2017 HATCH Panama Bios

28 years old , born and raised in Israel .Based in Latin America for the last 3 years , Creative Director of Selina .
Been working with my hands ever since ever. Left school at the age of 15 and then found my first love - Classic car restoration . Then spend 3 years in IDF as an Engineering Combat Fighter and Developer.
Once finished my army service , moved to live in Tel-Aviv. Then started to collect other people's Junk and created my own method of Re-cycling .All of a sudden i've became a known Designer and worked for a few years from my own Studio.
Since April 2014 working for Selina.

With JUNGLETOWN filming crew (led by Ondi Timoner)

Part of JUNGLETOWN filming crew, led by Ondi Timoner

Part of JUNGLETOWN filming crew led by Ondi Timoner

Already on the site

Originally from Toronto, Brittany moved to Bocas Del Toro, Panama, in 2010 after graduating from Hospitality Management in search for her first venture. Over the course of the last 7 years, Brittany has opened four restaurants which she currently still owns and operates.

As Kalu Yala's Sustainability Coordinator, I aim to redefine business as usual through adding metrics to all aspects of the triple bottom line. Bridging together actions and impact through quantitative analysis leads to social and environmental progress.

I am a young Australian Studying Anthropology, currently doing community wellness at Kalu Yala and hoping to take this holistic approach of wellness and take it home to Australia to work with the Indigenous population in celebration of their culture.

Investment business, Sales, Trading , Financing Projects.

I am currently an Intern in Community Wellness & Public Health at Kalu Yala, and doing a bachelor in Innovation and management at Copenhagen Business Academy (DK). My future dreams involve project-management and raising environmental awareness! ☮

Betty is partner and director of Sabor Local, the product of a collaboration from the first edition of Hatch Latam! Sabor Local is a social project that aims to build spaces to celebrate Panama's gastronomy while providing opportunities for micro businesses and culinary entrepreneurs. Grand opening May 2017!

Prior getting hatched, Betty worked in different media outlets in Panama, and did anthropological research in South Korea.

Originally from France, made into Panamanian from too much "arroz con pollo", she has lived in 3 continents and speaks 4 languages.

College senior interested in changing the systems humans live in so that we are more sustainable and eco-friendly.

Founder of Redefined Films and the director of the documentaries 'Lenscapes' and 'Himalayan Grains.' His recent projects include a short film on child tea shop workers in Myanmar and 'Memoria Nueva,' an homage to indigenous farming and the Slow Food International community. Luke founded Redefined after working for two years as the Creative Director for Global Brigades, an international NGO. To increase collaboration with documentary subjects and viewers, Redefined Films offers workshops called 'Visual Empathy,' which teach film, story and photography to film subjects and audiences.

(Art+Activism)
Co-founder of FutureOriginsNow, a storytelling collective creating purpose-driven projects to spread awareness and drive impact. We connect artisans and activists to develop marketing with meaning.
I'm passionate about exploring the idea of manifesting a global grid of community, a place where people can balance work and play in a sustainable way.
I also have a love affair with creating poetry and hip hop music and am an avid writer. My current curiosity is understanding the varying definitions of success and fun and where they intersect.

I'm Nicole Pérez. 21 years old law and political science senior year student at USMA. Currently i work at an Intellectual property law firm. My passions include: writing, reading and poetry. For me the key for a beter world is education.

Lorin Mallorie spends her time in Haiti, Florida and Colorado. She is a graduate of the mass media communications department of the University of North Carolina, Asheville. Lorin has worked in social services in Denver, CO with the elderly and mentally disabled. She has been in love with Haiti since 2009, and is currently focused on bringing development to the northwest region of the island country.

I've worked as a professional in the Outdoor Recreation industry for the last eight years as a whitewater rafting and backpacking guide in Glacier National Park, a Wilderness First Aid instructor, a chef for a flyfishing outfitter, and most recently as a ski instructor. When presented the opportunity to work as the Outdoor Recreation Program Director at Kalu Yala, I dropped everything to move my life to Panama.

Entrepreneur, writer, tech geek with an acute sense of humor. Founder and CEO @ Criptext.

Kalu Yala Intern - Agriculture

The above human is an opt-out form of wildlife bringing the Renaissance Creature back. Studied at College Dropout. PhD in organised chaos. Biodegrading the relic of complacency we call education.

David Turner is the founder of Film Canopy, where he’s written, produced, directed, and edited film projects of various types. His interests in environmental sustainability and storytelling led him to Panama in 2016, where he worked with Interloper films to create a documentary series on Kalu Yala, a small sustainable town being built in the Tres Brazos Valley. He's currently heading the media program at Kalu Yala in an effort to help reinvent the way stories are told about sustainability.

