About Lori

Who I Am

I’m Lori Cuno (Apodaca) (she/her), a Native and Irish author, advocate, nonprofit executive, and doctoral candidate whose work lives at the intersection of trauma, justice, and community healing. For 25 years, I’ve served survivors, led nonprofit teams, supported justice-involved adults, and built programs rooted in equity, dignity, and transformation.

I am also a 300-hour certified yoga instructor, certified in trauma-informed yoga, and a Master Reiki Practitioner. These practices allow me to weave somatic awareness, energy healing, and nervous-system regulation into everything I do—grounding my leadership, deepening my advocacy, and offering others a way back to their own breath, agency, and embodied strength.

My memoir, Unquiet Still, tells the story of what happens when you speak truth inside systems built on silence—and what it takes to rise again, honest, grounded, and unafraid.

Professional Path

I’ve spent my career bridging practice, purpose, and systemic change, working in:

• Domestic & sexual violence advocacy
• Trauma-informed leadership & organizational development
• Adult education & workforce readiness
• Community mental health
• Justice system support programs

I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in General Psychology (Industrial & Organizational Psychology) at Grand Canyon University, focusing on leadership, workplace trauma, and the lived experiences of women of color in executive roles.

I also hold:

• M.A. in Counseling Psychology (Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Concentration)
• B.A. in English Literature with a minor in Elementary Education

I am the co-founder and board chair of a Colorado nonprofit, Circle of Advocacy, supporting survivors through advocacy and safe-housing assistance.

Why I Write

Writing is my way of reclaiming voice — for myself, for survivors, for anyone who has ever been silenced by systems that should have protected them. My work is shaped by:

• Growing up between Native and Irish traditions
• Surviving domestic violence
• Leading as a woman of color in predominantly white nonprofit spaces
• Bearing witness to how organizations can harm — and how they can heal
• Raising three sons and being a grandmother to brilliant, soulful grandchildren

I write because stories create space. Because truth is a form of advocacy. Because silence was never safety — truth was.

Beyond the Work

When I’m not writing or leading, you’ll find me:

• Backpacking or camping in the Colorado mountains
• Paddleboarding on still water
• Gardening (and talking to my plants)
• Teaching yoga or weaving mindfulness into daily life
• Practicing Reiki
• Reading
• Cooking good food, usually for people I love
• Laughing with my family
• Sharing art and beach adventures with my grandkids

Nature is my medicine. Family is my grounding. Storytelling is my freedom.

My Values

Truth. Equity. Community. Healing. Humor. Courage.

These aren’t just ideals — they’re practices.
They’re the compass that guides every chapter I write and every space I lead.

Welcome to My Work

Thank you for being here.
Whether you’re a survivor, a nonprofit professional, a leader navigating impossible spaces, or someone seeking stories of resilience — I hope my work offers connection, clarity, and the reminder that you are not alone.

Stay unquiet. Stay rooted. Stay you.