Short attendee bios from 2015
ADAM MENTER
I work at Autodesk and my role has recently expanded from sustainable design education to company-wide learning strategy for our customers (who are architects, engineers, and designers). My day job is now a mix of strategy, research, design, edTech, and acting as an organizational therapist. I'm passionate about most of these things, which is how I like to roll. For fun, I love camping and exploring. I'm a family man too, with two young kids and my lovely wife Julie. Finding balance is an ongoing project. This is GMS #6 for me, and I'm excited to help start a kids' program within GMS this year.
ALAINE NEWLAND
Alaine leads OpenIDEO's communications & branding initiative focusing on dynamic community participation. Storytelling around program impact, designing tools for participant success, & thinking strategically about an ever-evolving brand, she is invested in OpenIDEO’s global mission: to help people design better, together. Starting in the nonprofit world & fascinated by the human connection, she spent 10 years connecting global communities – from reactivating locals around the Auckland War Memorial Museum, to supporting volunteer engagement at Boston Cares to connecting urban cyclists through shared resources & events for BikeThereSF. Feeling like she has discovered her professional venn diagram's sweet spot, Alaine is thrilled to be at OpenIDEO where she is inspired every day by their global community and resonating impact.
ALEJANDRO MORENO S.
GMS #3. Director, Marketing & Operations @ Venture Greenhouse, a biz accelerator I helped launch in Marin; writer, editor/proofreader, Spanish interpreter/translator, photographer, oenophile, classically trained musician (play samba & salsa too). Colombia-born, Bay Area-raised, some passions are: entrepreneurialism, wine, sustainability, music. 1 dream of mine - own a dry-farmed biodynamic vineyard, make my own wine & include an agrotourism B&B. Another dream - to make "radical" the "new moderate". GMS'15 will give me what the universe decides, what I will give - an ear to those who need to be heard - and recorded visual memories for all. MBA in Sustainable Enterprise aka GreenMBA from Dominican University; Especialización en Negocios Internacionales, Universidad EAFIT, Medellín Colombia; BA International Relations, UC Berkeley.
AMANDA RAVENHILL
Execute Director of Project Drawdown, Professor Emeritus of Sustainable Business at Presidio Graduate School, & Co-Founder of The Hero Hatchery, a nationally recognized fellowship for climate activists; established Biochar expert, speaker & founder of the national trade association. Previously, I was head of business partnerships at 350.org, Executive Director of Ananay, a fair trade organization in Bolivia and held an Americorp Fellowship. I'm passionate about soil carbon, climate change and social justice. At GMS #3 for me, I aim to connect with both new friends and old so that we may all do better and have more fun at creating a future that “works for 100% of humanity, in the shortest possible time, through spontaneous cooperation, without ecological offense or the disadvantage of anyone” (Bucky).
ANDREW SMITH
A sustainability engineer, social dance instructor, and software engineer, Andrew's life has always been about benefiting people and communities. He's had the honor of changing lives through dance around the world, designing sustainable infrastructure in Nigeria, and prototyping green energy products for low-income entrepreneurs in off-grid communities. With an M.S. in Sustainable Design & Construction from Stanford and a full-stack web development skillset from Hack Reactor, Andrew looks forward to combining his passion for sustainability with the scalable power of programming. He's excited to connect with other whole-hearted people trying to change the world and also to share some grooves on the dance floor.
ANTHONY KRUMEICH
Co-founder of Loom—building technology to help people grow food. Interested in sustainability, permaculture, and ways to live free. Formerly co-founder of Bloodhound, backed by Peter Thiel. Alumnus of Stanford University (Symbolic Systems), and winner of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Zoology). Contact: anthony@loomgrown.com.
ASHA VITLACIL
I'm a co-founder of Rhizome Urban Gardens, and we design, install and maintain organic, permaculture-based gardens and landscapes, with the goal of helping people better connect with their natural environment and the food they eat. My background is environmental and social justice organizing, and in the winter I join disaster relief efforts with All Hands Volunteers.