I am a student at Kalu Yala. I'm going to school in Huntsville, Texas studying Music Therapy and Psychology! I spend much of my time listening to, playing, and composing music. I love rock climbing and all the usual outdoorsy stuff, but aside from that I also love drinking tea, sharing deep conversation, doing dangerous things, and geeking out over stuff like Avatar (the show). I'm in the Design Thinking program.

Will Travis is a leader of infectious passion, drive and tremendous insight. In business he is the Executive Chairman of Sid Lee USA of International communications agency SidLee, servicing seven of the worlds top 10 most innovative companies. Prior to joining Sid Lee, Will was CEO of Dentsu America and prior the USA founder and global president of international design agency ATTIK. Outside work he loves exploration, traveling through all continents, climbing several of the worlds highest summits, motorbiking with The Paris Dakar and traversing 18,000ft in the Himalayas on a Royal Enfield Bull

Músico y compositor, su carrera se inicia en su Francia natal tocando con bandas de jazz en la famosa escuela de Marciac.
Siempre atraído por diverso estilo musicales, en 2005 empieza a viajar haciendo representaciones e investigando nuevas maneras de entender la música, su búsqueda lo lleva a Dinamarca, Estados Unidos, Panamá, Bolivia, Ecuador, Perú, Chile, entre otros.
Actualmente se encuentra en Latinoamérica con su proyecto solista de teclado, beat box y máquinas electrónicas denominado "I'm Not a Dj", un show sin límite de géneros con composiciones propias y canciones creadas al vivo

M.A Design for Sustainability candidate at The Savannah College of Art and Design, currently enrolled as a Sustainable Agriculture intern at the Kalu Yala Institute, based out of Kalu Yala, Panama. With a background in business, economics, and sociology, my aim is to explore how to make sustainable practices meaningful to the general population in hopes of assisting in the transition towards a society that not only appreciates the world we inhabit and the differences between ourselves and our neighbors, but also desires to preserve the intrinsic beauty of this nature.

Student of the world, Currently studying Sustainable agriculture and Ecology at Kalu Yala. 8 of all trades, Constantly learning and building my personal philosophy. Eager to spread knowledge and break the boundaries of our current education systems.

My name is Txell, I'm an intern at Kalu Yala for the 2017 Spring semester under the sustainable agriculture program. I will be studying agricultural science at Western Washington University in August of 2017. During my time at Kalu Yala, I hope to gain as much knoweledge as possible so I can change my lifestyle back at home along with inspiring others to hopefully follow in my footsteps and do the same.

Danielle is a third-year English and Creative Writing student at Rutgers University. She focuses her studies on journalism and dramatic writing for film and television. Previous works can be found in publications such Elite Daily, Spoon University, The Daily Targum and more. She is currently a Student Intern at Kalu Yala and is working on her own personal page, featuring written accounts of her experiences with a cultural, social and environmental focus. Working abroad on an amalgam of projects and sharing out-of-reach stories is what she hopes to spend her entire life doing.

21 year old wilderness enthusiast from Winnipeg, Canada! A passionate Outdoor Recreation intern, ecstatic to be here at Kalu Yala learning more about living a sustainable, well rounded life.

I am a student filmmaker and designer exploring the intersection of community planning, sustainability, and the arts.

Born in Panama, raised in the United States. Moved back to birth place in 2015. Music is my passion and livelihood.

Henry Faarup is the CEO of Grupo Colonias and Town Co-Founder of Porta Norte. Porta Norte is a 250 hectare walkable master-planned community founded with the principles of the New Urbanism. It is located next to the Golf Club of Panama (in the periphery of the Panama City). It is an iteration of the Casco Viejo of Panama. Henry is in charge of setting the vision and leading the development team.

Stephen Brooks is the Founder and Director of the Punta Mona Center for Regenerative Design and Botanical Studies in Costa Rica. Founded in 1997, Punta Mona is considered a world leader in tropical, regenerative agriculture and ecological living techniques. In 2006, Stephen envisioned, co-founded and developed La Ecovilla, a 44 lot community and a world model which now has residents from 25 countries With the goal of creating accessible experiences that influence people’s lives, Stephen co-founded the annual Envision Festival. Nearly seven thousand people attended the 2016 event.

