Meet the Team

Executive Director & Founder

alex aryaan

As Executive Director of Mindful Founders Inc., I draw on 10+ years of strategy, research, administration, and nonprofit grant work - having helped small nonprofits secure millions in grant funding - paired with entrepreneurship training from Harvard Business School Online and a Master's in Urban Planning & Policy with a concentration in Economic Development. I know firsthand how transformative access to support and funding can be, and I've made it my mission to pay that forward. At Mindful Founders, I channel that purpose into building peer support, coaching, micro-grants, education, and advocacy so that every entrepreneur - regardless of background - can achieve holistic well-being, financial empowerment, and success.

mark eagle

Advisory Board Member

Mark is a technology executive, entrepreneur, and nonprofit leader with a passion for helping people and companies grow. He currently advises startups, helps people advance their careers, and recently fulfilled a state grant to build pipelines from education to business for job creation.

Mark served as CTO for Helping Habit, providing nonprofits with a free platform for donations and volunteerism. A certified pickleball coach and lifelong learner, he brings energy, candor, and a results-driven mindset to advancing Mindful Founder’s mission.

stacey besse

Coach/Facilitator

Stacey Besse, BA, CLC, is a Certified Life Coach with a background in Psychology and Education and over 20 years of experience in the Global Logistics industry. Her diverse professional background, combined with her passion for personal growth and human transformation, allows her to help individuals gain clarity, overcome challenges, and create meaningful, lasting change. Stacey’s coaching approach blends psychology-based insight, practical strategy, and compassionate accountability to empower clients to step into their fullest potential.

Board of Directors Member

kate leisses

Kate is a business strategist who helps businesses improve by defining, refining, and delivering practical business improvements that leverage and are agnostic of technology. 

Board of Directors Member

david armstrong

David Armstrong is an attorney with over thirty years of experience.  Notably, David served as General Counsel for three healthcare startups. One of which he took to an exit, another to a public offering, and he is currently working on his third.