Ben Browner is a conference producer, organizational consultant, intentional community strategist, graphic designer, and regenerative nomad currently residing in Bellingham WA.
Born in St. Louis MO, I grew up with an embodied understanding of racism and addiction, while also experiencing the genuine humanity of the midwestern bible belt. In my teenage years, I got into some well-natured (and not so well natured) trouble, giving me deep perspective into America’s Prison & Industrial Growth Complex. Affected so much by these experiences, I sold my landscaping company of many years, and moved to the west coast to explore more holistic ways of being.
Since 2007 I’ve researched and been certified in everything from facilitation, to permaculture, to counseling, holistic management, intentional community process & decision making, nature connection/primitive skills, non-violent direct action and conflict mediation. During this time, I co-founded the Juara Turtle Sanctuary in Malaysia; led facilitation teams in statewide CA activist efforts, co-designed the legal & social architecture for ecovillages across the west coast; and co-produced the 1200 person Imagine Music & Arts Festival for 5 years.
These days you’ll find me producing the annual “Imagine Convergence” conference, consulting with organizations to help evolve their culture, emceeing a 5000 person annual gathering, all while building a tiny home and stewarding intentional community here in the Pacific Northwest.
I source most of my worldview through the meta-narrative frameworks of deep ecology, interdisciplinary psychology, nonviolent strategy, and interfaith spirituality. As various forms of eco & societal collapse become more widely-experienced in the “first world,” I’m particularly inspired by the unifying potential of living systems & evolutionary theory. All this being said, I spend most of my days working around the farm, in virtual meetings, trying to eat well, and finding balance in my relationship with the dominant economic system.
Look deeper into my work at www.imagineconvergence.com and feel free to reach out anytime! ~Ben
