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Staff
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Charlie McConnell, Director
Charlie heads up its senior management team at Dartington Schumacher College. He is also a member of the senior management of The Dartington Hall Trust.
Charlie is a political scientist and has worked for over thirty five years in both the UK and internationally in community development education and in the consumer movement. He has also held lecturing posts in further and higher education. Former jobs include CEO of the Community Education Council, European and Public Affairs Director of the Community Development Foundation, CEO of Carnegie UK Trust and Head of Community Development with the Scottish Government. He was for five years the Secretary General of the International Association for Community Development and was the first Chair of the UK’s professional training standards body for community learning and development. He has written and edited several books and has advised the Council of Europe, UK and Scottish governments on community empowerment. He joined the college in 2008.
Email: c.mcconnell@dartington.org
Tel: +44 (0)1803 847050
Mel Risebrow, Deputy Director
Mel is responsible for the management of Schumacher College.
He came to the College in 2005 after a varied career in senior management in business and charities. For six years he created and ran a successful business in London and before that worked as Director of Marketing and Public Affairs for the British Diabetic Association. Mel’s favourite aspect of the College is the integration of the land, food, cooking and community commitment into the learning process, which ‘produces a kind of magic that is easier experienced than described.’
Email: mel.risebrow@schumachercollege.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1803 860056
Satish Kumar, Visting Fellow and Creative Director, Dartington Tagore Project
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In addition to his role teaching at Schumacher College, Satish has recently taken on a new position, overseeing the Tagore Festival which will take place in 2011. The Festival will celebrate the 150 year anniversary of the birth of Rabindranath Tagore, the Bengali writer and social reformer who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 and was a huge influence in shaping the vision of the Dartington Hall Trust.
When he was only nine years old, Satish Kumar renounced the world and joined the wandering brotherhood of Jain monks. Dissuaded from his path by an inner voice at the age of eighteen, he left the monastic order and became a campaigner for land reform, working to turn Gandhi’s vision of a peaceful world into reality.
Fired by the example of Bertrand Russell, he undertook an 8,000 mile peace pilgrimage, walking from India to America without any money, through deserts, mountains, storms and snow. It was an adventure during which he was thrown into jail in France, faced a loaded gun in America – and delivered packets of ‘peace tea’ to the leaders of the four nuclear powers. Read more
To find out more about a course with Satish, Walking with the Earth Pilgrim, click here.
Click here to read more about how Rabindranath Tagore inspired the development of Dartington.
Click here to read about Resurgence, which Satish edits
Email: c/o: admin@schumachercollege.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1803 865934
Stephan Harding, Resident Ecologist and MSc Co-ordinator
Stephan oversees the MSc in Holistic Science, teaching on the core models and as part of several of the short courses at the College.
Stephan was born in Venezuela in 1953. He came to England at the age of six with his father and housekeeper, with whom he spoke Spanish (his mother tongue) at home. Since childhood Stephan has had a deep fascination with the natural world, and his scientific cast of mind lead him to do a degree in Zoology at the University of Durham and then a doctorate on the behavioural ecology of the muntjac deer at Oxford University. Read more
Email: stephan@schumachercollege.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1803 860059
Philip Franses, Lecturer in Complexity and Holistic Science
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In September 2009 Philip joins the MSc in Holistic Science Faculty as teacher of complexity. Born in 1958 in England, Philip studied mathematics at New College Oxford from 1976 to 1980. Academia’s dull explanation of the world inspired Philip on a counter-journey into the depths of experience, travelling and a re-sensitisation to quality. In 2005, after a fifteen-year career designing intelligent software, culminating in a programme now used in The Netherlands by all Dutch courts, Philip had a chance encounter with Satish Kumar and was moved to come to Schumacher as an MSc student. Here he was especially inspired by the work and scientific approaches of Goethean scientist Henri Bortoft, the physicist Basil Hiley and the late Brian Goodwin, professor of biology. Philip now runs local workshops in Goethean science, offering people a foundation to a “whole way” of seeing the world; and with Basil, Philip began the forum Process and Pilgrimage, inaugurated in 2009 at Birkbeck College. From 2006 Philip worked with Brian on a computer model exploring the interpretation of meaning within the DNA code. Taking up Brian’s work on complexity and chaos theory has also led to an exciting partnership with Aboca herbal health company, restoring the whole herb as the qualitative source of health.
