At Elysian, we champion the dreams of our members and provide business support services to the neurodiverse community. By aiding exceptional people from all over the world, and doing so in tangible ways, Elysian Trust helps others realize their potential and channel their abilities in ways that can benefit humankind.
Elysian Trust is a trailblazing social enterprise, dedicated to spotlighting and harnessing the untapped potential within neurodivergent and gifted communities. Our belief is steadfast: everyone has a unique talent, an inherent strength that often remains unexplored due to societal biases. Our goal is to uncover and nurture these cognitive gifts within various communities, understanding that they form the foundation of tomorrow’s innovations, ground-breaking research, and compelling works of art.
Every person we support is a potential beacon for their community, empowered to pave the way for progress and positive transformation. Our members are gifted, entrepreneurial, and motivated. They are inventors, thought-leaders, humanitarians, and artists who, with the right guidance and resources, have the potential to shape the world in remarkable ways. At Elysian Trust, we consider ourselves the launchpad for such transformative journeys, accelerating and supporting our members to manifest their potential fully.
What We Do
Our mission revolves around overcoming the hurdles that the gifted and neurodivergent community face, particularly those hailing from underserved communities. Elysian Trust extends a comprehensive range of services and strategic partnerships to cater to our members’ academic, social, financial, professional, and personal needs.
Our work extends far beyond traditional business incubation. We see ourselves as incubators of human potential. We nurture the entrepreneur and their startup, the artist and their art, the humanitarian and their vision, and the inventor along with their invention. In doing so, we foster a vibrant ecosystem of gifted individuals capable of inspiring change and driving progress in their communities and beyond.
Our History
Our journey began in January 2012 with Volant, an online community for individuals with high IQs. It was through Volant that we uncovered two crucial insights: an astounding correlation between high IQ and neurodivergence, and the realization that IQ alone does not encapsulate the breadth and diversity of human cognitive abilities.
These insights inspired the birth of an array of focused sister groups in 2013, each dedicated to different cognitive abilities, from intuition and critical thinking to emotional and creative intelligence. By 2015, we united these groups under the umbrella of Elysian Trust. Two years later, we solidified our commitment to the neurodiverse community by incorporating a non-profit agency, Elysian Trusted Foundation, alongside a for-profit entity, Empyrean Trusted Foundation.
In 2022, a pivotal merger resulted in the creation of the social enterprise, Elysian X Inc., though we continue to operate under the familiar moniker, Elysian Trust. This restructuring has led to an acceleration in our success stories, both in terms of quantifiable impact and qualitative transformation. We’re excited about the journey ahead and the opportunity to continue championing the neurodiverse and gifted communities.
staff
Joy Lawson Davis
Education Officer
Lucas Canuto
Membership Officer
Meriwether L. Bridgers
Social Media Officer
Board of Directors
Nathaniel “Nth” Bar-Fields
Founder and CVO
As the Founder and CVO of Elysian Trust, my journey has been one of transformation: from acknowledging and nurturing my own unique cognitive abilities to championing the abilities of others. After an early diagnosis of dyslexia, I moved beyond educational challenges and leveraged my dyslexia as a strength in lateral thinking. This mindset propelled me through a varied career that includes nuclear engineering technologist in the Navy, data analyst, program evaluator, and acceptance into renowned institutions like UC Berkeley and MIT.
After successfully leading Elysian’s Grants Team, I assumed my current role as CVO with a specialized focus on Business Incubator Strategy and Support Services. In this position, I advocate not just for entrepreneurs with atypical minds, but also for the incubators that help transform their game-changing ideas into thriving startups.
Maria Holt
Chief Operating Officer
With nearly two decades of experience in real estate finance, I began my career in Affordable Housing, aiding individuals who may otherwise have been denied the financial benefits of home ownership. This work ignited my passion for serving underserved communities beyond just housing.
After taking a break to care for terminally ill family members, I returned to work, now dedicating my efforts to support Elysian and its mission to address the needs of deserving clients. Additionally, I co-founded a non-profit, “We Help the Unhoused,” alongside a partner who advocates for unhoused individuals in Los Angeles and across the United States. This work aligns with my dedication to addressing the needs and uplift marginalized communities.
