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Brian Allen is the Founder and Principal of the Appropriate Technology Group, a Seattle-based consultancy focused on sustainable approaches to using technology for economic development and environmental protection. He has lived and worked across the Americas and Europe for a wide range of businesses and non-profits over the last 30 years. In Washington State, he has founded or served on the boards of Sustainable West Seattle. the Green Party of Washington State, Washington Alpine Club, Seattle Astronomical Society, The Backbone Campaign, The Washington Alliance of Technology Workers, Seattle Independent Media Center, Northwest Ecobuilding Guild, Green Party of Seattle, and the Puget Sound Beekeepers Association, among others. He earned a BA in Political Science & International Relations from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Certificat d’Études Politiques from the Institute d’Études Politiques in Aix-en-Provence, France, and an MA in Economics & Latin American Studies from The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, DC. He is a Wisconsin native living in West Seattle in a Homestead Community Land Trust home, which he is renovating into a model of green building techniques and energy self-sufficiency.

Emigrating to the United States from Uruguay in the 60’s with thoughts of becoming an astronaut, Malcolm Best at the same time was fascinated with the possibilities of “inner-naut” travel.  Degrees in Physics from Bowdoin College, Visual Design from M.I.T, Social Work from the U. of Washington, a year in a Fine Arts program, training in psychodrama, Zen practices, martial arts and adaptive leadership are just some of the facets of a life of learning, discipline and transformation. As Senior Director he authored and executed a strategic plan to bring Restaurants Unlimited, with 3000 employees, into the computer age. As Cinnabon was born he was responsible for the information technology systems that would help the new chain take off. In the Telecommunications sector Malcolm took on technical and leadership roles, harmonizing teams, mentoring and innovating. In the last decade relationships and social networks emerge as Malcolm’s central life theme leaving technical skills and decades of experience with systems analysis and design as supporting background. He served on the board for the Center for Ethical Leadership for several years. His current passion is, as human connectivity and scale increase, for exploring and actualizing the incredible capacity that exists between people and between organizations, in service of the common good.

Ken Cousins’ work focuses broadly on sustainability issues, including the global dynamics of green markets and social labeling, ecological economics, and mapping activist networks. He has been active in the sustainability movement for over two decades, working with the Forest Stewardship Council-US, GreenFestival, Sustainable Cascadia, and Eat Local Now!, as well as Seattle SCALLOPS affiliates and Transition Network groups. He believes that sustainability – broadly realized – is necessary for a healthy, just, and vibrant civil society. He has a Ph.D. in the Politics of Natural Resources and the Environment, and an M.A. in Political Economy (both from the University of Maryland), as well as a B.A. in Ecological Agriculture from The Evergreen State College. Ken lives with his wife Leyla and their dog Molly in a LEED-certified home in Ballard.

Annette Frahm is a seasoned environmental communications professional. She has more than 25 years of experience helping local governments, nonprofits and sustainable businesses with strategic communications planning, social marketing, writing, market research and evaluation. She is widely known for big-picture thinking, innovative strategies and expertise in changing environmental behavior. She is principal of Sage Enviro, which specializes in green marketing and communications. She writes a blog on tips for talking green. She is also enrolled in the Master of Communication in Digital Media program at the University of Washington, where she’s focused on video storytelling. Annette is passionate about creating a green future. She seeks out nature in her free time and spends her weekends hiking, skiing, biking and gardening.

Cara Ianni is the Resource Conservation Program Manager at Seattle Tilth and has over 12 years of experience in natural resource conservation and environmental education.  She holds a M.S. in Biology from the University of Washington and a B.S. in Animal Science from Michigan State University. Cara specializes in developing and conducting project- and inquiry-based education about ecology and conservation.  In the past she has coordinated programs for organizations including the Cities of Issaquah and Redmond, University of Washington Education Outreach, WSU Extension, Snohomish County Surface Water Management, Marysville School District and the Stilly-Snohomish Fisheries Enhancement Task Force.

Nathan Jackson graduated from Central Washington University with a degree in Secondary English teaching and began working in various educational positions including AmeriCorps, pre-kindergarten and college level teaching.  He has always had a desire to help others reach their full potential and see that their limitations are only what they set for themselves. He brings experience in non profit organizations, social outreach and communication.  He is especially effective with interpersonal relationships and pragmatic problem solving.  Nathan has a deep commitment to social justice, health equity and education for all. He believes that no real change can happen if someone is over dependent on others and is not fulfilling their own promise.  Change happens when someone learns how to fend for themselves using their own natural talents, education and access to services that empower and free them.

Aisha Kaba, originally from Guinea, has been living in the Pacific Northwest since 1998, and has been deeply engaged with at least one non-profit project a year since 2005. Most recently, she has been teaching First Aid and CPR/AED as a volunteer teacher at the Seattle Red Cross which she joined in 2003. She is also a member of Amnesty International and a board member the African Media Center.  Aisha enjoys dancing and practicing yoga, whenever she can.

