The Institute for Social Renewal seeks to foster a healthy society based in three distinct areas of social life: an educational and cultural life centered in the development of human capacities, an economy rooted in social responsibility, and a political life that protects human rights and the environment.

Bob Monsen, was the founder of the Institute for Social Renewal. He was an entrepreneur who owned and operated his own general construction business for over thirty years. Bob was a certified organizational consultant and worked extensively with Waldorf schools and other educational institutions throughout the United States and Canada. Bob was a member of the Social Science Section of the Anthroposophical Society and a former board member of Rudolf Steiner College. He was the board president of Waldorf School of the Peninsula for over twelve years and was instrumental in creating the accessible-to-all tuition adjustment program as a way of supporting independent education that is accessible to all children.

Mary Roscoe was a founding parent and administrator at Waldorf School of the Peninsula in Los Altos, CA. She helped the school implement the first accessible-to-all tuition program approach twenty years ago and continues to consult with independent schools to implement a holistic approach that focuses on the Art of Conscious Conversation. She is currently an active leader in the Bay Area Children in Nature Collaborative, part of a national and international movement to reconnect children with nature. Mary is a Donella Meadows Leadership Fellow and a member of the Sustainability Leadership Network. In July 2013 she completed the Art of Convening certification program from Heartland Circle.

Douglas Garrett is currently the Administrator at the Prairie Hill Waldorf School in southeastern Wisconsin. He was a founding parent and served as Board Chair at the Waldorf School of Orange County. He has served as board member for two other Southern California schools — The Waldorf School of San Diego and The Westside Waldorf School. Douglas also has served on the boards of AWSNA (Association of Waldorf Schools of North America) and WISC (Waldorf Institute of Southern California). He is a member of the Los Angeles Branch of the Anthroposphical Society. His interest has been in how business, finance, and organizational matters in Waldorf schools — vital aspects of supporting the meeting of child and teacher — might find helpful insights out of the same well-spring as the curriculum and pedagogy.

Chris Turzo joined the Board of the Institute for Social Renewal in July of 2007. He began working with the impulse of the Institute while serving as the administrator at the Santa Cruz Waldorf School where he helped implement an accessible-to-all program. Chris is currently co-founder and managing director of the executive recruiting firm, Goodwyn/Powell, where he helps build the executive teams of global multinationals with particular focus on solar, wind, biofuels and other ‘cleaner’ technologies. He practices the Art of Conscious Conversation every day striving to facilitate “win-win” solutions among stakeholders seeking to meet diverse needs. Chris is also a trained Waldorf teacher.

Gary Lamb, emeritus board member, has over 25 years experience as an independent Waldorf teacher, administrator, and organizational consultant. His pursuit of making independent schools affordable for more families included developing and promoting an accessible-to-all tuition model and founding the Hope Through Education scholarship program in upstate New York. Gary has lectured widely on educational freedom and parental choice in education and has edited two editions of “Independent Schools and School Choice Legislation” for the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America. He was a founding board member of The Education Alliance for Children in New York State (TEACH NYS) that advocated for education tax credits during the George Pataki Administration. Gary has written numerous articles for the Threefold Review and the Association for Waldorf Schools (AWSNA).
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