Conway’s real world learning experience results in graduates prepared for a variety of real world careers.
Wendi Goldsmith ’90—CPG, CPSSc, Founder and CEO of Bioengineering Group
Like so many Conway grads, Wendi Goldsmith’s career spans many fields and competencies. Her company, Bioengineering Group, consults on some of the largest public infrastructure projects in history. She oversees teams of ecologists, earth scientists, engineers, landscape architects, and construction managers. Their projects have included renewable energy planning, flood control and hurricane protection, transportation, environmental remediation, and parks, open space and greenways, to name a few. In 2007, she was the keynote speaker at Conway’s graduation and received an honorary degree in recognition of her leadership in ecological design, planning, and restoration.
Erik van Lennep ’83— Sustainability Consultant and TEPUI Founder
Erik van Lennep’s entrepreneurial spirit has taken him around the globe in an effort to “design organizations, campaigns, education strategies and more.” His efforts have resulted in the founding of the Rainforest Action Network in San Francisco; directing the Arctic to Amazonia Alliance; the founding of Cultivate, Ireland’s center for sustainability; and the founding of TEPUI, a design collaborative that proposes to bring together sustainable economics with sustainable energy, climate response, and food security.
Dave Jacke ’84—Permaculturist
Dave Jacke has consulted on, designed, built, and planted landscapes, homes, farms, and communities in the many parts of the United States and overseas. With Eric Toensmeier, he is the author of Edible Forest Gardens. Now in its fourth printing, the two-volume set has received numerous critical accolades and has received an award from the Council of Botanical and Horticultural Libraries. He has been a popular guest lecturer at the Conway School.
Cynthia Boettner ’86—Biologist, Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge
Cynthia Boettner works with individuals and organizations to control invasive plants. Working with volunteers and the staff of the Connecticut River Watershed Invasive Plant Control Initiative, she helps lead the effort to keep water chestnut in check in the watershed and works with partnering organizations on pale swallowwort control on Mt. Tom. Cynthia also organizes workshops and conferences, and collaborates with the staff of the Invasive Plant Atlas of New England.
Ben Falk ’05—founder/principal, Whole Systems Design
On a ten-acre site in the Mad River Valley of Vermont, Ben Falk is growing rice… and berry bushes, fruit and nut trees, vegetables, mushrooms and sheep. Shortly after graduating from Conway, Ben founded Whole Systems Design, a consulting firm that provides site design and land planning services for residences, schools, camps and other educational settings. His designs anticipate a future when oil will be scarce, food will be produced locally, and communities—regardless of climate—must learn to be resilient and innovative. His work (profiled in the March 2007 issue of Landscape Architecture) includes a master plan for the 1600-acre Teal Farm–what he calls an “agricultural ecosystem.” Falk has planted eight acres with 2500 plants of 250 different species, intended to provide a thriving foodscape while also enhancing the soils, hydrology, habitat and ecology of the region. He has taught a course in Ecological Site Development at the University of Vermont.
Abrah Dresdale ’10—Ecological Landscape Designer, Food Systems Planner, Educator, and Artist
A native of the Hudson Valley, Abrah moved to western Massachusetts in 2009 to complete her Master of Arts at The Conway School. Her business, Feeding Landscapes, specializes in edible landscapes and community food systems planning. She teaches Introduction to Food Systems at Greenfield Community College (GCC), a community-engaged, service-learning course, and is also a permaculture design instructor in Northampton, MA, southern Vermont, UMass-Amherst, and GCC.
Since early 2011, Abrah has helped launch a new two-year liberal arts degree at GCC with an option in Farm and Food Systems. With passion and commitment, Abrah pairs mentoring and ecological design to facilitate positive change in partnership with people and communities.