Meet the Team
Epiphanies of Equity (EoE), incorporated in early 2018, was born out of the organizing, advocacy, and policy work of the Founder, ChrisTiana ObeySumner. ChrisTiana nurtured EoE over the course of 3 years into a national social equity consulting firm, and in 2021, it expanded its staff.
We are delighted to introduce our team of 7, which includes ChrisTiana, 2 Associate Consultants (who are prepared to take on their own clients), and 4 Administrative staff members. ChrisTiana now holds the position of Principal Consultant and CEO. Collaborating, training, and organizing alongside EoE staff, ChrisTiana has worked to enhance structures, impart knowledge about social equity and organizational psychology, and fortify the Change Management strategy and theory that EoE is so well known for.
We are thrilled to embark on a new phase as a consulting team, aiming to broaden our reach, philosophy, and offerings to the community. Continue reading to get acquainted with several members of our team, and don't hesitate to reach out if you're interested in receiving our services.
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List of EOE Staff
ChrisTiana ObeySumner | MNPL, MPA — FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT
Associates of Arts (Jefferson Community and Technical College — Louisville, KY), Bachelor of Science in Psychology (Seattle University — Seattle, WA,) Master of Nonprofit Leadership (Seattle University,) Masters of Public Administration (Seattle University)
ChrisTiana ObeySumner (They/ Them) is a Black, queer, non-binary, and multiply disabled researcher, thought leader, storyteller, and activist. They are CEO and principal consultant of Epiphanies of Equity LLC, a social equity consulting firm specializing in change management, social and organizational psychology, intersectional equity and liberation, and disability justice. For two decades, they’ve dedicated their life and career to exploring and practicing innovative approaches to achieving social equity – in other words, how to sustainably and effectively bring parity to areas of disparity so "humans can human with other humans" equitably, collectively, and intersectionally.
Over the past 20 years of advocacy and professional change work, I’ve dedicated my life’s mission to discovering the “why” of social inequity — and the “how” of what steps we should take to become an equitable society. My hope is to continue my research and practice of finding taproot solutions to upstream problems for collective, effective, and sustainable downstream results.
ChrisTiana has partnered and lead projects with over 250 organizations across the U.S. and Europe. They’ve given guest lectures at the University of Washington, Seattle University, and M.I.T., and their work has been featured in Business Insider, the Puget Sound Business Journal, Seattle Times, Crosscut, Seattle Arts, Seattle Magazine, The Stranger, the South Seattle Emerald, and more.
ASSOCIATE CONSULTANTS
Image description: photo of Kalisto sitting on a chair outside with a tree in the background, smiling, holding their baby.
Kalisto Zenda Nanen (Listo) - Associate Consultant and Project Manager
BA Anthropology (University of Montana- Missoula), BA Broadcast & Print Journalism (University of Montana- Missoula), currently pursuing Master of Science in Environmental Science & Sustainability at Unity Environmental University
Kalisto Zenda Nanen (he/ze/they) also known as Listo is a Black Indigenous, Queer, Agender, Nonbinary, Genderfluid, Multiply Disabled (Neurodivergent & Chronically Ill) , Environmental Activist, Storyteller, Community Organizer, Public Speaker, Writer, Musician, Performance Artist, Lifelong Educator and Learner, Farmer, and Father. They/Ze/He are a Project Manager & Associate Consultant at Epiphanies of Equity LLC. For the past 15 years they have created passion projects, and dedication in their life to create, listen and inform inclusive spaces for disabled community amplify the voices of persons of the global majority; promote and generate opportunities for LGBTQIA Youth and generate reforested Oak Savannahs. Kalisto has worked with Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), Disability Rights Washington (DRW), King County Public Library, Seattle Public Library, Multnomah County (SHEIDD), Washington State Business Association (WSBA), Seattle Opera Book Club, Justice in Aging/CCD, and Bella Red Salon.
