Nellie Biles, Dr. Mike Edmonds and Tracy Wiese Join the Friends of the Children National Board of Directors

Long-Time Board Members DJ Wilson, Erica Baird, and Amy Tykeson Will Assume Leadership Roles

(Portland, OR | November 6, 2025) - Today, Friends of the Children, the country’s leading professional youth mentoring organization, announced updates to its national board of directors, which include the addition of new board member Nellie Biles, mother of Simone Biles, Dr. Mike Edmonds, Head of School Emeritus at The Colorado Springs School, and Cambia Health Solutions CMO Tracy Wiese.

“We are so honored to have Nellie Biles, Dr. Mike Edmonds and Tracy Wiese join our board and are thrilled that DJ, Erica and Amy will continue to strengthen our work in these new leadership positions,” said Terri Sorensen, CEO of Friends of the Children. “Nellie, and her daughter Simone, have been such tremendous champions for Friends of the Children to date and we know that the leadership Nellie, Mike and Tracy bring will be invaluable to our organization.”

Friends of the Children provides paid, professional mentors to youth who face great obstacles in 44 locations across in the United States. Its national board is focused on sustaining high-quality programming and keeping the organization’s 12+ year commitment to children at existing sites while also growing the unique mentoring model to benefit more children and families in communities large and small.

Nellie Biles is the co-founder of the World Champions Centre, a premier gymnastics facility in Spring, Texas, providing a high-quality training environment for elite gymnasts and future Olympians like her daughter Simone. She is also a vocal advocate for mental health awareness and foster care reform, actively supporting initiatives through her daughter and the Houston chapter of Friends of the Children. She founded the Biles Invitational, the nation's largest youth gymnastics competition, benefiting Friends of the Children. Nellie is recognized as a role model in athletics and advocacy due to her commitment to family, community and excellence.

“I have seen firsthand the life-changing impact Friends of the Children has on families, especially those navigating foster care,” said Nellie Biles. “It’s an honor to join the national board and help expand this model to reach even more communities and youth across the country.”

Joining Biles on the national board are Dr. Mike Edmonds and Tracy Wiese.

Dr. Edmonds is an education advisor and consultant. He recently served as interim Head of School at the Colorado Springs School and retired in the spring of 2023 after a 32-year career at Colorado College. During his tenure, he held key strategic roles, including Senior Vice President of Staff, Acting Co-President, and Dean of Students/Vice President for Student Affairs. Dr. Edmonds remains active in the community and has served on several boards, including as the past Treasurer on the USA Ultimate board.

Wiese is the chief marketing officer of Cambia Health Solutions, headquartered in Portland, Oregon and serving millions of Americans. Passionate about building and working within mission-focused, values-

driven organizations, Wiese leads Cambia’s enterprise marketing strategy, and teams focused on customer engagement. Prior to Cambia, Wiese spent two decades working with healthcare providers delivering more affordable and accessible care in outpatient radiology and cancer care. Wiese is an adoptive parent in a multi-racial family, connecting deeply to the mission of Friends of the Children.

In addition to the new board members, Friends of the Children announced new board leadership with the elevation of DJ Wilson to chair, Erica Borden Baird to co-vice chair, and Amy Tykeson to secretary.

DJ Wilson, new chair of the national board of Friends of the Children, says, “Throughout my career in media, I’ve experienced the immense power of storytelling. Without a doubt, the stories of transformation happening in the lives of the children and families that are supported by Friends of the Children are undeniable. I’m excited to help Friends of the Children uplift and amplify the authentic voices of those we serve, and advance the goal that every child who needs a friend has one.”

Wilson has four decades of media experience, including nearly 20 years as a general manager for broadcast stations and leadership of KGW Media Group. Since 2019, she has served on the national board of Friends of the Children. Baird, a retired PwC Deputy General Counsel, joined the Friends of the Children – National and New York boards after a career as an attorney. She is also co-founder of Lustre, an advocacy platform and community for retired career women who are not done, and joined the national board of Friends of the Children in 2015. Tykeson, managing trustee of the Tykeson Family Foundation, worked for 34 years in telecommunications with BendBroadband and HBO. She is currently an active volunteer supporting education, healthcare, and the arts in Oregon and Montana and has served on the national board of Friends of the Children since 2023.

Friends of the Children’s model, now in its 33rd year, demonstrates powerful, real world outcomes: 92% of graduates go on to enroll in post-secondary education, serve our country or enter the workforce; 83% of youth obtain a high school diploma or GED; 93% remain free from juvenile justice system involvement; and 98% wait to parent until after their teen years.

For more information about Friends of the Children, please visit: friendsofthechildren.org

About Friends of the Children

Friends of the Children is a national nonprofit dedicated to breaking the cycle of generational poverty by empowering youth who face the greatest obstacles. Through long-term, salaried, professional mentoring—12+ years, no matter what—we create lasting impact for children and families. The model emphasizes a 12+ year commitment that allows Friends to build deep, trusting relationships with program participants that empower them to build life skills and create generational change. Operating in 43 locations across the country, our innovative model has earned national recognition and been featured in The New York Times, Associated Press, People.com, CNN, USA Today and The L.A. Times. Visit friendsofthechildren.org to learn more, and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

###