Our Advisory Circle
Our Advisory Cirlce has a guiding role when navigating through a complex net of social power structures, economic systems, knowledges. They are our thought leaders and spiritual supporters, accountability partners, those that we can reach out to when in doubt, when celebrating successes, those that work in similar paths, those that work towards similar goals.
We were and are gifted with teachers and guides and value this immensely.
Mette Toft Nielsen works as a ground school teacher in Denmark, where her focus is on deconstructing the unhealthy power structures rooted in white supremacy that continues to create unequal learning spaces for different groups of children and young people. She is particularly interested in how we can create authentic relationships to the students and make sure each and every child and young person feels safe and comfortable to bring their full self to the school environment. She is invested in securing classroom settings where all individuals feel valued, appreciated and acknowledged for what they bring to the room just by entering the door. She is dedicated to embracing every person for who they are, with all their traumas, joys, hopes and dreams and insists on dismantling the structures that stand in their way for growing and flourishing in the way most sincere and healthy to them.
Kendall Norris is the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Information Officer with the Global Leadership Forum, an organization focused on connecting the world's leading STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) organizations who are engaging, educating, empowering and transforming under-served communities, and building tomorrow' workforce. His passions are people and education. He is accountable for developing and implementing the strategic direction, instituting transparency in the operations, compliance requirements, establishing effective fundraising programs and initiatives. He also partners with diverse communities to establish an inclusive organizational culture, and speaks for the GLF to enhance the public image, reputation and brand.
He is a member of the Board of Trustees at Fisk University, a Board Member of the College of Computing and Technology at Lipscomb University and the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation. He has led international mission teams and helps others transform their lives through his consultancy, writing, speaking and coaching.
Anna Zubrzycki was born and educated in Australia. For the last thirty years she has lived in Poland, working as an actress and teacher. She was the member, co-founder and main actress of the Centre for Theatre Practices ‘Gardzienice’ (1977–1992). In 1996, together with Grzegorz Bral, she co-founded Song of the Goat Theatre in Wrocław, an ensemble which places the greatest value in ensemble work and innovative actor’s training. Until 2014 she was the main actress and artistic director of the ensemble, as well as the leader of the two-year MA programme in acting. She teaches actors to establish contact with the source of the voice (both in speech and song) and how to use it as a fundament of a strong, authentic and bold presence on stage. She is the founder of the ‘Voices’ foundation.
On behalf of the Mindfulness Association (UK), she founded the Polish branch of the organization - Mindfulness Association Polska. She coordinates the organization of certified Mindfulness courses in Poland, and teaches mindfulness herself. He is a certified MBLC and CBLC teacher. She has been practicing mindfulness meditation since 1993.
Mieke Renders is the Managing Director of Trans Europe Halles. She was born in Belgium in 1975 and is passionate about culture and languages, having lived in several countries. She is a strong believer in the independence of cultural operators, and their capacity to self-organise in networks in order to achieve greater impact. Before she moved to Sweden, she was the general manager of the Flemish Cultural Center ‘De Brakke Grond’ in Amsterdam and worked as cultural attaché for Flanders House in New York. She has studied physical anthropology and arts management, which led her to start off in the museum and cultural heritage field, where she both worked as a curator and as a project manager. Many years later, she shifted more into the living arts and made connections between heritage and performing and visual arts. Networking is a passion, which she is currently developing for Trans Europe Halles.
Mutlu Ergün-Hamaz is an author, PhD candidate at the London School of Economics, Sociology Department and currently lives as a parent, consultant, performer, trainer, and social researcher in Berlin. Since 2001, Ergün-Hamaz has been a member of the anti-racist NGO Phoenix e.V. and works as a White-Awareness and Empowerment trainer. His research focuses on racialisation and empowerment in Germany.
Jonas Büchel, born in the summer heat of the mid 60's, learning the design patterns of life and joy in the parents' planning office and in an industrial small town of the Ruhr-area in Germany: Industry, mines, the 'never-ending-city', football with a strong emotional bond between humans and their industrial environment.
Studies of photography and design with continuing studies in social work, social planning and cultural management.
30 years of design, social & cultural work and creative urbanism practice in nearly all European regions. In the last 20 years concentrating on Germany, Croatia, Finland and the Baltic States, specifically Latvia.
Creative foci: Emotions, space and time - the individual and its groups.
Creative tools: Community development, moderation & mediation, urbanism, environmental perceptions, photography.
To observe and analyze, to foster individual and social freedom are the central elements of Jonas life and work.