Yarrow Kraner is Founder of HATCH, a Director at Virgin Produced, an Aspen Institute Fellow, and named 2015 top 100 creatives in the U.S. by Origins Magazine. He is also featured in Talent for Humanity, Stories of Creativity, Compassion and Courage, released in 2015. His ideas and work have been recognized internationally, and he is currently packaging a feature film, Wind in the Fire, on the remarkable story of Bobbi Gibb, recently covered in The New York Times. Yarrow is also the Founder of Superdudes and Supernation, the first pioneer social networking site pre-Facebook.

Rafi is the Co-Founder of Dekel Group and CEO of Selina Hostels, and has over fifteen years of experience in international real estate development. The Dekel Group is making places for today’s lifestyles and tomorrow’s generation, and Selina is re-imagining the modern day hostel by converging co-work and co-play spaces for digital nomads. Selina’s core values and philosophies are in tune with HATCH’s mission, but converging co-working, sustainability, wellness, education, community, music, art, entrepreneurship, and the Selina Gives Back Academy. Selina is only a year old, and is quickly grow

In awe of the natural world, I strive to remain curious about and learn from my surroundings. Botany has been a main focus since the beginning of my academic career. Through recent years, I've had the privilege to learn from other naturalists and self-initiated projects in Denmark and Cambodia. Currently pursuing an MSc in Nature Management at the University of Copenhagen, with special interests in conservation, whilst databasing the National Herbarium.

From a small town called St. Albans in Maine, studying Biology at Husson University in Bangor Maine. Currently doing an internship/study abroad at Kalu Yala for Biology.

Chloe is the cofounder of a nonprofit organization in Montreal called Vent over Tea, a free service that connects those who need to talk with an empathetic listener in a local cafe. She has also worked as a psychosocial consultant and started and co-ran a social skills program for teenagers. She is currently interning at Kalu Yala in the outdoor recreation program where she hopes to gain skills in wilderness therapy.

I like to dance, make people happy, and help produce a more sustainable world.

I am a current Kalu Yala intern in the sustainable agriculture program and I can't wait to participate in Hatch!

Jon Trimarco is an educator and conservationist with several years of experience in sustainable agriculture development in the tropics. Jon’s farming style reflects his experiences as a naturalist, social scientist, and community development practitioner. He served in the Peace Corps as an agroforestry and environment volunteer in Ghana. He holds a Bachelor’s in Conservation Biology and a Master’s in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources. In Panama, Jon’s team strives to develop and promote inventive, integrated and resilient agroecological systems to feed communities like Kalu Yala.

Hi my name is Adria Barbieri and I'm from Boston Massachusetts! I just graduated college with a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. I am now a Kalu Yala Intern switching gears to Outdoor Recreation. I love hiking and the outdoors and being a part of building a sustainable community!

Recognized as one of Zagat’s 30 under 30 in 2013, Tim West is a Slow Food chef turned Social Entrepreneur. He is a Culinary Institute of America graduate and grandson of Arch West, the inventor of Doritos. Tim cut his teeth in the the kitchens at The St. Regis Hotel in New York and the Facebook headquarters in California before entering the world of entrepreneurship. Tim co-created The Food Hackathon + Forum as a business plan competition to build out the food entrepreneurial ecosystem. Tim now consults for large multinational food companies and small food startups. He lives in San Francisco.

After 20 years in advertising producing TV Ads and working for international brands, one day the divine plan connected Martin with a Magic Mexico through its more sacred plants: The Agave.
During 5 years he dedicated to travel meeting ancestral cultures and rich experiences that marked his path such as the time spent with scholars of Wixáricas (Huicholes) communities and enjoyed learning more and more from The Mayan and Zapotecos culture.
Today mezcal Buen Viaje has transformed from a spirit by itself into a whole lifestyle in search of connection to your origins, with sacred values.

Whitewater kayaker, cross-disciplinary thinker, moment of truth strategist and adventure therapy activist.

After being raised in the real estate industry, but encouraged by my father to define success as something more than financial, I founded Kalu Yala. Now, we are on a mission to demonstrate that humanity can build a civilization that takes care of the planet and each other by building our own town.

Kalu Yala Intern studying Culinary

Biology Director Kalu Yala Institute
Tropical Biologist and Guide
Science Writer
Biofuel producer and enthusiast

Monalisa Arias is the Artistic Director of The Space, a Cultural Center in Panama. She is a Director, Actor, Musician and Teaching Artist.

Monalisa received her training at the London Drama Academy, The College of William and Mary, The Center for Movement Theatre and the Society of American Fight Directors.

Federico started his first company at age 12, selling campaign buttons for classmates running for student council. Now, at 27, he is CEO of International Media Group, Co-Founder of Estadio Ventures, and Executive Director at Balun Films. One of his most recent projects, called CINETOUR, promotes access to culture by screening free movies through a pop-up cinema company visiting disconnected communities across Central America. He is Curator at the Global Shapers San Salvador Hub, an initiative of the World Economic Forum, and is a graduate of Georgetown and Harvard University.

