2013 Conference Speakers
The BALLE Conference assembles the leading Localist speakers from across North America and beyond, to create an unparalleled lineup of inspiring and interactive programming. Below are the currently confirmed speakers, with more speakers being added weekly.
Gar Alperovitz
Lionel R. Bauman Professor of Political Economy, University of Maryland, Washington, DC
Gar Alperovitz, Lionel R. Bauman Professor of Political Economy at the University of Maryland, is cofounder of The Democracy Collaborative. He is a former fellow of the Institute of Politics at... [Read More]
Aaron Bartley
Executive Director, PUSH Buffalo, Buffalo, New YorkAaron Bartley is the co-founder of People United for Sustainable Housing (PUSH Buffalo), which mobilizes residents to envision and implement sustainable development projects that improve housing... [Read More]
Janine Benyus
Author, Biologist, Founder, The Biomimicry Institute, Missoula, Montana
Janine Benyus is a biologist, innovation consultant, and author of six books, including Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature.
In 2005, Janine founded The Biomimicry Institute (TBI), a... [Read More]
Sarah Bishop
Executive Director, Buffalo First!, Buffalo, NY
Sarah Bishop is the executive director of Buffalo First!, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to foster a more just, sustainable, and local living economy in Buffalo and Western New York... [Read More]
Mark Brand
Owner, Save On Meats, Star of Gastown Gamble, Vancouver, British ColumbiaThe first language Mark Brand learnt to speak was Arabic, he played the spoons in Nova Scotia and DJ’ed with platinum artists in Australia. Through growing up and experiencing a multitude of... [Read More]
Adrienne Maree Brown
Facilitator, Detroit Food Justice Task Force, Detroit, Michigan
Adrienne is a facilitator, writer, artist, and doula living in Detroit. In addition to being a BALLE Fellow, she is currently a facilitator for the Center for Whole Communities and a contributing... [Read More]
Mitch Cahn
President, Unionwear, Newark, NJ
Mitch Cahn is the president of Unionwear, a manufacturer of headwear, bags, and workwear in Newark, NJ. Mitch started Unionwear in 1992 with fifteen sewers and a contract to make... [Read More]
Francisco Cervera
CEO and Co-founder, eMoneyPool, Phoenix, AZ
Francisco Cervera is the CEO and co-founder of eMoneyPool, a private microfinance company helping the underserved access capital, build assets and establish their credit. Francisco is a steering... [Read More]
Catherine Covington
Senior Program Associate, RSF Social Finance, San Francisco, CACatherine Covington is a senior program associate in Philanthropic Services at RSF Social Finance in San Francisco, CA. Aside from a brief stint in public accounting, Catherine has spent most... [Read More]
Jess Daniel
President, FoodLab Detroit, Detroit, MI
Jess Daniel is co-founder and chief enabler at FoodLab Detroit, a growing community of food businesses who work together within a broader movement to make healthy, fair, ecologically sound food a... [Read More]
Alfa Demmellash
Co-founder and CEO, Rising Tide Capital, Jersey City, NJ
Since 2004, Alfa Demmellash, a native of Ethiopia and graduate of Harvard University, has been the CEO of Rising Tide Capital. Headquartered on Martin Luther King Drive in Jersey City, the... [Read More]
Steve Dubb
Research Director, The Democracy Collaborative, Takoma Park, Maryland
Steve Dubb is Research Director of The Democracy Collaborative and has worked for the Collaborative since 2004. Dubb is the principal author of Linking Colleges to Communities: Engaging the... [Read More]
Patrick Finan
Founder & Principal, Block Club, Buffalo, NY
Patrick Finan is the founder and principal of Block Club, a Buffalo-based branding and marketing agency working to build and strengthen brands for forward-thinking companies and organizations,... [Read More]
Eileen Fisher
Founder, Eileen Fisher Inc., Irvington, NYIn 1984, Eileen Fisher started EILEEN FISHER for a very personal reason: she was having trouble getting dressed. At the time she was working as an interior and graphic designer. In hermind she kept... [Read More]
Deborah Frieze
Author, Walk Out Walk On,
Deborah Frieze is an author, entrepreneur and social activist. Her award-winning book (co-authored with Margaret Wheatley), Walk Out Walk On: A Learning Journey into Communities Daring to Live the... [Read More]
Jamie Gauthier
