Meet the team
Soon after Ashley founded our community in the Boston area, requests started to roll in to host events in more cities. Scaling a community and maintaining core values, however, is not so easily achieved. So we were careful, ensuring to think through everything that we hold dear about gathering folks in this way, and how to ensure that is both translated to and unique to a new place.
After much planning, we launched our first Community Leadership roles in 2021 (see what’s live now!) and have since grown to over a dozen cities. We’d like to shout out these amazing folks here, and thank them for all they do to facilitate meaningful events throughout the world!
Lexi Totten | Portland, OR
Originally from beautiful Northern California, Lexi moved to the infamous Portland, OR last year alongside Skip the Small Talk! She believes one of the sweetest gifts of being human is the opportunity to listen to and learn from one another’s stories and experiences. Lexi is deeply passionate about spending time with children in the foster care system and teaching those with different abilities. Somehow, she has unexpectedly found herself working in higher education, advocating for other first-gen college students who are tackling similar challenges she did. In all areas of her life, she strives to create safe spaces for all to come as they are to feel seen, known & cared for! If you are looking for an adventure buddy, Lexi is always outside – seeking new sunset spots, hiking, writing, and biking. She loves to learn and is constantly adding to her list of books to read, podcasts to listen to, and new places to travel!
Anna Chalfin | Chicago, IL (Online Events)
Anna took a class in undergrad that taught her ‘life wasn’t linear’ and she’s embraced that lesson ever since - always open to following the path that leads to making a positive impact, and one that brings out the ‘magic’ both personally and professionally. The ‘magic’ for Anna is engaging groups large and small, supporting individuals by meeting people where they are, and creating space for connection and growth. Currently working in corporate partnerships and event facilitation for a startup, she gets to put it all into action by helping teams connect on a deeper level outside of their day-to-day.
This same mentality is something Anna also embraces personally - living in Chicago, she is constantly on the lookout for new classes, events, and activities that will push her out of her comfort zone and allow her to meet new people. Stumbling upon Skip the Small Talk felt like such a serendipitous moment that brought it all full circle - and she’s very excited to be a host for our online events and create these magical moments for others all over as well.
Lillian Schrecengost | Boston, MA
Lilly is proud to serve as one of Boston's Community Leads. Originally hailing from Bethlehem, PA, Lilly graduated from Lehigh University (Class of 2017) with a B.A. in Global Studies and Spanish. After trying her hand at many professional avenues including teaching and even dog grooming, Lilly relocated to the Greater Boston Area in late 2019, where she relearned the importance of community and strengthening our social bonds. Now more than ever, Lilly is ecstatic to bring folks together around her city and beyond. By day, Lilly engages in nonprofit education with The Steppingstone Foundation, an organization that prepares students from historically marginalized communities to access, navigate, and graduate from college. Lilly continues to be amazed by her overlapping communities within the GBA and the wonderful people she has known and continues to meet. Her favorite part of being a Community Lead is hearing from returning guests who have found friendship, love, and lasting connection through Skip the Small Talk.
Miranda Catsambas | Boston, MA
Miranda (they & she) is a Community Lead in Boston, MA, and loves every second of it! In the past, Miranda has facilitated Authentic Relating Games and has been a longstanding participant of Circling, a communication practice rooted in Nonviolent Communication and meditation. At Skip the Small Talk (STST), Miranda is committed to a flexible yet grounded facilitation style, driven by people’s different ways of connecting, thinking, and learning about themselves and others. She is excited by the mind-body connection and loves facilitating STST’s LGBTQIA Speed-Friending and various Speed-Dating events, because they feel like they can bring this excitement and be themselves—all while guiding people through a unique experience!
Stacy Straaberg | Boston, MA
Stacy is originally from SoCal and made her way to Boston for a change of scenery and grad school. During the better part of the week, she is working as a researcher and writer. Stacy was always the friend in college having deep conversations late into the night. These days, she loves offering STST guests the opportunity to live (or relive) those sorts of late-night-college conversations.
Samantha Lee | Boston, MA
Samantha (she/her) is born and raised in Massachusetts and loves welcoming guests to Skip the Small Talk events in her hometown of Boston. She has a background in hospitality and human-centered design and loves to lead with curiosity and empathy in everything she does. This extends to her day job as a UX Researcher and in her Skip the Small Talk facilitation. She attended her first Skip the Small Talk event the summer she moved back home from living out of state, and was instantly hooked! When she is not hosting events, you can find Samantha going out for ice cream with friends, swimming laps at the pool, volunteering with her local Scout troop, or listening to a wide variety of podcasts.
