There are moments in the life of a community when the most important question is not who will lead, but how we will carry the work together.
As Somatic Experiencing® International continues through a meaningful season of growth and transformation, we are pleased to share that Karin Ritchie and Prashant Goel will be serving as Co-Chairs of the Board of Directors.
This transition reflects something that has already been taking shape within SEI: a growing commitment to shared leadership, collective responsibility, and the understanding that the most important work is rarely carried by one person alone.
SEI is more than an organization. It is a global community united by a shared devotion to healing. It is a body of work that has been shaped by countless teachers, practitioners, students, staff, assistants, coordinators, and community members around the world. Each person has contributed a thread to a fabric larger than themselves.
Over the years, this community has celebrated meaningful successes, navigated challenges, and continued to evolve. Through it all, one truth has remained clear: we are strongest when we carry the work together.
The move to a Board of Directors Co-Chair structure grows from that understanding. It reflects a belief that leadership is not about standing above others, but about standing alongside one another in service of something we all care about deeply.
Honoring Sangeeta
As we welcome this new chapter, we also pause to honor Sangeeta and her service as Board Chair.
Leading during a period of significant change is rarely simple. It asks for steadiness when the path is uncertain, courage when difficult decisions arise, and commitment when the work becomes demanding.
Sangeeta brought all of these qualities to her leadership.
During her tenure, SEI strengthened its organizational foundations, developed new leadership structures, and continued moving toward greater clarity and coherence. Her dedication helped create conditions for growth, collaboration, and stability during an important chapter in the organization's life.
More than anything, we wish to honor the care with which she served this community.
On behalf of the Board and the wider SEI community, we offer our sincere gratitude for her leadership and the lasting contributions she has made to this work.
Looking Forward
SE began as a pioneering vision and has grown into a global field of healing, education, and transformation.
Today, the world is increasingly recognizing the importance of trauma healing, nervous system health, and human connection. In many ways, the wider culture is beginning to ask questions that this community has been exploring for decades.
And the need for this work remains profound.
As Karin and Prashant step into these roles, they do so with humility and a deep sense of responsibility. Their intention is to help steward this work with care, to support its integrity, to strengthen the organization that serves it, and to help it reach the people and communities who are calling for it.
Moving Forward Together
One of the deepest lessons within SE is that healing becomes possible when connection is restored.
Organizations are not so different.
When we remain in relationship with one another, when we meet challenges with honesty and care, and when we trust in our collective capacity to learn and grow, something remarkable becomes possible.
As we begin this next chapter, we do so with gratitude for those who have brought us here, trust in the strength of this community, and hope for what can continue to emerge through our shared commitment to healing.
Thank you for being part of this work.
Thank you for helping carry it forward.
With gratitude,
The SEI Board of Directors