Nathaniel “Trey” Richardson III
Chief Financial Officer
Trey graduated summa cum laude in accounting and financial math from the University of Alabama, and once we began working with him, it showed. We have had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Richardson in action, organizing and preparing clients’ financial records in record time, under stressful situations, and set them up to successfully secure multimillion-dollar investments.
He has an extensive track record in helping minority-owned and women-owned businesses remain in the black or engineer new financial strategies to accommodate the special hurdles they may face along their entrepreneurial journey. It’s his track record in this area that piqued our interest—that and he is polymathic like many members in Elysian (outside of being a professional numbers whiz, he is also a musician, cowboy, and social entrepreneur)—that kept him on our radar. Trey instantly understood what Elysian’s mission and vision is about, and we instantly understood his value. His joining our team as our new Chief Financial Officer was a perfectly natural conclusion.
Mario Sarceno
Chief Marketing Officer
We are excited to introduce Mario Sarceno, our new Chief Marketing Officer. A skilled marketer specializing in paid ads, Mario has pivoted his expertise towards becoming an accomplished public relations strategist. His proficiency lies in crafting compelling narratives for entrepreneurs, magnifying their visibility and positioning them as industry leaders through strategic media exposure. His work encompasses securing valuable features and accolades across renowned media platforms and podcasts.
Mario’s dedication to excellence and his innovative strategies have helped businesses soar to new heights, earning him a formidable reputation within the industry. His entrepreneurial journey began in 2019, fueled by the belief that entrepreneurship is accessible to all, given the right mindset, commitment, and guidance.
As he steps into his role at Elysian, Mario brings with him an infectious enthusiasm to spotlight our clients’ laudable projects. Harnessing his skillset, he aims to amplify Elysian’s mission and bring deserved recognition to our clients’ transformative work. With Mario at the helm of our marketing strategies, we are poised for an exciting journey.
Chad Fish
Grants Director
Chad Fish, a valued member of the Elysian family since 2018, has been an exceptional contributor to our success, leading us to welcome him to our Board of Directors in his new role as Grants Director Chad boasts a robust academic background with a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Utah, which uniquely positions him to guide our technical proposal writing.
Over the years, his adeptness at crafting successful proposals has been instrumental in securing over $30 million in government grants and contracts for STEM businesses. His transition from an advisory role to a director’s position signifies our confidence in his skills and his unwavering commitment to Elysian’s mission. As Grants Team Lead Officer, Chad will continue to provide invaluable support and guidance to our STEM clients seeking funding, while leading the grant team towards new heights of success.
Business advisory board
Ray Aschettino
Investing
With 46 years in finance, Mr. Aschettino has invaluable expertise. His insights significantly aid Elysian in assisting clients. As the founder of OTHS INC, he opens doors to investors for businesses of all sizes. His contribution to Elysian includes securing funding for marginalized entrepreneurs. In turn, he directs clients to Elysian, if their innovative projects match Elysian’s humanitarian goals.
Ray earned an MBA from the University of Dayton and a CRE certification from the Commercial Finance Institute. OTHS provides funding to small and medium-sized businesses through its network and affiliations with private equity firms and investment banks. They offer diverse capitalization options, including equity and debt instruments. Ray’s resources greatly enhance Elysian’s support for our entrepreneurs.
After successfully leading Elysian’s Grants Team, I assumed my current role as CVO with a specialized focus on Business Incubator Strategy and Support Services. In this position, I advocate not just for entrepreneurs with atypical minds, but also for the incubators that help transform their game-changing ideas into thriving startups.
Jade Barker
Crowdfunding
Jade, an esteemed member of Elysian’s business incubation advisory board, offers unique expertise in crowdfunding management that perfectly pairs with our work in grants and contracts for entrepreneurs. A seasoned technologist specializing in Financial Technology (FinTech) Investment Crowdfunding, Jade has deep knowledge of small business funding, tech startups, blockchain, smart contracts/documents, and compliance.
