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Interns of 2010
Meet our interns of 2010.
Meet our 2010 Maasai interns via video here! The Maasai will be coming to SLI as interns in the near future.
Meet Cuatro
Site Intern
I was born in the small mountain town of Durango, CO on a snowy night in 1985, and raised in a passive solar adobe house that my father built when he was 25. I learned to ski when I was 2, and to this day have a powerful hunger for fresh powder. Raised to appreciate nature, I spent many nights under the stars, and many days camping, hiking, and climbing in the vast wonderland of the Rocky Mountains.
My education began at a local Montessori school called "Children's House". We were free to roam different classes and focus on the subjects that interested us. I was drawn towards art, reading, and writing. While these subjects continued to interest me throughout standard grade school, I longed for the unique and alternative learning style of those early school years. During my Junior year of High School I decided to drop out and pursue my love of art and music. I earned my G.E.D. within a week of leaving school, bought a glassblowing torch, and landed a job at a local restaurant. I completed an apprenticeship with a local glassblower, and traveled to both coasts to further my glass blowing knowledge. I built a small glass studio with the help of my Father, got a business license, and have supported myself for the past 8 years selling my artwork at crafts shows throughout the Four Corners area. I now desire to pursue an education in sustainable living and renewable energy.
Please feel free to contact Cuatro by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Meet Chris
Site Intern
I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I lived until I was 18. During high school, I focused my attention on drafting and architecture classes, gaining skill both on paper and on the computer. I became adept at using Autocad programs to draft according to specifications, and design blueprints for residential problems. At Penn State, I focused mainly on math, taking multi-dimensional calculus, vector analysis, and matrices.
I first became interested in sustainability when I helped to build a home on Norman's Cay, in the Exuma chain of the Bahamas. Norman's Cay has no running water or electricity, and living on a small island for six months gave me an appreciation for the impact that everyday living practices can have on the environment. The house that I built with four others turned out to be a very comfortable and practical home. I became convinced of the beneficial applications of passive solar heating and cooling, the use of photovoltaics and wind generators, and sustainable practices in general.
I spent much of my twenties traveling from city to city, gaining more experience in the construction industry and holding down various other jobs. Many of these required me to work closely with large groups of people. I've learned that I'm good with and enjoy people. I've also gained solid skills in carpentry, from setting foundations to roofing. My communal living and work experience on an organic farm in Willow Creek, CA has honed my farming skills immensely over the past two years. It is my sincerest desire to have the skills and knowledge necessary to spread sustainable practices, as well as the ability to install clean renewable energy systems within my community.
Please feel free to contact Chris by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Meet Maxmillah
Hands-on Workshop Intern
Coming soon! Traveling many miles from Maasailand, Maxmillah is whole-heartedly prepared to share her infectious smile and personality with all of California. Maxmillah was an ever present positive influence in the month-long PV training intensive, sponsored by the Solar Maasai Project and its partners, held in the rural Southwestern Kenyan village of Enoosaen. She always helped others get involved. Maxmillah achieved the highest score on the test, and was only one minor question away from flawless. Her absorption of the material was impressive, she actually complained when we let the class use notes! She was definitely a leader and initiator among the women, who tended to be soft spoken as a group, which was a quality of hers we greatly appreciated. She lives with her family and takes care of her single mother. She was cheerful, social, smart, inviting and easy for others to approach.
Meet Jonathan
Hands-on Workshop Intern
Coming soon! Johnathan joins Maxmillah in their travels to the United States from their small Kenyan village to which he will return a respected leader. Jonathan is the pleasant kind of guy that could be friends with anyone. He coined our favorite catch phrase: "Solar for Maasais, Maasais for Solar"
He had perfect attendance in class and was the highest male score, third overall. He was also the most active worker during the install, he literally searched for things that needed to be done and went beyond expectation every time. He currently works as a motor bike driver to move people and stuff around town. He saved to buy the bike himself and has run the business for the last year. He was a brave, engaged, attentive and extremely positive.
Meet Gillian
Sustainable Living Workshop Intern
I grew up in a little Swiss village called Grens, on the shores of Lake Geneva surrounded by farms, cows and nosy neighbors. I was born on the 12th of March 1984 in Geneva, from Belgian/British parents, to join an older sister and a countless number of cats and dogs. In 2002 I attended the University of East Anglia, UK where I studied Environmental Sciences and wrote my thesis on Relocalizing the Global food system.
Though these years were very significant to me I was not quite satisfied with the very disconnected approach of this classical education, I was seeking a more holistic learning experience that would allow for a more spiritual, creative and conscious approach to the global situation. I found this at E.F Schumacher College in the UK where I was introduced to the concepts of Intentional Communities, urban gardening, Slow Food, Permaculture and much more. I felt I was finally on the right track. In order to deepen my understanding of this nascent global movement and to gain some practical experience I spent 10 months volunteering in Ecovillages and Permaculture projects. I completed a 6 week Permaculture and Ecovillage Design and Education course in southern Israel. I planted banana trees and taught English at a Burmese orphanage in Thailand. I joined a reforestation community (part of the larger Auroville community) in southern India and volunteered as staff at the very first Butterfly Effect EU Youth Exchange at the pioneering community spiritual Findhorn in Scotland. I am hoping to find an opportunity to live in a conscious community for a longer period and focus my energy into strengthening my skills and applying them to an organization that I truly believe in.
Please feel free to contact Gilly by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Meet Paul
Renewable Energy Workshop Intern
I was born in Washington DC and adopted at the age of two by Jeff and Janet Taylor. I was raised in the DC suburb of Laytonsville, Maryland where my parents supported my curiosity in all things. Last year I was fortunate enough to meet my birth parents and through them ignite my passion in the environment. Recent visits to my grandparents in rural Illinois have increased my awareness of the importance of a self-sustaining local farm based infrastructure. For the past six years I have worked in an office environment providing video game services and advertising to thousands of people. My experience there convinced me that I want to seek out a career in a field that will have a positive and enduring impact on the world around me.
In the last year I have graduated the Mycorestoration Seminars provided by Fungi Perfecti which provided me a new perspective on human interactions with our planet. I enjoy spending most of my free time tinkering with electronics of all kinds and finding new corners to farm in our DC apartment fire escape. Photography also keeps me outdoors which helps me document the moments in my life and explore the world around me. Recently I have researched and built a small solar powered lighting system for my living room using resources on the internet. What I enjoy most is learning about applications of technology in new ways and learning more skills that will enable me to live a more sustainable lifestyle.
Please feel free to contact Paul by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Meet Emily
Communications Intern
Emily Wood was born and raised in the world’s most multicultural city:
Emily’s professional and academic background is in renewable energy policy. She spent the last year working as a Policy Advisor at the Ontario Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, where she coordinated and implemented the province’s new Green Energy and Green Economy Act. Prior to joining the Ministry, Emily completed a master’s degree at the
Emily is thrilled to be an Intern at the Solar Living Institute, where she is gaining hands-on experience with renewable energy design and installation processes, ecological building and construction methods, and sustainable agricultural practices. She recently trained and qualified for an entry-level credential in Solar Photovoltaic Design and Installation from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners.
Please feel free to contact Emily by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