Email: philip@schumachercollege.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1803 869947
Toni Spencer, Course Leader for the Schumacher Certificate in Education for Sustainability
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Toni Spencer is the Course Leader for the Schumacher Certificate in Education for Sustainability, a part-time vocational programme in holistic, transformative education.
She brings with her diverse experiences in the fields of sustainability and design. Previously she was a Lecturer in Eco Design at Goldsmiths College, following a career in design and trend forecasting: as founding design editor of Wallpaper* Magazine and as an independent designer and consultant. She then spent a few years immersed in wider ideas and practices of change, working with The Institute of Contemporary Arts and Forum for the Future amongst others. She holds an MSc in Responsibility and Business Practice from Bath University. Previously she was Co-Director of Social Venture Network UK and on the advisory boards of [Re]Design and Attainable Utopias.
Hailing from London, via living in an eco community in Dorset, Toni divides her activities beyond Schumacher College between Embercombe – as a freelance course leader and facilitator, Transition Town Totnes adventures, foraging, facilitating ‘The Work that Reconnects’, and other creative projects.
Email: toni@schumachercollege.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1803 869941
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Bethan Stagg, Living Classroom Educator
Bethan co-ordinates the garden operations and teaching on the Certificate in Sustainable Horticulture, a one-year course being run in partnership with Duchy College. Bethan has had a passion for plants since the age of six, when she started learning the names of plants in the garden and local wasteland. Bethan has a BSc in biology from University of Bristol and an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation from the University of Leeds and has worked in a variety of roles relating to ecology and local food initiatives, including allotment regeneration and farmers markets. As well as working part-time at Schumacher Bethan works at University of Plymouth teaching environmental surveying to student and community groups for a national project called Open Air Laboratories. Bethan lives in nearby Berry Pomeroy and enjoys canoeing, cycling and walking on Dartmoor with Doris the dog.
Email: bethan@schumachercollege.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1803 865 934
Heather Gillard, Administrator
Heather is the administrator/receptionist at Schumacher College. She deals with general enquiries and administration. She takes care of participants from the time of their first enquiry to their arrival at the College. Before her arrival at the College in 2001 she worked as office manager for Kindred Spirit magazine. Prior to that she made a change of direction and downshifted after more than fifteen years of working for the US Government as UK Sales Manager for the Stars and Stripes newspaper. Her favourite place in the College is the window seat in the library at the opening meeting at the start of a new course, listening to new participants introducing themselves. ‘How incredible to be able to go to work and meet such an amazing assortment of wonderful people from all over the World.’
Email: admin@schumachercollege.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1803 865934
Melanie Stewart, MSc Administrator
Melanie administers the MSc in Holistic Science course, giving support to the academic tutors and the students. She works three days a week at the College, and her remaining time is occupied with studying complementary therapies, healing, astrology and related subjects. Before coming to Schumacher, Melanie had worked in central London for many years: in business marketing for the Financial Times and more latterly in government communications in Whitehall. Melanie has a BSc degree from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (Linguistics with Music) and in the Autumn will qualify as a reflexologist. When she left London she was keen to align her working life with her core values: ‘It’s fantastic to be working in a place dedicated to exploring and developing more authentic paradigms for living as opposed to the pursuit of profit and power without care for the environmental and social consequences.’
Email: melanie@schumachercollege.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1803 869943
Lisetta Tripodi, PA to Charlie McConnell and Mel Risebrow
Lisetta supports Charlie McConnell and Mel Risebrow in their busy roles. Prior to starting at Schumacher she worked as a PA at the Met Office in Exeter, and before that she spent five years as desktop-publishing secretary for the Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York. She has several years’ experience as a PA, both within the Health and Education sectors. She also has experience as a typesetter for a design company and typesetting house, and as a proof-reader for the BBC Monitoring Service.
Email: schupa@schumachercollege.org.uk
Tel: 01803 860058
Inga Page, Programme Manager
Inga manages the short course programme at Schumacher College, as well as arranging partnership courses and external lets.
