An interview with Devon Wyckoff, class of 2012

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devonwyckoffYou graduated in 2012, can you fill us in on what adventures you have been on since that time?

After graduating I went straight to college, attending CU Boulder as a film major. I stayed at CU for two years before transferring to a drama school here in New York City. I finished up at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting last September. Straight out of drama school I made my Off-Broadway debut in an original show called Dead End. Following the close of that show I went to Chicago for a Bollywood Dance show. In the middle of a performance, when I was giving the people of Chi-Town just the most and extra, I decided to not just toe touch, but toe touch FOR MY LIFE! Well I ended up hurting my sciatic nerve in the process. I flew back to NYC the next day and had to take a break from auditioning and performing. This city is not kind to one’s wallet and so I needed to find another way of paying rent. I hate clichés and therefore I just could not bring myself to be waitress/unemployed actor, so I searched for a job that would still keep me close to the theatre. I had previous experience as set-costumer (someone who dresses actors on film sets) and had worked at the Denver Center as a dresser for the Broadway touring companies, so I decided to drop off my resume at every stage door between 42nd St and 54th st (that’s Broadway for you country folk), and a day later Broadway called! I started dressing at Aladdin as a swing dresser, which means I learn every dresser track at the show (a track is the dresser’s trajectory through the show, covering everything from costume presets, the details quick changes to the back stage choreography and costume care). I have 15 tracks in my head that I can be called to cover at any time. I also work at another Broadway show, She Loves Me, where I am responsible for 9 tracks. Between the two shows I work 8 shows a week, our only day off is Monday. I have recently started auditioning again. I will be starring in an Independent Feature this fall and will be doing a NetFlix series later in the year (but I can’t say which one…yet!).

What inspired you to pursue a career in the performing arts? (OR – What is about acting that calls you to pursue it?) And when did you know that you wanted to be an actor?

I always used to say the worst advice you could give me is: “Devon you’ll be fine… just be yourself!” I would always be left thinking “WHICH SELF?” The human psychology and emotional spectrum is so enormously complex and vast that we are capable of inhabiting so many different “selves.” Society, however has a norm and a (albeit varying) social, moral and ethical standard to which we tend to conform, therefore we bury our inner psychopath or monstrous rage. We tend to project our developed “default setting” yet rarely get a self place to explore our deeper darker sides or perhaps the common emotions we so often stigmatize. On stage you are applauded for inhabiting that “self” that society would isolate and reject. I enjoy the safety the stage provides so that I can experience the the human condition in its many fascinating and intricate layers.

Can you describe your process of work from the moment you take a character on, to that first moment in front of an audience when you “are” that other person?

First I will read the script in it’s entirety so that I understand the story. Then I ask myself “what does my character want, what is my motivation in each scene and how do my characters actions help or deter me from my over-arching goal.” I’ll do a bit of character research. The more specific and thorough I am in my research and character preparation the more freedom I have when performing. Knowing that my character is from New York is not good enough. Is she from Queens? Brooklyn? Rochester? As that will affect my accent. Was she born and raised there? What kind of family was she born into, what kind of education does she have? All these details will inform and dictate my character choices.

Next I will do what is called a “beat breakdown.” This is when I assign a transient verb to each line and every single sentence I speak. This helps take the focus off myself (which is what we call indulgent or masturbatory acting… and NO ONE wants to work with that kind of actor) and put it on my scene partner. For example if I am in a heated fight with my boyfriend because he warned me “if you fall down that hill and break your crown one more time, I’m not coming after you, Jill….I swear….” and I respond “Jack, please calm down. I am not going to tumble down the hill. Here look, I brought you a pale of water.” I would break those sentences up and assign an action, i.e. “to pacify,” to the first sentence, “to reassure” to the second and “mollify” for the third. When I speak the first sentence I have the goal of pacifying Jack. This gives my choices specificity and direction… generality is the death of an actor and a scene.
Once I am on stage and at performance level, however, all of this should be so within me that I don’t think about it. The audience doesn’t want to see your technique, they want to see a fully developed character. They paid to be a voyeur, to be privy to your private moment on that stage while you grapple with the human condition and the nature of this fickle thing called life.