Tim Huynh | Los Angeles, CA
Born to Vietnamese refugees, Tim (he/they) was a low-income first generation college graduate whose career has been defined by creating spaces where individuals feel confident, competent, and empowered to reach their fullest potential. Originally born in Connecticut, Tim’s belief that long lasting impact is made best through meaningful authentic interactions is seen throughout their career, ranging from providing pro bono career services to his fellow Starbucks employees while under-employed after graduation from grad school to volunteering with Out In Tech and supporting the launch of their Adult Coaching pilot program. From creating equitable pipelines to address education gaps to facilitating identity strengthening and bias workshops, the beauty and power behind interpersonal relationships has always been central to their career and volunteering. Tim is deeply passionate about baking/cooking, having launched their own business during the pandemic and using food as a means to build community and connection. In his free time, Tim is usually recipe testing new sweets, playing video games, spending time with his dogs, or trying the many restaurants throughout Los Angeles.
Mahogney Hope Turner | San Francisco, CA
Mahogney is originally from Phoenix, Arizona. She has a deep passion for personal growth and making connections with people. Having spent a number of years as an educator, she now works as a Restorative Practitioner and is exploring her love for mediation and conflict resolution work with youth. She facilitates with warmth and wit and creates an atmosphere that is welcoming and comfortable for participants. Things she loves: Thrifting, walking, reading, dive bars with jukebox machines, and listening to music.
Erin Perfect | Providence, RI
Erin is an educator, writer, and renegade librarian. She was born in Pennsylvania, educated in New York City, and currently lives in Providence, Rhode Island. Erin believes it is paramount to seek understanding in all its forms. She is deeply interested in how dialogues and collaborations across art, science, and many other fields can inform and expand knowledge and provide new perspectives. And one of her favorite experiences is finding unexpected connections between people, places, objects, and/or circumstances.
Rachell Weiss | Kansas City, MO
Rachell lives smack dab in the middle of the US in Kansas City. She’s been a KC native her whole life, living on all sides of the city. She’s a corporate trainer by day and Facilitator by night — genuinely loving the learning process and getting to know our community. She stumbled upon Skip the Small Talk as an attendee whilst traveling for work, and immediately wanted to know how to get involved. Hosting events has quickly become one of her favorite hobbies. In addition to facilitating, Rachell is a mom to a little guy who loves legos and by proxy (so does she). Her main passion is living life and creating memories that can manifest through frequent traveling, going to events, connecting with friends, and listening to audiobooks while she make homemade cards or build models. It's not always a life of finesse though, she also loves to do crossfit and paddleboard.
Tiffany Coles | Philadelphia, PA
Tiffany was raised in and serves as the Community Lead in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection. She has spent the wealth of her career in the music and entertainment industry, before, during, and after studying at Temple University, class of 2020. Known best for her smile, integrity, and unforgettable personality, Tiffany loves to have a good time and most importantly, loves for those around her to do the same. Social Solutionist by day and Simmer by night, Tiffany now spends the majority of her time advocating for chronic illness and serving some of the world's most marginalized communities. To top it off, Tiffany also has her own community service organization, Bosses Give Back, she hopes to grow into a nonprofit.With service at the forefront of all that she does, Tiffany strives to use Skip the Small Talk as her creative outlet where she can be herself and emphasize that we’re all in this together.
Alex Wilson | Philadelphia, PA
A/Lex is always the life of the party. Whether cutting a rug on the dance floor or deep in lively discussion they love to connect with others. Alex sees extroversion as a superpower and loves to pull others into the joys of connection and togetherness. Alex is a self-proclaimed nerd who love horror games, robots, and all things sci-fi.
Professionally Alex works in healthcare to promote health equity through education. As an educator they use art counseling, dance, and writing to provide trauma informed care. They even used to teach a twerk workshop! Whether it’s reading, writing, listening, or creating they are passionate about whatever they’re doing and whoever they’re doing it with!
Caitlyn Jones | New York, NY
In a social media post in early 2018, Caitlyn (she/her) contemplated throwing a small talk-free party, to which a friend responded by providing a link to Skip The Small Talk. Fast forward to now and Caitlyn’s a Skip the Small Talk Community Lead in NYC! She earned her BFA in Theatre Performance from Salem State University before moving to Harlem. She is currently a Board Member at Speak About It, a theater and dialogue-based non-profit that teaches consent, boundaries, and healthy relationships to students across the country. At the end of the day, Caitlyn simply wants the people around her to feel supported, heard, and happy.
Sarah Nemetz | New York, NY
Sarah was born and raised in Newton, Massachusetts. While in college, she participated in and eventually coordinated a reflection circle program which is what first sparked her passion for creating connection and community, promoting the importance of vulnerability, and mental health. After a few years living in Boston post-grad, the big city was calling to her, so she made the move to NYC and is LOVING it so far! She quickly got connected to Skip the Small Talk, and being able to facilitate these meaningful conversations and connections is one of her favorite things about her new NYC life. Sarah is currently is graduate school at NYU, pursuing a dual master’s degree in clinical social work and global public health.
