Board of Directors

  • Laurie Gardner

    Founder/CEO, Board President

    Laurie received graduate and undergraduate degrees in education, psychology, and world religions from Harvard University, where she also taught quantum and astrophysics. Laurie is the close advisor and coach to country and state leaders, mayors, education and business pioneers, and other top movers and shakers worldwide. She passionately believes that everyone deserves a fun, abundant, meaningful life.  

  • Rebecca Margulies

    Board Chair

    Rebecca is a former lawyer and legal editor who received her B.A. from Harvard University and her J.D. from the University of Michigan. Rebecca is known for her razor-sharp insight and ability to ask the tough, important questions. She is delighted to be part of an organization that helps others to live their fullest, best lives. She enjoys spending time with her family in New York and traveling whenever possible.

  • Paul Bowden

    Board Treasurer

    Paul is a 25-year finance industry veteran and entrepreneur, with specialties in equity research, analysis, and institutional sales and marketing. He graduated from DePaul University and the University of Madrid with degrees in Finance and Spanish and is also an accomplished chef. Paul is excited to help run a nonprofit that helps individuals and leaders to find and follow their passion and purpose.

  • Monica Fernandez Posin

    Board Secretary

    Monica is an experienced program manager with a 20-year success record of overseeing multi-million dollar projects and large teams while meeting timeline and budgetary goals. She has served as an eBusiness and digital marketing manager at Farmer’s Insurance and the Automobile Club of Southern California. Monica loves taking a break from the corporate ladder to climb new ladders to shine her light.

Advisory Board

Mia von Sadovszky, Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning Director, RPA. Harvard University, B.A., M.B.A., UCLA-Anderson School of Management.

Christopher Van Buren, President and CEO of Launchmoxie, Inc. B.A., San Diego State University.

Liza Ingrasci, President and CEO, Hoffman Institute Foundation. B.A., UNC, Chapel Hill.

Lauren Sullivan, Founder and Co-Director of REVERB. B.A., Tufts University.

Celeste Sforza, Physician and underserved communities and families advocate. D.O., NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine, A.B., Bryn Mawr.

Adam Gardner, Co-Director of REVERB. Lead vocals and guitar, Guster. B.A., Tufts University.

Rusti Icenogle, Educator, artist, and parent advocate. B.A., Princeton University.

Coaching and Teaching Team

Cedric Ali-Khan, Apprentice Coach and Mentor

Cedric enjoys the creative process and helping others along in this journey of life. After earning a PhD in quantum physics, he embarked on numerous Silicon Valley startup (ad)ventures. He has his foot in four cultures (American, English, Swiss, Pakistani) and enjoys surfing, reading, and nature hiking. SYL taught him to intuitively remember his truest self and take decisive steps to set his ship sailing in the direction he wants to be headed—rediscovering his love of writing and the mysteries of the Universe.

Karen Cartwright, Lead Coach, Apprentice Mentor, Head Teaching Assistant

With a background in the hospitality industry, Karen is dedicated to serving others. The Shine Your Light courses profoundly impacted her life, rekindling a long-neglected connection with her intuition, facilitating remarkable breakthroughs, and transforming her to construct a life filled with greater happiness and abundance. She is thrilled to share the tools, insights, and support to empower others to create a more fulfilling and enriched life.

Gabe Garcia, Lead Mentor, Lead Coach, Head Teaching Assistant

Born in the high deserts of the Southwestern United States, Gabe is a third generation artist that has been making and selling jewelry in Santa Fe since 2001. In just a few months, Shine Your Light’s teachings and coaching completely transformed his life. Helping others to discover their passion through trusting their intuition brings light and life into his world.

Keani Hin, Trainer, Lead Mentor, Lead Coach, Teaching Assistant

Keani’s fascination with the human body began with her passion for competitive sports and Polynesian dance. She received her B.S. in Kinesiology at Cal State Fullerton, is a current tech recruiter, and has worked as a massage therapist and meditative dance teacher. Keani is dedicated to using SYL’s life-changing intuitive tools to guide herself and others to feel home in their own bodies through the mind-body-spirit connection.

Thayer Hopkins, Teaching Assistant

Founder and Principal of a highly respected architecture firm in San Francisco, and holding Bachelors degrees in Fine Arts and Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design, Thayer brings a collaborative, creative, holistic approach to this work. Intuitive coaching catapulted Thayer onto a much more powerful, uplifting path, and he is excited to help others along their journeys to living more joyfully and authentically.

Heidi Kao, Teaching Assistant 

Heidi has a clinical doctorate in Chinese Medicine and has had a private practice in the Bay Area for over 22 years. Using acupuncture, functional medicine, and herbal medicine, she empowers patients to take control of their own health. The Shine Your Light tools changed both her approach to medicine and her life. She is excited to continue exploring how medical intuition helps people regain their physical and mental health.  

