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TEASI CANNON
MEMBER
Teasi is a wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, and author with a passion for learning and a heart for Jesus and His people. She holds a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Middle Tennessee State University School of Education and Behavioral Science and an M.A. in Pastoral Counseling from Liberty Theological Seminary. Both Teasi’s personal experience as a survivor of multiple forms of abuse and her desire to encourage healing and an enduring faith in others undergird her passion for the ministry work of beEmboldened.
TRACY NIELSEN
SECRETARY
Tracy is passionate about helping people find and live from their true value and identity. This is driven from her own journey of discovering, overcoming, and finding freedom. She has walked alongside survivors of sex trafficking to find hope and healing and is presently a recovery counselor for women overcoming addiction. She holds B.A. in Business from Dallas Baptist University and is completing her Master of Counseling from Grand Canyon University. Tracy loves to laugh, all things involving dark chocolate and peanut butter, the outdoors and people.
Meet our Board
The Board of Directors at beEmboldened is a dedicated team of compassionate leaders with diverse expertise in counseling, theology, advocacy, and ministry, each driven by personal experience and a commitment to truth, healing, and faith. United in their mission to support those affected by spiritual abuse while maintaining a healthy organization, they welcome the public to reach out with any questions or concerns.
Our Board in Order by Last Name
Teasi Cannon
Member
Teasi is a wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, and author with a passion for learning and a heart for Jesus. A survivor of multiple forms of abuse, she holds a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies and an M.A. in Pastoral Counseling, using her experiences to support healing and faith through beEmboldened.
Lindsey Medenwaldt
Secretary
Lindsey is an assistant professor of business and economics at Northwestern College in Iowa and the author of Bridge-Building Apologetics (Harvest House, 2024) and co-author with Dr. Douglas Groothuis of What If Jesus Is Right? (Tyndale Elevate, 2026). Lindsey holds a master's degree in apologetics and ethics from Denver Seminary (this is where she met beEmboldened Founder, Naomi), a JD from St. Mary's University School of Law, and a master's degree in public administration from Midwestern State University. Lindsey is passionate about serving cult survivors and their families and has been since a young age when she started studying high control groups.
Adrianne Apodaca
Vice Chair
Adrianne is a parent and longtime advocate within the rare disease community. Her passion for God's truth draws her to beEmboldened, supporting those affected by spiritual abuse and helping them find healing, truth, and a healthy understanding of faith. Her background in nonprofit management brings insights to the challenges of those in vulnerable communities. She lives in Colorado with her husband and three children and enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.
Kelsea Riddick Lopez
Treasurer
Kelsea currently works as an Asana consultant who has a passion for creating systems that help people and organizations work with greater clarity, efficiency, and purpose. Beyond her love for all things systems and organization, Kelsea has a deeply personal connection to the mission of beEmboldened. Having experienced spiritual abuse herself, she has walked through a journey of healing and restoration and has seen firsthand the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord throughout that process. Her own story is what ultimately led her to join the board of beEmboldened.
NATASHA FISH
CHAIR
A Colorado local and native, Natasha holds a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Anthropology from Vanguard University of Southern California. She works as a Project Manager for TEAM, a Christian global missions sending agency. She is rejuvenated by being outdoors in the sun or sharing a satisfying meal with loved ones. Because of her thirst for truth and compassion for others, she is honored to serve on the Board of Directors of beEmboldened. Through this ministry's work, she hopes that anyone who desires to seek healing, truth, and choice can be liberated and empowered to do so.
CAT MORGAN
VICE CHAIR
Cat's desire to come on board as Vice Chair comes from a deep desire to bring freedom and truth to those who have been in abusive situations, specifically in a religious context. She herself has felt the grief and burden of trying to satisfy a spirit of religiosity that has so little to do with the true King Jesus and the spirit of freedom we have been gifted through him. Her feeling is that God wants to take those who have been abused and manipulated and lead them out to a beautiful and spacious place alone with Him (Hosea 2:14), to teach them about who he really is.
For over 3 years, Cat's work as Community Program Specialist for nonprofit Fierce Freedom has allowed her to tell stories that lift up the disenfranchised, bringing light and truth to the evil that is human trafficking.
CHUCK MCWHIRTER
TREASURER
Chuck McWhirter lives in League City, TX, working as a Chapter Director for Ratio Christi, a Christian Apologetics ministry focused on engaging, equipping, and evangelizing the University with the truth of Christ using the intellectual Christian voice. Chuck holds a Masters of Arts in Christian Apologetics from Biola University and is pursuing a Doctorate of Ministry in Engaging Mind and Culture from Biola, as well.
Recognizing the longstanding and growing problems with false spiritual teachings, cults, and the hurt that comes from them, he is excited to be part of the Board of Directors team at beEmboldened, where this ministry focuses on addressing those very needs.
Contact Us
Feel free to reach out to our Board of Directors with any questions or concerns that you may have.
