People & Partners Archives - Whidbey Institute

2023 Whidbey Spring Gathering by Marta Mulholland

The second weekend of April, people gathered in Thomas Berry Hall to convene the Whidbey Spring Gathering, our first community program of this kind since the 2020 Winter Gathering. There were both returning and new faces; curious, excited, anticipatory, and in some cases wary, uncomfortable, not knowing what to expect, but drawn to the land for various reasons.

Special thanks to my co-facilitators Victoria Santos, Diana Sandoval, and Gayle Karen Young. It was an honor to partner with them in this inaugural event. Over the course of three days, they convened, held, and honored our time together with skill, finesse, and grace. Participants were invited to explore and embody questions that are essential for our times: How do we want to live our lives going forward? What might be possible for ourselves and for our communities? What will sustain us and the future we dream of? How do we tend to ourselves and to the collective?
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May 26, 2023

A Walk In The Woods by Bryan McGriff

This past February, as the Whidbey Institute’s Communication Manager, I had the good fortune to go for a walk in the Legacy Forest with Jessica Larson from the Whidbey Camano Land Trust (WCLT). Jessica is a Stewardship Director with the WCLT and helps to coordinate and monitor the Whidbey Institute’s Conservation Easement along with our Forest Stewardship Plan.

I was eager to learn more about the WCLT’s role in protecting the Whidbey Institute’s 106 acres of forest and wetlands and wanted to hear from her about some of the unique aspects of the land and features to look for when traveling the 4+ miles of trails.

Plants, People, and Place: Welcoming Benjamin Johnston

Benjamin Johnston joined the Whidbey Institute team this summer to help care for plants and place. He describes his work as taking care of the land so that people can feel at ease here. From weed whacking and hand weeding to excavating leaking pipes, Ben is willing to engage with any aspect of the work that supports a flourishing place—but his love, and his passion, come through when exploring the relationships of humans with plants and ecosystems. Read More →

July 26, 2022

A Rooted Roof: Volunteers install living roof on Commons porch

By Marnie Jackson
Photos courtesy Floyd|Snider

As I approached the Commons building on a recent morning, one thing stood out . . . the vibrancy of the living porch roof, still thick and green even under a coating of fresh snow. The sedum mix has been growing in place on the roof since it was installed during an Autumn 2021 workshop, and seems to be thriving despite this cold snap. Fulfilling its promise to add beauty, mitigate runoff, and support pollinator habitat, the living roof is a great addition to our new gathering space. Read More →

March 18, 2022

To Those Who Love This Place

To Those Who Love This Place,

We have an update to share. The short version of the story is that, after nearly 12 years of service, I am stepping down as a staff member in the organization. The process began March 16, 2021 and will be complete in March 2022. Filled with optimism for our organization and gratitude for the relationships and communities I’ve encountered here, I take this step in service to the emerging future.

With our solid leadership team, robust system of distributed authority, and clear map for the work ahead, we are well prepared for this transition—and the team and I are parting with a ton of mutual care and regard. We have accomplished big work together as part of the fabric of a fifty-year journey, and I am enthusiastic for what will be made possible in the years to come.

If you’re curious to learn more, a long version of the story follows.

—Heather Johnson Read More →

February 8, 2022

Why They Give

Why They Give: A Conversation with Lynnaea Lumbard & Rick Paine

Long time Whidbey Institute supporters Lynnaea Lumbard and Rick Paine have given so much—thought partnership, leadership, and donations of time and funds. From 2016 through 2020, Rick and Lynnaea provided essential advice, leadership and funding for the Whidbey Institute 2020 Capital Campaign, which added capacity for lodging, meeting, and operations. We connected with Lynnaea and Rick to learn more about why they give to the Whidbey Institute. Read More →

September 30, 2021

Walking a Path: Join us for a Labyrinth Walk with Nancy Neudecker

Guided Group Labyrinth Walks
July 31, August 14, and Sept. 18

10:00-11:30 am

Beginners and long time Labyrinth walkers welcome

“A labyrinth walk is a metaphor for life and unique to each individual. Some people get turned around, and sometimes they come back out and then go back in to find their way, just as we do in life.” —Nancy

Nancy Neudecker, a part-time Maxwelton Valley resident and student of labyrinth facilitation, is offering guided labyrinth walks this summer. Last week, she connected with staff member Marnie Jackson to share more about her love of labyrinths. Read More →

July 20, 2021

Making Magic: A Conversation with Themis Gkion

I recently had the opportunity to connect with Themis Gkion, a Creative Empowerment Facilitator with Partners for Youth Empowerment (PYE). Connecting via Zoom between Greece and the United States, we enjoyed a wide-ranging conversation about the PYE approach to learning, about larger trends in education, and about what is possible when the power and potential of young learners are unleashed. As an outcome of our conversation, I’ve been personally inspired to take an online Creative Facilitation 1 course from PYE in June. —Marnie Jackson Read More →

April 16, 2021

Summer Service: perspectives from two youth volunteers

Pictured: a photo by tessie of MadelEine, Anika, and a curious doe. Photos courtesy the Bunnell family.

We were lucky enough to get to know the Bunnell family during spring and summer 2020, as Beth and her daughters Tessie (14) and Madeleine (16) got involved as volunteers on the land. When we asked for their reflections, Tessie and Madeleine both expressed excitement about what they had seen and learned, and eager anticipation of their next visit to the land.

“I look forward to spending more time at the Whidbey Institute and seeing how our trail looks in the different seasons,” Tessie said. Read More →

April 16, 2021

Happy to Give: A conversation with Kent Wales

by Marnie Jackson

Kent Wales discovered the Whidbey Institute when a colleague invited him to Spirited Work in 2002. The program, hosted by Anne Stadler and others including Gabriel Shirley and Mark Jones, was once described by Tree Fitzpatrick as, “an ongoing experiment that embodies collective wisdom as a conscious system.” These Open Space gatherings continued to draw Kent west from his Spokane-area home until Spirited Work concluded in the mid 2000s. As a result of the program’s influence in his life and in appreciation for this land, Kent donates regularly. As part of his care for this place, he became a monthly donor to the Whidbey Institute in 2013.

I recently connected with Kent to thank him for his ongoing generosity and to find out more about why he gives. He shared about his experience with Spirited Work, which he said helped bring balance to his life. Read More →

March 4, 2021