Michaela D'Amico Email and Phone Number

Through Joyful Connection Co, I offer consulting surrounding my core belief that joyfully connecting is why we are all here. Connecting our hearts, minds, passions, and journeys, we can all lead easeful, vibrant, and impactful lives. Current projects include: ~Providing a safe and transformative space for vulnerability and growth, with workshops on nonviolent communication, leadership styles, empathetic listening, vision setting, aligned goal setting, growth mindset, cross-cultural adaptation, community development, and more!~Supporting cross-cultural education programs to provide trainings on positive local impact, culture shock and adaptation, risk management, community project development, ecotourism, peer coaching, and more. ~Retreat curation and facilitation that brings together healers and those looking for spiritual and personal transformation. ~Marketing and promotion via storytelling, video editing, photography and interviewing. ~1:1 Coaching in authentic relating, nonviolent communication, and living a life of purpose and impact, while giving gratitude for each moment along the way.

Ayllu Medicina offers transformational sacred plant medicine retreats, with great intention to respect the traditions of the elders. We Believe: ~A new way of life is possible, one which embodies learning from the sacred medicines and spirits of Mother Earth...~Water and food are medicine and life is a ceremony meant to be lived on purpose and in joy, together...~Transformation can begin with a pause, a retreat, to come back to yourself. We invite you to join us on - where we will pause together in sacred ceremony.My role includes: ~ Recruitment and marketing via Instagram and 1:1 networking, including photography, videography, video editing, community management, and more. ~ Organize and co-facilitate Ayllu Medicina events and retreats including production, individual sales calls, proactive outreach, and alumni network engagement ~ Administration and logistics in event preparation and management. ~ Facilitation during retreats including supporting participants in their processes, collaborating on the flow of the days and week, and communicating between team members to create a positive experience for all. ~ Leading Ice Bath plunges for participants.~ Assisting in service during ceremonies and sweat lodges. ~ Coordinating all logistics with hotel, kitchen staff, and taxi transportation throughout the week.

In this role, I provided guidance in learning for one section of students during their virtual gap year experience, that aims to “help young people find their path and learn to lead with conviction, curiosity, and courage.”The first course included facilitating Minerva Institute’s Global Systems and Society course, which explores the complex relationships between human behavior, group dynamics, and society.The second course was called "Leadership in Action," which included leading discussions and activities relating to community mapping, route cause analysis, diversity and inclusion, and concluding with mentoring them into developing a project proposal to make an impact in their home community. The aim of this role was to support the process of the Academy's mission to shape future leaders andfacilitate interactive group sessions for a diverse, motivated cohort of emerging adults (17-20 years old) from across the globe.

Wellbeing inspires Welldoing! The Wellbeing Project is a global initiative co-created with Ashoka, Esalen, Impact Hub, Porticus, the Skoll Foundation and Synergos. We are focused on both modeling support to social change leaders, and cultivating a shift in the culture of the field toward one that is healthier and supportive of inner wellbeing.We do this through model individual and organisational programs, credible research, global and regional learning communities, and storytelling. As the Wellbeing in Higher Education Network Senior Manager, I coordinated the collaborative initiative to integrate the science and art of inner wellbeing into the heart of social change curriculums at higher education institutions globally.

~Facilitated strategic planning and visioning process for eco-retreat center adapting to be an experiential learning hub for sustainability, community-building, healing, and personal development- Facilitated training sessions for team and volunteers on nonviolent communication, facilitation methods, visioning, management, organizational development, risk management, personal development, and mission-alignment- Adapted the business model after COVID and launched fundraising campaign for local communities Coordinated agenda and operations for week-long retreats and weekly community events- Wrote content and supported postings for website, events, and social media via Instagram and Facebook- Adapted trainings to an online format to lead engaging Webinars on topics such as Non-Violent Communication in English & Spanish- Created volunteer role protocols and piloted several phases for evolving volunteer program~Developed and managed a residential work/trade program including mentoring 10+ residents.~Co-organized team and logistics for several events and retreats including a New Years renewal retreat with 15 people and a concert for 100+ attendees.!

