Seeking what will help you grow...
Born on the beautiful island of Kauai and raised in sunny Palm Springs, Malia has always been drawn to the beauty of the world and the art we create. She nurtured her passion for musical theater and film through training at Musical Theater University (Rancho Mirage), Actors Therapy (New York), and California State University, Fullerton (B.A. Theatre Arts).
An active member of Palm Springs Women in Film (PSWIFT), she has worked as a script supervisor on two short films and will write and direct her first short film in summer 2025.
Now based in San Diego, she works in the marketing department at Om Mushrooms, a health and wellness company.
My Creation Cohort Experience
As I left an industry event rooted in fostering connections among powerful women striving to create change, I felt utterly inspired. That night, I reached out to all the fabulous, hardworking women I knew in my field and began seeking a sense of community to nurture this awakening.
I was recommended to research the remarkable and inspiring Naomi McDougall Jones, which led me to discover the Regenerative Creation Cohort. When I enrolled, it had been three years since my mother passed away from breast cancer. For those years, I had lived in a space where I wasn’t ready to confront this tragedy. Joining the cohort marked the beginning of not only my healing journey but also my understanding of who I am.
On the very first day, I found myself looking into the eyes of a handful of women who embodied hope, a need for change, and a longing for community. Within their own lives, they were all creatives—whether they were strong advocates for climate change, navigating newfound motherhood, confronting loss, or tapping into their ancestral magic. All of these women held art within their hearts—art that can only be nurtured, formed, and sculpted to perfection by the ups and downs, the twists and turns of life. As we metaphorically bonded ourselves together for the next year, only Charlene, Naomi, and the universe knew what magic would come from this work.
And magic it was! We were guided by two passionate changemakers who are deeply intuitive and experienced in igniting regeneration. As the months passed, I felt as though I was breaking free from a shell built for my own protection. Protection from what? I won’t bore you with the intricate details, but it likely had something to do with patriarchy, rigid depictions of womanhood, childhood trauma—you get the picture. This shell had been powerful enough to last this long but not strong enough to withstand the collective strength of 14 undeniably remarkable and kick-ass women.
As our lives evolved beyond what we had initially signed up for to foster our creative selves, the cohort quietly transformed into a life-changing and soul-searching experience. This makes perfect sense, knowing now the magic Charlene and Naomi hold and the strength and openness we all brought to the table.
I left the cohort feeling powerful, capable, beautiful, and full of trust in what true, honest, boundless love feels like—and in what the universe can offer when you ask and when you’re finally ready to receive. A year ago, unknowingly, I called these very specific women into my life to change me for the better.
This experience has been life-altering. It has been necessary. It has planted seeds for how I will walk through this Earth and forge a future I—and my ancestors—will be proud of.
Thank you to Charlene, Naomi, and my soul sisters from the 2024 Regenerative Creation Cohort.
Are you seeking a transformational experience in your creative journey? Our 2025 Creation Cohort is now accepting participants.
