Nicole Walton | Founder & Executive Director
Nicole’s heart is for women who feel the full weight of their trauma. Through her work and research, she recognizes that so many women are buried in shame and guilt and have lost connection with their true value and worth. Nicole spent over 10 years traveling and learning about organizations that helped women in the areas of trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual assault before the birth of Monarch 61. Nicole has a both a Business Degree and a Bachelors of Science in Nursing. She also contracts with our local Crisis Intervention Center as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. Nicole wanted to create a safe and trauma-informed space for community and creative healing knowing the journey for a trauma survivor is long and unique. A survivor herself, Nicole understands the importance of self-love, identity, and restoration. Monarch 61 was created to rally with women to replace trauma, anxiety, and fear with love and celebration. The organization was established in August of 2020 and Monarch 61 opened a 4,000 square foot healing space in September of 2021. Nicole’s passion is to see women thrive.
Gabrielle O’Neil | R.I.S.E. Program Director
Gabrielle, also known as G, has been practicing yoga for 10 years. Although she was raised in sports, she always felt fear and a sense of unsafety in her body. It was a consistent yoga practice that eventually created a source of safety with herself. Through toxic relationships in college, an addictive personality in her early 20s, healing childhood wounds, two pregnancies, and postpartum, yoga has always been a constant and sacred practice for Gabrielle. In 2019, G decided to dive deeper into her practice by completing her 200hr YTT from Cambio in Colorado Springs. After moving to Van Buren later that year, she fell into community with an amazing group of women who encouraged her to follow her dreams as a Wellness Enthusiast. As the pioneer of Monarch's RISE Program, Gabrielle has continued her yoga education with over 100 hours of Trauma-Informed Yoga Training and continues to be an advocate for women's health through collective movement and educating on holistic healing modalities.
Chera Pledger | Wellness Coach & Trauma Informed Yoga Instructor
Yoga found me when I was going through something mentally and physically. I can still remember my first class till this day. The feeling yoga gave me was unlike anything I had ever felt before. I knew that I wanted to teach and share what I felt with the rest of the yogi world. I received my first 200 hr training in power yoga in 2015, and I finished my second 200 hr training in vinyasa in 2018. Yoga is something I will always carry with me throughout my life. I want to show the world the benefits of yoga and connecting with one’s mind, body and soul. Our breath is a important tool to everyday life, using yoga as a way to connect our breath with each movement helps one feel safe and connected with their body. I want to help people love them selves again and feel empowered in their mind and heart.
Summer Shook | Rooted Program Director
Summer Shook is a freelance makeup artist/stylist in the film and television industry. She was born and raised in Van Buren, Arkansas and attended Ouachita Baptist University and Wards Corner Beauty Academy. Summer is an all women-empowerment activist and mentor to women in need. She has an incredible talent for highlighting natural beauty in her work. She also has the heart and intuition for recognizing girls and women who are struggling and need help. Summer is the pioneer and creator of our Rooted program, a coaching initiative for young girls to grow in confidence and emotional health.
Ashlyne Switzer | Intern
Ashlyne is a graduate student in the Nonprofit Management program at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock. She is currently completing an internship with Monarch 61 and hopes to continue her work after her graduate program is completed. Ashlyne received her bachelor's degree at the University of Alabama and immediately began her career in 2017 with the Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services in Crawford County. She worked on hundreds of child maltreatment investigations before taking a position as a forensic interviewer at the Hamilton Center for Child Advocacy, conducting over 294 child interviews in less than a year. Ashlyne was born and raised in Van Buren and is dedicated to supporting young girls and women within her community.