Christopher Shanks
Co-Director of Project Bona Fide
A multi-talented teacher, organizer, permaculture enthusiast, and design visionary,
Chris has worked with some of the finest Permaculture and ecological designers in
the Western hemisphere. Fascinated with living systems, Chris has invested himself
heavily into the study of whole systems design, ethno-botany, horticulture,
mycology, and ecology. His interests have led him to study agro-ecosystems and
cultural anthropology in Spain, the Bahamas, Costa Rica, the USVI, Mexico,
Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Hawai'i, as well as the temperate and sub-tropical
regions of both coasts of the United States. Chris leads the on the ground team
at Project Bona Fide. Chris combines his dedication to Bona Fide's work with his
own work in the professional design world. Chris works in master planning and
site design with Whole Sytems design LLC and serves as their chief horticulturalist
and Project Manager. Chris has also founded and runs his own company, Living Systems
Solutions, based in Nicaragua. When not working in the non-profit or design world he
can be found masquerading as a builder, a mason, as a decent plumber, as a poor
electrician, as a sailor, as a fanatic for bamboo, as a lover of palms, as a
permaculturalist with a rock/tree climbing habit, and as an avid motorcyclist.
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Andrea Calfuquir
Andrea Calfuquir is our garden guru working with the local Nicaraguan farm
students on our perennial gardens, in addition to coordinating the local
women's cooperative, "Las Rosas de Volcanes." As a native Argentinian she
has traveled throughout the Americas to find herself working on Ometepe
since 2005. Andrea's vision is to help communities evolve by sharing of
knowledge, establishing organic gardens, and developing sustainable
improvements to the land.
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Katherine Young
Project Bona Fide Nursery Manager
Katherine Young has been practicing and studying organic agriculture, permaculture,
and horticulture for over four years. Katherine studies have led her from a formal
education at Warren Wilson College to travels throughout Central America studying
and experiencing indigenous cultures and their cultural methods of cultivation.
Katherine's interests lie in nursery development, education and propagation as well
as tropical agro-forestry design and implementation. Katherine has worked with
Project Bona Fide as the nursery Manager for two years. She is a gifted landscape
illustrator and has a keen appreciation of all living things.
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Hannah Roessler
Hannah Roessler has been living and working in Nicaragua for 3 years. Her passion
for Nicaragua and its people is generated from a keen interest in Ethno-botany.
Currently Hannah is developing a program based in honoring the medicinal traditions
of Ometepe while also focusing on expanding the local herbal pharmacopoeia.
Hannah will be working with local women to develop skills related to medicinal
plants. Her love of travel has brought her in contact with many systems of
traditional medicine and has led her to pursue herbalism through formal study at
the Dominion College of British Columbia. She also has a B.A from the University of
Victoria, where she studied both Environmental Studies and Cultural Anthropology.
When not on land, she explores the underwater world teaching scuba diving. She has
a passion for olives and coconuts palms.
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