Jess Gordon is a British-Canadian educator, violence prevention specialist, and founder of Arise Self-Defense—a social enterprise offering trauma-informed, empowerment-based programming for women, teens, and children. As a BC-certified school teacher, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Women Empowered instructor, and a member of the global Empowerment Self-Defense (ESD) community, Jess brings over 15 years of experience in education, special needs support, and martial arts. 

Based in Vancouver, BC, Jess integrates Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, social-emotional learning (SEL), and experiential education to create inclusive, engaging spaces for participants to build confidence, boundaries, and self-trust. She facilitates workshops across schools, communities, and workplaces, and develops curriculum and educator training to expand access to ESD in formal and informal learning settings.

Website: www.ariseprograms.com email: hello@ariseprograms.com social media: @ariseprograms

Krista Hanley (she/her) is the Credential Program Administrator at the IAESDP. As a writer, speaker, and violence prevention educator, she has over ten years of expertise facilitating programs in ESD, trauma recovery, and embodiment. She brings her experience to co-owning We Are Safer Together, a business that specializes in adaptive and inclusive empowerment self-defense classes, emergency preparedness training, and workplace safety.

See more at kristahanley.com and wearesafertogether.com. Email credentials@esdprofessionals.org

Lauren R. Taylor (she/they) is a powerhouse in the movement to end gender-based violence — a fierce advocate for bodily autonomy, safety, and healing. She’s a survivor who, for more than 35 years, has been teaching skills for stopping harassment, abuse, and assault to those most often targeted: women, LGBTQIA+ people, and disabled people.

Lauren and her team at Defend Yourself have shared skills for preventing, interrupting, and healing from harassment, abuse, and assault with some 40,000 people in the D.C. area and nationwide. Her book — Get Empowered: A Practical Guide to Thrive, Heal, and Embrace Your Confidence in a Sexist World — co-authored with Nadia Telsey, is a blueprint for resilience, self-advocacy, and collective liberation. Using practical tools and sharing powerful stories, Lauren equips audiences with skills for setting boundaries, speaking up with confidence, and changing the world.
laurenrosetaylor.org, Email: lauren@defendyourself.org, IG/FB: thedefendyourself ,LinkedIn Get Empowered

Lulú Romero is a Lead Promotora, Shelter Advocate, and ESD Instructor, as well as a proud mother of five. Her leadership journey began in 2018 when she joined ELAWC’s Promotora program after years of volunteering in her children’s school and community. Completing the 21-hour Contra La Violencia training was life-changing, giving her independence, healing, and a way to support survivors. In 2019, she completed the 70-hour Spanish-Advocate hotline training, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, she served as a Community Health Promotora, distributing PPE and critical health information. Certified as an ESD Instructor with ESD Global, she teaches practical skills that build confidence and safety for women and youth. Learning about Circles as a tool for transformative justice has shaped her approach to healing and empowerment. Lulú continues to inspire others through her compassion, leadership, and deep commitment to community resilience and justice.

Sarah McArthur considers herself a “Flow Architect” for change-makers, guiding leaders, coaches, and helpers to understand the power of self-resourcing so they can lead from inner well-being and create greater impact.

For more than 15 years, Sarah has worked as an entrepreneur and leader with expertise in personal development, personal safety, and trauma healing. Her own empowerment journey began at IMPACT Personal Safety of Colorado, where she started as a student, grew into an instructor, and ultimately became Executive Director.

Today, Sarah serves as CEO of Power of XYZ Inc., a creative agency dedicated to helping change-makers build their dreams and bring them to life. She is also an author and speaker, sharing her stories of personal safety and empowerment on stages, podcasts, and conferences.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahemcarthur/

Rachel Piazza is the Founder of Feminist Self-Defense, an evidence-based and trauma-informed violence prevention program that’s been featured on the Today Show, in The New York Times, The Economist, ESPN and more.

She is a TEDx speaker, an Adjunct Professor of Women’s & Gender Studies at New Jersey City University and a brown belt in Brazilian

Jiu-Jitsu with over 15 years experience. Rachel combines her understanding of gender-based violence with effective self- protection skills and concepts that anyone can learn.

A dynamic and engaging workshop leader, Rachel’s fun and effective approach to sexual violence prevention has been embraced by universities, non-profits and corporations worldwide
Email booking@feministselfdefense.com

Gabriela Anaí Rojas Lozano is a feminist facilitator, resource-mobiliser, and practitioner of trauma-informed methodologies across Latin America. She currently works at the Fondo de Mujeres Apthapi Jopueti in Bolivia, accompanying grassroots organisations through collective care, empowerment-based self-defence, and community-led safety practices. As co-founder of RIA Abya Yala, she strengthened regional networks of feminist instructors and community leaders, supporting their capacity to build autonomy and resilience in hostile contexts. Gabriela’s work centres decolonial, body-territory, and community-driven frameworks, weaving learning spaces that honour lived experience and ancestral knowledge. Her current focus is mapping feminist philanthropy and supporting organisations to navigate new funding ecosystems that prioritise local, intersectional, and movement-led approaches.
ga.rojas.lozano@gmail.com