MICRO-BIO

• I live in Sumter, South Carolina, United States of America. I retired July 2015 after 25 years with Clemson University as a Community Development County Agent working with vulnerable audiences and issues. I have volunteered with Kettering Foundation...More

  I live in Sumter, South Carolina, United States of America. I retired July 2015 after 25 years with Clemson University as a Community Development County Agent working with vulnerable audiences and issues. I have volunteered with Kettering Foundation and deliberative democracy endeavors for 30 years, having successfully incorporating this work into my salaried work - both corporate and academic outreach. I serve as a National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI) Ambassador. NIFI is a sister NGO of Kettering Foundation. Recently I helped found a non-profit organization - the Citizens Center fro Public Life. The CCPL provides deliberative dialogue practice and training to support community action "citizen democracy" projects after citizens deliberate on wicked problems. I expect to learn digital techniques to help me promote deliberative practice and inclusive citizen centered community action. Seemingly citizen democracy actions are currently difficult for citizens to practice in the United States, as well as in many placess around the globe. I am not referring to organizing protests or partisan politics, but citizen direct actions that improve individual's lives or community conditions for everyone. Building civic capacity and a well-functioning civil society seem to be global needs. Obviously this is important, not only in the USA but worldwide. My graduate work is in International Relations with a political economy specialty and in International Family and Community Studies. I have lived, worked, and travelled in many countries. Also, I have studied and enthusiastically promoted citizen democracy ever since my elementary and middle school days. One project I am currently working on is to eliminate hunger and extreme poverty both locally and globally simultaneously. (Did you know that there is hunger in every county in the USA - that is 3144 counties.) I believe this course will ultimately help me do my part to end hunger and extreme poverty for all humanity. I have had some experience with online classes and training - both teaching and learning, but am still mastering technology. I am a graduate of the LSi Scholar Apprentice program.

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EXPERIENCE

• Citizens Center for Public Life

  • Co-Founder and President
  • August 2014 to Present

• Clrmson University Cooperative Extension Service

  • Community Development County Agent - grants manager
  • May 1990 to July 2015

• Beer Wholesaler

  • Public Relations and Research
  • January 1985 to January 1989

• US Air Force - Lakenheath & Mildenhall England

  • Numerous Moral, Welfare, & Recreation (MWR) positions and USAF Public Affairs Media Specialist
  • January 1981 to August 1984

• 2017

  • 2018 present

EDUCATION

• Clemson University - Institute for Family and Neighborhood Life

  • Certificate in International Family and Community Studies
  • 2006 to August 2012

  I attended part-time while working with Clemson. Eliminating hunger and extreme poverty was a project began durig my time in the IFNL program, as were numerous projects dealing with stregthening democracy.

• University of Southern California - London England Branch

  • MA - International Relations with a Political Economy Speciality
  • 1982 to August 1985

  I attended half-time while working in England. Besides professors from USC, other professors were from Oxford, Cambridge, and the Londong School of Economics.

• Rollins University

  • BS - Social Science with Honors
  • 1977 to December 1979

  Psychology, Sociology, and Environmental Science, held a work-study position at the Florida Solar Energy Center, and later worked as a grants program manager for the Florida Governor's Energy Office as a result of organizing the first US Energy Fair as a work study.

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