Meet the Speakers
We’re honored to feature two powerhouse women who bring decades of experience, purpose-driven leadership, and deeply impactful work to the Empower Your Path Retreat. From high-performance coaching to functional nutrition and nervous system healing, Ali Zuur-Arneric and Mayra Hernandez offer unique, complimentary approaches to transformation. Their wisdom, warmth, and guidance will help create a retreat experience rooted in growth, healing, and empowerment.
Meet Ali Zuur-Arneric
Functional Nutrition & Life Coach | Breathwork Facilitator | NLP & EFT Practitioner
I help women reconnect with their energy — physically, mentally, and emotionally — so they can thrive in their everyday lives.
With over 20 years in the healing arts, I’ve blended a background in massage therapy, birth work, and functional nutrition with tools like blood sugar tracking, breathwork, EFT, NLP, and nervous system coaching to support personalized hormone and metabolic balance.
My approach is grounded in science and elevated by embodiment.
We track what matters.
We shift what’s no longer serving.
And we rebuild health from the inside out — one aligned habit at a time through online courses, group programs and 1:1 coaching.
Meet Mayra Hernandez
ICF-certified Leadership & Mindset Coach | Leadership Coach for the University of Michigan’s M-Lead Program
Meet Mayra Hernandez: Your Guide to Breaking Through Limiting Mindsets & Owning Your Power.
Mayra is an ICF-certified Leadership & Mindset coach who guides women entrepreneurs, creatives, and leaders to recognize and dissolve constraining thought patterns that are getting in the way of what they most want and desire.
A Sonoma County resident since 2014, Mayra was born in Venezuela, and brings 15+ years of operations leadership experience to her transformational coaching practice. She’s a chemical engineer who led large teams and operations in the wine, spirits and glass industry. Through her unique blend of neuroscience & somatics training rooted in mindfulness and emotional intelligence, she empowers women to break through mental barriers, gain crystal clarity on what truly matters, and create lasting transformation that ripples through every aspect of their lives: whether in business, relationships, or bold life changes.
Beyond 1:1 coaching, Mayra serves as a leadership coach for the University of Michigan’s M-Lead Program and Dream Big Darling’s FLOurish program. She’s a sought after coach, speaker and facilitator in Sonoma and Napa County and beyond, for her playful, insightful, and practical workshops that leave the audience empowered and ready for their next big step. She’s leading her 4th women’s Bali Renewal Retreat in Ubud, May 2026.
Meet Heather Nelson
Hospitality & Business Growth Expert | Podcast Host | Community Connector
Heather Nelson-Tapia is a seasoned hospitality professional with over 25 years of experience in events, client relations, and business development. A recognized leader and connector in Sonoma County, Heather is the founder of The Connection Hive, a company dedicated to helping small businesses grow through tailored strategy plans, meaningful connections, and innovative marketing approaches.
Drawing on her deep network and passion for empowering others, Heather creates spaces that inspire both professional and personal growth. She leads Clarity & Connection Workshops and women’s retreats that blend goal-setting, manifesting, and vision-building — helping participants gain clarity, confidence, and actionable direction for their dreams.
Heather also hosts the inspiring podcast “Life Conversations with a Twist,” where women share their real-life stories to encourage, uplift, and empower others. Her mission across all she does is to help individuals and businesses align with purpose, strengthen relationships, and create lives they love.
Beyond her professional life, Heather is a wife, mom of four, and a former surrogate whose story reflects her deep compassion and community spirit. She finds joy in gathering people together, sharing good food and wine, and celebrating the vibrant connections that make life meaningful.