2025 Conference Cancelled
Designed to elevate women across industries—supporting passionate founders and seasoned leaders as they evolve their leadership and rethink what’s possible in times of complexity and change.
This is an intimate 3-day retreat for women who hold a lot, speak truth, and crave direct, generative dialogue.
What to Expect:
Dialogue with women who lead with heart & lived experience—no topic too complex or off-limits.
Interactive workshops with Briea, Tia, Mel, Maren, & Marie.
Skillfully facilitated breakout sessions on timely topics where your wisdom is met, not gaslit.
Rejuvenation & inspiration: movement, nature, nourishment, and time to think.
Our conference leaders, facilitators, and speakers enjoy helping women leaders honor the reality of what is happening now while proactively planning for what's ahead, drawing on our experience to help them anticipate challenges and opportunities. This skillfully facilitated multi-day conference will be limited to 35 women leaders.
Women Behind the Conference
Our shared passion is connecting women leaders who crave diverse perspectives and collaboration, bringing together a peer group of people with deep experience and knowledge who pursue creative solutions and new opportunities by broadening options beyond conventional approaches.
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Briea O'Duinn is a visionary advisor who helps founders and organizational leaders navigate complex change while staying true to their values. Born into a multicultural family and part of an international community from childhood, her foundation, combined with experiences spanning entrepreneurship, technology adoption, strategic planning, mindful communication, and win-win negotiation practices creates transformative leadership that bridges diverse perspectives with practical action. Her open-hearted presence and joyful smile are matched by her insightful questions and unfiltered observations, often surfacing truths others may be unable—or unwilling—to express
In 2005, Briea co-founded A•VIBE, a custom software agency, serving as President until 2019. Over her tenure, she worked with organizations from all sectors to implement technology solutions that helped them grow and better serve their stakeholders.
As Founder & CEO of Beset, Briea channels her passion for change advocacy into creating strategic ecosystems for impact-focused leaders. Her leadership approach integrates principles of mindful leadership—practices that help founders and their executive teams move through complex decisions with greater awareness and a broader perspective. Beset’s programs utilize Paloma Medina’s BICEPS framework, a model based on six neurological core human needs that when operationalized provide a powerful toolset for peer groups and organizations to navigate change and disruption while continuing to foster trust, and pursue timely opportunities together.
Briea enjoys advising founders of privately held companies as a long-term strategic thought partner and advisory board member. She is sought out for her 20 years of experience in driving online direct-to-consumer growth, technology implementation, succession and strategic planning, win-win negotiation, leadership team building, and future-focused design thinking.
Through Beset, Briea is especially committed to supporting women entrepreneurs and executives. She founded the Women's Leadership Collective to expand this mission, offering transformative peer ecosystems that uplift women to lead with courage and clarity. Launched in the Columbia Gorge and now growing nationally, the Collective cultivates a dynamic community where women leaders grow organizations that create lasting change.
Beyond Beset, Briea has been involved with the Women Presidents Organization, a global non-profit, for over a decade. She began as a member in 2012 and now serves as Chapter Chair. This role allows her to directly apply her experience in facilitation to support women-led companies, as well as be a part of an international community of change makers.
Briea cherishes time with her two daughters, exploring the natural world, dancing around the living room, and traveling together. Whenever possible she schedules her work life to accommodate the strong pull she has to attend every softball and soccer game.
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Tia B. Coachman is a seasoned leadership coach and executive HR consultant, bringing a dynamic blend of strategic insight, emotional intelligence, and people-centered leadership to every space she enters. As the Founder and CEO of Affirma Consultancy, Tia partners with leaders to cultivate cultures that balance empowerment and accountability, and to support leadership transformation.
A trusted leadership coach, workshop facilitator, keynote speaker, and panelist, Tia is known for her engaging style and ability to foster authentic connection and growth. She also serves as a fractional HR executive and Board Director, guiding organizations through complex people strategies with a clear, values-driven approach.
Tia’s work is grounded in both academic rigor and real-world application. She holds an honors BBA from Howard University and an MBA from the University of Maryland Global Campus. Her credentials include the SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) designation and the Master Practitioner – Energy Leadership Index (MP-ELI) certification from the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching.
Through Affirma, Tia supports leaders and teams in building resilience, deepening self-awareness, and leading with purpose and intention. She thrives on helping others become the best version of themselves—personally and professionally—and brings passion, empathy, and clarity to every engagement.
Beyond the boardroom and coaching sessions, Tia finds energy and joy in life’s simple yet profound moments—nurturing and celebrating with her partner and two sons, and creating space for meaningful experiences and connections.
With a reputation for insight, warmth, and results, Tia B. Coachman continues to be a powerful force in the evolution of leadership and human capital strategy.