AVARY KENT
Genetic engineer and geobotanical field ecologist with an MBA in Sustainable Enterprise, Avary leads impact focused start-ups from idea to reality. Co-founder of Impactalpha an Impact Media Enterprise, CFO/CEO of The Happiness Institute (a community video production studio in SF) and VP Operations, Puzzlebox, she has re-incorporated her love of ecosystems through her role as Executive Director of Conveners.org, a new non-profit serving the Impact Ecosystem by coordinating Impact Conveners and Impact Accelerators globally. 4 years of soft-systems and complexity facilitation training with Bruce McKenzie Systemic Development Institute, Dominican University Net Impact Chapter President and Air-Traffic-Controller of the Net Impact SF Professional Chapter, and 5 years on the GMS leadership team.
BEAR KAUFMANN
Bear has worn many hats through the seven years at ALL Power Labs. Starting with an interest in sustainable power generation at the individual scale, his background in environmental science led him to ALL Power Labs where he focused on the science and testing of prototypes over a range of technologies of biomass energy systems." He has played a role in shaping the product development as CTO. Bear holds a B.S. in Environmental Studies-Earth System Science from San Francisco State University.
BENNETT CHABOT
Bennett Chabot is a systems engineer who likes finding connections and seeing different levels of detail to solve problems. He works at PG&E on integrating energy storage devices and other new power generation onto the electricity grid. He also has worked abroad on human centered design for product innovation in developing countries. Bennett is an avid climber and a performing theatrical improvisor.
BOGDANA RAKOVA
I love building stuff. In the real world, in the virtual world and even in my dreams of other places in the Universe. I studied Computer Science, I love electronics and prototyping, Machine Learning and AI. Currently, part of the Think Tank Team at Samsung Research. I've been into startups in the IoT space(CTO and co-founder HutGrip), into non-for-profit orgs in the Education space(organizing electronics workshops with kids at HacKIDemia), into a ton of side projects in the fields of AI, ML, Robotics and other fun stuff. I believe there is great satisfaction in building good tools for other people to use. At GMS'15 I hope to connect with great people, find inspiration, explore, take risks, share and learn about different perspectives, maybe set up/create an art/music installation.
BOOG BOOKEY
I am a radical susty mercenary. My mission is to have the most positive impact on humans and least negative impact on the planet… I am at a pivotal moment in my quest to best utilize my varied tools for a better planet while restructuring who I am at a cellular and spiritual level after a recent spat with cancer. Financial Manager for Wind Harvest International, business consultant to small local sustainable businesses for 20 years. Tax preparer. I have worked in the eco and social justice fields since the early 70s in various capacities from organic food & fiber, natural resource conservation, renewable energy, youth and female empowerment, job training, wilderness preservation, advocacy, international kayak guide, and am a carpenter by trade. Treasurer of the Board of Sustainable Fairfax. MBA in Sustainable Management.
BRANDON PEELE
Hi GMS fam! Stoked to return for my 2nd GMS and see what you all are up to! Since my last GMS (2013), I shifted my business from goods to services, providing purpose coaching, workshops and courses (http://evr1.co). I'm currently co-teaching the "Man on Purpose" course with Chris Kyle, a 7-week online course for men to find and live their life's purpose. Soon I'll be co-teaching P4 (Purpose, Planet, People, Profit) with my girlfriend, Stephanie, a way to transform our purpose / self-awareness work into a lean social enterprise, authentic brand, mission and value prop. See you soon!
BRENT SCHULKIN
Founder of Carrotmob. Since orchestrating the first Carrotmob campaign in 2008, he has built an organization to support Carrotmob organizers around the world, who have organized over 250 campaigns & spent over $1 million in over 20 countries. Brent also founded The Spring, an app which let people link their credit cards& automatically crowdfund local projects to improve their community just by visiting certain restaurants. Previously served as a Board Observer for One Block Off The Grid - a nationwide solar compan; Co-founder of Virgance, an incubator for social enterprises; also worked for The Go Game & Google, & directed a documentary film. Stanford, class of 2003.
