EarthRise at IONS Personnel

See also Key Contacts
Please direct Retreat Bookings and Inquiries to retreatcenter@noetic.org
 

• Cathy Coleman, PhD, Executive Director, Property and Retreat Center
  Cathy Coleman oversees the operations of the property and retreat center, including site management and development, facilities management, bookings and contracts, event management, marketing, food service, and long-range and strategic planning. She has many years of experience directing various aspects of pioneering educational institutions, including budget management, staff supervision, and developing and implementing effective policies and procedures. Cathy also had a five-year career in institutional food management (colleges, hospitals, and businesses) after receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in home economics from Iowa State University. She also holds a master’s degree from Washington State University and a doctoral degree in East-West psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). Cathy held an administrative role at CIIS from 1982–2001, which included human resources director and dean of students. She was president of Kepler College in Lynnwood, Washington from 2001 to 2003.
  
  One of Cathy’s passions is empowering young people. In service to this passion, she has developed and directed eight youth conferences, including three for IONS at their last 3 biennial conferences. She is very knowledgeable with the transformational community as a result of her education and work experience at CIIS, as well as her two-decade marriage to consciousness pioneer and researcher Ralph Metzner.  
   

Property

• Randy Evensen, Site Manager
  Randy Evensen is the site manager for the land and retreat center. Randy works on all the physical aspects of maintaining the land and buildings, and is responsible for everything from meeting room setup to general campus security. He is also involved with the planning of future development on the campus as well as present day greening of campus operations. Randy is from Southwest Virginia, grew up in Washington, D.C., and is a recent transplant to California. He started his education in architecture and drafting in high school, received his Bachelor of Science degree from Radford University in earth science, and more recently received his certificate as a marine mechanic from The Boat School in Eastport, Maine.
   
• John Stample, Facilities Management
  John Stample is responsible for the carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical aspects of EarthRise, as well as the administration end of campus. John was born and raised in Lisle, Illinois, and has worked in all phases of construction for more than thirty years.
   

EarthRise Operation

• Kay Thompson, Operations and Events Manager
  Kay has twenty-three years’ experience in project management and meeting and special event planning. After a retreat is booked, she works with our clients to ensure that all their on-site logistical needs are met. She determines and coordinates the equipment needs for the meeting rooms, special dietary needs, audio/visual needs, as well as the best fit for lodging of overnight guests. Kay supervises the housekeeping team, the resident caretakers and hospitality assistants, and the kitchen lead chef. Originally from Southwest Louisiana, Kay’s love of hospitality began with her low-country southern roots. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in recreation administration with an emphasis on parks and natural resource management from the University of California.
   
• Lisa VanderBoom, Bookings and Contracts Manager
  Lisa VanderBoom is the bookings and contracts manager at EarthRise. She works with our clients to book new business and runs the contract processing and invoicing. Lisa tracks our revenue outlook and actual performance, and she works with IONS’ accounting office to balance deposits and revenue. Lisa was born and raised in Wisconsin and has an undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin and a masters in business administration from Benedictine University in Chicago. She has over twenty years’ experience in event and client program management in both the corporate and nonprofit worlds.

• Jan Fischer, Education Program Manager
  Jan Fischer helps coordinate the Conscious Living Workshops at EarthRise, and says of her work, "I'm the luckiest person in the world--interacting with people from all over the globe and coordinating a splendid, dedicated group of workshop assistants." After teaching in Minnesota and North Africa, Jan completed graduate degrees in Early Childhood Education from Peabody College at Vanderbilt U and the U of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. She has enjoyed educational consulting, teaching as Adjunct Professor, co-owning a small business, serving on community Boards and projects, exploring ancient cultures, organic Sound, Reiki, and meditation. Her son, Andrew, is a student in Santa Barbara.
  

• Trecey Chittenden, Lead Chef
  The Earthrise Kitchen at IONS is now led by Trecey (birth name Betty) Chittenden. Trecey grew up in New Hampshire with parents who valued alternative living. They had only a wood-burning cook stove (no gas or electric stove). As one of seven children she learned to cook at an early age. She had many friends whose parents were macrobiotic or vegan or vegetarian and she remembers many amazing meals at their homes; she was inspired to bring some of the delicious food she experienced at their homes into her own home. She attended a Waldorf High School and became the assistant chef in her high school. Food became a central theme again when she was diagnosed with diabetes. She had to re-align herself around eating balanced meals. She then attended the Culinary Academy and worked in numerous restaurants. She has also cooked for several parent/youth camps in Utah.
  
  Cooking at IONS wraps up many of Trecey’s life experiences and talents (tarot, massage, baking, cooking, and spiritual care giving) into a magical package. Remarking that she "loves the vibe of the land," Trecey says that when she gets here for each work day she knows it is the "right place to be." She finds the kitchen crew to be "an amazing group of people, who have a really good time when they get together and cook." Trecey brings her gift of leadership into taking care of all aspects of kitchen management so that her crew can not only have a joyful time preparing food for EarthRise guests, but also run like a well-oiled machine. She values spontaneity and joy and brings an intention to create food that tastes good and looks beautiful.
   
• Rey Hernandez, Housekeeping
• Carmen Dominguez, Housekeeping
  Rey Hernandez and his wife, Carmen Dominguez, comprise our primary housekeeping staff. They have worked at the center for eight years. If you hold more than one retreat at EarthRise, you’ll know how quickly Rey learns your set-up and housekeeping needs, and how well you can count on them to serve your needs.