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Mel started her career as a first grade teacher and journalist. A chance meeting at the Boston Marathon led to an interview for an entry level job at Nike. She spent 17 years there, where she led businesses including Nike Women and Nike Skateboarding, and worked on the launch of the Nike Running and Training Club apps. In 2019 she left Nike to co-found venture capital firm NEXT VENTURES, focused on early stage investments across health and wellness in companies like Oura ring and Outside. She serves on the boards of Cofertility, Ramble Campgrounds, Sage Hospitality, University of Oregon’s Knight Campus, Outdoor Afro and USA Cycling -- and when she’s not traveling you can find her mountain biking on the trails in Hood River Oregon.
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As an advisor, talent and operational executive, and empathetic leader, Maren is known for facing challenges head on. From being at the forefront of a company acquisition or executing an agency’s transition to remote work during a global pandemic, to dealing the loss of a parent or the daily surprises that come with being a mom, Maren brings the full spectrum of being a human to work while holding steady and remaining deeply intentional in all of her actions. As a trusted and highly sought-after advisor to business owners and executives, Maren harnesses her deft operational skills and strategic thinking to steward companies through times of transition and uncertainty. Paired with a brave heart and keen self-awareness, this makes her an invaluable resource to all who know her.
In 2022, Maren launched HATCH Consulting, setting out to provide leaders what she often lacked herself in the corporate world: an experienced outside perspective that is direct, thoughtful and strategic. HATCH Consulting works with small to mid-sized independently owned organizations with leaders open to making operational and people-centric changes so their business and employees can thrive. Maren leverages her 20+ years of experience and learnings bringing a holistic approach to operational and talent strategy by combining data, cognitive empathy and her gut intuition. Her insightful approach leads to modern and innovative talent strategies and programs that result in workplaces that are more equitable and inclusive and where employees feel truly respected and valued.
Prior to embarking upon her latest venture, Maren was a founding employee of Swift, a widely recognized, award-winning creative agency boasting $14M in revenue at the time of acquisition in 2014. As COO, Maren built the financial and operational functions at Swift and guided the agency through its acquisition by WPP, a global advertising company, and led the company through a seamless integration until 2020. Throughout her tenure at Swift, Maren worked tirelessly to build people-first solutions into the fabric of the company. She created a foundational talent management and training program while also securing paid leave policies that catered to all stages of life.
Maren started her career in education building her management and leadership skills as a recruitment manager at Teach For America during a time of explosive growth and expansion for the organization. This position built the foundation of her work with people and culture and her roles throughout her career have informed her nuanced approach to helping business leaders create environments in which employees can truly thrive all while meeting organizational goals.
Based in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons, Maren and her family can be found exploring the world around her. Her deep regard for nature extends to the people she shares it with: Maren is an involved community member who committed to creating a more equitable world. Whether she’s volunteering or parenting, Maren leads with her signature kindness and empathy.
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I am a Psychotherapist in Portland, Oregon. I received my Masters in Couples and Family Therapy in 2007, from Argosy University, Honolulu Hawaii. I have done ongoing training and practice in Gestalt Psychotherapy and Process Group work since 2009. I also have done Orgonomy/Reichian somatic bodywork training and practice since 2015.
I have worked with 5 different non-profit agencies doing work with folks of all ages and backgrounds, dealing with a large spectrum of mental & emotional health needs from 2005-2013. I have been doing Group work since 2006. I started my Private Practice in 2009 and have been doing Clinical Supervision since 2016.
I am a Gestalt, Family Systems and Somatic/Body oriented Psychotherapist, with an intentional focus on de-colonizing our bodies and community spaces. I support embodied living from an indigenous lense. I work with individuals, couples, families and groups dealing with varying struggles such as difficult life transitions, trauma, loss, identity development, stress and addiction. I also address how to effectively work with differences in any relationship, enabling more supportive connection and effective communication.
I provide psychotherapy with compassion, humor and an ability to be transparent, direct and authentic. My work is centered around helping develop awareness of oneself, their relationships and the impact they have, which then allows for lasting change and meaningful connection.
Just Announced: Bonus BICEPS Leadership Training with Maren Reed
All registered attendees will receive access to a virtual training session with Maren Reed on the BICEPS framework—a neuroscience-backed leadership tool we use across all Beset programs.
Developed by Paloma Medina, BICEPS stands for:
Belonging, Improvement, Choice, Equity, Predictability, and Status—six core human needs that shape how we lead, collaborate, and navigate change.
In this session, Maren will guide you through:
How to apply BICEPS to your own leadership patterns
How to use it to support your team through uncertainty
Why it’s especially powerful for high-capacity leaders who manage complexity and care
This virtual session will be shared before the conference so you arrive aligned, resourced, and ready to go deeper.
Flow of the Conference
Day 1: Wednesday, Sept 10th
Arrival at 12:00 PM
Lunch with Connection & Movement
Workshop
Check-In
Dinner
Connection with Reflections
Day 2: Thursday, Sept 10th
Breakfast
Morning Movement & Mindfulness
Workshop
Lunch - On Your Own
Break
Workshop
Dinner
Post Dinner Connection & Dance Party (Optional)
Day 3: Friday, Sept 12th
Breakfast
Morning Movement & Mindfulness
Closing Ceremony
Check-Out at 11:00 AM