Reconnecting for a Just and Regenerative Future
April 11–13, 2025

There is no ecological liberation without collective liberation!

Join us for a transformative three-day in-person or virtual conference at Naropa University, the birthplace of contemplative education, as we celebrate 50 years of visionary learning.

The conference will focus on social-ecological justice through a collective liberation framework, addressing our current polycrisis and envisioning pathways toward a just, resilient, and regenerative future for all. Engage in dynamic discussions and hands-on workshops that challenge the status quo and inspire courageous action to resist ‘Business as Usual.’

What You Will Experience

Join us at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado to experience:

Authentic Community Connection: Engage deeply with like-minded individuals, fostering lasting relationships in a vibrant academic atmosphere.
Interactive Learning: Participate in small group workshops and discussions that encourage collaboration and creativity. Engage in social events, art, poetry, and music that offer additional avenues for connection and relaxation outside formal sessions.
Nourishing Meals: Enjoy delicious, healthy meals that fuel your body and mind throughout the event, while providing opportunities to connect over shared dining experiences that enhance networking.
Participate in somatic practice experiences to build even more capacity for resiliency and wellness.
Experience spring in the Rocky Mountains while creating friendships and stories to last a lifetime!

Conference Schedule

Registration

At the Reconnecting for a Just and Regenerative Future Conference, we believe that access to knowledge and community should not be limited by financial constraints.

To honor the diverse experiences and systemic challenges faced by individuals in our community, we are proud to introduce our Pay It Forward / Pay What You Can pricing model with pricing at set intervals between $108–608. See The Gift Economy: Pay It Forward / Pay What You Can Pricing Option.

Conference Schedule

FRIDAY, APRIL 11

SATURDAY, APRIL 12

SUNDAY, APRIL 13

COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT

FRIDAY, APRIL 11

SATURDAY, APRIL 12

SUNDAY, APRIL 13

COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT

Luminaries

We are proud to present our initial lineup of keynote presenters. We will announce more luminaries in coming days. In addition to our keynote luminaries, we will also feature an exciting lineup of somatic practice, meditation, yoga, art, and community-based offerings. This lineup will be announced closer to the conference.

Jeanine Canty, PhD

The Cradling Revisited

The Cradling is a classic and beautiful experiential exercise included in both the original and updated versions of Coming Back to Life by Joanna Macy and Molly Young Brown. It is a practice that supports the work of both “seeing with new eyes” and “gratitude”, while also supporting us to “honor our pain for the world.” In this hour-long session, we will do an updated version of The Cradling situated in our present times. Participants should be prepared to work with a partner, lie on the floor (with cushioning), to touch and be touched via their heads, arms, hands, legs, and feet, and to experience deep emotions. Come Cradle!

Jeanine M. Canty, PhD, is a professor of transformative studies at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) in San Francisco, telecommuting from Boulder, CO. Formerly the chair of environmental studies at Naropa University, she continues to teach at Naropa and at Pacifica Graduate Institute’s ecopsychology certificate program. A lover of nature, justice, and contemplative practice, her teaching intersects issues of social and ecological justice, ecopsychology, and the process of worldview expansion and change. She is author of Returning the Self to Nature: Undoing our Collective Narcissism and Healing our Planet (Shambhala Publications, 2022) and her most recent edited book is an expanded, second edition of Ecological and Social Healing: Multicultural Women’s Voices (Routledge, April 2025).

Eileen and the In-betweens

a queer leftist folk group based in Albuquerque, New Mexico with extensive touring experience across the US and Canada.

Michelle Gabrieloff-Parish

Michelle Gabrieloff-Parish brings over 28 years of experience uniting sustainability with social justice. As a former U.S. State Department BoldFood fellow (Uganda) and U.S. delegate for the Colorado River in Mexico, Michelle has represented her community on national and international stages. Amplifying voices at the intersection of equity and environmental stewardship, she has served on the Colorado Water Equity Partnership and the State of Colorado’s Biochar Working Advisory. She has seeded multiple social impact ventures including: Candelas Glows nuclear guardianship project, “Once and Future Green” consulting firm, and FLOWS (Foundations for Leaders Organizing for Water and Sustainability), a local Environmental Justice organization highlighting and building Frontline community leadership in sustainability, racial justice, and beyond.

Michelle coaches Frontline communities, governments, and institutions in community-led climate solutions with transformative anti-oppression and ecological design tools. Michelle is also a mother, permaculture educator, and a poet, currently featured at Meow Wolf Denver.

Adrián Villasenor Galarza, PhD

Adrián Villasenor-Galarza, PhD, is devoted to explore the sustainable and regenerative expression of humanity’s deep potentials. He is the author of of “Bioalchemy,” “Sanación ancestral,” “Corazón del cielo, corazón de la tierra,” “El llamado silvestre de la naturaleza,” “El Gran Giro” and the Spanish translator of Joanna Macy’s and Molly Brown’s seminal book “Coming Back to Life: The Updated Guide of the Work That Reconnects.” He works with groups and individuals internationally on personal transformation, elemental healing, eco-ritual, and earth education.

