Board of Directors

Steven Knapp is President Emeritus and University Professor of English at the George Washington University. A specialist in English Romanticism, literary theory, and the relation of literature to philosophy and religion, Dr. Knapp taught at the University of California, Berkeley before serving as dean of arts and sciences and then provost of the Johns Hopkins University. During his two tenure as GW president (2007-2017), his priorities included enhancing the university’s partnerships with neighboring institutions, expanding the scope of its research, strengthening its worldwide community of alumni, enlarging its students’ opportunities for public service, and leading its transformation into a model of urban sustainability. He has served on numerous boards and councils and is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a member of the Modern Language Association. The author of three books and numerous articles, he earned his bachelor’s degree at Yale University and his master’s and doctoral degrees at Cornell University.

Philip Clayton, Ingraham Professor at CST at Willamette University, holds a Ph.D. from Yale University and has published several dozen books and some 200 research articles, as well as holding guest professorships at Harvard University, Cambridge University, and the University of Munich. With a background in the intersection of science, religion, and ethics, he now researches societal changes that are necessary for establishing sustainable forms of civilization on this planet.

John B. Cobb, Jr. is an American theologian, philosopher, and environmentalist known for his work across multiple disciplines and sectors of society. Author of more than 50 books, his work For the Common Good: Redirecting the Economy Toward Community, Environment, and a Sustainable Future, co-authored with Herman Daly, won the Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order. In 2014, Cobb was elected to the prestigious Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Wm. Andrew Schwartz is Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of EcoCiv. He is a scholar, organizer, and non-profit administrator. Andrew is also the Executive Director of the Center for Process Studies and Assistant Professor of Process and Comparative Theology at Claremont School of Theology. His recent work involves the role of “big ideas” in the transition toward ecological civilization.

Jerry Bedford is a skilled fundraiser and communicator, who has devoted his life to lifting people out of hunger and poverty and empowering them toward self-reliance.  Trained in agriculture, business and philosophy, he worked two years as a youth organizer in East Africa before becoming chief fundraiser for Heifer International in 1966.  He subsequently established the Heifer International Foundation to build an endowment to support Heifer’s work.  Heifer’s annual income grew from $300,000  in 1966 to $115 million today and foundation assets from zero to $105 million.   While working at Heifer, in the 1980’s Bedford founded the Arkansas Rice Depot, a statewide food bank, that supported 300 food pantries and initiated the food backpack program for hungry school kids that has now spread throughout the US and to several foreign countries. Other boards on which Bedford served many years are:   Fonkoze, a micro-credit program in Haiti serving primarily women with education, credit, banking and insurance services with 1000 employees and 45 offices throughout the country; the Good Shepherd Retirement Center in Little Rock, an ecumenical facility providing all levels of care for 400 retirees from all economic levels; and the Morris Foundation, a private foundation supporting hundreds of non-profits, mostly in Arkansas, focused on education, the arts, and social services.

Herman Greene has over 30 years of experience practicing law, and decades of experience in environmental issues–seeking well-being in all life communities. He is founder of the Center for Ecozioic Studies. He was the Founding Executive Director of the International Process Network, an association promoting process-relational philosophies, and continues to serve on its Board of Governors. He is on the Board of Advisors of the Center for Process Studies and for the Institute for the Post-Modern Development of China, both in Claremont, CA. Further, he carries on a part-time practice in corporate, tax and securities lawyer at Greene Law, PLLC. He holds degrees in Spirituality and Sustainability, DMin, United Theological Seminary 2004; Law, JD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 1979; Ministry, MTh and MDiv, University of Chicago Divinity School 1969 and 1970; Political Science, MA, Stanford University 1967; and Political Science, BA, University of Florida 1966.

John Buchanan received his Masters degree in humanistic/transpersonal psychology from West Georgia College, and his doctorate from the Graduate Institute of the Liberal Arts at Emory University. He has been trained and certified as a Holotropic Breathwork practitioner by Stan and Christina Grof.  Currently, he is writing a book based upon his continuing interests in process philosophy and transpersonal psychology. Dr. Buchanan also serves as president of the Helios Foundation.

Send correspondence to: John Buchanan, 2631 Northern Road, #900, Appleton, WI 54914; or to oddjohn@aol.com.

Jessica Mardock is a researcher, educator, and numbers guru, who is passionate about bridging the gap between research and practice by instituting social science and statistical best practices into real-life application. Jessica directs budgetary analysis and business development for the Institute for Ecological Civilization and financial business operations and compliance for ViviFi Planning, LLC. She earned a Master of Science from the University of Cincinnati and a Bachelor of Arts from Franklin College. Jessica is a dedicated steward of the environment and can often be found educating her daughter on the finer points of gardening, baking/cooking, and finding the best tree to hug whilst recharging in nature.

John Fahey is a Graduate of the Starr-King School for Ministry, a member school
of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. John received his Master of
Divinity Degree from the Starr-King School and studied Philosophy and Religion
as an undergraduate student at Colgate University. John has held a number of
counseling and leadership positions in a variety of non-profit organizations,
including Unitarian-Universalist Congregations and Counseling Centers. John is
also a retired technology industry sales executive where he led sales and
marketing teams for a variety of information technology companies managing
Fortune 100 Companies. John has a passion for education and is a partner in
Reading Ways, a company designed to ensure high quality literacy instruction in
all content areas for a school system. Reading Ways believes that all students
should leave secondary school able to use reading and writing to participate
effectively in society in a variety of roles, be it as a private individual, citizen, or
employees. John and his wife Cyndy live in Claremont CA and are the proud
parents of four adult children.