Irene Borger
Irene Borger is a writer, teacher and director of the Alpert Award in
the Arts (www.alpertawards.org). The
former artist-in-residence at AIDS Project Los Angeles, and member
of the faculty at University of California, Riverside, she has led writing
workshops, devoted to witnessing and not-knowing, for art makers, and people
living under conditions of extremity since 1990. Published in numerous national
magazines and newspapers, her books include From
a Burning House and The Force of Curiosity. A long time meditation
student, she is currently writing a book on listening.
Beth Burns
Beth Burns was the Founder and visionary Director, from 1984-2006, of Saint
Joseph’s Ballet, an arts-for-at-risk youth organization in Santa
Ana, California. Saint Joseph Ballet (coined while Beth was
a practicing Catholic Nun), provides rigorous contemporary dance training
and dance-making opportunities to thousands of low-income youth, growing
their self-awareness, self-possession, and yes, hope. St Joseph
Ballet also offers college scholarships and family
intervention services.
Kenneth Cloke
Kenneth Cloke is Director of the Center for Dispute Resolution,
Santa Monica, and CA., offering mediation, arbitration, consulting and training,
specializing in complex multi-party conflicts and in designing conflict resolution
systems for organizations. His published books include Mediation: Revenge
and the Magic of Forgiveness and Mediating Dangerously: The Frontiers
of Conflict Resolution and Conflict Revolution: How Mediators Can
Help Save the Planet. Ken is President of Mediators Beyond
Borders, a not for profit organization that situates volunteer mediators
to support local efforts in international sites of cultural conflict.
Nicole Marcey
Nicole Marcey has 20+ years experience litigating complex business cases,
managing in-house legal functions and counseling corporate directors and
senior executives. She has practiced at national law firms
in Chicago and New York, as well as at Fortune 100 companies and served
as General Counsel of a software company. Her law work is complemented
by an MBA and mediation experience resolving business disputes. She
currently focuses on intellectual property law at Brian Cave in
Los Angeles.
Adam Overton
Adam Overton is a composer and performer of
experimental sound, a teacher of multimedia, and a massage therapist. Through
experiments in rhythm, presence, and contact, Adam’s work plumbs the
depths of the body, mind and person, maps the intimate distance between individuals,
and encourages conscious experimentation with common and alternative avenues
for interpersonal exchange. A fascination with the notions, challenges, and
practices of somatic awareness and [co] existence are currently fueling his
work.