Melissa Andrada (mel - they/them) is an expressive arts healer and yoga teacher whose purpose is supporting people to transform trauma, oppression and suffering into art, healing and belonging. Bringing together the magic of musicality and movement, Mel’s offerings create a heart-centered space for people to feel the depths of their grief, emotions and humanity and heal towards wholeness and joy. 

Take pride in who you are. As a queer Filipine-American born in Nigeria who came to the States as an undocumented immigrant, Mel is committed to uplifting communities from historically resilient backgrounds. As a survivor of sexual violence and big T trauma, Mel aspires to co-create a trauma-sensitive, survivor-centered space, deeply listening and attuning to the unique needs and bodies in the room. They are constantly learning and currently completing a second masters in Expressive Arts Therapy at the California Institute of Integral Studies, with a focus on music and dance movement therapy. 

Mel has completed 1000+ hours of trauma, somatics and yoga teacher training, with organizations and individuals that include Staci Haines & the Strozzi Institute, Mushim Ikeda & East Bay Meditation’s Practice in Transformative Action, Bessel van der Kolk and Trauma Research Foundation. Their approach to space holding also has been influenced by Satya de La Paz, Stephanie Parker, Hala Khouri, Sophia Mallie, Tako Oda and Dr. Albert Wong. 

Outside of teaching yoga and sound healing, Mel co-leads Fairground, a mental health & wellness collective focused on supporting organizations to create cultures of joy and psychological safety within the workplace. Bringing spirituality and social justice into business and strategy, Mel also is a keynote speaker who gives motivational talks centered on empowering queer BIPOC communities at places that have included Out in Tech, The New York Times and Lead Dev. Bringing grounded pragmatism to social and organizational change at scale, their past career has spanned corporate brand strategy, learning & development and product operations for 100+ organizations and 100,000+ people across ten countries. Through sound healing, yoga and strategy, Mel aspires to co-build bridges that nourish a more equitable and loving society.