Horses have always been a huge part of your life as well. Have you continued to find connection into that world while living in NYC? And, how has the transition to life in NYC been for you?

Yes, horses were a huge part of my life. One could even go as far as saying “horses were my life.” I started riding when I was three and started competing when I was eight. Every summer from 2011 to 2014, I qualified and attended the North American Junior Olympics. I trained year round for the summer show seasons. I was often at the barn before and after school. I knew from a very early age however, that I did not want to be a career equestrian. It came to a point where I was turning down roles because of traveling and showing with my horse, and I realized I needed to shift my priorities and focus on my career of choice, and so I stepped away from the horse world. That was an incredibly painful time plagued with self doubt and I, in essence, recreated how I identified myself.

I haven’t been on a horse in nearly two years, which is shocking for me to think about, seeing I rarely went a day without riding before.
The transition to the city was incredibly difficult. There was definitely a bit of culture shock in going from riding a horse to a subway every day. I also had to work incredibly hard to set my ego aside and go from having international success and momentum in one field to be at the very bottom of another field. I have had to learn how to find happiness in places other than my career or accomplishments, because you honestly have no control over a career in the entertainment industry. If I rely entirely on the joy being on stage brings me I enter into dangerous territory, because there can be very dry periods where I may not step foot on a stage for months at a time. I have made a incredible group of friends and support system through the Broadway community and at the moment my main focus is to learn how to live and experience life, because you cannot be a good actor without being an experienced human first.

Have you met any other Waldorf alumni in your years since SMWS? If so, did you feel a kinship? 

Absolutely, and funny enough they have all been in the entertainment industry. In 2012 when I did my senior placement in NYC I stayed with an entertainment lawyer who had kids in the Brooklyn Waldorf School. She has become an incredible and invaluable mentor to me over the years.

Describe those people (be they actors, scientists, lawyers or other) who inspire you.

Oh man, cue the waterworks as I think about the hundreds of people who have inspired and supported me over the years. At the moment I am inspired daily by the people I work with in the theatre. These are people I have admired from afar for years, these are ensemble members who perform FULL OUT every night, eight shows a week with a passion and energy that is tangible from the back of the house. These people are Tony and Oscar winners who give their time, advice and support graciously. These people are kind, these people show a loyalty and compassion I assumed I would not find in this industry. These people are my friends and I am humbled to call them such….but mostly these people inspire me to keep going in an industry that will give you 100 “no’s” for every one “yes.”

What are some of your fondest memories from SMWS; what were some of your greatest challenges?

Performing…I mean come on… A production I didn’t have to audition for? I had no idea how good I had it! The memories from the stage at SMWS are some of my happiest and that is something I pull from when this city and industry start become too much and the joy of acting fades.

Greatest struggle: math. It’s been 1,467 days since I graduated, and I have not used Algebra once. Just saying… I’m looking at you, Mr. York.

What quote plays itself in your head these days as inspiration? (could be a song lyric too)

“You are enough, you are so enough, it’s unbelievable how enough you are.” – Sierra Boggess

An interview with Annie Moger, class of 2001

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Since your years at Shining Mountain, can you give us an overview of what adventures have taken place (school, travel, work, marriage, where you are living now, more!)?

After graduating from Shining Mountain I started working towards a music degree at CU. Halfway through I auditioned, on a whim, for the Duquesne University Tamburitzans and was accepted, so I transferred to Pittsburgh – which was good since I met my future husband on day two. I toured with the Tamburitzans for two years while finishing my degree, and stayed at Duquesne for a graduate degree, also in music. After that I kept performing (primarily Argentine tango), got into arts management, and eventually became the executive director of Chamber Music Pittsburgh for a couple years. My husband and I got married in Bulgaria (my husband’s home country) and we spend time there each year. We now have a wonderful two-year-old daughter and I’m currently staying at home caring for her.