Exeutive Director, SBN Philidelphia, Philadelphia, PAJamie Gauthier joined SBN in March 2013 as Executive Director. In this role, she is responsible for implementing policies set by the Board and for providing financial, programmatic, and... [Read More]
Merrian Goggio-Borgeson
Researcher, Lawrence Berkeley National Laborator, Berkeley, CAMerrian is a researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). Her work focuses on the financing and deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy, and workforce development... [Read More]
Lewis Goldstein
Executive Marketing Director, Organic Valley, La Farge, WI
CROPP’s Executive Director of Marketing came to Organic Valley in July of 2011 from the east coast. If anyone had told him he’d end up in Wisconsin, he would have said they were crazy.... [Read More]
Angie Hawk Maiden
President and CEO, Appalachian Center For Economic Networks (ACEnet) and ACEnet Ventures, Athens, Ohio
Ms. Maiden joined the ACEnet staff in July 2004 as the Director of Business Innovation and became CEO/President of ACEnet and ACEnet Ventures February 2006. Her charge is to expand a regional... [Read More]
Nikki Henderson
Executive Director, People's Grocery, Oakland, California
Nikki Henderson is the Executive Director of People's Grocery in West Oakland, CA, and has spent the last 10 years in service to the economic development, health and nutrition, and education... [Read More]
Elissa Hillary
Executive Director, Local First, Grand Rapids, MI
Since 2007, Elissa Hillary has served as the Executive Director of Local First, an entrepreneurial nonprofit working to build a sustainable West Michigan economy. Her energy and creativity have... [Read More]
James Johnson-Piett
Principal/CEO, Urbane Development, LLC, New York, NYMr. Johnson-Piett is responsible for the overall management of operations and strategic vision for Urbane Development, a community development venture based in New York City. He specializes in... [Read More]
Jenny Kassan
CEO, Cutting Edge Capital, Oakland, CA
Jenny is CEO of Cutting Edge Capital, a consulting firm that helps small businesses raise community capital and pioneers tools for a more inclusive and values-driven economy. Jenny Kassan is... [Read More]
Fran Korten
Publisher, YES! Magazine, Bainbridge Island, WA
Fran is Publisher of YES! Magazine, an award-winning media organization that fuses powerful ideas with practical actions for a just, sustainable, and compassionate world. Under her leadership, YES!... [Read More]
Mickki Langston
Executive Director, Mile High Business Alliance, Denver, CO
Originally hailing from Southwest Kansas' rural ranching and agriculture community, Mickki has called Colorado home since 1999. Recognizing the need to reclaim our power to envision, create and... [Read More]
Kimber Lanning
Executive Director, Local First Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona
Kimber Lanning is an entrepreneur and economic specialist who works to cultivate strong, vibrant communities and inspire a higher quality of life throughout Arizona. Lanning is actively involved... [Read More]
David Levine
Chief Executive Officer, American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC), Washington, DC 
David Levine is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of the American Sustainable Business Council, a growing coalition of business networks, associations and individual businesses, committed to... [Read More]
Angela McKnight
Founder and CEO, AngelaCARES, Inc., Jersey City, NJ
Angela McKnight is the Founder & CEO of the 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization AngelaCARES, Inc. AngelaCARES, Inc. is headquartered in Jersey City, NJ with its first chapter in Las Vas,... [Read More]
Nipun Mehta
Founder, ServiceSpace.org, Santa Clara, CANipun Mehta is the founder of ServiceSpace (formerly CharityFocus), an incubator of projects that works at the intersection of volunteerism, technology and gift-economy. What started as an experiment... [Read More]
Susan Miller
Senior Director of Community Engagement, BALLE, Oakland, CASusan Miller is a seasoned professional with experience in consulting, business development, public policy, and economic and financial analytics. She currently serves on the board of WorldLink... [Read More]
Stacy Mitchell
Senior Researcher, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Washington, DC
Stacy Mitchell is a senior researcher with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and directs its initiatives on independent business and community banking.
