Team

The dMASS Team

Howard J. Brown
Keynote speaker and author

Howard, co-founder of dMASS and chairman of o.s.Earth, has dedicated his work life to the pursuit of business opportunities that arise from creative environmental management practices. For more than 20 years as CEO of Resource Planning & Management Systems (RPM), Inc., in New Haven, Connecticut, he worked with major companies such as Duracell, Avery Dennison, Mobil, GE, John Deere, Whirlpool, Warner Lambert, and Pfizer to establish or enhance their environmental practices and performance.  Before the “greening” of corporations became as popular as it is today, Howard worked with clients on techniques and strategies for turning environmental costs into opportunities and integrating resource management issues profitably into corporate decision-making.  Before there were social ventures and talk of sustainability, he was already forming new businesses to unify good environment and business practices.  His proven techniques are still state-of-the-art at universities and corporations around the globe today, and he continues to push the leading edge with new ideas.  For two decades, Howard was a popular lecturer at Yale University and at Wesleyan University, where his courses on environmental planning and economic development inspired countless students to become leaders in this field.  Howard was also student and colleague of R. Buckminster Fuller and is an authority on the social and economic implications of Fuller’s work. Connect with Howard on Twitter and Facebook.

Kathryn Lewis
Business strategist

Kathryn has expertise in business value creation, strategic marketing, and business systems.  She uses cutting-edge thinking, fresh technology tools, and management innovation to help businesses build value.  Prior to joining the dMASS effort, she spearheaded the launch of an international network for scientists and business leaders who work in energy harvesting technologies.  Her experience also includes healthcare management consulting and marketing analysis for a global logistics company.  Kathryn earned an MBA from SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan, Italy and a BA from McGill University.  Connect with Kathryn on Twitter.

Kristin Aldred Cheek
Writer, researcher, consultant

Kristin is a sustainable business practitioner with expertise in communications and in social science research.  As a colleague of Howard Brown’ at RPM Systems, she participated in some of the nation’s first “corporate greening” projects.  She has advised companies on energy efficiency and resource performance and managed communications on environmental cleanup projects.  Her experience also includes research related to public participation in natural resource management and the economic impacts of natural resource use.  She contributes regularly to dMASS.net, identifying cutting-edge examples and helping others understand how to think about the relationship between resources and wealth.  Kristin holds a master’s degree in Forest Social Sciences from Oregon State University.  Connect with Kristin on Twitter.

.Lionel Wolberger
Technology and systems expert

Lionel is a multidisciplinary scholar, engineer, and musician who has published on digital security, computer-based visualizations, and the role of music and intonation in rational discourse.  An expert in information systems security, he is also an award-winning educator, composer, musicologist, and consultant on web technologies.  He has been a colleague of Howard Brown since 1984, conducting joint research projects and fostering web-based communities such as the Tensegrity Wiki.  Their most recent collaboration has involved researching the scientific and engineering aspects of dMass, approaches to resource performance and dematerialization, and metrics for measuring progress toward dMass.  Lionel earned a doctorate from Wesleyan University and an undergraduate degree from Cornell University.

Ali Abate
Social Systems Researcher and Consultant

Ali is a social systems expert with experience in education and program evaluation and interests in sustainable agriculture and place-based education. She has designed curricula, managed mentoring programs in non-profit and corporate settings, and facilitated group workshops. She recently traveled throughout the eastern, midwestern, and southern United States researching social services and exploring ways that communities are doing better with less. Ali previously worked at o.s. Earth, Inc. leading global simulation workshops. She earned a BA in Psychology from Amherst College and an MSW from Columbia University School of Social Work.

dMASS.net Contributors

Mark Loeffler

Lighting and environmental designer

A director of Atelier Ten and head of that firm’s New Haven office, Mark is an accomplished lighting and environmental designer. Emphasizing integrated and resourceful design to enhance the visual experience of buildings, he has lectured widely and consulted on many significant green building projects both in the United States and abroad.  His recent projects include several award-winning, LEED-certified university student centers, academic research buildings, and sports facilities. An editorial advisor to Architectural Lighting magazine, he is a professional member of the International Association of Lighting Designers, a member of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, Lighting Certified (LC) by the National Council on Qualifications for the Lighting Professions, and a LEED Accredited Professional.  Mark holds a B.A. in Humanities from the University of Texas at Austin and a M.F.A. in Architectural Lighting Design from Parsons The New School for Design where he is a visiting lecturer.