CALLIE WALDMAN
I'm interested in people and their stories. I'm quick to say yes and my close friends criticize me for trusting too easily. I feel just as energized and inspired from a weekend in the redwoods as I do from the hustle of the Bay Area scene. I'm obsessed with dogs and 90's hip hop dance parties. I strive for purpose and human connection in everything I do, and hope to offer and receive both of these things while at GMS.
CAMILLE HERRERA
Camille is a consultant supporting environmental services and triple bottom line companies with partnership development, communications, and project strategy. She gets up every morning excited about working towards “a delightfully diverse, safe, healthy, and just world, with clean air, water, soil, and power—economically, equitably, ecologically, and elegantly enjoyed” as comprehensively expressed by William McDonough. When not exploring other countries or the outdoors, Camille can be found in her native Californian habitat, sampling San Francisco eats, playing softball, swing dancing, attempting DIY projects.
CASSI WRIGHT
Cassi currently works at BSR with global Fortune 500 companies on CSR strategy & integration, human rights, stakeholder engagement & community development. She advises on sustainability policies and programs in the consumer products, extractives, technology, manufacturing & hospitality industries. Prior, Cassi was a management consultant where she analyzed markets & industries to develop high-level strategies for global companies. Cassi has also worked as a senior advisor for a nonprofit providing business training and advisory services to underserved entrepreneurs. Cassi served as Rotary ambassador in the Dominican Republic and was a Fulbright scholar in Mexico where she worked at Scotiabank. M.B.A., and B.A. in Organizational Development and Spanish.
COLLEEN O'ROURKE
Colleen O'Rourke is a science writer and educator with a Master's in Biology and over six years of experience developing next-generation digital educational solutions. She is also a science fiction writer and active in local Bay Area writers communities. A consummate nerd with a taste for the eclectic, her hobbies include cooking, table-top gaming, and belly-dancing.
CORINNA KESTER
Corinna is a corporate social responsibility strategist and consultant at BSR. She holds an MBA from UC Berkeley and a Masters in Sustainability from the University of Cambridge. She has served on the Leadership Team of the Net Impact San Francisco Professional Chapter since 2009. At GMS, you'll find her spinning poi under the redwoods, wearing silly hats on kitchen shifts, and caught up in late-night discussions by the fire.
DAISY PISTEY-LYHNE
Daisy Pistey-Lyhne is an outreach and engagement strategist located in San Francisco, CA. She leads an independent consulting practice focused on strategic communications and developing networks to build political power to address climate change and accelerate the deployment of clean energy. She enjoys design thinking, ideation, network analysis, and has a strong sense of Woo. Daisy has worked in advocacy, organizing, education, leadership development, stakeholder engagement, philanthropy, business, and on electoral campaigns, all on sustainability issues. She has a B.S. and M.S. in Earth Systems from Stanford University, and originally hails from Sonoma County, California
ELENA KRIEGER
Scientist turned engineer living and working in Oakland. Trying to make clean energy happen faster and to maximize health, environmental and societal benefits in the process. Looking forward to a weekend in the woods and eager to hear suggestions for awesome sustainability projects to try at my house.
EMILY S.
Trained as an educator, Emily designs strategies for organizations to go green and build sustainability learning systems. At one of California’s largest counties, Emily promotes broad-based participation in climate action and is currently working on developing an innovation lab. She also serves as an advisor to organizations such as the Jordan National Building Council and Young Women Social Entrepreneurs-SF. Nationally recognized by Next City Magazine as a Vanguard urban leader, and named by the National Audubon Society as a Toyota TogetherGreen Conservation Leadership Fellow for her pioneering work applying biomimicry to organizational change, she has also studied and volunteered in Ecuador, Costa Rica and Israel and enjoys hiking and horseback riding.