An advisor to business groups, grassroots... [Read More]
Birju Pandya
Managing Director, Armonia, New York, NYBirju Pandya focuses on the nexus of money, social good and inner transformation. He is a Managing Director with Armonia, a private equity firm specializing in 'impact investing' using nature... [Read More]
Billy Parish
President and Co-founder, Mosaic, Oakland, CA
Billy Parish is Founder and President of Mosaic, a marketplace for clean energy investing, that was recently named one of the world’s 10 most innovative companies in energy by Fast Company. In... [Read More]
Jamila Payne
BALLE Board Member, ,Jamila Payne, is an entrepreneur and author who ran one of the early internet-based women’s apparel retail businesses selling independent designers. She is now founder and president of National... [Read More]
Mike Pearson
CEO & President, Union Packaging, LLC, Yeadon, PennsylvaniaMichael K. Pearson (“Mike”) is CEO and President of Union Packaging, LLC (“UP”). Established in 1999, UP is a Yeadon, Pennsylvania based maker of earth-friendly Food Service... [Read More]
India Pierce Lee
Program Director for Neighborhoods, Housing and Community Development, Cleveland Foundation, Cleveland, OHIndia Pierce Lee joined the Cleveland Foundation in 2006 as program director for neighborhoods, housing and community development. She oversees the foundation's Greater University Circle... [Read More]
Stacy Price
Executive Director, Think Local First DC, Washington, DCStacey Price has over 12 years of experience working with independent business in the roles as business owner, community developer and consultant. Currently in Washington DC she advises closely with... [Read More]
Matthew Raker
Vice President Entrepreneurship & AdvantageGreen, AdvantageWest, Fletcher, NC
Matthew Raker serves as Vice President of Entrepreneurship and AdvantageGreen. As director of AW’s entrepreneurship efforts, Matt works closely with regional partners to ensure WNC is home to a... [Read More]
Jennifer Risley
Program Manager, Monadnock Buy Local, Keene, NH
Jen Risley is co-founder of Monadnock Buy Local, a four-year old Local First network in southwestern New Hampshire. She uses the power of social media to leverage her group’s reach and... [Read More]
Sarita Role Schaffer
Director; Regional Coordinator, Viva Farms; WSU Immigrant Farming Program, Mount Vernon, Washington
Sarita Role Schaffer cofounded GrowFood, a nonprofit that connects new farmers to internships, apprenticeships, and hands-on education on more than 2,600 sustainable farms and food projects in the U.... [Read More]
Benzi Ronen
CEO, Farmigo, Bay Area, California
Benzi Ronen, founded Farmigo - bringing the farmers’ market online, connecting food communities -- such as workplaces, apartment complexes, community centers and schools -- directly to multiple... [Read More]
Paul Saginaw
Cofounder, Zingermans' Community of Businesses; Board Member of BALLE, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Paul Saginaw, BALLE Treasurer, and Ari Weinzweig opened Zingerman's Delicatessen in March of 1982 in an historic building near the Ann Arbor Farmers' Market, with a staff of two, a small... [Read More]
Gina Schaefer
Owner, A Few Cool Harware Stores, Washington D.C.Ms. Schaefer, along with her husband, Marc Friedman, is the owner of nine Ace Hardware stores in Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD. As a member of the Ace Hardware Cooperative, Ms. Schaefer has... [Read More]
Otto Scharmer
Founding chair, Presencing Institute, Boston, MADr. C. Otto Scharmer is a Senior Lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and founding chair of the Presencing Institute. Scharmer chairs the MIT IDEAS program and helps groups of... [Read More]
Michael Shuman
Director of Community Portals, Mission Markets, Silver Spring, MDMichael H. Shuman is an economist, attorney, author, and entrepreneur, and Director of Community Portals for Mission Markets in New York City. He’s also a Fellow of three organizations:... [Read More]
Bonnie C. Smith
President, Westminster Economic Development Institiative, Inc., Buffalo, NY
Bonnie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish Literature from SUNY Albany and a Master’s degree in Industrial Safety Engineering from Kennedy Western University.
She began her career as a... [Read More]
Kate Sofis
Founding Executive Director, SFMade, San Francisco, CAKate is founding Executive Director of SFMade. A public-‐private partnership launched in 2010 and already viewed as a new national model, SFMade it is the only organization of its kind focused... [Read More]
Matt Stinchcomb
Vice President, Values and Impact, Etsy, Brooklyn, New YorkMatthew Stinchcomb, 37, is Etsy's VP, Values & Impact. In this role he oversees the stewardship of the company's mission and values, and works to maximize the positive impact Etsy... [Read More]
Craig Taylor
Executive Director, Office for Business and Community Economic Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MNCraig Taylor is currently the founder and Executive Director of the Office for Business & Community Economic Development and the Business & Technology Center at the University of Minnesota.... [Read More]
Elizabeth U
Executive Director, Finance For Food, West Marin County, CAElizabeth Ü is Executive Director of Finance for Food, a nonprofit which educates food system entrepreneurs and others about financing opportunities. She previously served as manager of... [Read More]
Judy Wicks
Author; Founder, White Dog Cafe, Philadelphia, PAJudy Wicks, BALLE Cofounder and Board Chair Emeritus, is an international leader and speaker in the local-living-economies movement, Judy Wicks is former owner of the White Dog Café, acclaimed... [Read More]
Sandy Wiggins
Principal, Consilience LLC, Washington, DC
Sandy Wiggins is Principal of Consilience, LLC a national consultancy with a mission to build environmentally, socially and economically sustainable buildings and communities. His skillful... [Read More]