Amazon Learning is a social enterprise that creates meaningful educational experiences for people interested in gaining understanding of the link between local people and the Amazonian ecosystem. We foster learning through a variety of programs from short one-week courses led by experts in their field to four-month immersion programs where participants live and work in local communities. Our participants forge meaningful connections to the people and forest of the Amazon, and their experience does not end there: alumni leave with new worldly perspectives and a profound commitments to share these with the world.~Collaborated to set mission and strategic goals of this social enterprise, which facilitates immersive educational experiences that foster cross-cultural understanding, personal transformation, global awareness, & positive local impact~Acted as a researcher, mediator, manager, emergency responder, and conflict resolution resource to resolve challenges and risk management health issues~Managed 5+ part-time staff and 1 full-time Program Associate to provide learning experiences for students

Amazon Learning is a social enterprise that creates meaningful educational experiences for people interested in gaining understanding of the link between local people and the Amazonian ecosystem. We foster learning through a variety of programs from short one-week courses led by experts in their field to four-month immersion programs where participants live and work in local communities. Our participants forge meaningful connections to the people and forest of the Amazon, and their experience does not end there: alumni leave with new worldly perspectives and a profound commitments to share these with the world. My accomplishments in this role include:~Developed training curriculum and facilitated orientation and other trainings, including sessions on cross-cultural adaptation, culture shock, white messiah complex, growth-mindset, vision stands, goal setting, Spanish learning, and more~Managed recruitment process and developed local partners (host families, internship placements) to match students~Performed bi-weekly 1:1 coaching sessions with interns to support them in solving challenges, personal growth and goal-setting~Designed a process to evaluate program success by creating impact evaluations, compiling feedback, and leading team in strategizing for improvements for the next year

As a Team Leader, I was responsible for supporting 18-year old Fellows in the Napo and Pastaza region throughout their bridge year (gap year) in Ecuador. This includes supporting and coaching a cohort of Fellows, managing local homestays and partners, and supporting leadership training development. I was previously coordinating fellows and development of sites in the Chimborazo and Tungurahua regions.~Led and managed 18-year-old fellows throughout a transformative 7-month experiential education bridge year program~Managed orientation and training seminars, planning and development of curriculum, logistics, and facilitation~Researched local communities, recruited potential partners, and provided extensive training to local Ecuadorians including host families and internship managers~Analyzed inherent risks to Fellow safety & security & continually strengthened local Risk Management Systems~Acted as primary emergency responder, and managed within protocols during several major incidents in-country~Performed monthly 1:1 coaching sessions with 36 fellows (12 per year) and proactively built culture amongst the regional cohort through orientation, team-building, and monthly events and seminars~Led hiring process for new Team Leaders, including tracking systems, interview question development, and selection~Designed new Team Leader training manual and culture-building training materials~Trained and managed staff including a Spanish teacher, local advisor, and new Team Leaders~Executed ongoing monitoring and evaluation of fellow learning and impact on local partners, including documentation, assessment, and feedback of their performance, to inform mid-course corrections and propose improvements for future

http://www.hcdconnect.org/stories/creating-an-agriculture-specific-micro-credit-model/

Adventures Cross-Country, the World Leader in Teenage Adventures, specializing in student travel, youth travel, wilderness adventures, youth adventure and teen adventure travel programs since 1983.~Co-Led month-long Spanish language and service-learning immersion trip for high-school students in Spain~Directed all aspects of student experience, including health and welfare, development of language skills, group dynamics, and team-building~Coordinated cultural immersion activities ~Acted as liaison with local communities, service partners, program administrators, and parents~Managed budget and planned all meals for group of 16 teenagers

Root Capital is a social investment fund that grows rural prosperity in Africa and Latin America by lending capital, delivering financial training, and strengthening market connections for rural small and growing agricultural businesses. ~Managed external and internal communications, scheduling, and travel for Senior Vice President of Business Development and Corporate Relations, Vice President of Investor Relations, and Vice President of Communications. *Produced and edited videos for internal and external audiences, including for investors.~Acted as liaison between departments and coordinated staff meetings and retreats.~Performed research on corporate policies and strategies as part of corporate relations team.~Processed investor/donor pipeline and supported contact management tracking in Salesforce.~Managed conferences, media tracking, and project planning coordination for Marketing/Communications.~For the Let's Talk Coffee event hosted by Sustainable Harvest in El Salvador, I planned all logistics and created materials for use by the Root advisory and training team. This included coordinating panels and interviews at the conference, monitoring the Root table and collateral, and handling logistics during a flood emergency.~Led a global culture and values committee tasked with institutionalizing community building, specialevents, and onboarding during the growth of the organization.

~Translated and edited financial advisory services training platform and materials from Spanish to English.~Produced and edited a four-minute video to demonstrate financial advisory services workshops to funder.

