Empower our Vision
Sociocracy in Intentional Communities Conference
4th Annual Online Conference
Saturday, November 23, 2024
This Conference was Powered by Sociocracy For All (SoFA) and organized by the Intentional Communities Circle (IC Circle), with support from its parent circle, SoFA English. Rooted in sociocratic principles, this event showcases the power of shared governance in action. Your participation shapes transformative experiences and strengthens governance both within and beyond intentional communities.
By hosting these important conversations, building community, and maintaining a constant presence, we continue to grow and spread these vital tools. Let us know how we can support you in starting, maintaining, or refreshing sociocratic practices in your community.
Event Time
Saturday, November 23, 2024, 15:30–21:30 UTC (7:30 AM–1:30 PM Pacific / 10:30 AM–4:30 PM Eastern)
The conference is over, but you can still watch the recordings until February 28, 2025, by registering.
Tickets range from $20 to $240, providing access to 17 expert-led, engaging sessions full of valuable insights. Recordings are available for 3 months.
For those with limited resources, the $20 and $40 options are available, and for most attendees, we suggest a contribution of $80.
Please consider $120 or $240 if you’re able, as every contribution helps fund future events and ensures sustainability.
Your generosity truly makes a meaningful difference in supporting this event and growing our future IC (Intentional Communities) Circle events program.
Session Highlights & Speaker Profiles
15:30-16:00 UTC
Welcoming and overview of Empower our Vision, our conference’s agenda.
A warm welcome and an overview of the conference’s agenda, covering the day’s logistics and setting the stage for an engaging and informative experience. We aim to ensure everyone feels prepared and excited for the sessions ahead.
Intentional Communities Circle:
Jerry, Audrée, Teel, Cate and Neil
Our Sociocracy in Intentional Community webpage provides a comprehensive guide to implementing sociocracy in intentional communities, offering resources, training, case studies, and support services to help communities adopt and thrive with sociocratic governance.mail
16:00-17:00 UTC
What do our members think?
Sociocracy in communities differs from businesses as decisions can affect everyone, like labor or dues. This workshop shows how surveys, “Sounding Board” meetings, and interviews reduce conflicts by involving members in proposals
Diana Leafe Christian – LinkedIn
Diana Leafe Christian, a longtime community advocate and author, has taught Sociocracy to intentional communities since 2012. A member of Earthaven Ecovillage, she shares insights on making Sociocracy more effective.
16:00-17:00 UTC
How does Nonviolent Communication align with Sociocracy?
Can NVC enhance goodwill in a sociocratic community? We’ll explore this question and potential pitfalls, drawing from Cherry Hill Cohousing’s 30 years of experience in this insightful session.
Gina Simm – LinkedIn
Gina, a Cherry Hill Cohousing member, engages in sociocratic governance. Known for saying, “Conflict is natural. Expect it,” she authored Heart to Heart – 3 Systems for Staying Connected, a guide for parents and teachers.
16:00-17:00 UTC
An ecovillage is not a business, but much more…
How can we use sociocracy to serve community projects while respecting unity and equivalence? In this session, Los Portales’ 10-year journey with sociocracy explores its impact and the role of the upper circle.
Charlie Lenglez – LinkedIn
Charlie Lenglez has lived in Los Portales ecocommunity for over 40 years. A sociocracy trainer and consultant, he’s worked with RIE and GEN-Europe, helping introduce sociocracy to both. He’s certified by the ISC.
17:00-18:00 UTC
Legitimizing Sociocracy: Boards, Bylaws and Governance Documents
The legal system often clashes with how communities view themselves. In this session, we’ll explore safely managing sociocratically governed communities within the frameworks of Boards, HOAs, bylaws, and governance documents.
Jerry Koch-Gonzalez – LinkedIn
Jerry, a consultant and certified trainer in Sociocracy and NVC, helps organizations create inclusive, adaptive structures. He co-founded Sociocracy for All and Cherry Hill Cohousing, where Sociocracy thrives since 2013.
17:00-18:00 UTC
Introducing Sociocracy to a 50-year-old Hierarchy
For 7 years, Teel lived at Jesus People, a community of over 150 members. When the leadership decided to shift away from a hierarchical model after 50 years, Teel joined the restructuring team. They gained valuable insights on navigating significant changes and aligning everyone before taking the leap.
Teel Short
Teel, a lifelong communitarian, served 7 years as HR director in a 150-member commune and now works with SoFA’s intentional community circle. He fights loneliness and poverty through community and enjoys songwriting, basketball, and board games.
17:00-18:00 UTC
Sociocracy from Community to Association and Cooperative. A governance tool that can adapt to different structures and needs
Arterra Bizimodu, founded in 2013 on sociocratic principles, is now an eco-housing cooperative focused on sustainability, shared knowledge, and collaborative leadership. Sociocracy remains its guiding tool.