Current Kalu Yala Sustainable Business Intern, Sarah Daniels is originally from Upstate New York, but now works in Dallas, Texas. In 2015, Daniels graduated Cum Laude from Regent University with a Bachelor’s in Leadership Studies. She is interested in human capital management, supporting socially responsible SME’s, and providing educational tools and opportunities to “train up fellow leaders” in growing economies. Next, Daniels hopes to pursue opportunities in Business Development Centers/Accelerators. She also values learning, writing, ethnic food, personal development, faith, and yoga.

I am a biology intern at Kalu Yala. Back home I'm studying environmental biology and sustainability.

Hi,
My name is Vilje and I'm born, raised and living in Norway. I am currently working towards an acceptance of the architecture school in my hometown. I've applied several times earlier, but apparently they have a problem understanding how great I am.

I am part of the Design Thinking program. I love being outdoors, travelling and getting my hands dirty. I also love playing like a kid, create things or just being lazy. I am not easily bored, cause I am easily entertained.

Kalu Yala Culinary Student with a passion for Anthropology and Acting.

Kalu Yala Student

Kalu Yala Student

I am a lover of beauty and kindness.

Brett is a storyteller, amateur coffee roaster, and the Director of Impact at Singularity University. He’s worked extensively in global education, opened a coworking hub in his hometown, and co-created a technology & problem solving curriculum for kids used in over 75 countries (and in space!). Along the way, he's made second homes in Siberia and Transylvania (yes, the former gets cold; no, the latter does not have vampires.) and he regularly speaks around the world on the future of learning, generational trends, and building communities of action.

i take pictures...

Marie is the Hospitality Manager and Camp Host at Kalu Yala.
Every day is the best day of her life...WOOOO!

Colette is a Kalu Yala media intern in the pursuit of an undergraduate degree at Macalester College in the United States, where she studies philosophy and community and global health. Her independent project at Kalu Yala is a podcast concerning stories about science, sustainability, and philosophy at Kalu Yala and beyond. She loves conversations about tunes, forest therapy, and Alan Watts.

Kalu Yala Student - Design Thinking

A right-brain soul with a left-brain approach. Aaron is a recent graduate of Montana State University and currently works at Kalu Yala as the Media Team's producer/DP/Editor. He loves seeing the "big-picture" and works hard to make it all work out in the best way possible. He began college career in the biological sciences and received a scientific grant for his research before deciding to follow his true passion in the visual arts.

Architecture & Civil Engineering student. Part-time Architectural Designer. DJ, Producer and "Fun"tographer. Likes dirt between his toes.

I am an Industrial Design student at Iowa State University. concentrating in disaster relief and sustainability.

Mikaela is interested in a large variety of things related to the environment, policy, and design. She has done research in rural Nicaragua on the impacts of climate change and international trade deals on public health and the agricultural industry. She has worked on a few urban redevelopment projects throughout the United States and is currently expiramenting with tropical planning and design in Panamá.

I was born in Ukraine and grew up in Portland, Oregon. Currently, I'm working as a Design Thinking Intern at Kalu Yala. In addition, I'm a Student at Portland State University studying Marketing, Community Development, and Social Innovation. Together, we can change the world. I also love traveling, spending time with people, playing sports, and going on adventures.

Patrick is president of Mercury Business Advisors specializing in business strategy and innovation and is author of Business Strategy; Plan, Execute, Win! and Advancing Innovation; Patrick serves on three boards including: The Institute of Management Accountants; Technology Village, a business incubator, and Vail Place, an agency supporting mental illness. Prior to consulting, he held positions within UnitedHealth Group, including chief strategy & innovation officer and president consumer health products. Patrick is also a classically trained chef from Le Cordon Bleu in Minneapolis.

Luis Henríquez holds a Ph.D. in Hispanic Literature from the
Université de Montréal. He has taught 10 university level language
courses, and worked as a Canadian language and culture assistant in
Madrid, Spain. Luis also has worked as a freelance translator for over
12 years and is the cofounder of Éditions Urubu, a bilingual, French
and Spanish, publishing house.

Diwi is an indigenous Guna from Panama, social entrepreneur, co-founder of Bodhi Hostels, an International Tax Auditor for the Ministry of Economy and Finance who holds a B. Intl Biz & Tourism Management from Cesar Ritz Colleges, Switzerland and a Master in Economics and Finance from INCAE.

