Tata OmeAkaEhekatl Erick Gonzalez - Founder
Kaqchikel Maya, Ajq’ij (Staff of Light, Daykeeper and Spiritual Leader)
Spiritual Leader of Tinamit Junan Uleu – Earth Peoples United

OmeAkaEhekatl Erick González was born in Guatemala and moved to the U.S. with his parents when he was 11 years old. He was initiated into Native sacred rites over a thirty period with direct participation, teachings, and guidance from various Native spiritual elders from México, North America, Colombia, Peru, and Guatemala. In 1978, he was adopted by the Mexiko Teotlkalli Kalpull Koatlkalko and the teacher Tlakaelel and given the name OmeAkaEhekatl in 1978.

In 1994, he received his sacred bundle and spiritual mission as a Mayan Ajq’ij. In 2005, he was adopted into the T’saahl Clan, the five finned killer whale people of the Eagle Clan of the Haida, and given the name Gaada, meaning supernatural light. He has worked with Native Elders and Youth Councils throughout the Americas supporting the work of international sharing and preservation of sacred wisdom teachings since 1977, promoting increased cooperation and unity between diverse communities throughout the world.

Tat Erick is working to create two models of spiritual land stewardship: one community in Guatemala on the shores of Lake Atitlan, and one community north of Mt. Shasta in Northern California. Both demonstrate how to live in harmony with and appreciate the natural and spiritual worlds, restore land and create natural food and medicine gardens, and be places for indigenous wisdom keepers to come together to share their wisdom and ceremonies. Tata Erick’s personal healing and ceremonial work can be seen in more depth through Mayan Shamanism.

return to top »

Nana Heddi Neale, M.A. - President Mayan Ajq’ij (Staff of Light, Daykeeper and Spiritual Leader)

Nana Heddi Neale has been working to support the exchange of indigenous wisdom alongside her husband, Tata OmeAkaEhekatl Erick González, since 1998. Fluent in Spanish, she has traveled throughout the United States, Guatemala, Canada, and Northern Europe to help organize, facilitate, and interpret for various international Councils and ceremonial gatherings with Mayan and other indigenous elders, as well as non-native peoples from all over the world. Through these experiences, Heddi has been a witness to the incredible healing and inspiration that indigenous ceremonies and knowledge brings to native and non-native people alike, and feels it is so important to healing our Mother Earth that she has dedicated her life to serve this work in whatever way possible.

In 2005, Nana Heddi received her sacred bundle and spiritual mission as an Ajq’ij in the Mayan tradition. She earned a Masters degree in Creation Spirituality from the University of Creation Spirituality/ Naropa University in 1999. Nana Heddi is also Founder and President of Tinamit Junan Uleu- Earth Peoples United; a non-profit dedicated to connecting people to the natural and spiritual worlds, and bridging the wisdom of the Ancient Ones with the world of today, so that the diversity of life can flourish for future generations. In addition, since 2000, in support of Tata Erick she has coordinated healing services and ceremonies given in the U.S. and Canada through Mayan Shamanism.

return to top »

Marsha Forrest - Vice President

Marsha was born and raised on the Six Nations Reservation in Ontario, Canada as a Mohawk woman. She was surrounded and supported by a large extended family that allowed her to fulfill her dream of becoming a Registered Nurse. She worked as a nurse and lived in Haida Gwaii, the Queen Charlotte Islands of B.C., for thirty three years, and was adopted into the Ts’aalth Clan of the Eagle Clan of the Haida. Although most of her work took place in a hospital setting, Marsha was also able to incorporate both western and complementary techniques into her work, such as acupressure, reflexology, polarity therapy, massage, and traditional healing practices.

Marsha has been fortunate to attend a number of conferences and consultations as a representative of the Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada, the Canadian Women’s Health Network and as a representative for Canada. Some of the highlights in this area include the Canada/USA Conference on Women’s Health, the Canada/Cuba Conference on Women’s Health and the Non Governmental Organizations Conference that was held in conjunction with the Fourth International Women’s Conference held in Beijing, China in 1995. She has served as Co-Chair of the Canadian Women’s Health Network.

