations and actions that prompts new systems requires innovative networks and compelling new narratives about access, resources, and our place within the world.

Yupaychani! (thank you!)

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