Meet the Facilitators

The following facilitators lead 170 Trees’ offerings.

  • My name is Lia Nagase, my pronouns are she/ella, and I am the founder of 170 Trees Society.

    I am a parent, a singer, a hopeful, grounded, loving person. I am imperfect. My values are authenticity, love, compassion, continuing to work on our own shit so as to improve our lives and to decrease the harm we do to others and liberation for all.

    I am silly at times, but never lose connection with all that exists. I love people and also experience great sorrow over what we do to each other and others.

    I live in Costa Rica with my partner, kids, mother-in-law, and about a million animals (15 in all! Indoor and outdoor animals in different parts of the property). Not bad for someone with really huge allergies!

    Oakland is my original hometown, and I had about 16 years of living in the Portland, OR area. Shoutout to my 14 months of living in Somerville, MA. I sing, write songs, play the piano (picked it up again recently with lessons), humbly continue to attempt to learn to play the guitar.

    My faith and religious journey has been winding, and I’m grateful to be solidly in an interfaith space, where all my stops are honored. 

  • Seth Samuels has lived many lives in his current life: actor, musician, comedian, economic consultant, world traveler, grad student, political scientist, campaign consultant, data scientist, and now interfaith seminary student. He believes that there is a spark of divinity within each of us, and tries to see the wonder in everyone, particularly those who our dominant culture might otherwise ignore. Having walked alongside Rev. Lia on two of her three seminary journeys, Seth is delighted to join 170 Trees, and to witness the birth of something spectacular.

  • Michael has been leading groups and workshops in the San Francisco bay area focused on developing the healthy masculine for younger and older men for over fifteen years. He is a college educator, counselor and mentor with a background in psychology, spirituality & social justice. He brings in archetypal theory, mythology, poetry and ritual to creatively support men on their journey toward growth, healing, and a life lived with deeper meaning and purpose. Michael is passionate about helping men of all backgrounds learn how to embody their masculinity in ways that are both self-empowering and of service to their families, communities and the larger world. As a group facilitator, he is gifted in communicating with empathy, honesty and respect in order to build trust and belonging. This helps men connect more deeply, experience greater vulnerability, work through difficult life experiences and pursue their goals and dreams. He's participated in the same men’s group for over twenty years and knows first-hand the personal growth and deep transformation that this mutually supportive and honest work can bring. He has a Masters degree in counseling from Indiana University, a doctorate degree from the California Institute of Integral Studies in East-West Psychology and is currently studying to become an inter-faith Chaplain. Michael is the father of a seven-year-old daughter and an active uncle in the lives of his four nieces. He’s also a former collegiate & professional athlete, having lived and played in Italy for many years.

Mya smiles at the camera, wearing a yellow top.

  • Hi! My name is Mya Sophia, my pronouns are she/her and I am a Black neurodivergent writer. In college, I discovered that I could merge my love of storytelling and social justice with my love of digital marketing. I dream of coaching writers, activists, business owners, and content creators as they try to promote their work in a capitalistic world. Besides being a community member in 170 Trees I support in marketing and support roles. I find meaning in the conversations of how we create community in a world on fire. Growing up as a Unitarian Universalist I have been in many leadership roles and have the desire for liberation focused ministry. I find great meaning in a Pagan view of the world and believe spiritualty is central to how I show up. When I'm not dreaming about my business, I love consuming media and stories! My favorite mediums are books, TV, movies, or music videos from my favorite soundtracks. I love nurturing community either over long-distance phone calls or masked at the library. I love singing and dancing with my sister. My favorite color is yellow and it pretty much means everything to me. You can find more about me here or in the community!