Meet Our People

Board of Directors

Mia Perry Bowick

Chair of the Board

President of Cassia Collective

Facilitator

Rebecca Kelley

Treasurer of the Board

Emily Stuber,

Vice Chair of the Board

Executive Director of Cassia Collective

Facilitator

Melissa Michaelis Thompson

Board Member

Lauren Abdosh

Secretary of the Board

Mia holds two masters degrees, one in Applied Theatre Arts and one in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Jungian Depth Psychology. She has worked as a psychotherapist and drama therapist for the past 15 years with various population groups including addiction, co-occurring disorders, trauma and psychosis. She has always prided herself on being an imaginative, soulful and playful healer who deeply trusts our natural healing processes. Read less Mia has been running sacred circles and facilitating ritual since 2018 but her experience in these settings began during her undergraduate degree with her professor and mentor Evelyn Diaz Cruz. Mia has continued her studies of the power in creative community work for healing ever since in places such as Los Angeles, New York City, Santorini and Rwanda. She is currently studying shamanism practices with Katherine Skaggs in Fort Collins, Colorado. Mia is native to California and moved to Colorado with her husband, two young girls and her dog Olive in 2021. She opened her first private psychotherapy practice assisting people with trauma, depression, anxiety, spiritual connection, meaning making and navigating life transitions. She started the High in the Sky Women’s Circle after attending Heidi Whitehead’s women’s retreat, Hustle and Flow in April of 2023. Mia was introduced to Heidi through her sister in-love Zoe Levine. (Both are now members of the Vision Council!) Six months later, Mia’s brother Mattew suddenly passed away. She decided to take a leave of absence from her private practice to focus on her grief and healing. In a healing session led by Christina Ifurung she was gifted with the vision of starting a non-profit organization which would allow access to healing and the time for that healing to all women who were in need of it. Healing is not a privilege, it is a basic human right. Mia brought her idea to her Women’s Circle and upon hearing about it, a few members stepped up to offer their time and resources to manifest the vision into reality. Those members are now our HSWC Vision Council and the High in the Sky Women’s Circle became the High in the Sky Women’s COLLECTIVE. We have been coming together to share our wisdom, insight, passion and dedication ever since. When Mia isn’t trying to save the world one woman at a time, you can find her exploring her new home state with her family, cozying up with a huge stack of books and her dog or at a wild dance party. Mia holds each of you in the deepest of gratitude and warmth for being on this journey with her.

Emily Stuber is a birth doula, yoga instructor and mind body transformation coach who seeks opportunities to co-create embodied transformation in all the work she does. As a DONA trained birth doula, Emily has supported over 100 families in Denver metro in varied settings, she specializes in mind-body connection and breath work in the birth space. Emily's two children were born with the incredible support of a doula and this inspired her to immerse herself in the birth world. Emily has also led multiple doula trainings and is the former Administrative Director of a birth center. Read less Emily has taught yoga and movement for over 10 years with experience in self myofascial release, prenatal and postpartum yoga, restorative and vinyasa yoga. Emily also offers mind body coaching for individuals or groups seeking to tap into their inherent somatic intelligence to work towards their true purpose. As a coach she specializes in women's empowerment coaching, transition coaching, parenthood/fertility journey support, and leading women's circles. Emily has a master's degree in human development and counseling and applies this training to all her work supporting humans to remember the best versions of themselves. Emily is a mama of two kiddos who keep her busy skiing, exploring, answering questions about the world, and reminding her to stay present. She lives in Littleton with her kids, husband, and husky pup. Emily enjoys hiking, sitting in circle with other inspiring women, reading books that make her think, and drinking a good cup of tea. Emily is thrilled to be the Co-Founder of HSWC. Her connection to Mia and this opportunity started as a "what if" conversation that has blossomed into "we must". Emily dreams big and supports the dream in everyone, her super power is to take a dream and turn it into action and she is beyond excited to step into that journey alongside Mia and the Vision Council.

Lauren Deck Abdosh grew up in the woods of Vermont and Maine, earned a Bachelor's degree in Arts and Business, and spent over a decade in Los Angeles working as a program director for arts education non-profit organizations. Lauren is a Council circle facilitator (as taught by Beyond Us and Them and and has led circles in various settings, including for corporate and nonprofit leadership teams, at teen youth retreats, for virtual teams, and in private settings, including hosting an ongoing in-person monthly women’s circle started in June 2022. Read less Lauren currently lives in Highlands Ranch, Colorado with her husband, son and little dog, works for a virtual events and operations company, and enjoys taking nature walks, gardening, dancing, painting and spending time with family & friends. Lauren is thrilled to join the HSWC Vision Council, as a believer in the power and necessity of women coming together to listen and be heard, and to make change in the world. Lauren is eager to utilize her leadership skills, energy and empathy to continue helping women find their way toward deeper connections to themselves, each other and beyond.

