Our People
The Community
Community is so foundational to us at Common Earth that we focus first on our broader community rather than on our core team, as you might expect. Ours is comprised of thoughtful people from around the world who are passionate about understanding the complexities of climate change and how we can globally move toward a post-carbon, caring society. A shared understanding and language is built through the participation in the courses and is expanded upon through activities and in an online forum where people can collaborate and support one another.
Ekta Bromley
Facilitator
Ekta Bromley is a rather curious human being (pun fully intended) who prefers to ‘go far together’ rather than to ‘go fast alone.’ She has worked in adult education, facilitation, coaching, and leadership development for about a decade now (2022), and prior to this, she was a high school teacher. Her roles within the Common Earth community include “participant” and “facilitator”, and as a proponent of participatory methods, she deeply appreciates the sense of agency steering this community’s actions.
Stephen Collette
Course Development
Facilitator
Stephen has been helping people create sustainable homes and buildings for almost 20 years. Stephen has always been curious about how our minds work and has read anything he can on this topic. Common Earth was the first place that combined the outer concerns of climate change with the inner realm of our thoughts; and has made a lifelong impact on him. Stephen lives in Lakefield, Ontario with his wife and two daughters.
Dennis Cook
President - Common Earth Soil Health Inc
Dennis’s career work has included line management, consulting, and human resources management in professional services, investment management, consumer food, foodservice, and government. Most recently, he led operations support for specialists engaging communities impacted by resource development in Africa, Latin America and Europe to jointly plan and complete new town construction, relocation and sustainable livelihoods restoration. At Northwater Capital Management Inc., Deloitte. and global executive search firms, he led multi-function teams and delivered client services in Canada, the U.S. and Latin America. Dennis serves as Director and advisor for non-profits and small consultancies. He completed a degree and specialized studies in Social Sciences, and professional certifications in management consulting and human resources management.
With Common Earth Soil Health Inc., Dennis has reinvigorated his Ontario farming community roots to combat global warming. He’s excited to learn, demonstrate and promote widespread adoption of Regenerative Agriculture to build healthier farmland soils that sequester larger quantities of atmospheric carbon and reduce greenhouse gases. Although he’s not a gardener, inspired to do what he can for Earth and Nature, Dennis has single-handedly planted a personal Pollinator Garden.
Malene Falch Colotla
Course Development
Facilitator
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Malene joined Common Earth in January 2022 after having been a participant herself and finding herself deeply impacted by the exploration. She came into the course with a background as a Change Coach within the 3 Principles and a successful career in Human Resources. When she is not busy engaging with the growing community of Common Earth, Malene enjoys her 3 Principles based coaching practice. Another favorite of hers is to get out in nature, especially with her 3 awesome kids and husband. Back in the days Malene obtained a Master of Arts (MA - Psychology and Business Studies) from Roskilde University, Denmark.
Olivia González
Course Development
Facilitator
Olivia is a passionate advocate for life-long and pervasive learning practices. She brings 25 years of diverse experiences as an educator and learner in both formal and informal learning environments. Through the Common Earth Community, Olivia works to explore and act on her interest in strengthening the connections between internal and external wellbeing as they relate to climate health. Olivia is certified to teach all age divisions and a variety of subject areas including English as a Second Language, Social Sciences, History, Spanish and Special Education. She holds a BA from Dalhousie University, and a BEd and MEd from OISE (Curriculum and Pedagogy, Emphasis Wellbeing).
Duncan Holmes
Course Development
Facilitator
Duncan Holmes has a BA in Biology and Chemistry. He did Accounting and Administration for non-profits in India and Canada. He was President of ICA Associates Inc. A Certified ToP Facilitator, he has facilitated and trained people in Facilitation in 7 countries. He has facilitated Module 1 at Common Earth since 2021 and trained the other facilitators in the Focused Conversation Method. He teaches ICA Canada’s Courage to Lead program.
