Our Team

Maya Thornell-Sandifor [She/Her/Hers]

Maya is the CEO and founder of the Mandala Change Group. She has worked for 25 years supporting organizations and leaders in their efforts to align their organization’s practices, policies, and cultures to values-based missions and visions. Maya is a certified diversity professional and coach with a Master’s in Organizational Development.

A strategic thinker, Maya is deeply driven by what’s possible in all scenarios in our institutions, communities, and individual leadership that will lead to a better world where we all can be healthy and thrive.

Maya lives in the Bay Area with her husband, two sons, and family dog Ms. Zora. She finds joy in painting and writing in her downtime. [See Maya’s artwork here] She is a budding urban gardener - loving the process of growing things organically from seed to harvest. She credits gardening with helping her to slow down and appreciate nature’s ecosystem. Maya is a proud member of the Berkeley Bay Area Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the Board Chair of New Left Accelerator.

Maya is available to speak at your next event or gathering on topics related to organizational development, managing change, racial equity, and leadership - for a fireside chat, keynote speeches, workshops, or “ask me anythings”.


At the center of all organizational change efforts are people, therefore it is important for me to tend to our humanity in everything I do. This means bringing joy, laughter, grace, and compassion to my approach. At the end of the day, I want my clients to feel seen, heard, and well taken care of.

Rani joins MCG after retiring from a 20 year teaching career in elementary education in Washington D.C. During her teaching career, Rani worked on numerous DEI and racial equity committees as part of the school climate and development team.  She also served on the school’s personnel committee to help bring more diversity to the hiring process and staffing in her school.  Prior to working as a teacher, Rani spent 6 years working as a Medical Social Worker doing case management and community outreach in the areas of HIV/Aids support and breast cancer education, outreach, screening, diagnosis, and support services in the underserved communities of the metropolitan Washington D.C. area.  

Through her professional career, Rani has developed many strengths in communication, organization, flexibility and adaptability.  Her strategic planning to help develop skills and maximize learning and development in a pressurized and often unpredictable environment are a great asset to our team in her new role as personal assistant & project manager. 

Rani has a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from Syracuse University and a Masters degree in Social Work from Howard University.  She did her post-graduate work in education at Trinity College in Washington D.C.  Rani is wife to her high school sweetheart of 26 years and mother to two young adult sons and one old fluffy fur-baby Rotty.  She is an avid sports enthusiast, football and lacrosse mom, loves to travel and cook, dabble in photography and is a true lover of music, movies and television. 

Rani is truly looking forward to working with the MCG team to support them in the work of facilitating the diversity, equity and inclusion  journeys of organizational development and change.

Rani Haigler (she/her/hers)
Assistant to the CEO & Project Coordinator

Anuja Mendiratta

For the past 20 years, Anuja has worked with foundations, donors, affinity groups, nonprofits, community groups, and agencies on a range of critical environmental, gender justice, human rights, racial and social justice, and cross-movement issues in California and nationally.

Anuja has substantial expertise in advancing: gender equity; environmental health and justice; criminal justice reform; food security; ecological sustainability; climate justice; coalition and movement building; and organizational development. Through her work, she clarifies focus, fosters relationships, builds capacity, strengthens movements, and leverages resources to create impact.  Anuja serves as a strategist, thought-partner, grantmaker, bridge-builder, and facilitator for change.  

Chandra Larsen

Chandra is a queer, cis-gender woman, residing in Oakland, CA with her loving spouse and spunky 7-year old son.  Chandra centers her practice on utilizing the power of art and creativity to ignite transformative experiences. For over 20 years, she has worked with people committed to tackling pervasive social issues resulting from systems of oppression and violence. She specializes in facilitating people and groups with visualizing bold strategies for a just society, personal and collective liberation, and nourishing thriving ecosystems. 
Chandra’s early professional career involved over 10 years working on state and national initiatives focused on increasing access to living-wage careers for those with limited professional skills and substantial systemic barriers - namely those rooted in racial and economic oppression. Desiring to deepen her practice and attention on projects that more explicitly address transformative social change, Chandra realigned her energy to work with progressive, social justice organizations engaged in powerful inner and outer work to transform our world. Chandra holds a Master’s in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Educational Policy, a B.A. in Women’s & Gender Studies, and Liberal Studies.

Miah Ulysse

Miah Ulysse (mee-yah you-liss-ee | she/her) is a fierce justice advocate, facilitator, educator, and community connector with roots in Minnesota and Haiti. Miah is the Principal + Founder of Rūted Solutions, a consulting firm based in the Twin Cities that offers facilitation, program development, and network building services to clients who would like a fresh approach to their work. Miah has led the development of numerous BIPOC-centered programs/curricula and enjoys uncovering other ways of learning and doing than traditional systems offer. A seasoned self-taught chef, budding herbalist, and outdoors fanatic, Miah enjoys getting her hands dirty in the garden and unplugging by spending time with nature.