CohoUS is pleased to announce the following speakers for
“What is Cohousing?” the kickoff event for the 2020 Simple Series.
Presenting: Cohousing Vocabulary
Ann Zabaldo is a pioneer professional in the cohousing movement. She specializes in outreach education, marketing, and fueling the fires of burning souls. She was a consultant to EcoHousing Corporation for the development of award winning Eastern Village Cohousing in Silver Spring, Maryland and Takoma Village Cohousing in Washington, DC where she lives with 65 adults, 20 children, nine dogs and waaay too many cats. She is also a financing partner for Liberty Village Cohousing near Frederick, MD. Ann is past-president of the Cohousing Association of the United States, and a founding board member of Mid Atlantic Cohousing, a regional non-profit organization focusing on the art of living in community. Together with Janice Blanchard of Aging Better, Together she co-led the first ever Aging In Community Collaboratory, a 17 month exploration by 18 people from five cohousing communities intent on creating a path to life-long living in their respective communities. She is a Study Group 1 certified facilitator, a program of McCamant & Durrett Architects fostering Senior Cohousing. Like Warren Buffet, she tap dances to work everyday to find out what new cohousing adventure awaits her.
Presenting: Intentional Relationships
As a Facilitator and Consultant, Joe Cole supports communities and non-profit organizations in developing cooperative skills, collaborative governance, and conflict transformation. Joe has a PhD in Philosophy, and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He was one of the original residents of Pacifica Cohousing Community, and is a member of Hart’s Mill Ecovillage, North Carolina. Joe is the author of “I’m Not a Racist, But Racism is in Me” (Communities Magazine #178) and “Skill Building for a Culture of Collaboration” (Communities Magazine #181).
Presenting Social Infrastructure:
Wasatch Commons Neighbors
Vicky Wason has lived at Wasatch Commons in Salt Lake City, Utah since it first began in 1998. She and her husband Mike raised two children in cohousing. For many years she has served on the “welcoming committee.” She and her family have benefited from community living and she enjoys sharing her experience with others. She also teaches English as a Second Language at the University of Utah.
Linda Reed moved into Wasatch Commons in the initial phase in 1999, and claims that you could not get her out with a team of horses. She loves living with neighbors and the continuous learning experiences provided. She has served as Management President, bookkeeper, and on various committees, and helped develop many of the procedures and processes, with the cooperation of the community. Now retired from the University of Utah, Linda happily has far less time on her hands, working with non-profits and caring for grandchildren.
Marina Price moved into cohousing with her husband, Scott, about 9 years ago. It was completely by accident. Usually, “accidentally” is not a great way to join cohousing, but in this case, it was prefaced by so many brainstorming sessions about what a great neighborhood would look like. “Wouldn’t it be great if we could share some of this lawn equipment and reduce the waste?” “I love how some neighborhoods have regular block parties.””I wish we actually knew our neighbors better.” When they happened upon what is now their home at Wasatch Commons, it was almost as if they wished it into being. Since then, through good times and tough times, Marina has learned so much more about connection and collaboration. She is very grateful for her neighbors and for happy accidents, and can’t imagine living any other way.
Presenting: Physical Structures
Mary Kraus, AIA, LEED BD+C is a cohousing architect and facilitator who has worked with over two dozen communities in the US and Canada over the past thirty years. She was a founding board member of the Cohousing Network (now Coho US). She lives at Pioneer Valley Cohousing, the first cohousing community in the eastern US, where she can be found preparing dinner in the common house kitchen with her cook team.
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