At the One Young World Summit in Dublin, 2014, he was the first Guna to talk about the problems his people face because of climate change.

He has done workshops in Latin American Countries, sharing his experience on how to overcome social and personal challenges to become a ‘better' project manager

Anaximena is the editor for A la Mesa, a food magazine that prints every Sunday. She also writes about startups and entrepreneurship for her weekly column, Jovenes de Exito (Succesful Youth). She's always looking for the next story to tell her readers.
She studied journalism in Complutense University in Madrid, Spain and finished a digital marketing postgraduate at Quality Leadership University. Last year she attended Yale University for Thread and is currently studying her masters of Image and Corporate Communications from Aden Business School. She lives with her 10 mo. old yellow lab, Ola.

Alton co-founded TheGrio.com, sold it to NBC News, reacquired it during the Comcast acquisition, then sold it to Entertainment Studios in 2016. The Grio is the largest African American video news network and is on the front lines of Social Justice issues. As an Executive Consultant at NBC News, Alton built the new MSNBC.com and developed their diversity platform. Previously, Alton designed visual shows and toured with The Allman Brothers and The Doors, and won the 2008 Baja 1000 Overall. Also taught 'The Anthropology of Light' at Colorado College.

So far I have been an engineer, entrepreneur, tinkerer, anthropologist, advertising creative, journalist, curator, lecturer, teacher, writer and futurist.

Interested in technology from an early age, I have devoted much of my life to teaching, and I also have published more than 20 books about my experiences on advertising, programming and interactive design.

After years in independent and corporate advertising agencies, I live and work in Mexico City (DF, Mexico), helping brands to improve the way they operate in this fast-speeding world.

Mark Goerner has had a diverse and dynamic career as a concept designer, futurist providing services, for the feature film industry, contributing to “Minority Report”, “Constantine”,“X-men 2”, “Superman”, “Iron Man 2", “Thor”, "Fantastic Voyage", and "Avitar". As an industrial design he contributed advanced concepts for BMW/Designworks, Intel, Toyota, Honda, the High Roller wheel in Las Vegas. He is taking these influences and knowledge as well as a background in manufacturing to found eqogo, a robust platform to evaluate products for their long term value and environmental impacts.

Draska (Daniel Raster), born in Switzerland 1981, left his country 2006 after Jazz School Diplom as drummer, to discover and fusion-ate his music compassion with different cultures, studying african music and instruments. Living from 2007 to 2013 in Portugal, Germany, and France, since 2014 living and performing in Costa Rica, released 7 Albums with his band "Draska" over the years.

Every seed we spread defines our destiny
we are creators of our own reality
and if we find ourselfs in balance with this truth
we are free to fly high up in the sky
(lyrics"overcome")

Education and access to opportunities advocate. Lawyer and Public Policy Advisor

Virginia is a Social Entrepreneur passionate about economic empowerment of vulnerable communities in LAC. She has had work experience in the UN, Banking and in start-ups like KIVA. She currently works in Selina as Humanologist working hard on finding the best millennial talent to help us build the biggest hospitality start-up in the region.

Originally from Northern Minnesota, Lou Morris studied broadcasting at Northland College. After a career on the airwaves, he transitioned into the print/publishing industry.

Morris and his family have enjoyed living in Montana for over 20 years where he continues to provide his clients with business solutions through paper, ink and technology. Lou has had the privilege of being part of the HATCH family since its inception in 2004. He has had the opportunity to assist as a Coordinator in many areas of HATCH currently serving as one of the Ground Breaker Coordinators.

Social Empowerment Psychologist and Cultural Entrepreneur, Life Coach, Ancestral Plant Medicine Apprentice, Performance DJ & Producer, born and raised in Poland and presently headquartered in Panama. 
Volunteer and nomad for life, has studied and worked at 4 continents, from Barcelona’s immigrant integration, through socially vulnerable children and elderly training at Rio de Janeiro’s favelas, finish at crowd=funded beach cleaning projects in Panama.
 As a global music digger he shares mind-tripping eclectic sets and believes in healing energy of the sound.

Peruvian-American producer, director and photographer fascinated by the contradictions of humanity. My current documentary, “Safe Zone,” is about Syrian refugee girls overcoming trauma through music. My “Pop Documentary” style has garnered work with artists Beyoncé and Justin Timberlake, and collaborations with The Robin Hood Foundation, the Community Coalition, and UNICEF. I am co-founder of Lokal Travel, an online platform that connects travelers to locally owned, culturally immersive adventures around the world. I have lived in Tokyo, NYC, LA, Beirut, Italy, Costa Rica, and Peru.