Rebecca leads the financial accounting outsourcing controller and CFO advisory services at her firm, providing clients with essential accounting, finance, and CFO solutions. With over 15 years at the firm, she has played a key role in expanding the financial accounting outsourcing group and developing trusted solutions. Rebecca is a recognized expert in optimizing accounting processes, including accounts payable and receivables, month-end procedures, financial statement preparation, cash flow forecasting, budgeting, and analysis. She has presented at national conferences and webinars on financial checklists. Rebecca’s passion for serving others was deeply influenced by her father, who founded a charity to help underserved and underprivileged families, providing them with basic needs. This upbringing instilled in her a strong commitment to community service. Her own experience during her first pregnancy, where she faced frustrations with the impersonal nature of the health system, led her to seek care at a birth center that prioritized a personal, mom-and-baby-focused approach. This transformative experience inspired her to support organizations that provide care, community, and connection for women. Outside of work, Rebecca enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, cooking, baking, and traveling.

Melissa Michaelis Thompson is the Executive Director of the Office of Respondent Parents’ Counsel, an independent judicial agency tasked with providing lawyers to indigent parents in child welfare proceedings in Colorado. Prior to the ORPC, Melissa last served as a Lead Attorney at the Colorado State Public Defender’s Pueblo Regional Office. There she defended the rights of indigent defendants for nearly seven years, supervised juvenile and adult felony district court divisions, and served as the public defender member of the Behavior Health Treatment Court. She has presented trainings on child welfare, juvenile, and criminal defense topics across the state and country. In 2013, she was honored by the Pueblo County Bar Association with the Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year award for Professional, Civic, and Charitable Participation and Contributions to the Community of Pueblo, Colorado for her work litigating the unshackling of children in juvenile court. She serves on the National Steering Committee for the American Bar Association’s Alliance for Parent Representation. She is a graduate of the Family Defense Leadership Workshop at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan and the Trial Practice Institute at the National Criminal Defense College in Macon, Georgia. Melissa received her J.D. from Wayne State University Law School, where she was an assistant editor of the Wayne Law Review, and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan with Distinction. Melissa lives in Douglas County with her husband, son, and dog.

In addition to the Cassia founders Mia and Emily you might have the chance to sit in circle led by any of these wonderful women.

Lesley Loftis

Facilitator

Lesley Loftis, MA, LPC, CHHC is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Holistic Health Coach who guides others to connect to their inherent wholeness and purpose by working through a comprehensive mind/body/spirit approach. In her individual and group work with clients she incorporates cognitive exploration, somatic techniques, nervous system regulation, and psychoeducation around health & well-being. Read less Lesley applies her trauma-informed clinical training to help clients work through their blocks - such as anxiety, depression, burnout, codependency, life transitions, and emotional eating - and emerge with greater energy, clarity, and joy. She attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition to become a Certified Holistic Health Coach, and pursued her Master’s in Counseling Psychology at Regis University. Lesley has been an active member of Women's Circles for the past 15 years, and studied Reiki, intuitive development and sacred feminine principles. She is passionate about bringing this work to the world and is sharing it with ever widening circles within HSWC!

Tamara Pryor

Facilitator

I have dedicated over 40 years to the field of mental health treatment as a psychologist. My passion encompasses both clinical practice and research. Recently, my work with fMRI studies has provided valuable insight into brain activity, deepening our understanding of the neurobiology of mental health and mental illness. Throughout my personal and professional journey, I have been captivated by the intricate interplay between the brain, mind, and body. My approach to personal growth has always been holistic, recognizing that true well-being encompasses physical, emotional and mental health. I believe that every individual possesses unique strengths and challenges, and my role as a facilitator and member of a women’s circle at Cassia is to create a supportive environment where we can explore our potential. My experiences have taught me that fostering connections is crucial for humans. I want each of us to connect with our intentions and trust that by following our instincts with an open heart, we are fulfilling our destiny to affirm our inner truth. I want each group member to feel seen and heard, to feel a sense of belonging…not just fitting in.