Genny Carraro – LinkedIn
Genny Carraro, fluent in English, Italian, and Spanish, is a trainer and facilitator with a focus on collaboration, trust, and inclusivity. She coordinates Arterra Bizimodu and leads European sustainability projects.
17:00-18:00 UTC
How to deal with (new) romantic partners in our community?
In this interactive workshop, we explore scenarios like a circle member’s romantic partner spending time in the community or a member wanting a child/teen to move in. Together, we share experiences and strategies for handling these situations well.
Andreas Geiger – LinkedIn
Andreas Geiger, a sociocratic decision leader (diploma 2023), discovered sociocracy in 2015. He has over 7 years of experience living in a coliving project with 9-11 adults at “more than living” in Zurich.
18:00-19:00 UTC
Community Weavers Panel
Join us to learn about our organizations: Trish Becker from CohoUS, which supports cohousing communities; Daniel Greenberg from the Foundation for Intentional Communities, fostering intentional living; Kathy McGrenera from the Canadian Cohousing Network, promoting cohousing in Canada; Jerry Koch-Gonzalez from Sociocracy For All, advancing sociocratic governance; and Neil Planchon from the Cohousing Research Network, researching and supporting cohousing initiatives.
18:00-19:00 UTC
Introduction to Advocates for Sociocracy in Community
Explore a community of practice for sociocratic intentional communities at the conference. Join us as an observer or participant to see how we merge experiences for collective intelligence. Bring your questions about sociocracy in community!
Cate de Vreede
Cate de Vreede, co-founder of Treehouse Village Ecohousing in Atlantic Canada, proposed using sociocracy for their community’s first collective decision. She attributes TVE’s success to sociocracy and is eager to share tips.
18:00-19:00 UTC
Day One – Choosing Sociocracy
Join Shelly Parks and the Process Circle from 4th Corner Commons in Bellingham, WA, as they share their experiences adopting Sociocracy on Day One, including challenges and joys of setting up governance and onboarding new members.
Shelly Parks – LinkedIn
Shelly Parks, founder of CoVision Consulting and board member of the Cohousing Association of the US, has lived in Skagit Commons since 2019. She values how Sociocracy fosters trust in their community.
18:00-19:00 UTC
Rencontre francophone (Meet-up for French speakers)
De plus en plus de francophones s’intéressent à la sociocratie dans les communautés intentionnelles. Cette session favorisera les échanges, le réseautage, et le partage d’expériences. Hâte de vous voir!
Audrée Morin – LinkedIn
Audrée, a trained biologist, has visited 42 intentional communities and aims to foster collaborative culture through sociocracy and restorative circles. She’s a non-resident member of l’Habitat de l’hêtre and SOFA circle administrator, nearing her trainer certification.
18:00-19:00 UTC
Redes de habla hispana (Meet-up for Spanish speakers)
Únase a nuestra reunión en español para conectar, expresar necesidades y fortalecer la difusión de la sociocracia en nuestras comunidades. ¡Transformemos la gobernanza y la sociedad!
Nora Paza
Disfruto mejorar entornos de trabajo y colaboración como facilitadora y consultora. Trabajo en Sociocracy For All, donde veo cómo compartir el poder puede ser eficiente y sostenible. Comparto mis conocimientos en formaciones y entrenamientos.
19:00-20:00 UTC
Should we go for effectiveness or inclusiveness? How to circle the square
In decision-making meetings, do we pause for emotions or push forward? There’s no clear answer. Resources are limited, yet empathy may improve relationships and decisions. Let’s explore ways to navigate this.
Ted Rau – LinkedIn
Ted is a self-governance advocate, trainer, and consultant focused on sociocracy. Co-founder of Sociocracy For All, he consults with mission-driven groups, teaches, and has authored three books on self-governance.
19:00-20:00 UTC
Sunshine Coast Sociocracy – Successes, Challenges, and Q&A
A panel of members from two British Columbia intentional communities well grounded in sociocratic governance will share their origin stories, successes, and challenges, and answer selected questions from session participants.
John Schinnerer – LinkedIn
John is a whole systems design consultant, teacher, and facilitator. He specializes in human relations, governance, decision-making, technology, and ecological design, with experience in IC housing cooperatives using sociocracy.
19:00-20:00 UTC
Sociocracy on the Front Line: Governance in a Developing Community
The development phase of a cohousing community presents unique challenges requiring technical knowledge and quick decisions. This session discusses sociocratic governance, starting with lessons from Rachel Carson EcoVillage and expanding to other communities.
Stefani Danes – LinkedIn
Stefani Danes FAIA is an architect focused on how built environments foster connections. She teaches urban design at Carnegie Mellon, is principal emeritus at Perkins Eastman, and co-founded Rachel Carson EcoVillage.