Joel Glanzberg

Joel Glanzberg is an applied naturalist with nearly four decades of experience, residing in the North Fork Valley of Western Colorado with his three children. As a founding member of Regenesis Group, Flowering Tree Permaculture Institute, and Pattern Mind, Glanzberg integrates Living Systems Thinking, Permaculture, and Tracking/Wayfinding to help people remember our original living pattern perspective. His approach aims to help people effectively play their human role as community regenerators by rediscovering the patterns of life revealed in the tracks around us.

Throughout his career, Glanzberg has collaborated with a range of clients, including academic institutions such as the California Academy of Sciences, Northern Arizona University, University of Arizona, UC Santa Cruz, and the University of New Mexico. He has also worked with organizations like the Traditional Native American Farmer’s Association, Kiss the Ground, Farmer’s Footprint, and Newland Communities, as well as numerous local communities.

Glanzberg’s expertise in permaculture and living systems design has been recognized in publications such as “Gaia’s Garden” and “Designing for Hope,” which document his early work at the Flowering Tree Permaculture Institute. His contributions to the field have earned him honors from the Center for Sustainable Environments at Northern Arizona University and the Museum of Northern Arizona for his work with traditional crops and agriculture in the American Southwest.

Lydia Violet Harutoonian

Lydia Violet Harutoonian is a modern-day renaissance woman, combining her scholarship, leadership skills, spiritual passion, and musical talent to create spaces that grow personal inspiration and community development. Her passions for justice, education, and healing come through in the myriad of programs and performances she is a part of every year, whether collaborating with First Nations in Canada, herbalists in Costa Rica, prison activists in Scotland, or American feminist hip hop artists. She founded and runs the School for the Great Turning, an educational organization based on her 14-year-study with international activist and scholar Joanna Macy. Through the school Lydia facilitates spaces for education and healing for hundreds of students every year, both online and in-person.

Mutima Imani

Queen Rev. Mutima Imani is an internationally recognized facilitator, speaker, and author specializing in transformative practices that awaken personal and collective potential for a thriving global society. As the convener of Awaken to Love and a dedicated steward of the Work That Reconnects (WTR), Mutima brings a decolonized, inclusive lens to themes of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) in social and environmental activism. Drawing on a wealth of experience as a spiritual leader and healer, Mutima intertwines ancestral wisdom, deep ecology, and community-based practices to address the root causes of oppression, disconnection, and ecological collapse.

Mutima is the author of The Promise of the Great Turning, a groundbreaking exploration of how Joanna Macy’s WTR spiral can evolve to address the polycrisis of our time. With a focus on healing intergenerational and racial trauma, nurturing resilience, and fostering liberation, She empowers individuals and communities to navigate the transition toward a just, regenerative future.

Monica Mueller—Lenz Foundation Joanna Macy Center Residential Fellow

Monica Mueller, PhD, is a philosopher and educator with a passion for the world and a commitment to fostering understanding and collective action. Currently on sabbatical from Portland State University, she holds a doctorate in Ethics and Social/Political philosophy from Binghamton University. Her work spans various philosophical domains, including Feminist Philosophy, Environmental Ethics, and Phenomenology. Monica is dedicated to anti-oppression advocacy and transformative education, particularly in carceral settings. She authored “Contrary to Thoughtlessness: Rethinking Practical Wisdom” and approaches her teaching and research with both playful curiosity and academic rigor.

Eileen O’Shaughnessy—Joanna Macy Center Nuclear Guardian Fellow

Eileen O’Shaughnessy—Joanna Macy Center Nuclear Guardian Fellow – (she/her) is a fourth generation Irish-American nuclear abolitionist organizer, educator, and musician living on Tiwa lands in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Eileen teaches courses on nuclear issues, environmental and racial justice, and gender studies at the University of New Mexico and the Central New Mexico Community College. She is completing a PhD in Educational Thought and Sociocultural Studies at UNM. In 2016, Eileen co-founded the grassroots organization Demand Nuclear Abolition (DNA). DNA is a multi-racial and multi-generational space for students, activists, and artists to dismantle nuclear colonialism through education, activism, and art. When she’s not teaching, Eileen is also a professional musician and plays original social justice folk music solo and with her band “Eileen & the In-Betweens”, which has toured around the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

Kathleen Rude

Kathleen Rude is an environmental activist, shamanic practitioner, and author with a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and an M.S. in Natural Resources from the University of Michigan. Her passion for environmental advocacy began at age 10, leading to a 15-year career as an environmental writer. Initiated into indigenous spiritual practices by Blackfoot, Northern Ute, and Lakota elders, Kathleen is also a senior facilitator of The Work That Reconnects, mentored by eco-philosopher Joanna Macy. She serves on the leadership team of the Work That Reconnects Network. She has authored the novel The Redemption of Red Fire Woman and is currently writing How To Be An Every Day Difference Maker. As a board member of Nuclear Energy Information Service, she promotes sustainable renewable energy and the abolition of nuclear power. She is passionate about blending her diverse experiences to inspire others in creative engagement for a just, regenerative, diverse and thriving world for all.

