FOUNDERS
NICOLE JON SIEVERS, MSW, LCSW
founder
Nicole Jon Sievers, MSW, LCSW, is an innovative problem-solver, speaker, writer, educator, social justice advocate, and Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Her work with youth and the systems serving them has led her to a myriad of positions including therapist, teacher, educational district consultant, Outward Bound instructor, family therapist, Imago couples therapist, and forensic consultant. An avid supporter of the arts, she has served on the Seattle Music Commission since 2014, where she champions community-building, creative-arts, and educational initiatives while promoting Seattle’s vibrant music culture. Nicole's 2015 National Indie Excellence Book Award winner, “It’s Your Mind: Own It!” offers neuroscience-based information and tools for adolescents. She is also a producer in an upcoming IndieFlix documentary film about the bystander’s role in bullying prevention.
Nicole is the founder of Stand For Courage (standforcourage.org) bullying-prevention program, which employs stories, creativity, and popular-culture to recognize students leading bystander action to eradicate bullying. Nicole founded the organization to diminish bullying behavior in schools through a student-led, peer-to-peer, incentive-driven program: data-driven with empirical evidence that is both open source and student-led. Honored by the American Psychological Association with a Visionary Award, a 2017 academic study reported that victimization decreased by 69% when schools actively teach and adopt SFC bullying prevention practices.
Nicole is excited to serve as a Board Advisor on the Origins Project and Pediatric Emergency and Critical Care-Kenya.
Nicole and her husband, Dr. Eric Sievers, are the grateful parents of five sons.
REBECCA Layman-EBSWORTH, rn, bsn
FOUNDER
BARNEY EBSWORTH
Angel ADVisor
A semi-retired Registered Nurse with 37 years experience in many fields of nursing including pediatrics, nephrology, cardiac, ER, surgery, education, corporate and business owner, Rebecca has a big heart, especially when it comes to helping those in need. She is a hands-on philanthropist, actively involved in the UW Autism Center as the APEX summer camp nurse and CoChair of the UWAC dinner fundraiser as well as other committees involved with UW (Diversity and Inclusion Committee, The Next Course Dinner committee). She is on the Board of the Seattle Symphony including the Community Outreach committee that lifts prisoners, homeless women and children and the Development committee. Rebecca has published numerous nursing articles, written scientific book chapters and has been an invited presenter globally.
She is the mother of 2 beautifully grown children.
DR. ERIC L. SIEVERS, M.D.
ADVISOR
Eric Louis Sievers is a pediatric oncologist serving more than 25 years in biotechnology and academia. He is an accomplished educator, speaker, inventor, and strategist, with a deep understanding of clinical trial design, regulatory strategy, and both early and late stages of clinical development. His clinical expertise spans across multiple cancer indications including leukemia, lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndromes, melanoma, and other solid tumors.
Eric and his wife Nicole are the grateful parents of five sons.
DR. MARCEA WIGGINS
MEDICAL PARTNER
Marcea Wiggins, ND, is the owner and medical director of SANTÉ Aesthetics & Wellness in Portland, Oregon. As a board-certified naturopathic physician, she offers extensive medical experience combined with a personal dedication to educating and empowering patients. She’s passionate about helping each patient find the solution that’s best for them, so they can feel great and live their best life.
To nurture her interest in women’s health, Dr. Wiggins also received training in Naturopathic Midwifery and Obstetrics and extended her experience to include delivering babies. She brings her unique and long history in medicine to the table every time she cares for a patient.
When she’s not at SANTÉ helping patients, Dr. Wiggins devotes time to her family, which includes twin toddlers, traveling, and enjoying time outside. She loves the arts and regularly participates in artistic and musical creative projects and boards, and she coordinates fundraising events for the arts.
BOARD MEMBERS
lele barnett
Lele Barnett is an Art Advisor, Curator, and Project Manager who strongly believes art changes lives. She recently served 8 years as Curator of the Microsoft Art Collection, acquiring and exhibiting art to create a positive, inspiring work environment.
Barnett was the co-founder and curator for McLeod Residence: a home for extraordinary living through art, technology, and collaboration. She has a background in nonprofit fundraising as well, working with organizations such as New Beginnings, Artist Trust, One Reel, and UrbanGlass.
Jessica hennessey, j.d.
volunteer legal & Policy advisor
Jessica Hennessey has worked in immigration law and policy for over 17 years, and has focused much of her career working to improve U.S. immigration policies for vulnerable children. After working for the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Senate, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on challenging refugee, asylee and and orphan issues, she is now working primarily in corporate immigration.
She remains passionate about helping under served populations, especially children, and is committed to supporting Little Mercies as they strive to make a difference in the lives of these particularly vulnerable youth.
She is the proud mamma of a kind and curious toddler.
Sarah Caples Nobles
Sarah Caples Noble is a the Director of Operations at Noble Farriery LLC, a farriery company she started with her husband and Principal Farrier, Seth Noble, providing comprehensive hoof care for highly competitive horses in the PNW, San Diego, California and Wellington, Florida.
Her education includes a B.A in philosophy, sociology, and Spanish with a certificate from University of Washington in Project Management.
For over a decade, she has served on the board of Providence O’Christmas Trees, the fundraising arm of Providence Mount St. Vincent providing services for seniors who have outlived their resources in King County, while also helping several organizations develop social media strategies for audience/donor development including Providence O’Christmas Trees, Catholic Community Services of Western Washington, Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Dignity for Divas, and for her own businesses, Vanguard Seattle, and Noble Farriery.
Sarah’s other projects include her online publication VanguardSeattle.com which covers fashion, art, and culture as the director, editor-in-chief, and contributor.
Sarah is a member of the Lake Stevens Chamber of Commerce and loves building community in a variety of spaces. Her passion is in supporting projects by helping to develop operations and structures that help teams become effective for reaching long term goals.
Yu-Chi Lyra Kuo
Bio coming soon
PARTNERS
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
MARIA LOURDES ARIAS TRUJILLO
“LULU”
KEY PARTNER
Ángel André
Volunteer
GABRIEL Hunter SENN
VOLUNTEER
Gabriel, the oldest of five brothers, is a recent college graduate from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington where he studied Psychology along with many other diverse subjects. Taking an interest in non-profit work and interpersonal dynamics, Gabriel has volunteered for numerous causes and fundraisers. Gabriel has been committed to social justice since he was a small boy; beginning his time in non-profit work with the conception of Stand For Courage, a bullying prevention program founded in 2011. As a Student Leader and Founder with SFC, Gabriel has lead school wide events, and has made many public and news appearances. Gabriel is a freelance writer for Vanguard Seattle, an Arts and Culture magazine, where he focuses on menswear and fashion. He is on the Youth and Community Committee, a subcommittee of the Seattle Music Commission, which is tasked with working on the creative economies of Seattle, specifically with helping advocate for underserved youth. Gabriel feels humbled and grateful to be volunteering for Little Mercies.
BENJAMIN SIEVERS
VOLUNTEER
Benjamin, the second youngest of five brothers, is a student at Pitzer College studying biochemistry, philosophy, and music. Currently Ben is working on obtaining his EMT certification and working as a sound technician at LYBL records. Ben cares about social justice and has been an active part of his family's bullying prevention program. While a student at Seattle Academy, Ben sang with a jazz choir, played lacrosse, was on the dance team, and performed in theatre. Ben feels privileged to be a part of Little Mercies, even making the smallest a difference for children who are suffering in inhumane circumstances. Ben's educational path is leading towards becoming a pediatrician who sings, dances, and acts.