GINA DE LA CHESNAYE

Gina de la Chesnaye is a contemplative practitioner and trauma-informed facilitator with over a decade of experience working in high-stress and crisis-affected environments across the United States and East Africa. She serves as Director of Training at Second Response and has been a longtime faculty member, leading PLAYshops with both adults and children.

Her work integrates mindfulness and somatic awareness, drawing from martial arts, yoga, Tibetan Buddhist and Daoist contemplative traditions, alongside public health and evidence-based trauma frameworks. She has trained healthcare providers, humanitarian workers, social service staff, and educators, with a focus on supporting resilience, reducing burnout, and strengthening capacity in the midst of ongoing stress.

Gina is also the Founder and Executive Director of The Nachan Project, where she leads trauma-informed programs serving women and children in Kampala, Uganda. She contributes to human rights advocacy by documenting and reporting on conditions affecting vulnerable populations, helping to inform international accountability processes. Her approach emphasizes practical, accessible tools that can be used in moments of overwhelm, uncertainty, and crisis.

Ellen Goldsmith

Ellen is Board Chair of the National College of Natural Medicine. A licensed acupuncturist and co-founder of Pearl Natural Health, Ellen developed a distinct method for cultivating body/mind health for emerging performing artists at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in her program, Body Coaching for Performing Artists. Currently, she teaches Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction.

JONAH SPEAR

Jonah has been an integral part of the Second Response team since its inception in 2004.  He is a lead facilitator for trainings and is responsible for program direction and curriculum development.  Jonah also served as a Counselor and Production Facilitator for Camp Grounded in locations across the U.S., and was Co-Director of Young People’s Camp at Rowe Camp and Conference Center. Jonah has trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Center, the Moscow Art Theatre, and Boston University School of Fine Arts, and holds a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the California Institute of Integral Studies.  Jonah currently is pursuing a Master's Degree in Interdisciplinary Education and the Psychology of Belonging at NYU Gallatin. 

Deneen Bernier

Jennifer Botwick

Kane Clawson

Chris Cook

Talia Cooper

Nasimeh Easton

Brady Gill

Monica Hunken

Megan Lipsett

Fallyn McLeod

Ayodele Murphy

Caroline Parsons

Travis Puntarelli

Jill Ann Schwartz

Jonah Spear

William Spear

Cherub Stewart

Caprice Taylor

Abigail Wambaugh