Hi, I'm Nick. I'm a 1st-generation Filipino-American descended from Tagalogs, Ilocanos, and Kampampangans of Luzon. My family fled the military dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos in the 1970s and worked hard to build a good life for us in Queens, NY. I'm also a 13th-generation European American.

 

My ancestors were settler colonists (as I still am) who dispossessed the Wampanoag of their land and lifeways in what became known as Plymouth Plantation. The roles I dedicate myself to are those of Father, Husband, Brother, Son, Nephew, and Cousin. I also play Guide & Coach to Leaders, Steward of Group Process, Transformation Poet, and Mender of Cultures. In kinship with the CfBS, I'm here to facilitate your process of reindigenizing from your specific cultural heritage, to confront the colonial patterns in all of us, and to explore the calling to lead in organizations and communities from a place connected to history, home, and lived experience.

 

In my day job, I work through my company, Kapwa Leadership, with nonprofits and for-profits to better address the challenges our human and more-than-human world faces, and I’m here to help as many leaders as I can do the same. I'm a former National Team Player for the Philippines Rugby team. I have a master’s degree in positive psychology and organizational development, with over 15 years of experience helping leaders navigate growth and change.

 

I was born and raised in Queens, NY. I now live in Lawrence, KS, with my wife, our sons, and two dogs.