She’s been a prominent figure in Midwest FinTech since 2013. Prior to this, she served as a chemist in the pharmaceutical industry. Jade’s recent roles include being the Co-Founder of a Blockchain 501(c)(3) in 2014, working with Investment Crowdfunding Portals since 2016, developing the Smart Contract Document Stack “Geppetto” in 2017, participating as an SEC Transfer Agent in 2018, authoring a blockchain curriculum for a graduate school in 2019, becoming a FINRA Broker Dealer in 2020, and teaching as a Blockchain Instructor for a Computer Science Graduate School in Spring 2023. Jade continues to share her knowledge and insights in Elysian’s members-only discussion groups.
David Croson
Chief Financial Officer
Dr. David C. Croson (ProfDC), an Associate Professor of Management at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, brings over 25 years of academic expertise to our advisory board. His teaching journey includes prestigious institutions like the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, MIT Sloan School of Management, and the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University, where he garnered multiple teaching accolades. ProfDC’s unique courses on financing entrepreneurial ventures and the economics of innovation have enriched the minds of over 3,000 MBA students.
Boasting a rich academic background, ProfDC earned his Ph.D. in Business Economics from Harvard University and was the youngest member of the Class of 1993 at Harvard Business School. He also holds two degrees from Penn State University. An active member of Elysian and the Prometheus Society, ProfDC firmly believes in nurturing ambitious, gifted founders, especially those who feel limited in traditional employment settings. He shows a special interest in mentoring minority-owned businesses in education and financial services, having helped one go public and another secure a $5 million seed round.
ProfDC advocates for a balanced blend of passion for value creation and practical execution in entrepreneurship. He aids founding teams in identifying and mitigating potential weaknesses without diluting the essence of their innovative ideas. ProfDC supports bootstrapping—launching ventures with minimal resources and focusing on rapid growth until the results are self-evident.
ProfDC’s philosophy and work sync seamlessly with Elysian’s incubator service mission, and we’re delighted to have him on our advisory board.
Monique T. LaCour
Coworking Space Management
Monique LaCour is a dynamic entrepreneur who skillfully bridges the gap between technology and business. Holding a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Houston, Monique also shares her expertise as an Adjunct Professor of Business Management at Lonestar College. She brings this unique fusion of knowledge to her role as the curator of the STEM-focused Houston Business Lounge, a coworking space she runs that has fostered numerous entrepreneurs.
In addition to offering physical support, Monique has extended her reach online, providing vital virtual support scores of members. Since partnering with Elysian in 2018, Monique became a member in 2022 and joined our entrepreneurial incubation advisory board the same year.
Elysian offers many resources for gifted and neurodivergent entrepreneurs, we do not offer coworking spaces for our clients. Monique’s innovative approach to coworking space management aligns seamlessly with our mission to assist gifted and neurodivergent entrepreneurs.
Justin Ruschell
financing
Chad Fish, a valued member of the Elysian family since 2018, has been an exceptional contributor to our success, leading us to welcome him to our Board of Directors in his new role as Grants Team Lead Officer. Chad boasts a robust academic background with a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Utah, which uniquely positions him to guide our technical proposal writing.
Over the years, his adeptness at crafting successful proposals has been instrumental in securing over $30 million in government grants and contracts for STEM businesses. His transition from an advisory role to a director’s position signifies our confidence in his skills and his unwavering commitment to Elysian’s mission. As Grants Team Lead Officer, Chad will continue to provide invaluable support and guidance to our STEM clients seeking funding, while leading the grant team towards new heights of success.
academic advisory board
Dr. Joy Lawson Davis
Dr. Joy Lawson Davis, a career educator with over 40 years of experience, previously served as Elysian’s Education Officer. Now, as we transition into a social enterprise, she co-leads our educational advisory board with Joi Lin. Boasting a career as a scholar, author, and consultant, Dr. Davis’s experience includes a five-year tenure as the Virginia State Specialist for K-12 Gifted Services.
