I see my primary work as developing my capacity to be self-aware, healthy and strong, and spiritually alive, so that I can understand and express my essence more fully and help create more harmony between humans and the vast array of non-human life on this gorgeous planet. This work is deeply linked to my ability to maintain lively relationships and a be engaged every day with my family and community.

I aspire to be a bridge for people to remember how interconnected their lives are to living systems of this planet. I want to help us better understand these systems and feel awe and gratitude for the gifts they provide (for those who have been raised in a culture that has lost track of this - some cultures have never lost this connection).
The reality of climate change provides a lens through which we can see this interconnectedness in a new and shocking way - it has revealed the power and planet-wide influence of our actions, and this wake-up call provides an opportunity to shift paradigms and move away from the extractive, mechanistic approach to life.

At work, my focus is focused on supporting local governments in New York State mitigate and adapt to climate change. This means helping them develop their capacity to lead their communities in making the shift to a cleaner, greener economy and respond effectively to a changing climate. For the NYS DEC, I oversee a set of contractors that serve a regional Climate Smart Communities coordinators, providing free technical assistance to local governments. I would like to do all I can to create the conditions where these coordinators thrive and have all the support they need from the state government to be effective in building local capacity to understand climate change and transform local culture and local economies to be healthy and resilient and in better harmony with the lands and waters around them.

I would like to get better at actively creating and building things and relationships in the world. I love ideas and have a tendency to just enjoy reading and learning and exploring and imagining, so I want to strengthen my ability to translate my ideas into action - to manifest, to express in concrete, physical ways. I’ve had trouble maintaining a consistent daily mindfulness practice, for example.
I also tend to be rather self-absorbed and quite comfortable alone, so it’s important for me to improve my ability to consider the worlds of others and factor in their desires as I make choices.

At work, I want to continue to get better at simply staying calm in the face of an impossible workload - hundreds of unread emails, projects that are years overdue, etc. I get easily overwhelmed and that helps no one and degrades my health.
I also want to find the leverage points in the government systems around me so that I can help produce the greatest possible benefits with the least effort.

I’ve put a lot of time and money into education and personal growth programs to see myself (and reality) a little more clearly, make better choices, and improve my ability to serve life on this precious planet.
Schools I’ve been involved with:
Prescott College, Rational Inquiry, SUNY ESF, Carol Sanford’s Change Agent Development group

Here’s a few that come to mind:
Thinkers: Aldo Leopold, Gary Paul Nabhan, Wendell Berry, Wes Jackson, Tim Crews (soil scientist, now works at the Land Institute), Oliver Sacks, Mary Oliver (poet), Vicki Marvick & Tim Murphy, William Cronon, Jane Goodall, David Attenborough, John Cook (climate communications scientist), Carol Sanford
Fields: Agroecology, Restoration Ecology, Permaculture, Chinese medicine,
Books: Tao Te Ching (especially Stephen Mitchell’s translation), Changes in the Land (Williams Cronon), Sand Talk (Tyson Yunkaporta)

My big picture philosophy could probably be summed up in two words: interconnectedness and responsibility.
I believe the best role for humans is being stewards of life on this planet, using our consciousness and our unique energy to improve the diversity and quality of life for all.