Prior to working with Epiphanies of Equity, Kalisto has worked at and supported work as an event coordinator at the University of Montana Missoula, an editor at Artichoke Press Missoula Montana, a Living History Docent at Fort Missoula, a Visitor Service Assistant at Museum of Flight SeaTac, Visitor Services Assistant and Wharf and Moorage Management at The Center for Wooden Boats, Community Engagement & Volunteer Coordinator at Ingersoll Gender Center, Funeral Director & Embalmer Intern at MB Daniel Mortuary Services and served on the boards for Seattle’s Camp Ten Trees and Lavender Rights Project. Today Kalisto sits on the board for Maine Inside Out an organization for justice for current and formerly incarcerated community members, Maine TransNet, has been a long-term core member for Seattle’s Queer The Land and is an editor for Nature Based Education Consortium’s Story for Change.
Paul Darnell - Associate Consultant and Project Manager
Community, Art, and Self-Determination are essential for my growth, and growth is essential for survival. As a generationally impoverished NonBinary Black person I am direly aware of my need for healthy sustainable community, for both basic survival and any sense of thriving. I do not see the struggles I experience in isolation and firmly hold that any and all best and lasting solutions to dissonance and needs are found by identifying who shares these needs and said individuals being empowered to work together. I see a key obstacle being a lack of basic conceptualization and belief in anything essentially different, let alone better, than the current hegemony. I work to inspire Radical Imagination; A firm, self determined, community experienced/validated mandate that “this is not all there is” and that existential expression embracing the surreal and absurd can be illuminating towards necessarily better futures.
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Image description: photo of Fabián smiling, wearing a hat and hoodie, with the Pacific Ocean, hills, and sky in the background.
Fabián Guido (they/them) - Executive Assistant
Fabián is a Mad, disabled, queer, and trans POC (of Mexican and Italian diaspora) community organizer, artist, Disability Justice cultural worker, and administrative professional. Fabián earned a B.A. in Sociology from Seattle University. Fabián has worked in the administrative field for 7 years, primarily in nonprofit, community organizing, and academic settings. Their focus has been on collaborative efforts to establish high-level administrative procedures, processes, and strategies that ensure the sustainability of our work. At the core of their work is the creation of thriving community networks where everyone's needs are met. Achieving this, especially in the realm of social equity work, requires sustainability for the long haul.
Outside of work, they have been involved in movement work primarily with queer and trans people of the global majority (QTBIPOC) for 8 years. This involvement has focused on advancing community organizing and mutual aid projects related to mental health, healing justice, QTBIPOC relationship building, Disability Justice, anti-racism work, and care work.
Fabián lived in Seattle for 9 years before returning to Portland, Oregon, where they currently reside. When not at work, they are likely taking a dance class, exploring a bookstore, sharing meals with loved ones, or floating in an open body of water (if it’s a hot sunny day in Portland!).
Imagine description: Teddy smiling with their eyes closed, outside, holding a baby squirrel
Teddy Graham (They/Them) - Executive Assistant
Hi I'm Teddy Lee! I am E.O.E.'s Executive Assistant. I am a Black gender non-conforming person and I use they/them pronouns or my name "Teddy" is also fine. I am a neurodivergent person who has been working in the fields of children/youth, project management, tech, and administrative work. I'm excited to be a part of E.O.E.'s team! I live in Baltimore, Maryland but am originally from Birmingham, Alabama. I love to knit, create, sing, and be with my pets.
A.Louis Tigney (They/Them)- Programs and Grants Manager
As a multiply disabled cultural organizer, A’Louis uses different forms of artwork, landwork and skywork as tools to inspire, agitate and prod at the radical imaginations of those around them. Their work centers pleasure in all forms including body neutrality & autonomy, fat liberation, displacement and homemaking, lineage reverence with emphasis on language reclamation, holistic connection and relationships with the sky and land, and safety within stigmatized drug use & sexual practices. In their communities, they navigate and hold space for grief, despair and shame as a form of care work, with communal artmaking/viewing/sharing practices as a primary mode of relationship building.
Additional Administrative Staff:
John Zimmerman - Administrative Support (more information coming soon)