A distinguished graduate of the College of William & Mary, she holds both master’s and doctorate degrees in Gifted Education. Her areas of special expertise are Gifted and Diversity Education, making her an invaluable asset to organizations across the globe. From conducting workshops and delivering keynote addresses in the United States, South Africa, the Caribbean, Dubai UAE, and Turkey, Dr. Davis is recognized for her transformative influence in the field of education.
Dr. Davis’s contributions extend to various publications and boards. She served on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) for five years and currently pens the Special Populations column for NAGC’s Teaching for High Potential. Author of the award-winning book, “Bright, Talented & Black: a Guide for Families of African American Gifted Learners,” Dr. Davis was recently honored with the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted organization (SENG). Her belief in Elysian’s mission, especially our innovative research and programs in education, affirms our dedication to benefiting diverse demographics and fostering a brighter future for all.
Flora Huang
Flora Huang, a seasoned advocate for gifted programs and schools reform, draws on her unique blend of professional and personal experiences to enact meaningful change. Her work as a biology teacher at Stuyvesant High School, a NYC Specialized High School, and her role as a parent to a child attending both a citywide gifted public school (K-8) and a NYC Specialized High School, informs her perspective. She is known for her innovative programs at Stuyvesant High School that empowered middle school students from under-represented communities to prepare for the Specialized High School Admissions Test.
Flora’s mission extends beyond academia. She is dedicated to changing public perceptions of giftedness and asynchronous development, advocating for comprehensive support that caters to the unique social-emotional needs of gifted children. Her work is particularly important for Twice Exceptional, Twice Exceptional, and Thrice Exceptional students, as she strives to bring about equity and inclusion in gifted programs.
In 2019, Flora founded Stronger Families and Communities, an initiative combining her roles as an educator and social service program manager. She holds an MPH in Community Health Education from Hunter College and a BA in Biological Sciences from Rutgers University. As a valued member of Elysian, Flora now lends her expertise to our educational advisory board, where she continues to help Elysian accelerate our mission and vision.
Dr. Beatrice Kondo
Dr. Beatrice Kondo, a long-standing member of the Elysian family, has served our organization in various capacities. Beginning her Elysian journey as an administrator and moderator for our Volant Group, she later took on the role of Vice President during our non-profit era, and now, as we transition into a for-profit model, she proudly sits on our academic advisory board.
Growing up in a biracial and multicultural household, she studied aikido and judo, as well as music and equestrian arts, and was somewhat underchallenged scholastically, as often happens with academically gifted children. In pursuit of greater learning challenges, Dr. Kondo’s academic journey commenced at age 15 with undergraduate studies in mathematics and German language & Literature at Loyola University. Her early career saw her as a software testing engineer, testing management & control software for the Hubble Space Telescope. However, her intellectual curiosity led her to the biological sciences, where she earned her PhD from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, contributing publications in the field of molecular phylogenetics and evolution.
Passionate about teaching, Dr. Kondo made a strategic transition from researcher to educator, completing a teaching post-doctorate at Cornell College in Iowa. She spent several fruitful years at Johns Hopkins University first teaching undergraduates, and later graduate students, in cell and molecular biology and bioinformatics topics.
At Elysian, Dr. Kondo’s dedication to diverse and imaginative thinking in STEM resonates deeply with our mission. Her feeling is that “It’s important for there to be new talent in these [STEM] fields that think new thoughts…we want people…lots of different people with different imaginations to put the possibilities out there for us.”
Today Dr. Kondo is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Maryland, where she instructs majors in the Bioengineering department. Her course offerings include Tissue Engineering, Synthetic Biology, Biostatistics, and Research Methods in Bioengineering, and she provides advising and mentoring to her students. She also serves on the Engineering Council. Her commitment to enriching the academic journey of students embodies the essence of Elysian’s vision.
Monique T. LaCour
Coworking Space Management
Monique LaCour is a dynamic entrepreneur who skillfully bridges the gap between technology and business. Holding a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Houston, Monique also shares her expertise as an Adjunct Professor of Business Management at Lonestar College. She brings this unique fusion of knowledge to her role as the curator of the STEM-focused Houston Business Lounge, a coworking space she runs that has fostered numerous entrepreneurs.
