Dr. Bruce Damer

Multi-disciplinary Scientist

Dr. Bruce Damer, a research associate in the UC Santa Cruz Department of Biomolecular Engineering, has 30 years of experience in the design of complex systems from software to virtual worlds, spacecraft missions, and the origin of life chemical models. He’s also CEO of DigitalSpace Research, founder of the Contact Consortium, and curator of DigiBarn Computer Museum.

http://www.damer.com

CAPT Wayne Porter

Chair, Systemic Strategy and Complexity at Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif.

CAPT Porter holds two Masters of Science degrees and is completing doctoral work at Naval Postgraduate School. Military duty included Japan, England, Italy, the Balkans, Bahrain (Navy’s Director of Intelligence in the Persian Gulf/East Africa), and three tours on the personal staff of ADM Mike Mullen, including Special Assistant for Strategy to both the Chief of Naval Operations and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. In 2011, Secretary of Defense directed him to establish a Chair at Naval Postgraduate School. He is a “Walton Fellow” at Arizona State University’s Global Institute of Sustainability and is currently Chair, Systemic Strategy and Complexity at Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. Cited in Marquis’ Who’s Who in America, his civilian and military awards include the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the Defense Superior Service Medal, three Legions of Merit, and the NATO Meritorious Service Medal. He co-authored, with Colonel Mark Mykleby, “A National Strategic Narrative,” published by the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars and subsequently cited in numerous journals, televised editorials and radio interviews (www.nationalstrategicnarrative.org). His work has appeared in the Harvard Business Review, Journal of American Foreign Policy Interests, The HotSpring Quarterly, Washington Times, and Naval Institute Proceedings.

Evan Thomas, PhD, PE, MPH

Portland State University

Evan A Thomas, PhD, PE, MPH, is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Sweet (Sustainable Water, Energy and Environmental Technologies) Laboratory, at Portland State University. Evan works at the interface of engineering, environmental health and social business. Evan holds a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado at Boulder, is a registered Professional Engineer (P.E.) in Environmental Engineering in the State of Texas, and holds a Masters in Public Health from the Oregon Health and Science University. Previously, Evan worked as an aerospace engineer at the NASA-Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. At Portland State the SweetLab focuses on remotely accessible instrumented monitoring technologies designed to improve the collection of evidence in global health programs. Evan is also the Chief Operating Officer of DelAgua Health, a social enterprise working with the Government of Rwanda to implement a water treatment and improved cookstove program for 600,000 households.

http://www.pdx.edu/sweetlab/

Mikey Siegel​​

Consciousness Technologist

Mikey has worked to advance human-robot interaction at NASA, MIT, Audi, and other leading institutions. Robotics work continued in a professional context until a change in life priorities pointed towards technology’s potential to reduce stress and increase joy by shifting people’s relationship to themselves. Recently in Hong Kong he acted as director of consciousness engineering at the Center for the Study of Non-Symbolic Consciousness where he focused on technology’s role in facilitating extraordinary states of wellbeing. Presently, Mikey is involved in a number of ventures including founding a company called BioFluent Technologies which creates tools designed to point us toward the joy of simply being alive, here and now. He is also actively promoting the idea of Consciousness Hacking which, in the spirit of the Maker Movement, encourages people to build new tools for exploring and altering the way we think, feel and live.

http://mikeysiegel.com/

Jessica Delgado

Alternate Public Defender in Santa Clara County

Jessica Delgado, a public defender for sixteen years, works at the Law Offices of the Alternate Public Defender in Santa Clara County. After the 2012 election, Jessica was assigned to work on the Three Strikes Reform Project. She has secured the release of fifteen people serving life sentences for non-violent, non-serious offenses. Dave Gomez was sentenced to life in prison for car theft. He served eighteen years in state prison prior to his release in June of 2013. Dave is currently enrolled in school and mentors several other men who are putting their lives back together. Bilal Chatman was sentenced to life in prison for selling drugs. He served ten years in state prison prior to his release in June of 2013. He is currently working full time, plays softball and serves as a sponsor to five people working through their own recovery issues. Jessica, Dave, and Bilal extend their deep gratitude to the Stanford Three Strikes Project and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund for all of their hard work in securing justice on many fronts.

http://www.sccgov.org/sites/pdo/Pages/pdo.aspx

Jasmine Schlafke

spoken word artist

Jasmine Schlafke is a spoken word artist dedicated to social change. She is the executive curator of the Legendary Santa Cruz Slam and teaches poetry to over 800 local youth annually. Jasmine is the 1999 recipient of the National Jefferson Award for outstanding volunteerism for her work with teen parents. As a diversity trainer Jasmine’s clients have included UCLA, Planned Parenthood, the Santa Cruz Police Department and Nativa Foods to name a few. She looks forward to sharing what keeps her activated through poetry.

Curtis Reliford

Follow Your Heart Action Network

It took a hurricane to wake Curtis Reliford up to the needs of people here in our own country – the wealthiest country in the world. He founded Follow Your Heart Action Network, a grass-roots, non-profit organization started after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. In his travels across this country to make deliveries of donated goods to the displaced people of Louisiana, he witnessed the needs of people on Indian Reservations, ghettos, and the poorest communities. It has been a wake up call for him.

http://www.followyourheartactionnetwork.com/

Katherine L Reid, PhD

Biochemist

Katherine Reid, PhD, is an entrepreneur, biochemist, and mother of five. Through her research and trial and error, Katherine determined that certain foods common in the Western diet were associated with her daughter’s autistic behaviors. Seeing the profound effect of diet on the brain, she has become a provocateur questioning medical approaches and food manufacturing practices relating to health. Given the improvements she observed after helping families and friends transition their diets, she started a nonprofit organization, Unblind My Mind (unblindmymind.org), which educates and raises awareness on the links between food and metabolic disorders, particularly those impacting the brain. Unblind My Mind also helps people transition to a life changing diet, which can be overwhelming when plagued with chronic health issues.

http://unblindmymind.org/

Wallace J. Nichols, PhD

Scientist, Activist, Community Organizer

Dr. Wallace “J.” Nichols is a scientist, ocean advocate, community organizer, author, and dad. He takes a slow, collaborative approach with leaders in businesses, government, non-profits, and academia to inspire a deeper connection with nature. Sometimes through adventures, or simply by walking and talking. Other times through writing, images, and art. Science and knowledge can also stoke our fires. But he knows that what really moves people is feeling part of and touching something bigger than ourselves. J. is a Research Associate at California Academy of Sciences and co-founder of OceanRevolution.org, an international network of young ocean advocates, SEEtheWILD.org, a conservation travel network, GrupoTortuguero.org, an international sea turtle conservation network, and LiVBLUE.org, a global campaign to reconnect us to our water planet. He has authored and co-authored more than 50 scientific papers and reports and his work has been broadcast on NPR, BBC, PBS, National Geographic and Animal Planet and featured in Time, Newsweek, GQ, Outside Magazine, Fast Company, Scientific American, and New Scientist, among others. J. lives with his partner Dana, two daughters and some cats, dogs and chickens on California’s SLOWCOAST, a rural stretch of coastal mountains where organic strawberries rule, mountain lions roam and their motto is “In Slow We Trust.” Lately he is working on Blue Mind, merging the fields of neuropsychology and aquatic exploration to foster a deeper appreciation of the emotional and cognitive benefits of healthy waterways and oceans.

http://wallacejnichols.org/