As a Waldorf student, you had access to and experience in all the arts along with the sciences. What was it about music that called you to pursue it?

I wish I knew! I don’t remember how I got the idea to play the violin – it was just always something I knew I desperately wanted and had to do. When it came time for college, I knew that if I went into a different field I wouldn’t realistically keep up with violin and it was a part of my life I didn’t want to end yet. As for music in general, I think it’s always been a way for me to experience and process emotions, to feel connected to the greater network of human experience, and to understand the world and my place in it. I think that in music one can find that which is common to all people blended beautifully with that which makes us all unique, and that, to me, is very attractive.

Building on the question above, what today inspires you to play, collaborate and perform?

On the surface, I just love doing it. I love playing with people, connecting with them through the art, glimpsing into different cultures and musical traditions, and creating something beautiful and greater than myself. It’s a way I can share myself with the world. On a deeper level, though, I think that music is an incredibly powerful agent of healing, understanding, and connection which are all things that I think the world at large needs right now. I think music puts us in touch with the best of who we are and puts our individual worlds into perspective with the global human experience, which is very liberating. Really it’s what all the arts do, I just happen to relate to music the best and I’m incredibly grateful for being able to be a part of it.

How was it to come out of a school and community that supported you artistically and creatively and step into the often highly competitive professional world of classical music? (and on a side note – I am not sure if you are playing only classical or more / other as well so I may rephrase the question depending on your answer)

It was hard, honestly. Waldorf education is fantastic in that, as you mentioned, it instills a love of many different subjects, so it’s always been hard for me to dedicate myself fully to just one area. Although I learned classical music while growing up, I also chose to focus on traditional Scandinavian music and other extracurricular activities rather than immersing exclusively into the classical world with youth orchestras, summer music camps etc. The majority of students who go into music school, however, have been focusing primarily if not only on classical music for years. So on the one hand, there was definitely a feeling of being behind in certain areas and of suddenly being a very small fish in a very large ocean. But on the other hand, strictly classical musicians often struggle with being able to play anything else, any other genre, anything that isn’t written out…and that’s where I found I ultimately had a strength. In the end, I’m happy I did things the way I did. I love classical music, but not exclusively, and I think the path I took led me to a musical life that is much more fulfilling than a purely classical one would have. 

What sustains you and gives you energy in your daily life? Why?

Right now I’m finding it really exciting introducing my daughter to new things in the world, new games, new experiences, new skills, and watching her learn and thrive. It’s nice revisiting all the things I love to do, remembering ones I have forgotten over the years, and sharing them all with her. That and the thought of how much there is that I still want to do. There’s a lot more music in me but I also want to write books, learn languages, go hang gliding, see a hundred different places…and I feel that there’s a lot more I can do with whatever knowledge and skills I’ve developed to give back, help others, and make the world a better place. There’s so much life to experience and each day is a chance to absorb a little more and give a little more.

Can you describe a few cherished memories from your SMWS years?

There are so many good memories – class plays, class trips, the Halloween Journey, the spiral garden, the shepherds’ play, so many amazing stories and main lessons, senior vision fast, the pentathlon, Michaelmas…too many to count.

If you were to set your life thus far to a soundtrack, what music (composers, songs, artists) might it consist of?

Wow, I don’t think I could even begin to say. It would be really varied. Everything from Beethoven to the Beatles, Irish jigs, tangos, Scandinavian fiddle, movie soundtracks…

If you were to give advice to a young musician today, what might you tell them?

