Certifications and Training

TRISHA N. TINSLEY
Expert Coach, Instructor, and Social Justice Advocate

Trisha brings over 20 years of experience in social justice and social services to her impactful work as a coach, instructor, and curriculum developer. With 17 years dedicated to instructing and coaching in health services, education, and corporations, and 9 years focused on curriculum development, she possesses a proven track record in fostering growth and change.

Her varied professional background – encompassing accounting, culinary arts, and performing – offers a unique lens through which she approaches challenges, enabling flexibility and insightful perspective-taking. Trisha specializes in key areas crucial for individual and organizational development:

  • Building Strong Teams and developing relational, restorative cultures.

  • Empowering individuals moving through trauma to build new, healthy lives.

  • Guiding healthy behavior changes.

  • Cultivating inclusion, belonging, and cultural humility.

  • Expert coaching specifically for historically marginalized groups.

Clients describe Trisha's coaching as creative, spirited, infused with levity, and grounded in honesty. She champions the inherent power within each client, helping them transform into their most capable and unstoppable selves.

A Champion of Connection, Justice, and Joy

Driven by core values forged from diverse experiences, Trisha's life is a testament to the power of connection and advocacy. Raised among the Athabascan people in Fairbanks, Alaska, she internalized indigenous principles of reciprocity, respect, and care for all beings – human and earth alike. Her journey to Flint, Michigan deepened this foundation, where she engaged in student conflict mediation and drew inspiration from Jesuits and Black churches, solidifying her commitment to social justice by age 16.

Trisha's spirit of self-determination echoes her parents' bold lives. Growing up Black in the 1930s and 40s, they defied expectations, instilling in her a love for freedom, strength, responsibility, and exploration. This rich heritage, combined with a vibrant upbringing filled with dynamic people who cherished food, music, fashion, and outdoor adventures, cultivated Trisha's colorful approach to life.

Today, Trisha resides in Seattle with her husband, JB Johnson – owner of the esteemed BLMF Literary Salon – and their beloved 11-pound rescue dog, Roxanne Tinsley-Johnson. She remains a fierce advocate, actively supporting causes for people of color, the unhoused population, equitable and sustainable food access, and LGBTQIA+ communities. A seasoned global traveler with a passion for over 20 folkloric dances, Trisha embraces the magical aspects of life, expressing this through her love of cooking fresh, local foods (though her relationship with gardening, particularly tomatoes, remains complicated). She truly is a connoisseur of life's vibrant tapestry.