19:00-20:00 UTC
¿Es latinoamérica un suelo fértil para la Sociocracia?
Exploraremos si Latinoamérica es un terreno propicio para implementar Sociocracia en contextos comunitarios, abordando retos, oportunidades y factores culturales. Se compartirán experiencias de dos comunidades intencionales en Colombia.
Tatiana Monroy and Diana Avila
Tatiana, cogestora de Aldeafeliz, mentora y asesora en Sociocracia, Comunicación NoViolenta y vida comunitaria. Con más de 18 años de experiencia en sistemas colaborativos.
Diana, diseñadora industrial, fundó “Origen Sano” y la Ecoaldea Mi Tribu. Con su amor y capacidad de gestión, ha impulsado la gobernanza y Sociocracia en el proyecto comunitario.
20:00-21:00 UTC
Listening As Our Work: Exploring Sensitive Issues through Inclusive Listening
This session explores hosting productive listening sessions on sensitive topics in cohousing. Using Green Grove Cohousing as a case study, learn strategies to encourage dialogue, build consensus, and respect diverse viewpoints.
Emily Harper – LinkedIn
Emily inspires courage in teams for meaningful work. An award-winning trainer, she presents on change management and communication, using her diverse background to foster connected, people-centric experiences. She lives in Green Grove Cohousing with her spouse and daughter.
20:00-21:00 UTC
Finding out your sociocratic strengths and weaknesses with the Organizational Sociocracy Assessment
This session introduces a survey tool tailored for intentional communities to assess sociocratic governance. Results are visualized, and a coach helps interpret them. Treehouse Village Ecohousing will share their experience.
Audrée Morin – LinkedIn
Audrée, a trained biologist, has visited 42 intentional communities and aims to foster collaborative culture through sociocracy, nonviolent communication, and restorative circles. She’s a non-resident member of l’Habitat de l’hêtre and SOFA circle administrator, and recently got her sociocracy trainer certification.
20:00-21:00 UTC
Close to Home: using Sociocracy in everyday community interactions
Learn to use Sociocracy at home with family, for leadership team building in small businesses, and to develop strong alternative education programs during online courses.
Suzanne Glick, Amber Wright and Lee Knott – Alighten
We are a team of three women in a Private Membership Association (PMA) delivering leadership development and education reform content, while fostering family cohesion through a Family Council. Amber Wright advises PMAs, Lee Knott consults on alternative education, and Suzanne Glick designs home-learning centers.
19:00-20:00 UTC
El tejido de comunidades de Sociocracia Práctica
El círculo de Comunidades de SoPra, subcírculo de Ecosistemas, ha fortalecido puentes entre ecoaldeas latinas. Compartiremos su experiencia en la implementación de la sociocracia, el apoyo mutuo generado y su impacto en la primera conferencia de sociocracia en español.
Beatriz Arjona and Betina Orman
Beatriz es cogestora de la Ecoaldea Acuamonte y exmiembro de Aldeafeliz y Montaña Mágica. Miembro de SoPra desde 2018, participando en Círculos de Ecosistemas y Movimientos Regenerativos.
Betina es cogestora de la comunidad Confluencia, bióloga, docente universitaria y miembro del Círculo de Comunidades de SoPra. Estudia Sociocracia en la Academia.
21:00-21:30 UTC
Closing Session
Meaning Making & Connect: Empowering Our Future Together
Join us for a heartfelt closing gathering as we reflect on the insights shared throughout the day, celebrate our collective progress, and envision the future of intentional communities. Let’s unite in purpose, empowered by the principles of sociocracy, to shape the next steps in building inclusive, resilient, and visionary communities
This Conference is Powered by Sociocracy For All (SoFA) and organized by the Intentional Communities Circle (IC Circle), with support from its parent circle, SoFA English. Rooted in sociocratic principles, this event showcases the power of shared governance in action. Your participation shapes transformative experiences and strengthens governance both within and beyond intentional communities.
By hosting these important conversations, building community, and maintaining a constant presence, we continue to grow and spread these vital tools. Let us know how we can support you in starting, maintaining, or refreshing sociocratic practices in your community.
Event Time
Saturday, November 23, 2024, 15:30–21:30 UTC (7:30 AM–1:30 PM Pacific / 10:30 AM–4:30 PM Eastern)
Tickets range from $20 to $240, providing access to 17 expert-led, engaging sessions packed with valuable insights and learning opportunities.
Consider a higher contribution of $120 or $240 to support others and help fund future Intentional Communities Circle (IC Circle) events—every bit helps, and your generosity makes a real difference.
Contact Us
If you have questions about the conference, please contact us at [email protected]
