Staff Leadership Team Announced

We are pleased to announce that Erlina Edwards has agreed to take on the role of Executive Director for the Narrative Enneagram and will be joined in leading the organization by Allison DeHart in the role of Operations Director. 

Erlina Edwards has been a part of The Narrative Enneagram community for over twenty years. She completed her certification in 2000 and most recently served as The Narrative Enneagram’s Board President from 2020–2021. She stepped into the role of Interim Executive Director at the end of 2022, and we are thrilled Erlina agreed to a long-term leadership role.

“I’m looking forward to leading this transformative work and getting to know our community more deeply over the coming months,” says Erlina. “It is our joy and responsibility to offer Enneagram teachings to everyone, everywhere. We commit to providing the wisdom of the Enneagram well beyond familiar places by expanding our outside relationships and connections with communities and groups.”
-Erlina Edwards

Erlina brings a long history as an organizational builder and human resources leader who has successfully built sustainable organizations that sought to advance emotional intelligence and overall psychological wellness. Erlina is also a graduate of The International Interfaith Seminary, a certified IDEA consultant (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Anti-Racist), and a spiritual director in training.

Allison DeHart is a long-time student of the Enneagram who became a Certified Narrative Enneagram Teacher in 2011. She earned a BA in Business and MA in Accounting from Miami University in Ohio and an MA in Contemplative Religion from Naropa University. She also teaches World Religion at Edison State Community College, and is a certified Circle of Trust facilitator with the Center for Courage and Renewal. Allison most recently has been a part of the The Narrative Enneagram team as Accounting Manager and is looking forward to working with Erlina to guide the organization.

Two New Associate Faculty Members

As we continue to grow our programming, we are also expanding our faculty capacity. Chichi Agorom and Evan Turner have both been promoted from Adjunct to Associate Faculty. We hope you will see one of them in an upcoming course!

Chichi Agorom is a writer and a former psychotherapist in Los Angeles, CA  whose life’s work is to support people on their journeys toward wholeness and healing. Her greatest joy is learning how to belong to herself, and creating spaces—both physically and with her words––that help others feel less alone and more known. Chichi released her first book in 2022: The Enneagram for Black Liberation: Return to Who You Are Beneath the Armor You Carry and is also the host of the Podcast From Armor to Ease.

Evan Turner is a coach, writer and educator based in Nashville, TN. It is her desire to assist in capturing a wider audience amid the younger generation while maintaining the spirit, the method and the teaching standards of the Narrative Tradition. Her work is directly informed by her own experience and has helped shape a long-term goal of bringing the Enneagram into low-income areas, to resource-poor populations, and to any individuals who might not otherwise have access to personal development work.

Board of Directors Welcomes New President and Three New Members

Margot Burns has taken on the role of Board President after Erlina Edwards vacated her position to serve as Executive Director. Margot is a leadership coach and Certified Narrative Enneagram Teacher based in Denver, CO. Margot holds a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling and brings over 30 years of experience as a business owner, certified rehabilitation and career counselor, expert witness and professional coach. She has a passion for working with women leaders and their teams and looking forward to her new role as Board President.

We are also pleased to welcome three new board members in 2023: Ken Alexander, Karin Fields and Julie Smith. We are grateful for the guidance and support of the board over the past months of transition and look forward to an exciting 2023 and beyond.

Ken Alexander is a heart-based entrepreneur and passionate philanthropist. With a background in banking and international business development for a Fortune 500 company, Ken has now moved into entrepreneurship with a desire to champion businesses which benefit the community and bring people together. His current endeavors include the award-winning Ken’s Hardwood Barbeque, podcast Get Your Barbeque on with Ken Alexander, and serving as CEO of Hair Rules. Ken was introduced to the Enneagram many years ago and is currently working through the Foundational Courses.

Karin Fields is a therapist, professor, and clinical supervisor who incorporates the Enneagram in her work to promote the dignity of others and deepend empathy. She is currently the Executive Director of Lucent Collaborative Services, a multidisciplinary therapeutic center in Gainesville, Florida, and  serves as an adjunct professor in Counselor Education at the University of Florida. Karin is a Certified Narrative Enneagram Practitioner and the co-founder of the Enneagram Dignity Project, a networking and psychoeducational community that promotes dignity for all people through compassion and connection.

Julie Smith is a lifelong educator who has worked in schools and parents for over 36 years in the role of classroom teacher, admissions director, curriculum coordinator, parent educator, consultant and school head. In addition to a degree in Early Childhood Education and a Masters in Counseling, Julie is also a certified yoga instructor and a student at The Center for Action and Contemplation.  She is currently the Director of Learning and Strategy at Salem Montessori School, which she founded 22 years ago. Julie is a Narrative Enneagram Certified Teacher and working on Practitioner Certification as a Spiritual Director.