Marion Institute Team

	Desa Van Laarhoven Executive Director dvanlaarhoven@marioninstitute.org Desa VanLaarhoven joined the Marion Institute in 2006 after volunteering to help put on the first Connecting for Change: A Bioneers by the Bay conference. She has been the Executive Director since 2007, and works assiduously to oversee and develop the programs and projects of the Marion Institute. Desa has her B.A. in Biology with a minor in Environmental Science from Stonehill College. Before her work at the Marion Institute, Desa spent time volunteering for both the Americorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC*) and the California Conservation Corps (where she lived in the woods for a few months bathing in a stream— seriously;). She firmly believes in the work she does, this passion was recognized in 2009 when she was awarded SouthCoast Woman of the Year. Desa spends a few weeks every year in Costa Rica rejuvenating, at Rancho Mastatal, a sustainable education center, close to her heart. During the few moments that Desa is not working, she spends her time with family and friends mostly trying to convince everyone to join the sustainability, building community and creating deep and positive change train.... choo choo all aboard... Are you in:)
	Barbara Christian Director of the Paracelsus Biological Medicine Network [PBMN] bchristian@pbmn.org
	Lena Grima Bookkeeping and HR lgrima@marioninstitute.org
	Zoe Hansen-DiBello Sustainable Education and Youth Coordinator zoe@marioninstitute.org Zoe started working for the Marion Institute in 2009. She was raised and currently resides in Providence, RI. She graduated from the University of Connecticut with a BA in Maritime Studies. While in college, Zoe served as an environmental policy intern for the University for two years. She also served as an Americorps member in New London, CT creating environmental focused summer camps for two housing projects. She spent a summer working with the Ocean Project out of Providence as well. Along with a passion for environmental justice, Zoe enjoys exploring new music, spoken word and dance. She does her best to connect them whenever possible.
	Pam Ellis Data Management Specialist pellis@marioninstitute.org
	Joanna Harcourt-Smith Future Primitive Program Leader joanna@futureprimitive.org
	Krystyna Jurzykowski Co-Director of Innovative Frontiers Krystyna Jurzykowski

	Glenn Oliveira Events and Membership Director goliveira@marioninstitute.org Glenn is a native Southcoaster, born and raised in Marion, MA. After attending college at Shepherd University in West Virginia and traveling around the United States, Glenn returned to the Southcoast. He began working for the Marion Institute in 2007 and is currently the Events and Membership Director. In his free time he likes to garden, participate in anything that involves running, jumping, throwing and catching, read, homebrew and generally enjoy life.
	Judy Pemstein Development Director jpemstein@marioninstitute.org Judy joined the Marion Institute in 2010 as the Development Director. In Judaism, there is a concept called Tikkun Olam, which means to heal the world. Her personal, professional and volunteer choices have taken several different paths but all have been aligned with the call to heal the world. Professionally she has accomplished this by ensuring efficient and effective management of non-profit organizations and garnering the resources to support their mission. When she isn’t working Judy likes to kayak, hike, and ski trying to keep up with her three active grown sons. A native of Colorado, Judy graduated from Colorado State University, but has lived in Massachusetts for many years and now resides in Westport.
	Claude Pepin Co-Director of Innovative Frontiers and Senior Advisor of MI mfpepin@sover.net
	Michelle Prevost Cambodian Living Arts Development Coordinator michelle@marioninstitute.org
	Brooke Syvertsen Executive Assistant brooke@marioninstitute.org
	Angela Venezia Financial Services and Office Manager avenezia@marioninstitute.org

Green Jobs, Green Economy Initiative Team

Kalia Lydgate
Green Jobs, Green Economy Initiative Director
klydgate@marioninstitute.org

Kalia is the Director of the New Bedford Green Jobs, Green Economy Initiative (GJGEI), a program of the Marion Institute developed in collaboration with the Greater New Bedford Economic Development Council and the Mayor of New Bedford. Previous to the GJGEI, Kalia was the Youth Coordinator for the Marion Institute and was responsible for organizing the Youth Initiative of Connecting for Change: A Bioneers by the Bay conference. Her work with youth has focused on developing alternative education curricula and strategies to show the interconnection of social justice and sustainability and make environmentalism relevant to urban communities. Kalia has also co-founded the Massachusetts Green Jobs Coalition (MAGJC), a statewide, cross-sector alliance that advocates for and actively creates a just and inclusive Green Economy. MAGJC and its collaborators created a green jobs proposal for the State House and Senate, which, in conjunction with the strong grassroots support, helped move the MA Green Jobs Act into law in July 2008 making it the first Act in the nation to specifically address and fund the creation of “Pathways out of Poverty” for individuals with barriers to employment. In 2005 and 2006, Kalia studied ecology and conservation in Madagascar and Guyana. Kalia received a BA in Social Ecology from Wesleyan University in 2007.