Lynette Marie Hanthorn was the executive director of a non-profit criminal justice and mediation organization for more than 20 years. This evolved into consulting for USIA grant-funded mediation projects with emphasis on Restorative Justice and later for partnering with an online communications and publishing company. The pull for change and internal resolution set the stage for her becoming an accomplished practitioner in a variety of healing modalities. These experiences enhanced her awareness that we live in a greater community and that the human spirit has the strength of heaven. Currently, Lynette Marie Hanthorn is co-founder and Executive Director of Transition Boulder County, a non-profit organization that embraces the ethics and principles of the global Transition Movement to localize and regenerate community. Lynette Marie brings a unique understanding to personal and social change.

Mario Yanez has initiated a Transition Miami that is building on a growing movement toward local food in the Greater Everglades, his home Bioregion. Transition Miami is in the early stages of building awareness about the global Transition Movement and how it might unfold locally. Since 1996, Mario has farmed his fruit-tree grove organically and is now planting a food forest and creating a learning center there; he is certified in Permaculture Design. He has been leading up non-profits since 2000 and in 2003, he founded Earth Learning (www.earth-learning.org) to create empowering, ecological learning experiences and to carving out a space for a life-sustaining culture to evolve in his home bioregion. Since 2004, Mario has taught formally (pre-K to College) and informally (after school programs and adult learning). He has created many action-based learning experiences relevant to Transition and the Great Re-skilling. He has attained a deep understanding of the New Cosmology, the current ecological crises, humanity’s needed responses and global movements (Genesis Farm); a clear sense of who he is, his gifts, a strong sense of mission and life’s work (Vision Quest at Narrow Ridge); and a deep connection to Earth, his larger body (Joanna Macy, The Work that Reconnects). He can hold a large vision; is adept at bringing people together to forge robust working relationships; has strong financial, strategic, and project management skills; and excels at writing, grants and otherwise. Mario is currently enrolled in the Post Masters degree in Organizing Learning for EcoSocial Regeneration and is leading the effort to create a Gaia University regional center in Miami, Florida. When he is not working, he enjoys making time with his family and friends, growing organic food, observing patterns in the natural world, and striving to understand what it means to become fully human at this present time.

Michelle Colussi is the Manager of the Technical Assistance Division with the Canadian Center for Community Renewal (CCCR), a Canadian based organization working in the field of community economic development. Michelle has worked in education, recreation, with youth at risk, in mental health, the arts and as a board and business trainer. Michelle has an extensive background in rural development projects, multi-stakeholder facilitation and board/leadership development in the non-profit sector. She brings her background in drama and her humour to her work. She was a key staff member in the development of the Community Resilience Manual that CCCR developed, and has recently adapted for the Government of Botswana, and she is currently giving leadership to an update of that tool using applied research methods.