Inga has worked at the College since 1994, and took over management of the short course programme in 2008. She studied philosophy at the University of Bristol, then moved to San Francisco where she worked in community conflict resolution, studied for an MA in International Relations and became active in the movement against US intervention in Central America. Her interest in the work of Vandana Shiva brought her to Schumacher College in 1992, and soon after she returned to the UK and moved to Devon. She lives in Ashburton with her husband, daughter and a flock of chickens, and is gradually digging up the lawn and expanding the food-growing areas in her garden. “Schumacher College is constantly evolving – the lovely people that work here and attend courses, and the vibrancy of the ideas they bring, means that working at Schumacher is never ever dull!.”
Email: i.page@schumachercollege.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1803 860052
Anna Lodge, Marketing and PR Co-ordinator
Anna co-ordinates promotion, marketing of courses, website activity and press work at Schumacher College.
Previous to working at Dartington Schumacher College and after a period managing at a restaurant in France she was Events Manager at the Refugee Council in London. Prior to this she worked for the BioRegional Development Group co-ordinating the green lifestyles project on the pioneering housing and office development BedZED. Anna has an MSc from the London School of Economics and BMus from the University of East Anglia. Her favourite thing about Schumacher College is the energy created by the people here – participants, staff, teachers volunteers, and visitors.
Email: publicity@schumachercollege.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1803 860054
William Thomas, House Manager
William manages accommodation, physical resources and I.T. systems, whilst being resident caretaker.
William graduated in Psychology, worked on BBC Radio Bristol as an interviewer, and has trained in massage and counselling. He gave up all thought of a career at an early age, but spent several years manufacturing giant wind chimes. He believes that beansprouts could save the world.
Email: william@schumachercollege.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1803 869940
Wayne Schroeder, Catering Manager
Wayne oversees catering at the College. He started working in January 2001 and has the challenge of keeping the College on the cutting edge of food policy with regard to organic, fair-trade and local ingredients. He used to work as a food technologist for a Marks & Spencer based company in South Africa where he grew up. He has also trained and worked as a chef and cheese-maker in Scotland and as a baker in Switzerland.
Wayne lived at Findhorn for 11 years where he underwent a process of learning to serve. His service now involves inspiring others to consider sustainability issues through food, both within the College, in other organisations and the wider community.
Wayne is also a qualified Craniosacral therapist.
Email: wayne@schumachercollege.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1803 860051
Julia Ponsonby , Senior Caterer
Julia coordinates the catering two days a week when Wayne is with his cranio-sacral patients. Before the birth of Stephan and Julia’s son Oscar in 2001, Julia worked full time as the Catering Manager and put together the college cookbook Gaia’s Kitchen which won the Gourmand World Cookbook Award for best veggie cookbook in 2001. Julia has been at the College since the beginning and occupied various roles- including being a participant on the first course (Gaia theory 1991). She originally came to the College to deepen her knowledge of ecology so as to become a more effective member of the Green Party.
Before moving to Devon she worked for Westminster City Council and the medical charity Lepra. Prior to this she studied Social Anthropology and Philosophy at the University of East Anglia. ‘I have always loved cooking, but never thought I’d end up as a professional cook! Only at Schumacher College where the steamier side of the culinary world eclipses under the banner of team work and love of good fresh local food could I have enjoyed catering for so long. It’s exciting to see the importance of food (preparation, sourcing and growing) being put at the forefront of some of the cutting edge movements of today – the Transition movement and the Slow Food movement – and to realise that as a learning ground for holistic cooks, the College kitchen has a lot to contribute.’
Email: julia@schumachercollege.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1803 860051
Sarah Bayley, Kitchen Assistant
After making the leap from suburban Surrey to deepest Devon, Sarah and her husband joined an intentional community on Dartmoor. It was here that her vegetarian cooking skills flourished and she realised how nurturing food could be for people. When the vacancy at Schumacher arose, she jumped at the chance – to learn from Wayne and Julia was an opportunity not to be missed!
Sarah lives in nearby Totnes and enjoys playing on her allotment in her spare time.