ERIC CETNARSKI
Eric is Co-Founder and General Manager of the Samana+ Healing Arts Center in Oakland, CA. He is also a trained Sound Healing Practitioner. He believes that the most profound changes to society start from within. A person in equilibrium can help restore equilibrium to the world. In 2012 Eric received his MBA in Sustainability Management from Presidio Graduate School and is also a small business consultant for Healing Arts professionals. Eric is a volunteer backpack leader for Sierra Club's Inner City Outings - he believes fostering our next generations' admiration for the natural world will help preserve it. This is Eric's 2nd GMS and he's excited to connect with you all and to stop writing about himself in the third person.
FORREST MURRAY
Passionate about ecology, fabrication, and solving problems in our food system.
HILARY PLATT
Excited for my first GMS! I am passionate about finding ways to engage people from all walks of life in environmental protection, embracing the many different paths we might take. I am a product marketer at Opower, a company committed to helping everyone on earth save energy. When not thinking about energy efficiency, I am looking for any opportunity to get outside. I recently moved to the Bay Area and have loved every bike, run, hike, and neighborhood stroll to date!
IAN DROGIN
I am passionate about enhancing my ability to build environmentally and socially responsible companies that can positively impact the world and give back to the populations we serve. I feel this summit will be a great opportunity to learn more about effective business practices in this space, and to share my experience and knowledge about building product creation and commercialization systems.
JENNY HOANG
This will be my 3rd GMS. I am a social innovator, rabble-rouser, and dance party starter. My areas of expertise include creating an inclusive space, and I am passionate about creating a more whimsical world. One of my dreams is that we can stop checking “identity” boxes. For fun, I turn hammocks into gondolas. At GMS 2015, I hope to gain nourishment for my soul and to bring joy, wonder, and gratitude to the community.
JIM TURNER
GMS#5. I skipped a year to go to Turkey & Greece with my most lovely wife of ten years, Tibisay. I enjoy looking at problems in unique ways and creatively putting pieces together. Skilled at workshop design and dialogue facilitation, I am often asked to produce the final product or manage operations. Executive Director of the California Resiliency Alliance where we build public-private partnerships that benefit community resilience to disasters and the effects of climate change. I have worked in emergency management for 8 years. I hope to recharge and focus on finding my passion for my work this weekend. I am pretty shy one-on-one, I likely won’t approach you. If you plan to arrive early, ask about the Tidepooling trip on Friday morning. It’s fun fun fun at 6:00am.
JOCELYN ALIVE
Executive Director, womanalive Violating Intervention & Prevention Program. GMS #3, excited to be with everyone again in the woods! Certified by the SF Adult Probation Department's Domestic Violence Unit to provide batterer intervention and prevention training for women. At GMS ’13 I first shared my half-baked idea to bring the training I do with womanalive to the tech world, which I’m excitedly pursuing with companies seeking a no-nonsense, authentic long-view approach to gender diversity training. Copy editor, actor, improviser, singer & solo performer (see my show at Bitch and Tell June 20 at Piano Fight). Co-champion of Speechless October 2014 at the SF Improv Festival. I am also excited to be half of the improv duo The Unwritten Bedroom with fellow GMSer Bennett Chabot (see us July 18 @ the Un-Scripted Theatre Company).
JOHN GALLOWAY
A longstanding passion for clean energy, community organizing, mindful restorative resource management & leaving a better legacy for successor generations than our current collective environmental & climate morass - John strongly believes in upholding social sustainability by bringing colorful, witty whimsical energy into unsuspecting professional settings as a lighthearted reminder that we are humans being, not just humans doing. By day, he helps hook up renewable energy to the grid. By night, a wicked dancer, aspiring musician & a darn good cook. John wants all high school students to have access to green career opportunities and education & is involved in projects helping youth connect the career dots. He’s excited for new collaborations & meaningful connections at GMS! And playing dress-up.
