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Our Organizing Team

The organizing team for the Alliance, working behind the scenes to manage this website, support Alliance members, coordinate advocacy projects, and help augment the voices and experiences of those in the Self-Directed Education movement everywhere, includes the following people:

(in alphabetical order)

[photo] Alexander Khost (he/him)

I am a father, youth rights advocate, and artist. I am the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Tipping Points magazine and press. And I have over forty years experience refining rock, paper, scissors.

[photo]Bria Bloom (she/her)

I am a born and raised unschooler and an unschooling mama. I am a passionate advocate for SDE and youth liberation, and channel this passion through my work with various communities. I am also the Executive Director of ASDE; co-founder of the Flying Squads; an instigator and co-founder of PDX Flying Squads, a community for self-directed young people in Portland, OR; a writer; and I co-create the podcast Rethinking SDE. Lover of dance, plant-based cooking, and bikes. To check out more of my work and what I'm involved in visit briabloom.com.

[photo] David Jacobo (pronounced Daveed) (they/he)

I was born in Los Angeles and raised between Oregon and California, and am second generation immigrant of Mexican and Guatemalan descent. After working for three years in public schools, I sought to find alternative education styles that focused less on conforming and authority and more on creativity and autonomy. I currently work at Village Free School and am a facilitator with PDX Flying Squads in Portland, OR. I am an unschooling and youth advocate, a musician, and a photographer. Please check my work at davidjacobo.com . I hope to not only be a good model and inspiration for kids but to be inspired by them as well.

[photo]Karl Keefer (he/him)

I am a self-taught software engineer, entrepreneur, and a co-founder of an SDE space in Portland, Oregon — Alder Commons. I'm excited that so many people are making SDE an option for kids all over the world, and thrilled at the opportunity to help ASDE spread the word.

[photo]Pat Farenga*

I bring more than 35 years of fieldwork, advocacy, and personal experience in homeschooling and alternative education to help parents and children learn in their own ways. I continued to publish Growing Without Schooling magazine after the death of its founder in 1985, the author/teacher John Holt, until 2001. I publish JohnHoltGWS.com and several books and articles about learning outside of school.

[photo]Janice McDonald (she/her)

I am a mother to two young people who practice SDE. I am the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Tipping Points magazine and press. I helped Alder Commons (an SDE space in Portland, OR) get off the ground. I'm honored to be able to help ASDE and the SDE movement by focusing my energy on Tipping Points because hearing other people's experiences has been crucial to my own SDE journey.

[photo]Meghan Davies* (she/they)

i am a parent of three unschooled teens, a podcaster, community organizer and zine curator within the Unschooling and Self- Directed Education movement. i bring people together and like to get in the weeds with folks and stretch those vulnerability muscles in community. i am passionate about my intersectional approach to collective liberation and truly aim to be a soft place to land for folks. you can find all the work that i am involved with and connect with me at TheUnschoolFiles.com

[photo]Sonia Khost (she/her)*

I co-founded Green School Romania (a nature-based ALC) to have a safe emotional space for children where they are seen, accepted and loved for who they are, and free to grow into whomever they want. I am an Agile Learning Facilitator (ALF), a researcher, and the director of the innovation and development department at Green School. I also am a teacher trainer helping teachers from public and private schools shift their educational processes - making them freer, more sustainable, and more relevant for the school community. I am a member of the Erasmus+/ European Solidarity Corps, where I train people on how to implement projects and make the best out of their learning experiences.

[photo]Stephen Dill*

As a systems thinker, I came up with my own solution to individual learning at AllNewPublicEducation.com and began to find others who believed in Self-Directed Education as the future. Ultimately, I desire to reverse the negative consequences of denying individuals the environment each needs to develop as a well-rounded human: play, respect, freedom to learn as they wish, and opportunity to apply themselves to their calling.

[photo]Tomis Parker (he/him)*

I have been facilitating in Self-Directed Education environments since 2009. I helped birth the first Agile Learning Center in NYC and served as the Director for three years. I now live in Charlotte, NC where I work and play at ALC Mosaic. I want to help organize a coherent movement for Self-Directed Education, because I believe trusting children is the most powerful catalyst for social change.

* ASDE Board of Directors:

Past Organizing Team Members:
Domari Dickinson (she/her) (former BOD)
September-Olivius James (xe/xim/xair) (former BOD)
Abby Oulton (she/her)
Akilah S. Richards (former BOD)
Amy Shrodes
Brooke Newman (former BOD)
Cevin Soling (former BOD)
Danielle Denver (former BOD)
Jack Schott
Jennifer Campbell (they/she)
Jens Peter de Pedro
Kerry McDonald (former BOD)
Laura Kriegel
Maleka Diggs (former BOD)
Peter Gray (former BOD)
Scott Noelle (former BOD)
 
Asking the right questions...
What is Self-Directed Education?
 
Easing the path...
Resources for Self-Directed Education
 
Sharing our stories...
Tipping Points: Our Online Magazine