The Social Enter­prise Insti­tute (SEI) is grounded in the belief that busi­ness can be a pow­er­ful devel­op­ment tool by uti­liz­ing enterprise-based solu­tions to solve some of the world’s most press­ing social prob­lems. With the team at the SEI, I:~Organized and led a week-long academic program in Central America focused on agricultural business models and fair trade for 25 students~Coordinated field visits to local non-profits, logistics in country, and provided Spanish-English translation~Provided student mentorship, guidance, and enforcement of university safety policies

Also known as the Amazon Defense Coalition, this organization works locally, nationally and globally for environmental and collective rights in the Ecuadorian Amazon. They support the 30,000 indigenous Amazonian people who are part of the world's biggest environmental damage case against ChevronTexaco. The case has been nicknamed "Amazon Chernobyl" and is also being called the biggest environmental disaster in the world. ~Assisted the communications team with press releases, conferences and websites for the organization of lawyers and plaintiffs in support of their 17-year lawsuit against Chevron’s pollution in Ecuador.~Acted as a liaison between this Ecuadorian organization and the human rights campaign in the USA. ~Planned all aspects for the premier of a film and photo exhibit about the devastation in the Amazon andthe Chevron lawsuit in three different cities, attended by over 2500 people (Crude: The Real Price of Oil). ~Translated news reports, book chapters, invitations, emails and videos from both English to Spanish and Spanish to English.~Trained and managed new volunteers and interns.

~Assisted faculty and staff with planning and coordination of logistics throughout a month-long academic program focused on global poverty and microfinance in Latin America.~Created, managed, and contributed to a daily photo and written blog for parents and students~Worked with local students to interview microcredit borrowers and presented our findings on strategies to improve client retention and business training for microfinance institutions in each country

Amazon Watch works to protect the rainforest and advance the rights of indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin by partnering with indigenous and environmental organizations in campaigns for human rights, corporate accountability and the preservation of the Amazon's ecological systems. ~Assisted in all aspects of the Ecuador Amazon program to protect the rainforest and advance the rights of indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin.~Organized and ran rainforest delegations for potential donors and press to witness and analyze the oil drilling damage to homes, forests and rivers in the Amazon.~Documented court-appointed judicial inspections in the Amazon by taking photos, videos, and editing for use by press. ~Created and updated photo sites, blogs, press releases and website news, in both English and Spanish. ~Researched indigenous organizations and oil block development in Yasuni National Park for use on website and member reports.

Global Exchange is an international human rights organization dedicated to promoting social, economic and environmental justice around the world.~Participated actively in every aspect of working in a fast-paced non-profit international human rights organization that promotes social, economic and environmental justice~Researched on-going grassroots campaigns and matched speakers with schools and organizations seeking help or speakers for their events (i.e. Freedom from Oil, Green Alternatives, Fair Trade)~Organized community events and introduced speakers for audiences of 50-400 people~Performed outreach to find speakers for future national speaking tours and coordinated the San Francisco Bay Area Events Calendar~Developed new internship program; trained and supervised interns~Designed flyers and other outreach materials for speaking events and international campaigns~Worked with staff during meetings and at retreats to further the commitment to anti-oppression in the workplace in order to aid the development of an inclusive, multiracial movement

YOUTH TO YOUTH was founded in 1982 in Columbus, Ohio, as a community-based drug prevention and youth leadership program focusing primarily on middle school and high school students. The goal of its many projects is harnessing the powerful influence of peer pressure-- making it a positive force that encourages young people to live free of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs.~Facilitated small group discussions and team-building activities throughout 5-day conferences for drug prevention and youth leadership program~Performed speeches, skits, and lead large group activities for audiences ranging from 15-600 people~Organized, created, and implemented workshops, group events and small conferences throughout the year~Promoted healthy choices and gave advice to students and parents when speaking during presentations

EF is the world leader in international education and student travel, with 45 years of experience and schools and offices in more than 50 countries.~Provided guidance to participants and their parents on how to prepare for traveling abroad with EF. ~Communicated effectively with parents, students, and departments to resolve issues before, during, and after trips~Resolved time-sensitive problems for participants and parents while they were traveling abroad~Responded to client email and letter inquiries and complaints~Exceeded department goal to increase travel insurance sales to over 70% of customer base

A fine art gallery in Wickford, Rhode Island representing local and nationally known artists, photographers, and jewelry designers. ~Managed opening and closing of store~Assisted customers and designed displays to increase sales ~Evaluated artwork to decide which pieces to sell and display.