Cynthia is a teacher at heart. She has worked in education for nearly 35 years, teaching students ages 6 to 60, doing research and supporting governments to develop national education policies to improve education quality and give more students fair access to education opportunities. Originally from the US, she has traveled extensively and has lived in a number of countries, most recently Panama. She strongly advocates cross-cultural experiences for personal and collective growth through education exchange, language learning and sharing of different life views.

I'm is a Toronto-based engineer, designer and maker. By day, I'm the Managing Director at a Canadian Design & Technology company.

By night, I'm involved in a range of community-based initiatives. These have included running events like TEDxWaterloo, TEDxUNPlaza and even helping start TEDxAdventure - which took place over New Year's in Kalu Yala, Panama back in 2013.

I'm a regular speaker and participant at business & design conferences around the world - which helps satisfy my need to explore!

If I'm not working, I'm probably out cycling, running, climbing or practicing yoga!

Jackie was born and raised in San Francisco, California and studied Environmental Science, Policy, and Management from UC Berkeley in their College of Natural Resources. Since then she has lived in South America, the Middle East, and North America working with a diverse range of companies and local municipalities. In recent years she has partnered with environmental non-profits local to the Bay Area to help their business strategy while working in a medical research clinic working with patients with HIV and Hep C.

Finn is the CEO of The Go Game, a leader in impactful play for building meaningful connection. He also created the Karaoke Rickshaw for Burning Man, an immersive games lab in Brooklyn known as Motherboard, and the Treat Social Club, an immersive musical venue.

Paula Duran is a marketing professional with a focus on Multicultural strategy, planning and execution for Red Bull North America. Born and raised in Bogota, Colombia, Paula moved to Los Angeles, CA when she was 18 to learn English where she has since became a proud Colombian-American citizen. With her role at Red Bull, past experience working in Latin Alternative Music, and Hispanic focused PR/communications within the US; Paula has been able to leverage her passion for bringing diverse cultures, music, and art to new audiences with a strong focus on multicultural millennial & Gen-Z consumers. She currently leads the Multicultural efforts within Red Bull. Personal time is spent on yoga, meditation, traveling and reading. Additionally, she is currently focused on deepening her knowledge and experience around Emotional Intelligence with a goal of using this information to support young women in underprivileged communities in the U.s. and around the world.

Michael has spent his entire adult life living, learning and working on social change. He has spent over 15 years as an activist, leader, researcher and designer working on a diverse array of issues from human rights to education to the environment. He now splits his time between leading ION studios - a global social impact innovation, research, and strategy firm - and building the Ubuntu Lab - a new type of museum dedicated to helping people understand people. He speaks and teaches around the world on social movements, systemic change, learning design and understanding people.

Courtney currently serves as Content Marketing Manager at Kalu Yala, after first joining the community as a biology intern, then serving as Education and Architecture director, and Graphic Designer. She has an academic background in English and Molecular Biology and has worked in genetics research before transitioning into advertising. Courtney most recently discovered a strong passion for social enterprise and marketing as a means of supporting growth of businesses with social and environmental benefits. She currently attends business school in addition to working at Kalu Yala.

Susan uses art and design to engage people in climate action. Her art has appeared in a range of places from transit stations, museums, a shipyard and marina and various group shows, to camp grounds and farms. Her art-making experiential workshops are used by corporations, schools, non-profits and communities to help them align their stakeholders to sustainability goals. Previously she was an architect for too long. Susan is always seeking fellow travelers in climate work and art collaborations.

Eileen is the Head of Academics for Kalu Yala and believes deeply in creating learning experiences that challenge people to do real work and turn their ideas into reality. With a background in environmental engineering, information systems, team dynamics training and extensive roadtripping, she is always trying to see the world from new perspectives.

Born and raised in Panama City, Ana received her Bachelor's degree in Socio-cultural Anthropology and Photography at Pitzer College, California. She has co-produced national and international events such as Festival Abierto and the CentralAmerican Visual Arts Biennale, through her work as executive director of culture-promoting NGOs in Panama, presently directing FundAHrte. She is a catalyzer of educational experiences in the arts, having founded FundAHrte's Educational Program in 2013, and having co-created and produced Estudio Nuboso’s Art and Science LAB in 2015.

Luis Guillen is a sociologist and project manager, born and raise in Panama city. Throughout his twenties, he gained experience working for the multinational sporting goods company adidas, the proclaimed advertising agency TBWA Panama, and then as a key actor in the production of Panama's biggest social and cultural event Festival Abierto. At the same time, together with a group of partners, he founded Piso 3 Studios, a Panamanian music production studio. Today he serves as Academic Administrator at the Kalu Yala Institute.