First, that practicing and having good technical skills is only half the battle. If you want to “make it” as a musician then you need to be an entrepreneur ready to make good business decisions, marketing plans, networking and all the rest. So you have to make a point of gaining all that knowledge. And secondly, that in today’s world there are a million different ways to be a musician and it’s important to think about the one that will work for you and your desired lifestyle so you can keep your passion alive. Growing up I always thought it was my dream to be an orchestral musician, but when I got to college I found out that orchestral parts aren’t my favorite to play and the lifestyle would demand that I work many evenings and weekends – not great for the kind of family life I wanted. For me it worked out better having a day job and being able to focus on only doing the music projects I was passionate about rather than constantly needing to put them aside for gigs that would make ends meet. It’s not simple or easy, but with the world more connected now than it ever has been before, I think everyone can find a way to have a fulfilling musical life within a lifestyle that makes them happy.

SMWS Alumna Jane Bright (2014) Wins Anderson Scholarship at Denison U.

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jane-brightSMWS Class of 2014 alumna, Jane Bright (pictured, left), has recently won the prestigious Anderson Scholarship for Excellence in Science for 2016-2017 at Denison University!

Ms. Bright is currently a dual Mathematics and Physics major at Denison. She is one of only two students receiving the award this year. She has been awarded with full tuition to complete her studies while at Denison, as well as receiving a funded independent research opportunity.

She began her education in the Early Childhood Education program at Shining Mountain Waldorf School and continued through high school to graduate in 2014. Congratulations, Jane!

To read more on the Denison University website click here. 

 

Alumni News: Linde Chappelle (2006) Receives Jared Polis Foundation Award

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SMWS Alumna Linde Chappelle Receives Jared Polis Foundation’s 2016 Teacher Recognition Award 

????????????????????????????????????Every year since 2002, the Jared Polis Foundation has honored 10 Colorado public school teachers during the National Teacher Appreciation Week in early May. This spring, Linde Chappelle, SMWS Class of 2006, was selected as one of the 10 honorees statewide! Nominations for teachers across the state were received for this prestigious award.

 Ms. Chappelle currently teaches 5th grade at the  Mountain Sage Community School, a Waldorf inspired charter school in Fort Collins, Colorado. The letter of nomination had this to say about her:

“Linde Chappelle is a highly organized teacher with a deep love for all of her students. Although she is only in her second year of full-time teaching, she shows a wisdom beyond her years. She sees each child as an individual learner and cares about each of them in a deep and enduring way.

…Linde is a phenomenal teacher who is devoted in heart and mind to her students, her parents, her colleagues and our entire school community.”

 Congratulations, Linde!

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linde3

 

Striving for the Health of All – An interview with Emily Little, class of 2001

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GardenSister

What was the first thing you ever wanted to be? Does any /all of that long ago dream fit into what you are doing now?  

When I was in the sixth grade, I wanted to be a pilot. In retrospect, I can’t remember if that was the inspiration for or as a result of my first research project. Nonetheless, I loved the process of picking a topic, going to the library and learning all that I could about how airplanes fly, and then figuring out how to demonstrate Bernoulli’s principle with a blow dryer between two ping-pong balls hanging on dental floss from either side of a chopstick. I was thrilled to demonstrate that the balls were pushed inward, which is counterintuitive but follows physical laws. Now, I am an epidemiologist. I work with teams of scientists and doctors to design and conduct studies about the health of populations and to communicate these scientific results… so yes, I guess my long ago dream fits exactly with what I am doing now but not in the most obvious way!

You chose an all women’s college after graduating SMWS; what were some of the reasons for this, and how was your experience there?

 Mills is a small liberal arts college in the San Francisco Bay Area that allowed me to declare a dance major as an incoming freshman while beginning to complete pre-medical requirements and to cross-register at Berkeley if I wanted to take classes that they didn’t offer. This seemed like the right balance for me, as both the prospect of declaring a science major and going to a larger university were intimidating. Mills made me feel comfortable without limiting my options. I can’t recall exactly how the fact that Mills is an all women’s college factored into my decision, but I remember some ambivalence. It also just felt like the right place when I visited in the spring of my high school senior year. My experience at Mills was challenging. It was more academically rigorous and socially awkward for me than I anticipated, but the perfect learning environment for me. Mills uncovered a few of my unconscious biases early on, especially with respect to gender, and prepared me to be a woman in science and in leadership roles in a way that I would not trade.

