[Sdpg] Thanks everyone for helping to Organize the 2013 3rd Southern California Permaculture Convergence happening this weekend in San Diego (SOLD OUT)

[Wesley Roe and Santa Barbara Permaculture Network]

Thanks everyone for helping to Organize the 2013 3rd Southern California 
Permaculture Convergence happening this weekend in San Diego (SOLD OUT)
http://socalconvergence.org/#

Thanks everyone for helping to Organize the 2013 3rd Southern California 
Permaculture Convergence happening this weekend in San Diego (SOLD OUT)

HERE is the History and thank you San Diego Permaculture Guild Organizers
Claudia F, Marianne West, Alden Hough, Ann Hough, Michelle Bernson, 
Diego Footer, Rashid “Ra” Gilanpour

The Southern California Permaculture Convergence is a collaboratively 
organized event involving multiple individuals who usually come from and 
represent multiple organizations, all joining forces to organize the 
Convergence. Members of the Convergence Organizing Team work mostly on a 
voluntary basis to serve the greater community.

Each Convergence, a new bio-region and new organizers step up and become 
involved on the Organizing Team, and help ensure the Convergence is 
carried forward and weaving together the great Southern California guild.

Some of the key organizers who have been involved in previous 
Convergences include Wesley Roe, Margie Bushman, Kolmi Majumdar, Warren 
Brush, Joan Stevens, Sean Jennings, Mary Jennings, Joey Soto, and Rashid 
“Ra” Gilanpour. Some of the key organizations who have been involved in 
the past include Quail Springs, Santa Barbara Permaculture Network, and 
the Los Angeles Permaculture Guild.



Claudia F – Claudia is the organizer of the San Diego Permaculture 
Meetup. When she does not have her hands in the dirt, she usually has 
them in some sort of trouble. She started dreaming up plans for world 
domination way before she received her PDC. If you see her around, give 
her a high 5 to keep her on her toes.

Marianne West - Marianne is the co-organizer of the San Diego 
Permaculture Meetup group and the organizer of the Lemon Grove Organic 
Edibles Garden Club. She is a Yoga Teacher, Master Composter, PDC 
graduate, Community Activist, Writer, but currently spends most of her 
time exploring and facilitating the Gerson Therapy for her husband and 
self. This is a nutritional therapy healing cancer and many other ailments.

Alden Hough – Garden Manager and Instructor, Sky Mountain Institute. 
Alden spent six years working and traveling in Asia. That experience 
made him want to live a simple life and treat the Earth as if it really 
mattered. Alden is a graduate of the internationally renowned Center for 
Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems program at the University of 
California, Santa Cruz. He is committed to organic gardening practices, 
regenerating the soil, and social justice. Programs take place at their 
seven acre demonstration garden and focus on hands-on training covering 
such areas as soil regeneration, water harvesting, and sustainable 
living, permaculture practices, helping others to develop organic 
gardens and localize food sources, and backyard food networking and 
information sharing. He has incorporated wild foods into his diet for 
many years.

Ann Hough – Managing Director, The Escondido Creek Conservancy. Ann 
moved from the UK in 2007 after a 25 year career working as an 
Operations Manager for Lloyds Bank both in the UK and in India. Her 
observations of the damage to the environment caused by globalization 
while in India caused her to change career paths and devote her energies 
to ‘right living’. She is a practitioner at Deer Park Monastery and 
lives with her husband, Alden, in Harmony Grove. In her spare time she 
helps Alden to run Sky Mountain Institute, a non-profit whose mission is 
to connect people with nature and teach them to live more sustainably.

Michelle Bernson – Landscape Designer & Consultant, Edge + Element 
Design. Michelle is a transplant from Washington State where she 
received her Bachelor’s in Landscape Architecture. She has spent the 
last three years promoting conversion of traditional landscape into 
edible or native plantings. She currently works as a designer and 
permaculture consultant.

Diego Footer – Owner / Operator, Permafornia. Trained as an engineer, 
currently working in resource investments, Diego has always had an 
interest in gardening and growing plants. He has a passion for 
acquiring, promoting, teaching, and putting into practice all of the 
knowledge that is out there to make our future truly sustainable with 
ultimate abundance. He is a member of the California Rare Fruit Growers 
and started a local permaculture group. He is currently in the process 
of converting his suburban property into a cash-flowing permaculture 
mini-farm using a variety of permaculture principles – polyculture, 
microswales, greywater, chickens, and food forests. He took his PDC with 
Larry Santoyo in Los Angeles.

Rashid “Ra” Gilanpour – Development / Outreach / Media, Living Mandala. 
“Ra” as he is known by most, is a previous co-organizer of the 2011 
Southern California Permaculture Convergence, and most recently a 
co-lead producer of the 2012 Northern California Permaculture 
Convergence. He currently works with Living Mandala helping to further 
enhance the success of the permaculture movement by producing high 
quality permaculture events, permaculture media, and educational trainings.



To Contact Specific Members of the Organizing Team, or if you wish to be 
involved in helping organize a future convergence please email: 
info at socalconvergence.org
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