Alastair Lough, and Patricia Proulx-Lough, were the first two official Transition Trainers in the US, and are pioneers of the Transition Movement in the US. Early in his career, Alastair served as a professional facilitator for Corning, assisting small workgroups in problem solving problems of their choosing. More recently, he has worked as a professional Hydrogeologist, addressing issues of groundwater remediation and water supply. In 2008, Alastair completed a doctorate in Natural Resources, in which he addressed issues of long-term water-resource conservation for the benefit of future populations. Keenly aware of climate change, peak oil and the possibility of economic crisis, he has since chosen to promote the Transition Model in the US and abroad as an innovative approach for communities to directly tackle these issues. Alastair is a permaculturist, a facilitator for the Awakening the Dreamer Symposium and cofounder of the Transition Training Center in Portland ME.
Bill Wilson (permaculturist, communitarian and teacher) is the co-founder of Midwest Permaculture along with his wife Rebecca. They are 30-year residents of the sustainably oriented community of Stelle, IL which hosts its own garden, tool, chicken and dinner cooperatives. Bill combines his years of community experience with a broad based knowledge of permaculture. He shares his understanding of what it takes to create resilient communities by hosting many educational-permaculture events and speaking regularly on the subject. Bill and Rebecca are creating a permaculture oasis surrounding their traditional suburban home while also supporting the recently birthed transition initiative in their own town. More information about Bill and Becky along with pictures of their permaculture oriented home can be found on their website at www.MidwestPermaculture.com.
Cindi Landreth is a residential designer, specializing in designing small, energy efficient, green homes and remodels. She is co-owner of A-1 Builders and Adaptations Design Studio with her husband, Rick Dubrow. Cindi is a founding board member of Sustainable Connections and served on that board for about 6 years. She is currently serving as an advisor for Sustainable Bellingham; as a host for the Changing the Dream Open Space Salon; as a host to a Women's Open Space Day; as a facilitator for the Pachamama Alliance's Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream Symposium; and a community member for a group that is doing weekly wilderness outings to connect people with their first community: nature. Cindi is dedicating the rest of her life to blazing a trail for the generations to follow (both human and nonhuman). She is walking her talk of building community and building relationships within all aspects of her world.
David Greenwald is one of the "Initiators" for Transition Louisville, Colorado. David has a Masters in Organization and Community Development (O&CD) from American University, Washington, D.C. As an O&CD professional, he appreciates the Transition Initiatives' application of innovations in Community Development, such as the use of Open Space. David is a champion of the new O&CD language and understandings derived from Quantum Physics and Living Systems. Examples include Margaret Wheatley's Leadership and the New Science book and The Starfish and the Spider book. David has worked in small start up and large corporate Information Technology companies during his professional career. He "retired" in November, 2008, and now dedicates most of his time to the Transition Movement.
David Johnson After completing a degree in Computer Sciences, David traveled the world, discovering Tibetan Buddhism on his journey and developing an interest in environmental issues. On his return to the UK, David became involved with a Tibetan Buddhist sangha and moved to their Retreat Center in South Wales. He later purchased and moved to neighboring piece of land and built an award-winning ecological house. David continued exploring the overlap of ecology and spirituality through a Masters Degree program in Transpersonal Psychology with a concentration in Ecopsychology at Naropa University. During this time he also trained with Joanna Macy. His training and work with a number of ecopsychologists informed his thinking around the Heart & Soul aspects of Transition. David was involved in a think tank set up by Rob Hopkins in the early days of Transition Town Totnes and recently moved to Portland, Oregon where he has been in the central group helping to bring the Transition Initiative to Portland.
Don Hall has had the good fortune to participate in the Transition Movement in several different capacities. For two years, he was the Education and Outreach Coordinator for Transition Colorado, the first official Transition Initiative in North America and a statewide hub. There he observed nearly a dozen Transition Initiatives as they moved through the early stages. He also designed and co-taught a 16-week course for Transition Colorado, called Deepening Community Leadership. While he was finishing up a Master's in Environmental Leadership at Naropa University, he co-founded Transition Naropa, one of the first Transition University Initiatives in the world. Now, Don heads up Transition Sarasota (FL), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to rebuilding local community resilience and self-reliance in the face of peak oil, climate change, and economic crisis. Don has delivered presentations about the Transition Movement at conferences and to university classes, political organizations, and community groups. He is also a certified Permaculture Designer and Consultant and works at an organic farm in his spare time.
Webinars by Don Hall:
Fred Brown has been a climate justice trainer, environmental justice leader, policy analyst, adjunct professor, dean of students, teacher, coach, mentor, certified Juvenile Justice Judge’s trainer (TOT), certified conflict mediation and resolution trainer (TOT), master consultant, supervisor, director, and executive director of non-profit organizations since 1987. He currently works for a 117 year old organization located in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. The Kingsley Association is a Settlement House based organization focusing on developing green/sustainable communities through holistic visioning, resident capacity building, community empowerment, micro/macro planning and sustainable redevelopment implementation.
Mr. Brown has helped to rewrite public policy through the Transportation Equity Network (WIN) that revised federal guidelines regarding public participation and transportation equity. He recently helped designed a web-based environmental/energy reduction tool that teaches community residents how to strategically and pragmatically reduce their energy use through weatherization efforts, retrofits, alternative energy practices and monitoring energy use; creating models for green sustainable communities-via the Imagine Larimer Software and the use of SMART Board technology. A frequent speaker, trainer, coach, mentor, and consultant; Mr. Brown has a BS in Education from Indiana University of PA, MSW from the University of Pittsburgh, and was a doctoral candidate working on a PhD in SW and a MPH from the University of Pittsburgh.
Mr Brown has co-facilitated several Trainings for Transition workshops in Jamaica Plain, MA, Pittsburgh, PA, Holyoke, MA, and Troy, NY. Recently his Urban Leadership Institute (ULI) was awarded the 2011 “Save it” award for best practices for a resident to resident model for energy reduction by PennFutures; ULI challenged 51 families in a “block by block” Neighborhood Energy Challenge to reduce neighborhood energy use.
He co-founded Good Work, Inc (www.goodworkinc.org), a social innovations incubator committed to building a more just, resilient and caring society. GWI currently hosts Training for Transition in metro Minneapolis/St. Paul. He is a partner in the Dendros Group, LLC (www.dendros.com)
Jonathan holds a B.A. degree in Health, Faith, and Ethics from St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN. He also attended L'lnstitut Protestant de Theologie, Faculte de Theologie Protestante in Montpellier, France. He is a Mentor ToP (Technology of Participation) Trainer and a Certified Professional ToP Facilitator (CPTF).
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