Creativity and the emphasis on its importance is such a large part of Waldorf education. How might you describe your creativity and your creative outlets and how they serve you today?  

My creativity is generative, but more inclined towards crafting the right situation than towards self-expression. I like planting seeds and watching them grow. I like building teams and facilitating their accomplishments. My garden and work are my greatest creative outlets today.

 If you were to look back at your life thus far and create a form drawing, what would it look like? (Can you draw and describe it?);)

Well, I don’t know. I’m not sure if it would be that symmetrical- probably not! 

Can you share one of your fondest memories of your time at SMWS? 

 I liked my class and always loved class trips. Perhaps senior trip is my fondest memory. I still take trips to see my classmates whenever possible – these have continued to be fond memories! 

Lastly, what words of wisdom might you share with our soon to graduate Class of 2016? 

The first thing that pops into my mind is our school yard song about making new friends and keeping the old ones, but I wouldn’t worry too much about who is silver and who is gold. Just make friends and keep them. 

Inventing for Life – An interview with Alex Pacanowsky, class of 1999

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alex1

When you graduated from SMWS, what were your plans for the near and far future? And how have these changed over the years?

When I graduated from high school I wanted to become an expert in human-machine interfaces and to help people with disabilities re-enable their lives. I planned on living in Seattle. I am pretty sure I planned on owning a Porsche and living in an amazing modern home.

Presently I work as a design engineer for a technology startup in Salt Lake City; previously I worked for my own Seattle based medical device company. I don’t own a Porsche and probably never will. All things considered my life has unfolded much as I dreamed it would back in high school, with two very notable exceptions: Jack and Finn.

I think it is only natural for high school students to have a very self-centered view of their future. Today I have a beautiful wife Kerry, an incredible almost five year old boy, Jack, and an adorable one and a half year old, Finn. The biggest change in my view of the future now, compared with high school, is that now I am no longer at the center of the story; I am no longer the protagonist. In the past I wanted my future to make a mark on the world and I wanted the world to take. Today I see myself as a member of my family, and my plans for the future revolve around our collective success and happiness, independent of what the world thinks.

As for my plans for the far future, I always remember Ms. Sexton talking about her mid-life career change. I believe she was a defense attorney turned Waldorf English teacher. I often think about making a similar change. Sometime way out on the horizon of my imagination I see myself becoming a high school science and engineering teacher. I think I would really enjoy working with high school students and the opportunity to spend summer and school breaks with my family would be priceless.

As an engineer and entrepreneur, how do ideas come to you / find you, or do you find them?

One of my strengths is being Futuristic. I spend all together too much time day dreaming about what might be. It often interferes with my ability to just be in the present. From all that day dreaming I have learned that ideas are a dime a dozen. The real challenge is in the execution of those ideas. For an idea to become successful you can’t just dream it, you have to make it a reality, and that requires convincing the people around you that the idea has merit and that they should join in supporting you. The real magic happens when the right people come together around the right idea and decide to make it happen together; the trick is to surround yourself with the right people.

You’ve worked for other engineering (firms? companies? – help me here…) and created your own companies. What led you to move away from working for someone else?

I have worked at a large US Department of Energy laboratory, and for a three person startup, and a handful of organizations of various sizes in between. I don’t think it’s the size of the organization that matters, or who owns it. For me, it’s the amount of freedom I have to be creative and to grow.

Large corporations are often rigid and too structured. Startups typically lack structure and there is more freedom, but depending on the resources and the stage the startup is in, it can be very stressful and demanding. I think for me the sweet spot is finding a company that encourages me to explore my interests and trusts me to do my own thing. It’s all the fun of working for yourself, but you get to outsource the stress to someone else. It’s not going to make me rich, but it does make me happy.

