Honor and Gratitude
My own path of growth and leadership development has not come without challenge, guidance, and support. I am grateful for my colleagues, students, and clients whom I learn from endlessly!
I honor my teachers and mentors who have inspired and shaped me - and informed the Designed For Connection methodology - across decades, disciplines, and traditions.
1985 Mr. Kirkpatrick: High school English teacher
1988 Wonnie Tarinchareon: My friend’s aunt who was a mystic
1989 Joanna Macy: Author, eco-philosopher, systems-thinker, engaged Buddhist activist
1993 Tommy Woon: Former Director of Diversity and First-Gen Programs at Stanford University; former Dean of Multicultural Education at Stanford University, and Dartmouth and Macalester colleges
1997 Orin Martin, who taught me the magic of how to grow apples, and John Farrell; Master gardeners and teachers, UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems
2008 Scott Bristol: Author, lecturer at University of Applied Sciences in Austria, former lecturer at Stanford GSB, consultant on leadership and diversity
2008 Larry Dressler: Founder Blue Wing Consulting; author, facilitator, social justice advocate, leadership coach and consultant
2009 Leslie Chin, Ed Batista: Lecturers at Stanford GSB
2012 Strozzi Institute: Programs on embodied leadership and somatics
2012 generative somatics: Somatics and trauma training
2015 Jeremy Taylor: Author, former instructor at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, founding member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams
2018 Sadhguru: Global leader, visionary, mystic, founder of international non-profit, Isha Foundation, focused on social revitalization; education; stewardship of the environment; leadership and well-being sourced from internal resilience
2019 Amina Knowlan: Founder of Matrix Leadership Institute, systems-thinker, visionary educator
2019 Victor Lee Lewis: Founder/Director of Radical Resilience Institute, progressive life coach, trainer, speaker, social justice educator
