Meet Our Volunteers
Jay Ganson -- Executive Director
Jay comes to AWEN from the CleanTech industry where he works with electrical utilities as well as state and federal legislators to promote the adoption of smart grid. Jay holds a M.A. in Environmental Management from Harvard Extension and a B.A in Russian from Dickinson College. Jay has roots in another Non-Profit, Dive-Kulture, who’s existing network and activities are complementary to the goals of AWEN. Jay sees AWEN’s message and approach as an important, and lacking, element in education and is excited to have the opportunity to help drive AWEN forward.
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Rob Close -- Vegetable Circus Program Director & Performer; President, Board
Rob is a graduate of UNC-Asheville's Philosophy department, where he focused his studies on pragmatism and the nature of belief. He co-founded and wrote the Vegetable Circus in 2005, with the intention of finding a way to teach kids about the most important aspects of growing up healthy in a manner they'll listen to and respect; constantly improving and expanding the Vegetable Circus is his primary focus within AWEN.
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Abigail Wolf -- Gardening Program Director; Secretary, Board
Abby earned her B.S. in Environmental Design at U-Mass Amherst. She has used her degree to begin a back yard farming service for people interested in eating food grown where they live. Her work at AWEN will begin with developing a kids' vegetable gardening program for AWEN, using her experience organic farming and co-teaching ceramics classes.
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Brian Walden -- Vegetable Circus Program Director & Performer; Treasurer, Board
Brian co-founded the Vegetable Circus, and has been continually infusing his energy into every aspect of the show. He has tremendous talents with every sort of skill toy imaginable, and a gentle nature that allows him to connect especially well with children. His greatest endowments lies in his ability to teach these skills to others, and his contagious enthusiasm.
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Nigel McCourry -- Health Research Director
Nigel is a graduate of UNC-Asheville, with his B.S. in Biology. He leads the team that reviews the hard science behind AWEN's programs. Nigel has even graced the stage with the Vegetable Circus during our Library Tour of Buncombe County, sharing both his knowledge, charisma, and musical talents.
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River McDowell -- Vegetable Circus Performer; Health Researcher
River is a certified Nutripath, who completed a 5 year internship where he learned European Biological Medicine, Electrodermal Bio-feedback, and Live Blood Cell Microscopy. River runs a private practice based out of Asheville, NC, and has been contributing his energy to AWEN since 2006 in the form of research and fact-checking, and recently joined the Vegetable Circus as a performer in the spring of 2009.
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Karina Gordin -- Health Researcher
Karina received her B.A. in English at Tufts U., a certificate in Journalism at Wellesley College, and is presently pursuing her Masters in "Applied Natural Products" at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. She has combined these disciplines, health and writing, to pursue a part-time metier in non-traditional health journalism. Published articles may be found in "Healthcare Ledger", "Townsend Letter", "Lilipoh", "Spirit," peer reviews, amongst others.
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joanna Caffrey -- Creative Artist
joanna is a graduate of the Sudbury Valley School, where she spent her years knitting, sewing, crocheting, all while teaching to and learning from those around her. She has continually used these talents to the benefit of the Vegetable Circus, sewing amazing pairs of Vegetable Pants and also crocheting Vegetable Balls for Juggling! Some of joanna's work can be found here on Etsy.
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Aaron Marxsen -- Founder of AWEN; Executive Director (2004-2008)
Aaron is a student of Health & Wellness Promotion at UNC-Asheville, steadily earning his degree since 2003. His goal is to see AWEN chapters spring up across America, allowing health-promoters and artists to work in unison, creating innovative & sustainable programs that foster one main concept: everyone can take charge of their own health!
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