JOSH DANIEL
Over the last 10 years, Josh has completed an MS in Computer Science at Stanford, worked at Google, studied exponential technologies and social change at Singularity University, and attempted three social entrepreneurial endeavors. He is currently working on a startup attempting to improve the sustainability of the US food system. He also plays competitive beach volleyball, hikes, skis, performs in occasional improv theater shows, gives great hugs, and is happy to dance with you in the woods!
JOSHUA NEWLAND
I'm currently working as a Group Product Manager for a web based construction management software called Procore. I love technology, building things, and learning constantly. I have a general life goal of giving more than I take and hope to be able to look back at my career and my actions in life and see a measurable, positive impact that I've had on the world and those around me. I feel so fortunate to be living in the most exciting time in history and in one of the most exciting places in the world. I'm really looking forward to this summit as an opportunity to surround myself with like minded thinkers from our amazing community and be inspired and infused by the ethos of this event!
JUDI BROWN
GMS #3. I'm a social impact strategist, musician, and avid cyclist. Expertise in international sustainable development, impact investing & social sector tools such as change theories. I'm passionate about helping mission-driven businesses, nonprofits & government agencies create meaningful, sustainable human & environmental impacts. One of my dreams - to abolish the gender binary. For fun, I ride my bike to the ocean, eat vegan ice cream & dance almost exclusively to 90s music. From GMS ’15 I hope to get further clarity on how I can make a substantial, positive impact on the world. What I hope to give to GMS ’15 is boundless energy, enthusiasm & support for whatever world-changing visions may come to light amid the glow of the campfires & the shadows of the tall trees in our lovely Mendocino home away from home.
JULIE MENTER
Julie Menter is the Manager of Investor Relations for New Media Ventures, a national network of early stage investors supporting startups that create progressive political change. Throughout her career, Julie has searched for opportunities to make a positive impact on the world around her. As a strategy consultant, first with the Boston Consulting Group and then with Blu Skye Sustainability Consulting, she has worked with large companies and non-profit organizations to redefine what good business means. She is originally from France where she received her MBA. This will be her 6th year at GMS.
KAILEY-JEAN CLARK
I am a bacon loving superfood geek and am asked the question "what the **** is that you're drinking?!" on the daily. By night I can typically be found awkwardly shaking it alone on the dance floor wondering how anyone could possibly sit still during such an awesome set. I’m all about saying yes and look forward to joining and creating experiences to say yes to while at GMS.
KATE GOYETTE
I'm a GreenMBA candidate at Dominican University of California with experience in marketing, communications, outreach, community organizing, sustainability/operations/marketing consulting, program management and volunteer management with various nonprofits and companies. I'm hoping to offer perspectives on how community awareness and action can influence social good and the importance of meditation in the social change movement. I'm looking to learn new ideas about how social entrepreneurship and cooperatives can continue to be on the cutting edge and lead the way toward positive change and meet some interesting and awesome people.
KRISTEN MAGNUSON
Excited to be awed, inspired, reinvigorated, and calmed at my first GMS summit. I spend my Mondays - Fridays working towards creating buildings that not only do less harm, but actually do measurable good, are healthy for occupants and the people who make them, and celebrate the beauty of the natural world. In addition to my passion for restorative buildings, my interest areas include painting, mentoring and being around children, cooking, colorful things, music, friendships, dancing, and spreading my sunshine. I value kindness; humility; individuality; real connections; acceptance; differences; and sharing.
LAWRENCE GRODESKA
I am many things, including civic geek, communicator, musician, and futurist dedicated to the well-being of all my fellow crew members on Spaceship Earth. I co-founded the democracy and technology community CivicMakers. I am currently creating civic engagement mobile apps as a Senior Product Manager at gov tech leader Accela. In the past, I built the B2B content marketing program at the world's platform for change, Change.org, and released the City and County of San Francisco's first mobile app, which helped to spur the open data movement in the Bay Area. I live in San Francisco where I like to ride my bicycles, and write and sing happy-go-lucky pop songs.