After a few years of rapid-fire excel maneuvering and strategic thinking to mitigate the many issues within the USA's big banks, a social entrepreneurship volunteer program in Hyderabad put Jamieson on a different path taking him to Panama. Now, Jamieson leads business and finance matters for Kalu Yala, a group of jungle explorers building a town by using best practices from sustainability thought leaders to behemoth institutions. In his spare time, Jamieson is an avid polar bear supporter, deep dish pizza fan, and consumer of as much content about bettering ourselves as possible.

Narkis Alon is the Founder and CEO of Double You, an international curated community of women entrepreneurs. Double You’s women-only retreats creates time for women entrepreneurs to develop their business initiatives and reclaim their confidence. Narkis is also the Co-founder and board member of Ze-Ze,a platform for social enterprises led by youth that creates self fulfilling job opportunities for communities in need. And the Co Founder of Elevation Academy,a tech academy. She had speaking appearances at Davos, TEDx, Lift and more. She was recently named 30under30 by Forbes Israel.

Thomas Silverman is radically amazed by the universe. He is an international explorer and truths seeker interested in social entrepreneurship, philosophy, politics and movement building. He currently serves as Vice President of Development; Community Engagement at buildOn--an international non-profit organization that aims to break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy and low expectations through service and education. Thomas holds an MA in Public Affairs and Practical Politics from the University of San Francisco and is committed to bettering our local and global communities.

Esteban is President of Kalu Yala Institute, a research and development institute focused on sustainable development. Previously he taught creativity at the University of Illinois where he co-authored a book on creativity. He's started two small social enterprises and travels as a stand-up comedian and speaker.

Melissa was recently a Peace Corps Volunteer near Colon, Panama from 2012-2015. During her service she worked with Robusta coffee growers and learned about other traditional crops. She developed her love of the tropics while studying environmental science, biology and horticulture at Penn State University. She studied Extension Education and how to use experiential learning in sustainable agriculture education. After finishing her service she worked as the executive director of an NGO in Colon. She now works as head of operations at Kalu Yala Institute. She is from Lititz, Pennsylvania.

Xav is the founder and CEO of evoxOmnimedia, a BCorp dedicated to action-inspiring media, television and film, and conscious commerce that transforms lives and grows the conscious consumer products markets.

His passion and commitment to the tangible difference that every person can make in our collective life have made him a sought after public speaker, host, panelist, and guest. He has led transformational programs for thousands; headlined from the mainstage at Greenfest LA and SF and interviewed conscious entrepreneurs and environmental thought leaders from the stages of SXSW Eco.

Ben Grimmig is an MBA candidate at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, specializing in social enterprise and finance and currently completing his final semester as a business incubator assistant at Kalu Yala. Ben previously worked in the communications and public relations industry, most recently with APCO Worldwide in New York, where he focused on corporate social responsibility and crisis management. Ben wants to work to harness businesses as a vehicle for positive social and environmental change.

Head of Kalu Yala Incubator, and Co-Found of El Motete, a specialty grocery store in Panama City sourcing 100% from local producers. Originally arrived in Panama as a Peace Corps Volunteer from 2013-2015 working with small holder cacao farmers in the indigenous part of Bocas Del Toro as part of a Masters Peace Corps International Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. Graduated in May 2016 with an MA in International Environmental Policy with a concentration on Business, Sustainability and Development and Frontier Markets.

Challenging the status quo by questioning conventions, facilitating creative explorations to Make Strangers Not Strange and connecting talents, an over-thinker exploring life through a practicing awareness of feeling. Overcoming a societally inherent complacency and shifting energy toward more positive growth and creativity.

For the last five years, Jon has been co-creating a start-up city in Honduras under constitutional reforms that allow for new distinct legal, regulatory, administrative and economic zones, and is passionate about their potential for sustainable predictability and prosperity this can bring to the region.

As a lifelong 30 year serial entrepreneur, he has founded successful businesses in the software development, energy management, finance, telecom and medical spaces, most recently as co-founder and hedge fund manager for Haven Capital.

John is a student at Olin College studying Sustainable Engineering. He became passionate about sustainability, theory of change and international development through exposure to Olin's Affordable Design and Entrepreneurship program. While light-hearted and optimistic by nature, John understands the gravity of the today's situation: a growing population, a warming climate and the need for change. He hopes to bring levity, stories and a sense of purpose on his adventures, and is very excited to meet everyone in the jungle.