Today I also really enjoy having the flexibility to come and go when necessary to be with my family. I think most of the people I know work too much. There is nothing wrong with working hard, and you are lucky if you love what you do, but there is a lot of pressure out there to work long hours, and it is a rare company that ask you to work hard and then sends you home when there is nothing left to do. My current employer does that and it makes me very happy. 

Can you tell us a little bit about your inventions and patents? 

alex2The project I have been most proud to have been a part of is a company I co-founded called Cadence Biomedical. Cadence makes an exoskeleton system that helps people with limited mobility to walk. It has been very effective for stroke survivors, for people with partial spinal cord injuries, and for some people with degenerative diseases. The device is very simple, and requires no electronics, motors or batteries. It simply stores energy that is typically wasted when we walk and applies that energy to assist weakened muscles when they need it most. It does that with a very simple spring and pulley system.alex3
Last year, I needed a space heater and was annoyed at how ugly they all were and how much floor space they took up. This inspired me to design a heater hidden inside a piece of artwork that could just hang on the wall. That way it would not take up any extra space, and could be appreciated year round. I finished the design work last fall, and we sold our first units around Christmas time. Now anyone can buy one at heartwarmersprinting.com (don’t blame me if you don’t like the name, I had nothing do with the marketing). You can even upload your own photo and have it turned into heated artwork for your office or home.

alex4This summer, I am working on custom cooling devices. Peltier junctions are these very cool electrical devise that get hot on one side and cold on the other side when you run a current through them. I am trying to use them to make tiny coolers for items that are hard to cool. I am not sure what the final product will be: A single soda/beer cooler than plugs into your car? A car seat cooler to keeps the car seat from getting too hot when the car sits in the sun during the summer? If anyone out there has a better idea, please send it to me at alex.pacanowsky@gmail.com

If you were to go back to high school today, what might you tell your past self?

Life is not a race. There is no rush. When you are younger there are all these obvious milestones and it can be tempting to rush to cross them off, but when you are older, no one will care about the schedule or sequence you followed to become an adult. Just enjoy the moment. 

If a current SMWS high school student knocked on your door today, what advice would you give them?

I would tell them that there is no substitute for actual experience. It is not enough to study something, to know someone who has done something, or to have the potential to do something. What really counts is having done it, so go do it. 

What is one of your fondest memories of your time with SMWS?

I loved project week, all of them. It was always so exciting to get away from campus and off into the greater world.   The timing always seemed to be just right as well. Not too long after school started in the fall. It was a nice way to truly ease back into the school year.

What was your least favorite thing to do during your time at SMWS? If you did it today, would you still not like it? 

Eurythmy, and no, I probably still would not like it.

Alumni News :: Letters Home | by Paisley Sheehan (2015)

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paisley-sheehanIf someone had told me a year ago where I’d be today, I probably wouldn’t have believed them. That being said, I had no idea what to expect for my life after SMWS. Going to the same school for thirteen years made it difficult to imagine something different, but nevertheless I was excited.

I started last semester at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction. Having lived in Boulder my entire life, I was excited (and nervous) to explore a new place. True, Grand Junction is in Colorado, but on the other side of the Rocky Mountains, it definitely wasn’t Boulder.

During the first semester in college, learning is done outside of the classroom as much as it is inside it. I loved all the classes I was taking. Some topics were familiar but others were completely new material. New experiences weren’t limited to the classroom. I loved exploring the Colorado National Monument and I have never had so much fun trail running.

On campus, it was hard to get used to living with someone who had completely different lifestyle habits than I did. My roommates, while friendly enough, couldn’t understand that I actually enjoyed so much physical activity.

I tried to start a triathlon club with three other people I met, and we came back to Boulder to do a race in September. It was my first college triathlon, and I had a blast doing a triathlon and knowing I had teammates out on the course. That was probably what I missed most about high school: being on a team.There is something about a group of people working together that I absolutely love. Special kinds of friendships are made through teamwork.

