Geoff Ainscow is a tireless spokesman for planet Earth. In parallel with his professional career at the Hewlett-Packard company, he became a passionate advocate for causes that benefit all life on the planet. He worked as a full-time volunteer for the Beyond War Foundation, a global organization dedicated to moving the world’s thinking beyond war and eliminating violence as a way to resolve conflict. He was a member of the team that created the “Walk Through Time” exhibit, and this year published the walking audio book, Deep Time Walk, a history of the living Earth. Geoff lives in Sunnyvale, California with his wife, Beverly.
Steve Bhaerman is an internationally known author, humorist, and workshop leader. For over 30 years, he has written and performed as Swami Beyondananda, the “Cosmic Comic.” Swami’s comedy has been described both as “comedy disguised as wisdom” and “wisdom disguised as comedy.” Marianne Williamson has called him “The Mark Twain of our generation.”
On the “serious” side, Steve has co-authored Spontaneous Evolution: Our Positive Future and a Way to Get There From Here with cellular biologist Bruce H. Lipton. His show, Wiki Politiki launches on Om Times Radio November 7th. Steve can be found online at http://www.wakeuplaughing.com
Karen Harwell is director of a yearlong program Exploring a Sense of Place initiated through The Foundation for Global Community, and co-author of the guidebook, Exploring a Sense of Place: How to create your own local program for reconnecting with Nature.
Her early years were imprinted living in the beauty and majesty of the Colorado Rockies. She describes her awakening coming through scientific studies, receiving her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Colorado. She has done graduate study at the California Institute of Integral Studies in Philosophy, Cosmology and Consciousness; completed an Earth Literacy Program at Genesis Farm in New Jersey; and is certified in permaculture through Occidental Arts and Ecology in Northern California.
Robert Koehler is a nationally syndicated columnist and self-proclaimed peace journalist. He describes his essays as “prayers disguised as op-eds.” He has been a Chicago-based reporter, editor and columnist for 40 years. He is also a teacher, public speaker and poet, as well as a dad and widower. He teaches a class at DePaul University called Peace Journalism and is a trained restorative justice practitioner. He is the author of the book Courage Grows Strong at the Wound, a collection of essays on grief, single-parenting, and the quest for peace. He has received numerous awards for his writing and has been called many things. His favorite: “blatantly relevant.”
Nancy Margulies is currently making a documentary film about the strength of the human spirit. Prior to retiring she facilitated visioning sessions and presented ideas using her unique form of graphic representation, Mindscaping. Nancy regularly collaborated with Margaret Wheatley, author of Leadership and the New Science. She has also worked with President Clinton and the Cabinet, the Dalai Lama, and facilitated workshops in Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Switzerland, Turkey, South Africa, and India. Margulies co-developed The World Café process with Juanita Brown and David Isaacs. Among her seven books authored are Mapping Inner Space, Learning and Teaching Mind Mapping (Zephyr Press Gold Medal winner) and the book/video, Yes, You Can Draw! Her website: www.NancyMargulies.com
James O’Dea is author of The Conscious Activist, Cultivating Peace, Soul Awakening Practice and other acclaimed works. James is a former President of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, Washington office director of Amnesty International USA, and CEO of the Seva Foundation. He has taught peace building to over a thousand students in 30 countries and has conducted frontline social healing dialogues around the world. He is a founding member of The Evolutionary Leaders group and serves on the Advisory Board of The Peace Alliance, Kosmos Journal, and the Laszlo New Paradigm Institute. Information on these, and other initiatives, can be found on his website.