Advocacy & Adventure
By Elise Waters Olonia
My thoughts about a career began in the liberal arts halls of Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia. It was a place where independent thought was encouraged, and the world felt wide open with possibility. From there, the path was anything but linear—working on an adolescent in-patient psychiatric unit, cooking as a chef on a private railroad car, planning dream trips as a vacation travel agent, and helping build the first interracial family homeless shelter around Atlanta, Georgia.
Each role carried the thread of connection, curiosity, and care. A blend of advocacy and adventure.
More background story coming soon….
Current Work
Appraisal Services (2012 – present)
ISA Accredited Member | isa-appraisers.org
I specialize in personal property appraisal of fine art—primarily paintings and sculpture from the 18th century onward—for divorce settlements, estate evaluations, insurance claims, and non-cash charitable donations.
Estate Consultation (2015 – present)
I create personalized management plans for estates, guiding the future of fine art through thoughtful sales, donations, and legacy planning. Notable projects include the estates of Ted Egri, Florence Miller Pierce, and Oli Sihvonen.
Curator
UNM–Taos Klauer Campus Art Walk (2023 – present)
Overseeing the restoration and placement of outdoor sculpture as part of the campus-wide Art Walk.
Related Experience
Docent, Millicent Rogers Museum (2022–2024)
Director, Fechin Art Workshops, Taos, NM (2010–2018)
Board Member, International Society of Appraisers (2016–2017); Conference Chair and Panelist
Board Member, Millicent Rogers Museum (2012–2015); Fundraiser Chair
Movement & Meditation
Certified Yoga Instructor
RYT 200 – Aurafitness, Taos, NM (2016)
With a background in Ashtanga and Hatha Yoga, I teach Hatha, Restorative, and Chair Yoga across Taos, Santa Fe, and Birmingham. Each class is uniquely sequenced, often set to curated music.
Certified Chopra Meditation Instructor
Training completed in 2024; practitioner since 2016
I offer private sessions and group classes at Casa de Aqua and other locations, including Deepak Chopra’s Primordial Sound Meditation method.
Community Engagement
Social Justice Book Club (2022 – present)
Facilitator of monthly conversations around civil rights, immigration, food insecurity, LGBTQ+ rights, and environmental justice.
Journey to Truth (2024 – present)
This initiative merges educational exploration and service work.
October 2024: Traveled to Birmingham and Montgomery, AL to study civil rights history and support local food distribution.
October 2025: "Food for Thought" will focus on food insecurity in Taos and the systemic causes behind it, with hands-on participation in community preparation and distribution efforts.