Lyster Matamanda
Facilitator
Lyster is an Environmental, Health & Safety practitioner by profession. She is an ISO 1400: 2015 EMS internal auditor with a special interest in Corporate EHS systems training & implementation, underground water & surface water quality currently she is studying an Msc in Sustainable Urban Planning. Personally she loves chicken farming.
Melak Mengistab
Curator of the Daisies and Accounting
Facilitator
Born and raised in Ethiopia, Melak studied political science in Addis Ababa and later did a graduate degree in Development Studies in the Netherlands. For over a decade, Melak has been in African academia as a researcher and lecturer in the area of development, poverty, climate change, and conflicts. After moving to Toronto, he joined Common Earth as curator of the daisies (a role that he took on passionately – researching successful environmental stories and putting them on the daisy map). Melak believes we can fight climate change through one daisy at a time.
David Patterson
Founder
Facilitator
David Patterson was the founder and for 31 years the CEO of Northwater Capital, a Toronto-based investment management firm. On retiring in 2020 he worked with a small group to found Common Earth with a focus on the question: “How can we move to a post-carbon caring society?” David brings his executive experience, his passion and concern to Common Earth. In addition to the environment, he and his wife have philanthropic interests in Toronto and international healthcare, education, and children’s camping. He holds a BA from Trent University (Political Philosophy), an MBA from Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto (Finance) and an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Trent University.
Sarah Patterson
President
Facilitator
For the first almost 20 years of her career, Sarah worked in the finance industry in various Operational, Learning & Development, and Human Resources roles. In 2016 Sarah returned to her first love of summer camps when she assumed a role managing the operations of 5 summer camps. In 2020 Sarah joined David in his efforts to create a space where people can grapple with how we can move to a post-carbon caring society. She was so moved by her own experience, as well as the impact she witnessed it having on others, that she quit her job to focus entirely on helping to grow the Common Earth community. When not working on Common Earth efforts, you can find her reading or on her bike. She and her husband believe strongly in the power of community and love nothing more than hosting the many friends and family they share. Sarah is still in awe of the overlap that is occurring and the fact that so many of her Common Earth connections have become her family.
Katie Pita
Facilitator
Katie has been a volunteer Facilitator for Common Earth since 2021. Having been part of the pilot versions of Module 1 and Module 2, she felt that the next step to take was to give back to the community which had gifted her such a wonderful opportunity to re-ignite her passion for the environment, and being a responsible steward of the planet. Outside of Common Earth, Katie is pursuing a PhD at the University of Waterloo in the School of Environment, Resources, and Sustainability. She holds a Master of Forest Conservation from the University of Toronto.
Bruno Seixas
Marketing and Engagement
Facilitator
Bruno is a lifelong learner and when the opportunity to take the Common Earth course arose, he jumped at the chance. After being deeply impacted by the experiences and insights he had as a result, the issues surrounding climate change surfaced as a priority. Since 2020, he has been connected with the community in different roles, bringing his experience of over 20 years in marketing educational programs to potential participants and partners. He has a bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management and Tourism and a post-graduate certificate in Marketing Strategy from the University of Sao Paulo. Originally from Brazil, he moved to Canada in 2017.
Debbie Weinstein
Facilitator
After completing the Common Earth course last year, Debbie was profoundly moved and motivated to focus on solutions to climate change. She continues to be inspired and gain new insights as a facilitator, and feels honored to be a part of the Common Earth community. Professionally, Debbie has worked as a counselor, teacher and trainer. For the past six years, Debbie has taught academic English as a Second Language to international students all over the globe. She also volunteers as a reading tutor at an elementary school, and enjoys hiking, biking, reading, and her new hobby inspired by Common Earth - gardening. Debbie holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, an MS in Counseling from San Francisco State University, and a TESOL certificate from the School of International Training. She lives in Oakland, California with her family and their sweet, yet challenging new dog.