 Michele Morgan currently serves as the Vice President for External Affairs at the Bainbridge Graduate Institute. Prior to this role, she was the Director of Marketing for the International Trade Division in charge of marketing and communications for business recruitment and retention for the Washington State Department of Commerce where she was recognized twice with a public service award. During her career she has held marketing positions in both the non-profit and corporate sector including Microsoft. She holds a M.Ed. in Adult Education from Seattle University and a B.A in Communications from the University of Washington, along with several graduate certificates in business and education. In 1992 through 19914 she was awarded an Eastern European Fellowship in Szczecin, Poland under the auspices of the United States Information Agency.  An avid supporter of the environment and social justice issues, she is an active volunteer. She currently serves on the board of Washington Ceasefire and has held board positions with Cyclists for Greater Seattle (COGS), the Children’s Institute for Learning Differences (CHILD) and the Washington Association of English Speakers for Other Languages (WAESOL) and volunteered with the Seattle Audubon Society.

J.D. Tovey is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Urban Design and Planning at the University of Washington. His areas of research include socio-ecological resilience in urban systems and traditional ecological knowledge. He also has a background in Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning. He was a Senior Urban Designer in Central Florida for many years before returning to begin the process of earning his Ph.D.  J.D. is a co-founder of Carbon Cultures, a company specializing in biochar and forest waste management.  J.D. hails from a small farming community in southeastern Idaho and is also a member of the Cayuse and Joseph Band Nez Perce Indian tribes from northeastern Oregon and is actively involved with the Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest Indians (ATNI).  In his free time J.D. spends his time hiking and camping on the Olympic Peninsula, traveling and studying far off cities, and Wanderlusting, or urban hiking, the City of Seattle with his faithful 13 year old beagle, Law’ti’wa. (“law’ti’wa’” means “friend” in the Nez Perce language)

Heather Trim most recently was Director of Policy for People For Puget Sound and has more than 20 years of experience in environmental work. In Los Angeles, she worked for the Regional Water Quality Control Board on water quality standards, regulatory permits, and pollution assessments of both surface and ground water for Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. She then was staff scientist for the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council focusing on various projects leading to the greening of the rivers, including water quality, stormwater issues, pollution assessments and habitat renewal. She moved to Seattle in 2001 and joined People For Puget Sound in 2002.   She works on reducing toxic pollution and protecting shoreline health in Puget Sound and also focuses on a range of Seattle issues – waterfront, habitat, stormwater, and landuse.  She has been a leader of Zero Waste Seattle which has run campaigns on food serviceware styrofoam ban, plastic bags and reducing unwanted phonebooks, full recycling at businesses, among other waste reduction efforts.  She enjoys camping and travelling but is a pathetic bike rider.

Tracy Y. Williams is as an associate at Lybeck Murphy.  She represents individual clients and businesses in commercial litigation, as well as complex environmental cleanup and contamination cases, natural resource damages actions, cost recovery and contribution actions, and government agency supervised clean ups in State and Federal courts throughout Washington. Ms. Williams also represents clients on appellate matters.  Prior to entering private practice, Ms. Williams served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable J. Robin Hunt and the Honorable C.C. Bridgewater (retired) of Division Two of the Washington State Court of Appeals.  Ms. Williams is a member of the Washington State Bar Association and the King County Bar Association.  She presently serves as the Chair of the Environmental and Land Use Section of the King County Bar Association.  In her free time, Tracy likes to hike, travel, and hang out with friends.

Since moving to the Pacific NW, David used his knowledge of advance green building techniques to complete a green remodel of their home and volunteered with several organizations focused on sustainable development including Social Venture Partners, Cascadia Eastside Leaf, Northwest EcoBuilding Guild and International Living Future Institute.  Previously, David lived in Washington, DC where he pursued his passion to work on global climate change.  He served on the Board of Directors before becoming the Executive Director of the Green Building Institute, a leading green education non-profit in the Mid-Atlantic region.  He also served on the DC Jazz Festival Board of Directors to raise funds for the annual DC Jazz Festival.  Formerly, he lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for nearly 30 years where he was the Chairman and CEO of the East Bay Conversion and Reinvestment Commission (EBCRC) - a non-profit focused on converting closed military bases into new sustainable economic uses.  David received his Masters from the University of California at Berkeley and his undergraduate degree from the University of South Dakota.  He also attended the Harvard Business School’s Executive Education Program, Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management as well as HBS’s Social Enterprise Conference on Global Climate Change and the Wharton Business Club’s Green Business Summit.  He loves to travel through the Puget Sound with his wife and their one-year-old black lab to find fun new places to fetch.