In addition to offering physical support, Monique has extended her reach online, providing vital virtual support scores of members. Since partnering with Elysian in 2018, Monique became a member in 2022 and joined our entrepreneurial incubation advisory board the same year.
Elysian offers many resources for gifted and neurodivergent entrepreneurs, we do not offer coworking spaces for our clients. Monique’s innovative approach to coworking space management aligns seamlessly with our mission to assist gifted and neurodivergent entrepreneurs.
Joi Lin
Joi Lin, a multiracial and multicultural woman of exceptional talent, brings her passion for supporting gifted and neurodiverse individuals to her role at Elysian. As an educator and career development advocate, Joi focuses on the well-being of gifted, talented, and twice-exceptional populations.
Co-heading Elysian’s educational advisory board alongside Dr. Joy Lawson-Davis, Joi is deeply engaged in our mission. Concurrently, she is a PhD student specializing in Gifted Education Leadership at the Morgridge College of Education, University of Denver, bringing her academic insights directly into her advisory role at Elysian. She holds a BS in Mathematics and Secondary Education, and an MS in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
Joi wears multiple professional hats: she serves as an Adjunct Professor of Gifted Education courses for the Teacher Education Program at the University of Denver and as the Director of Professional Education at the Gifted Development Center.
A dedicated long-time member of Elysian, Mensa, and the Triple Nine Society, Joi fervently believes in amplifying the abilities and talents of neurodiverse individuals, specifically those who identify as highly and profoundly gifted. Her commitment and passion are instrumental in advancing Elysian’s mission to support and uplift neurodiverse individuals.
Leigh Purnell
Leigh Purnell, a dedicated educator and lifelong resident of Philadelphia, has been serving her community since 2004. Starting her career as an elementary school teacher before transitioning into high school and elementary school administration roles, Leigh’s passion for education was sparked during her tenure as a social service worker.
After graduating from Howard University, Leigh discovered a systemic issue at the heart of children’s truancy and other educational challenges while working as a social worker. Experiencing firsthand the diverse struggles families face, including unstable housing, health concerns, and substance abuse, Leigh began to advocate for these families and their schools.
Recognizing that these root issues often hinder children’s access to education, Leigh decided to leverage her experience and knowledge to effect change from within the educational system itself. Her unique background and commitment to understanding and addressing these foundational problems have allowed her to provide meaningful support for both children and their families. In her current role, she continues her work to rectify systemic issues that affect student access to quality education.witnessed in schools, particularly in her hometown of Philadelphia, launching her transition into education.
A member of Elysian and Mensa, Leigh’s final teaching role was to create a much-needed gifted & talented program for sixth graders. From there, she eventually undertook the task of serving another underserved group of learners, students in Southwest Philadelphia. She has served as the Principal and now the CEO of Southwest Leadership Academy Charter School since 2017.
Leigh holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s degree in elementary education, and certification in K-12 administration.
Fiilip Rosenqvist
Fiilip Rosenqvist, a recent addition to Elysian’s team, brings a fresh perspective through his success in teaching foreign languages to those who believed it beyond their capability. His alignment with Elysian’s mission of transforming pedagogy and valuing neurodivergences and academic giftedness as valuable resources, made him an ideal fit for our academic advisory board.
As a self-taught polyglot fluent in four languages and conversational in three others, Filip showcases his accelerated learning prowess. A member of both Elysian and the Triple Nine Society, he demonstrates a unique flair for teaching not only conventional learners but also those who think nonlinearly.
Filip’s absence of traditional college degrees actually amplifies his value to our board. Too often, academia overlooks high-potential learners, either due to lack of resources or inadequate identification mechanisms, especially for gifted, neurodivergent, and twice-exceptional learners. The feedback from students who found traditional schooling unsatisfactory is seldom sought, and this is a misstep our board refuses to replicate.
We’re grateful that Filip’s potential was not wasted, but instead, he successfully charted his own educational path. Yet many students’ abilities remain untapped as they slip through the cracks in our educational system. Elysian, with the help of forward-thinkers like Filip, is committed to rectifying these shortcomings.