LAVINIA FRANK
I'm a native San Franciscan and former political consultant who managed outreach, communication and field strategies for progressive candidates and issues nationwide. I currently work with small businesses and entrepreneurs to refine business operations and market entry strategies. Active hobbies and interests include solar technology, running, snowboarding (while we still can), science fiction and learning to code.
LIBBY FALCK
Libby Falck is an entrepreneur, designer and media artist working to educate a generation of changemakers. She is the founder of The Resilience Corps, a co-founder of IDEAco, and the creator of the k-12 design thinking curriculum the City X Project. She is also a graduate of the Singularity University Graduate Studies Program and 4.0 Schools Launch Education Accelerator. Libby is passionate about the power of media and games to enable individuals to engage with complex systems. Her mission is to design tools that transform issues into actions, empowering anyone to contribute and implement solutions toward building a world that works.
LORA MENTER
I have spent my career skipping and tripping through the fields of the food industry and rolling down the daisy covered hills of human health and wellness. I have a hunch that the journey to true sustainability comes first from within and I love the GreenerMind community because of its sincerity, playfulness, and heart. Despite what the engineer and business person inside might have had once planned for my career, I am now joyfully pursuing a Master’s degree in East-West Psychology, California Institute of Integral Studies. This is my 6th year helping plan the Summit and 5th year attending. And I love food. A lot.
MELANIE COLBURN
I'm a sustainability professional with over seven years of experience working with companies to embed triple bottom line value into their strategy. I'm also a native of the San Francisco Bay area. I love breathing in nature, breathing out song. I look forward to meeting, contributing, learning, and creating a little community together for the weekend.
MICHAEL GIOTIS
After hearing about GMS for years, I am excited to finally join the mystic circle of innovation and change freaks in the woods. I am a strategy facilitator and management consultant who guides the development of organizational culture to grow capacity for sustainable change, promoting the power of optimism. This year I co-founded Sustainable North Bay, a not-for-profit which convenes across sectors to advance a "sustainability first" identity for the North Bay. Questions delighting my mind lately: a framework for an ethics of innovation--think a precautionary principle for effects on human behavior; organizational assessments as game play; social network analysis as a basis for social capital accounting; cosmic optimism as an ontology (you’ll have to ask me to get this one).
MICHAEL SAMMET
I teach Sustainable design at the Design MBA program at California College of the Arts.
MICHAEL WELLMAN
PhD student at CIIS in the Ecology, Spirituality, and Religion program. Current interests in radical ecology, social movement activism, and heart and hand reskilling. Background in engineering and entrepreneurship with expertise in green building design, clean energy, and social ventures. Passionate about yoga, wilderness adventure, and travel abroad. New to the bay area this year. Excited to build community with like-minded folks!
MIKHAIL HARAMATI
An energy efficiency professional with 9 years of experience evaluating, planning, and researching energy efficiency programs. Mikhail has worked at the state, national, and international level on regulatory policy, the water energy nexus, lighting energy use, residential retrofits, program best practices, co-digestion, green jobs, and energy data access. Prior to her current role as an evaluator at the energy and behavior research firm Opinion Dynamics, Ms. Haramati spent 5 years in the Energy Division at the California Public Utilities Commission. In this capacity, she oversaw $17M in energy efficiency evaluations and worked closely with the regulated utilities and energy data. Ms. Haramati has a BA in Public Policy from Mills College and an MPP in Public Policy from UC Berkeley.
NICOLE SROKA
GMS #3. My mission is to shift consciousness within big business in order to promote respect for the natural world. Throughout my career -- at global corporations Black & Decker, Nestle, and now AECOM -- I have developed specialties in supply chain, technology deployment, change management, and sustainability strategies. In my spare time, I love to cycle, play in nature, and cook food for the homeless. What I wish to contribute to GMS '15 is thought leadership and authentic connection.