Marsha has traveled to many countries, including Guatemala, and is part of the Traditional Elders and Youth Council, along with Erick Gonzalez. She just moved with her husband from Haida Gwaii to Southern Illinois and is working with the Cherokee and women’ groups in that area.

return to top »

Diane McWilliams, B.S. - Secretary

Diane has found evolving inspiration and deep healing through learning from and working with indigenous nations in North, Central and South America, and Africa since 1998.  She is dedicated to the bridging of indigenous and modern cosmologies, sciences and spiritual traditions to create a better world for the children of Mother Earth.  She is a former board member of Valmont Butte Heritage Alliance, a nonprofit alliance of diverse individuals and organizations working to preserve the sacred site of Valmont Butte in Boulder, Colorado.

Diane was born in Colorado and is of Scottish, Irish and German ancestry. She graduated in 1994 with a B.S. in Psychology/Human Services from Metropolitan State College in Denver, Colorado. In 2009 she received a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management and a Certificate in Resource Development from Regis University in Denver, Colorado.  Diane has worked in diverse roles in the medical administration field and with teaching children and youth, and has been a lifelong volunteer for many causes throughout her life. A consistent component of her work has been assisting organizations with transition into new facilities and organizational structures. Her passion is gardening, travel, music, and coming together in unity with the peoples of the four colors of the corn.

return to top »

Marcella Eversole, B.S. - Director

Marcella Eversole serves as TJU's Director of Networking, connecting TJU to partner organizations, foundations, healing centers and spiritual communities interested in building collaborative alliances that promote the preservation of life for future generations. She has spent the past ten years working professionally in marketing, fundraising, community organizing and political advocacy. Some of the national organizations she has served; include, National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Save Our Environment, The Wilderness Society, Planned Parenthood, Natural World Museum, Progressive Majority and Oceana. She received a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Oregon in 1994.

As Co-Founder of SpiralMuse, www.spiralmuse.org, a women’s collective with a healing center and website encouraging creativity and self-expression, Marcella has worked collaboratively with others to manifest shared visions. She has participated in creating a number of large gatherings designed to raise consciousness, promote cooperation and spark a sense of higher purpose. In 2005, Marcella was moved to assure that indigenous representatives were present to offer a prayer for the opening ceremonies of the United Nations World Environment Day, nourishing the spirits of the one-thousand environmental activists present.

Marcella has dedicated herself to learning the sacred indigenous wisdom and ceremonial way of life held and protected by the traditional Mayan elders. She has also participated in other avenues of personal healing and transformation, including; Women’s Circles, Grof Holotropic Breathwork, The Arete Experience and Landmark Education. Marcella lives in Vermont with her new baby boy and family.

return to top »

Stevan Simich - Director

We are excited about the return of Stevan Simich to the Board, who helped us as a founding board member support the vision for TJU. He has experience in strategy, finance, investing and entrepreneurship and is helping us set strategic and attainable goals for the next period of the organization.

return to top »

Malika Rani Freedman - Director

Malika was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and continues to reside in California. Her multicultural background and upbringing has influenced her affinity and passion for collaboration and healing between diverse populations. Malika was raised by her loving native South African parents of Lithuanian and Latvian Jewish ancestry; her family dispersed throughout the world, including South Africa, Israel, and North America during various historical periods of anti-Semitism.

Malika is dedicated and passionate about supporting the ongoing cultivation of a deeper connection with innate wisdom and abundant wellbeing. Drawing on her 20 years of working with children and families, Malika’s specialty lies in working with mothers and parents though offering prenatal and postnatal support services including birth assistance (doula), massage therapy, meditation, yoga, somatic and creative arts, as well as lactation, nutrition and parenting education. She has Bachelors degrees in Psychology and Religious Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara and is currently completing her MA in Counseling Psychology and obtained a specialization in Prenatal & Perinatal Psychology from the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute. Further, Malika served on the Board of Directors for SpiralMuse for several years and has worked as a private life coach and course facilitator for 10 years supporting men and women, both individually and in relationships, to access deeper levels of freedom and expression in alignment with their values and desires through Authentic World, LLC.

Malika is sourced by actively being a student of Yogic Buddhism and the yogic sciences with Troma Rinpoche as well as other Indigenous Traditions of Healing. She began studying Mayan Shamanism with Tata Erick in 2003, was one of the TJU-EPU founding Members and joined the TJU Board of Directors in 2011. Her personal website is www.MalikaRani.com.

return to top »