Jennifer Galvao | Boston, MA
Jennifer was born and raised in Boston, MA. She attended Northeastern University where she earned a bachelors in Political Science and International Affairs and later from the London School of Economics and Political Science where she earned a masters in HR Management. She has worked in HR for over 5 years and really enjoys connecting with people and getting to create energized workplaces for her employees.
When she’s not working, Jennifer enjoys traveling, writing, and trying new dishes. Jennifer is also a major advocate for mental wellness for women of color and enjoys creating spaces where individuals can have open and honest conversations.
Jazmyn Becker | Detroit, MI
Jazmyn’s purpose is to center joy in all things and help others see their infinite value and worth. After hearing about a Boston STST event and its ability to encourage meaningful conversation in the community- she knew she had to launch in Detroit! She spent seven years in the charitable sector, which included time as a Teach for America Corps Member and as a Girls Inc. Director, and now works in the healthcare tech space. Jazmyn is trained as a racial justice facilitator, and has experience leading corporate training, mediation circles, and executive coaching sessions. She holds an MBA from University of Michigan-Ross School of Business and a BA in Business Administration from Illinois Wesleyan University.
Grace Campbell | Washington, D.C.
Originally from the Boston area, Grace developed an appreciation for storytelling in high school when she spent three mornings each week listening to Senior Chapel Talks, a unique tradition where each student had the opportunity to address the entire school. This experience taught her the value of creating space for others to be vulnerable and authentic, and of using storytelling to strengthen communities and foster compassion. To explore her growing interest in human behavior, Grace studied anthropology and psychology in college, fascinated especially by the history and significance of social connections and the role they play in shaping our society. After receiving her B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis in 2020, she moved to Washington, D.C. at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, and found herself missing being present with others in meaningful, face-to-face conversations that she had previously taken for granted. She is thrilled to be hosting Skip the Small Talk events in D.C. and hopes that those who attend can engage in conversations that leave you feeling contemplative, inspired, and hopefully a little more human.
Jessica Ashley Steele | Austin, TX
Jessica, M.Sc., is a Connector, Communicator, and Coach. Receiving her Master of Science degree in Education & Leadership from the University of Florida in 2020, she focused her research on emotional intelligence (EQ) and positive psychology. She is the founder of Compassion Coaching, where her mission is to empower others to take radical emotional responsibility & reclaim their voice. An acclaimed TEDx Speaker, workshop leader, and community builder, Jessica infuses empathy within her mindful approach to self-growth. As the first International Facilitator, Jessica launched the Skip the Small Talk community in Paris, France, and she has since transitioned to lead the Austin, TX community. Find out more about her at www.jessicaashleysteele.com
Sylvie Nemeth | Seattle, WA
Sylvie is a born and raised Seattleite who is committed to challenging the "Seattle Freeze" through Skip the Small Talk events. She prioritizes empathy in her facilitation, and is attentive to guests' needs, committed to ensuring that everyone feels seen and welcomed. In her day job as a corporate recruiter, she strives to bring similar authenticity and warmth to a notoriously impersonal job seeking process. In her spare time, Sylvie loves birdwatching, singing with her choir, and performing at local open mic nights.
Bre Clark | Nashville, TN
Texas-born-and-raised and a few sidequests later, Bre made Nashville her home the summer of 2020. She spent the last decade collecting social work degrees and working in the aging space. After spending many years leading and coordinating programs for older adults, Bre is very invested in being an older person in training and has a strong systems perspective.
A recovering non-profit manager, Bre is now an aspiring Death Doula and very passionate about supporting those at the end of their life through care, advocacy, and ritual. Thinking and learning about death completely transformed her life's journey, which brought her to Skip the Small Talk's doorstep.
Bre has long been a fan of deep, intentional, and even taboo conversations. As a facilitator, she is most focused on supporting trauma-informed spaces and putting people at ease. She believes empathy, real social connection, and opportunities to be present and seen could heal the world. No big deal, right?
You can often find Bre practicing yoga, taking too many pictures of her mini dachshund, drinking an extra dirty martini, reading in her backyard, listening to live music with her partner of ten years, or eating/thrifting her way through Nashville.
Emily Faber | Boston, MA
Emily recently moved to Boston from Pittsburgh and loves it! However, she knows first hand how hard it is to make genuine connections in a new city. She went to Skip The Small Talk and it helped her so much she decided to facilitate it for others. She hopes to bring delightfulness, positivity, and excitement to every event she facilitates. She is a customer success manager at a tech company by day and petting her cat and exploring Boston neighborhoods by night. She is so excited she is a part of the Skip The Small Talk team!
Mikaila Kelly | Edinburgh, UK
Mikaila (she/her) is from Calgary Canada, living over in sunny UK and taking the chance to work, live and explore Europe for a few years! Along with being a community lead for Skip The Small Talk she works as a business advisor and yoga teacher. She aims to hold all spaces with trauma awareness, creating accessible and brave containers for community and meaningful discussions. In her spare time Mikaila loves to read all there books (and loves good book recommendations), getting outside for walks, swims, you name it :)