N LUCAS PLUMB
As an architect, psychologist, and clothing designer, I'm passionate about evolving the culture/planet, inspiring connection, being abundant, eating healthy food, designing engaging spaces for people to work/live in, and transportation biking (as well as creating fun clothing for women who bike). At GMS I hope to offer raw energy, learning maps, and my understanding of the amazing possibilities that are open to us all. I hope to receive input about my start-up, BIKEISTA and network to find some business partners for it. I also am hoping to find links to developers who might be interested in building-out my Urban Studios Project (490 sq ft and well equipped, ask me about it!). Finally, I would welcome talking with other therapists or spiritual change-agents who may be coming to the GMS.
NILS KLINKENBERG
GMS #1 for me after a few years on the East Coast hearing rumors of a mysterious magical gathering in the redwoods each summer! I live in Washington DC, where I work at The Cadmus Group. I'm also helping the EPA run the ENERGY STAR Commercial Buildings program, and creating a sustainability management plan for the VA Dept of Aviation. B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, M.S. in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability, Blekinge Institute of Technology. Eastern MA still feels like home, I've also lived in Northern NY state, Western France and Southern Sweden. I like riding bikes, improv (comedy and otherwise), learning about science, thinking about the future, talking about feelings, mentoring and being mentored, throwing down on the dance floor & being around kind & curious people.
PAUL McCLOUD
Stoked for my first GMS summit! Though I'm formally trained as an engineer, the things that resonate the most with my being are dancing and permaculture! I'm interested in using my technical abilities and interpersonal skills to create regenerative systems and positive feedback loops that empower and support ALL life on Earth. I want to create the good life, one that recognizes and supports each person in their entirety rather than defining them by a title or a short bio :). I'm looking to find people that are like minded and interested in promoting these values! I'm ready and willing to volunteer my time, energy and skills to a cause that's larger than myself!
RACHMAN CHUNG
Rachman Chung is a board chiropractic neurologist who practices in San Francisco. He is passionate about neurology, dance and the use of the latest advances in neuroscience and rehabilitation to provide customized care specific for one’s brain and body.
ROXANNA SHOHADAEE
Roxanna discovered GMS via her graphic design work with Hero Hatchery. She is a producer for the Burning Man Organization, leading the Artists’ Symposium for Burning Man Arts, and the Global Leadership Conference for the Burning Man Project. These two events bring together a global creative community of innovation and play, creating shared content and resources within an inspired growing culture. Bachelors in Fine Art with a Minor in Sustainability in 2011 from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her artwork plays with themes of sustainability, impermanence, science, and spirituality. Roxanna is Colombian and Iranian, and these rich cultures paired with her activist upbringing in the USA influence her work. She aims to catalyze social change with her work, by educating, and challenging the viewer to think holistically.
RYAN KUSHNER
I'm a sustainability communications & media specialist, Presidio MBA in Sustainable Management, strategist, producer, Echoing Green finalist & advocate for a price on carbon pollution (it grows the economy while preventing catastrophic global warming - ask me more). My experience at the intersection of technology, sustainability and business ranges from working with F500 clients such as Google, Dell and Salesforce to working with ambitious start-ups & NGOs trying to change the world. If you tell me your moonshot concept, I'll show you how to make it a reality. Experienced in: big data, supply chain sustainability, toxicology, sustainability certifications, green chemistry, social media, crowdfunding, biomass, sharing economy, transferrable trust, legal streamlining, biomimicry, incubator creation & pop-up dining.
SARAH THORPE
I am a strategist and storyteller. I make the complex simple, distill the essence of experience, bring ideas to life, and sculpt stories.
