Meet our Board

Jessi Alvarado

Founder, Executive Director & Board Secretary

Jessi Alvarado is the founder and Executive Director of Seeds of Power. A teacher, entrepreneur, mother of two, and lifelong community builder, she believes every person already carries within them the power to create a profoundly meaningful life and contribute to a thriving community. She is passionate about helping people recognize that inner strength and creating opportunities where people can experience greater joy, connection, purpose, and lifelong thriving.

Growing up exploring the mountains with her younger siblings, later backpacking throughout the wilderness, and serving as a wildland firefighter deepened Jessi's appreciation for the natural world, resilience, and the power of shared experiences. Those experiences continue to shape her belief that exploration, curiosity, stewardship, and meaningful connection can help people live fuller lives and build stronger communities.

As an educator, Jessi is especially passionate about learner-centered experiences that honor children's natural curiosity, interests, creativity, and agency. She believes meaningful learning happens when people of all ages are encouraged to follow their interests, ask questions, build relationships, discover their unique gifts, and continue growing throughout life.

Over the past two decades, Jessi has founded and led several businesses in Round Valley while remaining deeply involved in education and community leadership. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Education, a California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, and is a graduate of Leadership Mendocino. She founded Seeds of Power to cultivate meaningful experiences, build partnerships, and support community-led initiatives that help people and communities flourish together.

Celina Aragones

Board Chair

Celina Aragones is an artist, entrepreneur, and community advocate who believes creativity and sustainability have the power to strengthen communities. As the owner of Full Circle Trading Post, she transforms reclaimed and discarded materials into unique works of art while encouraging others to see beauty, possibility, and value in what might otherwise be overlooked.

Beyond her work as an artist, Celina enjoys creating welcoming spaces that bring people together and foster well-being through nature, thoughtful design, and creative expression. She is passionate about environmental stewardship, conscious living, and inspiring others to reimagine what is possible through reuse, collaboration, and community. As Board Chair of Seeds of Power, Celina is excited to help cultivate opportunities that bring people together, support local ideas, and inspire positive change.

Jessy Jane Pope

Board Treasurer

Jessy Jane Pope is an educator, psychotherapist, community builder, and mother of five whose life’s work centers on connecting people more deeply to themselves, one another, their communities, and the earth. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Culture, Ecology, and Sustainable Community from New College of California.

For 17 years, Jessy founded and directed two nature-based programs: Earthstars for younger children and Coyote Club for older youth. Through these programs, she created opportunities for children ages 2 through 16 to learn, explore, build meaningful relationships, and develop a lasting connection with the natural world.

More recently, Jessy earned her master’s degree in Counseling and Psychology. She currently works as a clinician supporting trauma healing within marginalized communities. Looking ahead, she hopes to continue developing an integrative approach that brings together mental health care, community art, and nature connection to nurture healing, belonging, and well-being.

After living in Round Valley for 17 years, Jessy has made her home in Willits for the past three years. Outside of her professional work, she loves gardening, walking in the woods, spending time with her family, and simply being outdoors.

Jessy joined the Seeds of Power board because she loves working alongside “badass women who know anything is possible.” She believes the antidote to uncertainty is love.