A Collaborative Interdisciplinary Team
Photo from our first vision gathering.
NICKOLAS JEKOGIAN, |||
CEO Signature Group Investments
Nickolas W. Jekogian, III, is a real estate entrepreneur, an extreme athlete, and an advisor to and investor in a number of social enterprises.
Nick is President and CEO of Signature Group Investments and its related subsidiaries. With over 25 years of real estate development and investment experience he has been a principal in more than $2 billion in investments, 5,000 residential units, and over 1 million square feet of retail space.
Mr. Jekogian serves as Chair of the Board of Presidential Realty REIT; Manager of Earlystage.nyc fund, a technology investment fund; and Advisor/Board Member for portfolio companies.
Nick has competed in marathons, ultra—marathons, multi—day races and triathlons in distances of over 280 miles. He and his brother published a book, Your Turn, about their experiences in the sport.
Mr. Jekogian is an advisor to various social enterprises for Ashoka and TED fellows worldwide. He serves on the board of Paradigm Initiative Nigeria, a social enterprise that prepares and connects Nigerian youth with career op— portunities in technology. He is also a long—term member, former NYC chapter Chair, and region board member of YPO (Young Presidents Organization).
When not traveling the world, Jekogian resides in NYC with his wife, Yael, and two teenage daughters.
JENNIFER LUCE, FAIA
Owner and Principal at LUCE et studio
Jennifer Luce, FAIA is founder of LUCE et studio, a multidisciplinary architectural practice in southern California with expertise in architecture, interior architecture, and urban design. The studio’s projects have been featured in exhibitions including a retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art,La Jolla (2009), the California Biennial at the Pasadena Museum (2010) and Wunderkammer at the Venice Biennale (2012). Luce was named Design Vanguard by Architectural Record in 2005 and has received 21 awards from the American Institute of Architects. In 2016, Jennifer was elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects. Currently she is an Appointed Director to the Harvard Alumni Association, sits on the Advisory Board of LAND in Los Angeles and is a Shimizu Visiting Professor at Stanford University.
JAMES A LORD, ASLA
Principal at SURFACEDESIGN INC.
James founded Surfacedesign in 2001. His 27 years of experience and design vision lead the firm’s diverse portfolio of award—winning landscapes. Through leadership and innovative design, James has established Surfacedesign’s international reputation in urban design and sustainable landscape architecture in such notable projects as Highbrook, Longbay, Auckland International Airport, Western Reclamation —Wynyard Wharf, 3 Kings, and the Parks at Stonesfields as well as the AIA—award winning Smithsonian Masterplan, Golden Gate Bridge 75th Anniversary Plaza, and ASLA award—winning IBM Plaza in Honolulu. James’ ideals—balancing culture, ecology, and design vision meets fiscal realities to create poetic spaces and experiences.
ALAN WILLIAMS
President at Carmel Development Company
Alan Williams is President of the Carmel Development Company, a design build firm with over forty years of experience in the Monterey Peninsula. Williams has overseen the planning and development of numerous large parcels on the Peninsula, including the Del Monte Forest Preserve and Pebble Beach Masterplan, Tehama, Monterra, Historic Mission Ranch and York Highlands. Williams also led the development of the Canada Woods Water Company, a water company that serves the Tehama, Monterra and York Highlands site. Williams’ projects have garnered numerous accolades for their excellence in design and commitment to sustainability, including the Governor’s Award for the Historic Preservation of Mission Ranch, A Golden Bear Award for the development of the Canada Woods Water Company, and numerous awards from the American Institute of Architects.
NICK TRUM
Chief Community Officer
Nick Trum is an avid “connector” of people, ideas and opportunities, which lead to the discovery of a land parcel now known as Walden Monterey. Assisting Nick Jekogian during the establishment of this team, Nick Trum set out to recruit the best minds in the sustainable spaces to come together for the first Walden vision gathering. Following demand to repeat similar thought-provoking conversations in nature, Nick has continued to bring together diverse groups of thought leaders with the goal of creating actionable solutions to world problems through the Walden Gathering.
PETER RUMSEY, PE
CEO + Founder of Point Energy Innovanns
Peter Rumsey, PE, FASHRAE, CEM is the Founder of Point Energy Innovations and is internationally recognized for his innovation and leadership in the sustainability and energy efficiency fields. He has designed more LEED Platinum, Zero Energy and radiant cooled buildings than any other engineer in the United States. Peter is an ASHRAE Fellow, Senior Fellow of Rocky Mountain Institute and a professor at Stanford University. In 2012, the Association of Energy Engineers awarded him the International Renewable Energy Innovator of the Year. In 2013 he was honored by ASHRAE with the Engineering Award of Excellence, only awarded 4 times in ASHRAE’s 100—year history.
MUNDANO
Graffiti Artist + Activist
Mundano is a Brazilian street artist and activist whose work makes people stop and think about the issues swirling around them everyday. In 2007, he began using his graffiti skills to paint “carrocas,” the wooden and metal carts used by the trash collectors throughout Brazil who haul offjunk and recyclables. He painted 200 carrocas and in the process made these invisible superheroes visible — not only in the streets, but also in the media. The effort led to “Pimp My Carroca,” which made this initiative do-it-yourself, crowdfunded and global. At home in Brazil, Mundano works on other projects too. Since 2008, he has used the posters and banners that plaster Brazilian cities during elections to create thought—provoking art. The global significance of his work as a street artist was elevated when he was recognized as TED Fellow in 2014.
MARK COLEMAN, M.A.
Mindfulness Meditation Teacher and Author
Mark is an inner and outer explorer, who has devotedly studied mindfulness meditation practices for three decades. He is passionate about sharing the power of meditation and has been teaching mind— fulness workshops and meditation retreats in six continents for the past fifteen years. Mark holds a MA in Clinical Psychology and works individually with people as an executive coach and consultant. He is a senior meditation teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, a renowned leader in the mindfulness field, and teaches regularly with pioneering teachers such as Jack Kornfield and Sharon Salzberg. Mark is the author of Make Peace with Your Mind: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Help Free You from the Inner Critic, and Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Path of Self—Discovery.
I N S I G H T S Janelle Orsi | Lindsay Rob | Ken Little | Jared Brick | Andrew Sacks | Nick Trum | Jonny Lowndes | David Friedman | Aura Oslapas | Tom Scott | Lori Krause A R C H I T E C T S Eric Miller | Jonathan Feldman | Josh Larson l Carrie Shores | |rit Axelrod | Anne Fougeron | Megan Hannon | Dixon Lu | Don Gurney | Tai Ikegami Ann Worth | Kei Tsukamoto | Laith Sayigh L A N D S C A P E A R C H I T E C T S Michal Kapitulnik | Roderick Wyllie | Gita Khandagle | Bernard Trainor | Ron Lutsko | Laura Jerrard | Terri McFarland | Paul Kephart B U I L D E R S Bill Hayward | Brian Larkowski l Drew Maran | Tommy Howard | Lucas Eastwood | Steve Ankeny | Guillaume Bazouin | Guille Castaneda S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y Jeff Hosea | Jeff Roberts | Peter Rumsey | Arthur Mitropolisa A R T I S T S Risa Puno | Michael Troutman | Kelly Lehmann | Rose Bruno | Ben Strauss-Malc | Liz Armstrong | Sean Monaghan | Michele Armitage