Over the next few weeks, it was hard going back to living with people who I had nothing in common with and I kept thinking about how much fun I had had in that triathlon in September. In early November I applied to CU because I realized I wanted to be somewhere where I could be surrounded with likeminded people. It took being away from Boulder to appreciate how great Boulder really is and to realize that I’m a Boulder girl.

Fast forward a few months, and I’ve now been at CU for three weeks. I joined the triathlon team and have made a lot of new friends and have had a ton of fun training with them! It was crazy having to start all over again, but I’m glad I did because I’ve found a place where I have 100 other teammates who love to do the same thing as me.

“Wethering” it In Style – An Interview with Rustin Coburn, class of 1999

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rustinIn one to two sentences, describe what you do.

I come up with new ideas, and then try to execute on those ideas. Some of them end up turning into projects, companies, organizations, and products that work. I try to always build things that matter and make this world a little bit better.

As we certainly both remember ever so well, our time at Waldorf was filled with stories, myths, fables and biographies. If you were to look back on the myths, legends and more we learned about, which story or stories do you feel you resonate most with today?

Oh wow… I wish I had a better memory. It sounds cliché but I have always resonated with both Leonardo Da Vinci and Abraham Lincoln. I connect with Da Vinci for his creativity and ingenuity, and with Lincoln for his tenacity and hard work.

If you were to give your life story a title today, what might it be? (First thought = best thought!)

The Unexpected and Endless Curiosity

Name 5 qualities or traits in other people that are most important to you.

  • Free Thinking
  • Wit
  • Hard Work
  • Love
  • Honesty

When you think back on your years at SMWS, what memories first come to your mind?

Some of the most prominent memories I still have, would be the “Main Morning Lessons” with the whole class, both during grade school and high school. Not until later in life did I realize how special that time was… every day of every year, all learning together and building deep into each subject. Those were great memories.

What inspires you today? OR – why do you do what you do (work / life / more)?

The amazing people I have the privilege to know and experience life with inspire me every day. I am also inspired to constantly explore better ways to live a life of the highest potential. How do we optimize the human experience, while also making the world a better place? How do we balance living a great life every day, as opposed to always living for the future?

I believe we are blessed to live in the best time ever… we have more awareness, knowledge, and resources then we ever have. However, we are also faced with some serious, serious global issues that are threatening to destroy everything. We get this opportunity to actually solve the world’s largest problems… how exciting and crazy is that? So if we are not putting our efforts, and our work, towards solving these problems (even in a small daily way), then what is the point?

You are a teacher yourself now in many ways (whether as guide, business coach,  mentor or other). How would you describe your teaching style?

I listen, learn, and guide. I probably take a slower approach then most, which has a lot to do with empowering someone’s own internal energy and their fire for life. Most of my time as a mentor and teacher is spent sharing and developing strategies on how to better live an intentional life, full of purpose both in work, relationships, and personal time.

What’s your superpower, or what’s your spirit animal?

Superpower = Finding something Positive in every situation

Spirit Animal = GRIZZLY BEAR

What does your year ahead look like?

I plan to continue growing and expanding what I am currently doing, while having as much fun as possible. Working hard on things that matter, enjoying the important people in my life, taking care of my own health, fitness, and nutrition, and building creative communities that can scale.

Bellwether has a big year ahead, and a lot to live up to. I will also start looking into doing our second location. Unfiltered has recently been hired by some major Colorado and National clients for Marketing, Brand Strategy and Design work, so that will be a huge focus of mine this year as well. UnLIFE will be in its third year, and we are looking to do some pretty special things.

Anything else that you would like to share?

Life is really crazy and unexpected, yet it can be so amazing and fun if you let it be. Sometimes all we need to do is simplify. Let go of all the ego and craziness in our heads, and just live. Yes it can be ugly, and scary, and frustrating, but that is also part of what is beautiful and enjoyable.

Live a life of freedom, love what you have, and above all else be true to yourself.