Email: c/o: admin@schumachercollege.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1803 860051
Jonathan Rae, Development Director
Jon is a member of the senior management team at Dartington Schumacher College co-ordinating sustainability on the Dartington Estate and developing a new partnership outreach service to accelerating transition to an equitable low carbon economy through support for change agents across sectors
Jon is a geographer and social anthropologist with 15 years working nationally and internationally in community empowerment, economic development and habitat conservation. He has also held lecturing posts in higher education, Former roles include fellow with the Consultative Group in Agricultural Research based in Syria, a variety of roles with the Sustainable Development Division of the Food and Agriculture Organisation, United Nations and a short stint with the World Bank on convening environmental scientists across the Middle East Peace process.
Jon has worked on disaster relief with Save the Children and had roles with a variety of other local and international NGOs. Before coming to Dartington he led the development and implementation of the £2.3m rural development and climate change ‘Purbeck Keystone’ programme. Jon is now Chair of the Torbay Culture and Environment Partnership and Trustee to the Quarry and Sculpture Trust. He has contributed chapters to 5 books as well as articles to a range of journals.
Jon has Doctorate in Geography and Anthropology from University of Oxford, a Masters in Environmental Management from Stirling University and a BSc in Business Finance and Economics from George Mason University, Virginia. He is married with one son.
Email: j.rae@dartington.org
Tel: 01803 869948 / 01803 847035
Susie Smith, Interim Marketing & Development Manager
Susie joined Schumacher College in September 2008 to co-ordinate marketing & publicity before taking on a new position of Interim Marketing & Development Manager working across the Sustainability and Social Justice departments at Dartington.
In her current role Susie is exploring new ways in which Dartington can help Local Authorities and businesses embed sustainability into their own activities while at the same time assisting the Social Justice department to develop a marketing function for research in practice the research network for children’s services.
Susie has worked in a variety of marketing roles across the third sector dealing extensively with young people, their teachers, parents, schools and partner organisations. Previous positions include self employed Marketing Advisor to start-up businesses, Fundraiser for The Vegetarian Society (of the UK), Schools Liaison Officer for North Trafford College and later Trafford College in Manchester and Marketing Co-ordinator for a Sheffield Law firm.
Susie has a degree in Business with a specialism in Marketing from the University of Sunderland.
Email: Susie@rip.org.uk
Tel: Mon/Tue +44 (0)1803 865934 Wed/Thu/Fri +44 (0)1803 867692
Julie Richardson, Director Landscope
Julie is responsible for Landscope, the program on sustainable land use on the Dartington Estate.
Julie has over 20 years international experience working across a range of sectors and organisations covering different aspects of sustainable development. She has worked as a senior environmental policy advisor to the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit and as Principal Sustainability Officer for Jonathon Porritt’s Forum for the Future. Here her work included advising the business sector on how to incorporate sustainability issues into their corporate strategy including measuring and reporting their wider social and environmental impacts.
In 2005, Julie was awarded an MSc in Holistic Science (with distinction) at Schumacher College and since then has undertaken a range of projects to show how new thinking in science can be applied to sustainable development. This includes a report for the Design Council on sustainable design in the UK and a scoping study on how holistic science can inform environmental policy making for the Environment Agency. The new Landscope project at Dartington arose out of this work.
Julie has published widely, including her most recent co-authored book, The Triple Bottom Line: Does It All Add Up? The book highlights a fresh approach to organisational performance that takes account of environmental, social and economic impacts.
Email: j.richardson@dartington.org
Tel: 01803 849390
Kate Hewett, Learning Manager
Kate is manager of the Devon School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE), which is a partnership of SSE UK, Dartington and local partners.
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After a degree in modern languages and six years working in strategy and marketing in the technology industry, Kate changed direction to align her work more closely with her personal values. A strong interest in helping people change and develop led to her working in training, initially as a yoga teacher and later moving into international development. Prior to joining the Devon SSE she spent three years working for a not-for-profit organisation where she focused on designing and managing practical skills training for people involved in multi-sector partnerships.
Kate has maintained her passion for yoga, so in her spare time she will often be found teaching classes or standing on her head.
Email: k.hewett@dartington.org
Tel: +44 (0)1803 847066
For more information about our visiting teachers please click here
Schumacher College is part of the Dartington Hall Trust, a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and as a charity (company no. 1485560, charity no. 279756). Registered office: The Elmhirst Centre, Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon TQ9 6EL, UK.