Nikia Brown is a Philadelphia native with an unyielding passion for people and places. Growing up in a Caribbean household kindled within her a strong desire to build bridges between people of diverse cultures. After teaching English as a second language in South Korea, she obtained her first master’s degree in sociology at Sungkyunkwan University where she researched the identity negotiation of youth born to multicultural families. Upon her return to the States, she worked in youth development and civic engagement and completed a subsequent master’s degree in intercultural and international communication at The American University School of International Service in Washington, D.C.
Prior to establishing Roots + Rivers Collective, Nikia served as the Associate Director of Intercultural and Global Learning – International Student Experience at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). In that role, she founded a four-year, cohort-based global leadership program that unites domestic and international students through local and global community engagement. She also directed and instructed the orientation course for all first-year, degree-seeking international students in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences to ensure their successful transition to the United States and UIUC. In addition to being a travel and brunch enthusiast, she is passionate about creating platforms that enable individuals to become agents of their own change.
☕ What is your natural caffeine?
You ever walked into a café excited to hold that cup of specialty coffee you've been thinking about all morning? You place your order, surprisingly find a quiet corner, and reach for a book to distract yourself while you wait. Before you lock in, you're suddenly interrupted by a comment or question of a fellow patron. The casual remark gradually evolves into an in-depth conversation. Names are exchanged (30 minutes later). Stories are shared. Memories are made in real time.These kinds of moments are my natural caffeine. Pleasant surprises, conversations that travel, and connections that leave me buzzing long after that last sip of the long-awaited coffee.
🎲 When you’re not married to your desk, what can we find you doing?
In the air, catching up on the latest K-drama series.
On the ground, exploring the quirks of a new country, ideally from the perspective of a local.
At a table, enjoying brunch and conversation with my loved ones.
🏆 What do you find most rewarding about your work?
I find the co-creation aspect of my work most fulfilling. Whether I am tackling real-world problems alongside leaders and community members or coaching teams and individuals to discover their "Why," it's the partnership that continually fuels and inspires me. The shared responsibility and sense of togetherness are not only generative, but also help to bring joy and ease into a complex process.
Growing up in an active household where outdoor play and sports were central to her upbringing, Mikaela Frechette developed a deep and lasting curiosity about human movement. This passion led her to earn a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from the University of New Hampshire, followed by a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), where she specialized in biomechanics and motor control for individuals living with physical disabilities.
Throughout her research career, Mikaela has led and contributed to cross-disciplinary, international teams to develop innovative health technologies that enhance mobility, community participation, and quality of life. Early in her academic journey, this work caught the attention of the Siebel Center for Design at UIUC, where she was selected to serve as a Siebel Scholar for three years. Immersed in the center’s mission to advance human-centered design at multiple levels, she gained new perspectives on fostering human flourishing within communities and on a global scale.
Since earning her Ph.D. in 2022, Mikaela has applied her expertise in design as a Lead Design Researcher at Re:Build Tekna, a product design and development consulting firm, and as a lecturer in UIUC’s Global Leadership Program. Now, as co-founder and COO of Roots + Rivers Collective, she is eager to further expand her impact by driving meaningful social change through collaboration, experimentation, and responsible leadership.
☕ What is your natural caffeine?
Curiosity and experimentation! I'm energized by learning, finding inspiration in unexpected places, and channeling it into creative work, movement, or hands-on experiences. This enriches my life by allowing me to be moved by others and nature, to test and tinker as I prototype my habits and routines, and ultimately to discover a little bit more about myself on route.
🎲 When you’re not married to your desk, what can we find you doing?
You’ll likely find me on the move! Whether it’s getting some exercise, digging into the garden, cooking something new, taking a long ride in the MGB, or sharing good food and conversation with loved ones on a patio.
🏆 What do you find most rewarding about your work?
Solving complex problems can be overwhelming, especially when faced with a myriad of questions and difficult decisions.
Where do we begin? Who are our key stakeholders, and how do we ensure their needs are met? How do we gather the right information, and what qualifies as the right information? How do we prioritize competing needs and objectives? What are the risks of X, and how can we mitigate them? What are the foreseeable trade-offs of Y? What are the ethical considerations involved in this decision? How can we measure the effectiveness of the solution once implemented?
What I find most rewarding is helping clients navigate this uncertainty by providing the right answers at the right time to build confidence in both the process and their decision-making. Through this, we are able to create meaningful solutions.