Carlos Araúz García is the Chief Executive Officer at AllBank In Panama, part of the third largest private financial conglomerate in Venezuela with a regional presence in five countries. Arauz writes a monthly column on a wide range of topics at both the local newspaper “La Prensa” and in the monthly magazine “Portada”. He has worked for important business groups in Mexico, El Salvador, Canada and the Dominican Republic and currently leads the first official effort to implement a Social Impact Bond program in Panama.

Marilu is a passionate educational specialist that has worked for more than 20 years to improve education in the region. She has been a professor, director, trainer and mentor; but the role that she has always enjoyed the most is of teacher.
Marilu was the national director of basic education at the Ministry of Education in Panama. Now, she is in charge of groundbreaking educational reform and innovative programs in the areas of reading comprehension, mathematical problem-solving and scientific inquiry to improve teaching methodology and student learning in Panama.

Ashton Solecki—neuroscientist by day, actor by night, and full-time catalyst for the intersection of art, science, and innovative projects. She is a Global Product Manager for a Fortune 500 company, Fortive, designing medical devices to help improve the safety, diagnosis, and treatment of patients around the world. She's recently been recognized by Yahoo! Finance, TechNation, and Ministries of Health in China, Thailand, Malaysia, and the US government. Ashton has an insatiable zest for life, science, the creation of art, travel, and craves fanning the flame in projects that change the world.

A chemical engineer by degree, but a lifelong learner and adventurer. Have worked in multiple functions - manufacturing, R&D, marketing and general management and across cultures - living in the US, Europe, and the Far East and working/traveling all over the world. Next role is CEO of a Foundation leading “high thinking, low tech“ solutions, starting with clean water. Am passionate about improving people’s lives through education, tackling other big global issues and operating with high integrity and ethics. Wishing we had more leaders and fewer politicians... Carpe Diem!

Mike Polarny aka Sound Traveler. Hatched last year at the first Hatch Latin America. The project (both an artist and a platform) raised from love for music and running a nomad’s life. Constantly on the road for the last 3 years. Already traveled to 50 countries on 6 continents while performing DJ gigs, collaborating within music and art projects. Sound Traveler is about stories from countries like Cuba. We create music with local artists, share their stories. Constantly looking for new collaborations with film makers, graphics designers, story tellers etc.

Hallie is a Texas-born, New York-raised, Mexico-dwelling entrepreneur and artist. After spending the first hunk of her career in the communications world, working on behalf of brands like Target, TED, Barneys and GE to create compelling stories, she is now looking to leap into new waters.

Angela is a Global Connector for people on their journey of rebuilding homes and communities in the face of adversity. Through her work at American Refugee Committee, Angela seeks co-creators and partners to bring new value and opportunities to refugees around the world. Having a broad range of professional skills and experiences from relationship management, banking, Information Technology and financial services, sales and marketing to philanthropy, she inspires cross-functional design and application for new solutions.

An ex-corporate leader, I now think about my life in three buckets: contributing to individuals, knowledge and joy.

To individuals: family, friends and people we help through our executive onboarding work at PrimeGenesis.

To knowledge through my articles for Forbes (400 so far), the Huffington Post and books on onboarding (generally published by Wiley).

To joy through my musical plays (have written the book, lyrics and music for ten so far) including "The Man with the Glass Heart" - premiering with a two-week run at the Curtain Call Theater in Stamford, CT, USA this coming 4-14 May

Brett is the Director of Regeneration & Sustainability for Summit Series based in Eden, UT. The past ten years Brett has been producing and greening events around the world and now he is focused on a permanent event site to change the status quo. This summer Brett is opening up a 30 room off grid mountain hotel that will showcase many new "off grid" technologies in a luxury camp vibe experience. When not producing events or opening a hotel, Brett is the managing partner of Sandhill farms where they produce 50+ types of heirloom garlic and have a 200 member CSA.

After graduating from Cornell University with a degree in History, I set off to travel the world. Then I realized that I could merge several of my interests (history, real estate, architecture, design, and construction) into something entrepreneurial and spend my life doing things I love. I founded Hyde Historic Properties, LLC which is dedicated to restoring historic buildings in up-and-coming historic districts. Right now I am focusing on Casco Viejo, Panama. I love to ski, sail, play ice hockey and the piano. I also love art and am a partner in an art gallery here in the Casco.

Greg Hemmings is a global thought leader in the area of positive social impact filmmaking. Greg’s focus is on how companies can inspire positive change by investing in social impact films and at the same time, increasing brand trust in the market.

His commitment for positive social change has taken him and his team to all corners of the globe to tell global stories to inspire local change and local stories to inspire global change. His company Hemmings House is a certified B-Corporation and employs 12 full time change-makers who feverishly produce filmed content that makes a difference.