SHANA RAPPAPORT
Director of Engagement for VERGE which convenes the world’s largest companies, utilities, technology & public sector leaders, fostering a silo-busted ecosystem of influencers to advance business, environmental and societal opportunities. Shana spearheads GreenBiz’s efforts around cities and engaging the public sector, and runs VERGE Accelerate, a program for early-stage companies, and manages key components of VERGE Interconnect, the interactive technology showcase and functional microgrid that powers the event on renewable energy. Board chair for Project Drawdown, Amanda Ravenhill & Paul Hawken’s organization that is conducting a comprehensive data-driven analysis of how humanity will benefit from 100 of the most impactful climate change solutions.
SHEETAL KAPANI
10 years of business development, relationship management and marketing experience across three continents. I currently work as an Associate with the Energy and Resource Innovation team at Silicon Valley Bank in San Francisco. I have a keen interest in impact investing, renewable energy and creating change agents in society to promote sustainability. In my spare time, I love dancing and dog sitting! I am looking forward to sharing, learning, and being surrounded by like minded individuals at GMS.
SHING KONG
Trained as an environmental engineer with a background in water resources, water conservation, air pollution, and international development, I've also been spending my time establishing a meditation practice, exploring qualities of happiness and human centered design, and making and curating art. For extra fun, I dance!
TAYLA EALOM
200 hour certified teacher from The Bhakti Yoga Shala under Govindas, specialized in hatha, gentle & vinyasa style classes in Berkeley. She’s studied Anusara yoga with Kenny Graham, Siri Peterson & Chrissy Graham at YogaKula, yoga & the psyche with Mariana Caplan & yoga for the emotional body with Pete Guinosso. Her passion is connecting the healing power of yoga with internal emotional & psychological work. She often invites students to rewrite their internal story & start releasing from limiting beliefs. She is studying Somatic Psychotherapy & invites that knowledge and physical understanding into class. Producer/creator of The Daana Days - the first Two Day Silent Healing festival where 125 participants will gather in Mendocino County to explore a wide range of healing modalities and offerings.
TED KO
Dancer, energy policy work, attending for the 5th time to toss ideas into conversations and get people kickin' on the dance floor.
TESS EDMONDS
This will be my 1st GMS. I am an engineer and designer, sister and daughter, pianist, adventurer, and aspiring writer. My areas of expertise are applying and facilitating human-centered design, rapid-prototyping, and translating across disciplines. I am passionate about cross-pollinating practices and teachings from diverse fields to learn more about ourselves and the world. One of my dreams is to help bring more beauty and equality to the world before I die. For fun, I play in a piano trio and hike in mossy places. At GMS ’15, I hope to connect with kindred spirits, gain and offer new perspectives and take risks.
WESTON MCBRIDE
This will be my GMS #3. I am on a mission to ensure long-term, affordable, sustainable access to clean water for the world. My areas of expertise are: Characters / Costumes / Cuddles / Consciousness / Conservation. I am passionate about problem solving with good people. One of my dreams is that more people think about the consequences of all their actions. For fun I dance. I hope to bring my whole presence and self to GMS ‘15.
ZEKE HAUSFATHER
Zeke is an energy systems analyst and environmental economist with a strong interest in conservation and efficiency. Previously the chief scientist at C3, an energy management and efficiency company. He also cofounded Efficiency 2.0, a behavior-based energy efficiency company. Bachelor's degree from Grinnell College, a master's degree in environmental science from Vrije Universiteit in the Netherlands, and another master's degree in environmental management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. He has published papers in the fields of environmental economics, energy modeling, and climate science. Zeke will be starting his PhD in Climate Science with the ERB program this fall at Berkeley.
ZILONG WANG
Hi, I was born and raised in China, spent my last year of high school in Germany, and studied history and philosophy at Hampshire College, MA. After graduating in 2013, I bicycled solo across the US, as a green commute to my job as an analyst at Blu Skye Consulting. I live at an intentional community in Fruitvale, Oakland, called Canticle Farm, where we are nourished by 2-hour daily Vipassana sits, nonviolent communication, and the teachings of Joanna Macy (Work That Reconnects), among streams.