Joohi Kasliwal, Teaching Assistant

Joohi holds graduate degrees in law and gender studies from London and a B.A. in International Relations from UC Davis. She is passionate about exploring and facilitating healing in wellness forums and spaces, including in Bali, Colombia, Nicaragua, Greece, and the Himalayas. Shine Your Light’s trainings have been instrumental in helping her to cut through the noise and follow her intuition to lead a life from a place of wholeness. 

Kellie Levens, Teaching Assistant

Kellie has a B.A. in Music Performance and (soon) Master’s in Music Therapy. A former middle school teacher, AmeriCorps alumna, Appalachian Trail hiker, and now manager of a small, eco-friendly business in New Jersey. Kellie loves energy and intuitive healing. She is committed to showing up as her Highest Self each day and is grateful to SYL for helping her find the courage to follow and pursue her biggest, wildest dreams.

Bex Mui, Education Coordinator, Trainer, Lead Mentor, Lead Coach

Bex, M.Ed. from Bank Street, is committed to the work of LGBTQ+ affirmation at the intersections of equity, spirituality, and sexual and mental wellness. She had a transformative experience learning the techniques and skills from Shine Your Light and delights in working with and guiding others of all backgrounds through the discovery of their own grounding practices and intuition-building.

Michelle Ng, Operations Coordinator, Trainer, Lead Mentor, Lead Coach, Teaching Assistant

Originally from New York, Michelle is a Doula and founder of Wildflow’r, a platform for creative expression and self-care. She was powerfully transformed by Shine Your Light’s approach and tools and is excited and honored to help others to shine their lights in alignment with the life they desire and deserve. She is grateful to be part of a team that has been a pillar of support for her throughout her own journey.

Trini Rivera, Teaching Assistant

Trini received her B.A. in Urban Planning and Environmental Studies from Sonoma State University and her Master’s in Public Policy from Arizona State University. Trini loves hiking with her dog and being in nature as much as she can. After taking SYL’s “Trust Your Gut” master classes and applying the tools in her daily life, she reconnected with her true self, reclaiming her personal power and peace. She is thrilled to help others to transform their lives with SYL’s uplifting, empowering wisdom and approach.

Operations Team

Leslie Bove, Accountant/Bookkeeper

Founder of the Holifield Group, Leslie has been providing expert, high quality bookkeeping and accounting services for 25+ years. Leslie loves using her smarts and skills (and sense of humor!) to support Shine Your Light’s important mission and operations as she takes the organization to the next financial level.

Michael Ruffner, Project Assistant

Michael is a massage therapist and healing arts practitioner who loves bringing wellness and healing to the world. Shine Your Light’s intuitive master classes and workshops changed his life, helping him to connect with his higher self, see his life purpose more clearly, and feel more more comfortable in his own skin. He is excited to be part of the beautiful SYL community, helping others to feel more calm and at peace.

Adele Winter, Lead Coach

Adele is an education technology and business development consultant who’s passionate about helping people to be their best selves. She holds a Bachelors in Business from Neumann University. Adele loves intuitive coaching and energy healing as loving, direct ways to get to the root of what needs to be seen and shifted. When not coaching, Adele enjoys propelling people into joyful sweats as a certified spin instructor.

Aron Wolgel, Trainer, Lead Mentor, Lead Coach

Aron is a rabbi, educator, and nonprofit leader who loves music and sports, especially ultimate frisbee. He received a BA in Politics and Philosophy from Brandeis University and MA in Jewish Education from Hebrew College. Striving to embody the lessons he teaches, Aron is grateful to Shine Your Light for helping him connect with his Highest Self and quickly get to the core of each issue to achieve greater understanding of himself and the world.

Laurie Gardner, Founder/CEO, Master Coach, Instructor, Trainer, and Mentor

For three decades, Laurie has been joyfully teaching and coaching people to access their intuition to discover their best selves, remember what really matters, and lead lives they love. She received her bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, principal certification, and teaching certification from Harvard University, where she also taught quantum physics. Laurie is a master instructor of over six dozen Eastern-Western wellness techniques. She is the founder of Shine Your Light, creator of Laurie Gardner’s Breakthrough Method,™ author of The Road to Shine and The Road to Joy (pending), and creator of SYL’s Trust Your Gut master classes, intuitive coaching certification program, and dozens of leadership and personal development workshops.

Stacey Wisiorowski, Apprentice Coach

Stacey is a licensed clinical social worker originally from Canada and now based in beautiful Kauai, Hawaii. She specializes in trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. To unwind, she enjoys swimming, drumming, and watching the wild piggies in her backyard. Shine Your Light’s classes and tools have helped Stacey to return to her Highest Self and remember her sense of humor and play. She is eager to coach others to find their true selves and joy again too.

Tara Firelight Wood, Apprentice Coach, Head Teaching Assistant

Tara is a mastery-level medicine woman, spiritual psychology coach, bodyworker, and nature ceremony facilitator. She loves guiding people to  tap into their own healing capabilities to lead a life they love.  SYL has been life-changing for Tara, adding precise, quick tools for grounding and self-healing. She is honored and grateful to be part of an organization that is leading the way in helping so many others to Shine their Lights.