Ian Sanderson—Joanna Macy Center Earth Guardian Fellow

Ian Sanderson – Joanna Macy Center Earth Guardian Fellow – is a member of the Mohawk Nation’s Turtle clan from Ontario, Canada, has dedicated over 25 years to fostering awareness and reconnection with self, community, and nature. With a background in Indigenous Studies and extensive experience in outdoor education and community-based programs, he currently serves as core faculty in Environmental Studies at Naropa University. Sanderson’s work spans diverse contexts, from wilderness settings to urban environments, integrating Indigenous, Eastern, and Western philosophies to promote personal transformation and socio-ecological change. He co-owns the Boulder Quest Center, teaching To-Shin-Do ninjutsu, and is involved with the Joanna Macy Center, applying complexity and Indigenous systems-thinking to inspire revitalization

Lesley Joy Quilty

Lesley Joy Quilty is a creative consultant, leadership presenter and coach, facilitator of psychedelic-assisted ceremonies, and professional clown.

Lesley’s work as a clown began in the Findhorn Community in Scotland, where she has lived and been a student of Joanna’s since 1986. Trained at Dell’Arte School of Physical Theatre in northern California, initiated through many years of touring theatre and circus in North America and the UK, Lesley was employed for fifteen years as a Clown Doctor in children’s hospitals and hospices throughout Scotland, supporting and empowering children with life-limiting illnesses and their families. As Racy the ‘Eco-clown Consultant’ she creates and performs at environmental, educational and corporate conferences and events. She believes in the power of insightful humor to increase compassion, courage and connectedness and to fuel positive change.

More About the Conference

Naropa University serves as a leader in higher education known for embracing inner discovery and learning. This conference will explore Dr. Joanna Macy’s powerful experiential technology, “The Work That Reconnects,” awakening social-ecological interconnection through themes of the 4 Dimensions of the Great Turning: Holding Actions, Life-Sustaining Systems, Shifts in Consciousness, and Nurturing Life.

Participants will engage with facilitator-scholars in eco-dharma, climate resiliency, nuclear guardianship, regeneration, permaculture, social justice, and more while developing practical skills for personal and collective transformation.

Interested in volunteering, sponsoring, or general questions? Please contact reconnect@naropa.edu.

All conference details are subject to change.

Online Option

If you can’t attend in person, don’t worry, all plenary events will be livestreamed for online participation. And we have opportunities for online participants to connect and network too.

Bonus to All Conference Guests

As a bonus, all attendees will have on demand special access to video recordings from the conference and 6 unique live webinars with our Joanna Macy Fellows and scholar practitioners, following the conference to further our commitment in creating an ongoing community of just and regenerative change makers.

Together, we’ll explore how to reconnect with ourselves, each other, and the living Earth to create a more just, regenerative, and resilient world. Register now to secure your spot!

The Gift Economy: Pay It Forward / Pay What You Can Pricing Option

We recognize that systemic oppression and economic disparity affect many individuals differently. Our goal is to create an inclusive environment where everyone can participate, learn, and grow, regardless of their financial situation. This initiative is designed to:

Eliminate Financial Barriers: We want to ensure that cost is not a barrier to attending our conference. By offering flexible pricing, we aim to make our event accessible to all.
Honor Diverse Experiences: We acknowledge the various forms of systemic oppression that impact economic stability. Our pricing model reflects our commitment to inclusivity and respect for the unique challenges faced by individuals in our community.

How It Works

Pay What You Can: Attendees are invited to select a ticket price that aligns with their financial situation. Whether you can contribute the full amount or a reduced fee, your participation is valued. Tiered Pricing: $108, $158, $208, $258, $308 (cost of attendance), $358, $408, $458, $508, $558, $608. Anything more than the designated cost of attendance supports others in being able to attend, anything less is considered a discount. We are happy to offer these rates to you on the basis of gift economy.
Pay It Forward Option: For those who are able, we encourage you to consider contributing above the standard ticket price of $308. Your generosity will help subsidize tickets for others in need, fostering a spirit of community support and shared growth.
Confidentiality and Respect: We understand that discussing finances can be sensitive. This option is designed to be respectful and confidential, allowing you to choose what feels right for you without judgment.

Reconnecting for a Just and Regenerative Future
April 11–13, 2025

There is no ecological liberation without collective liberation!

What You Will Experience

Conference Schedule

Registration

Conference Schedule

Dimensions: Shifts in Consciousness

Dimension: Life Sustaining Systems & Practices

Dimension: Nurturing Life

Going Forth

Luminaries