Mr. Meisen is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego (1976) with an Applied Mechanics and Engineering Sciences degree. Meisen founded GENI in 1989 to conduct research and educate world leaders to the strategy of linking renewable energy resources around the world. He is an internationally recognized speaker on the global issues of renewable energy, transmission and distribution of electricity, quality of life and its relationship to electricity, the environment and sustainable development.

 

Peter is a member of the following professional associations: IEEE Power Engineering Society, World Affairs Council of San Diego, Union of Concerned Scientists, United Nations Association, and is an Honorary member of the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club. In 1983, he co-founded S.H.A.R.E. (Self Help and Resource Exchange), North America's largest private food distribution program.

 

 

Arthur Thanasi Glavas is an alumni of the University of Maryland where he graduated with a B.A. in Sociology. Returning to his native New York he worked in financial media events and conferences for 8 years. At the end of his time in New York he was managing a sales team and consulting on CRM database implementation. On his spare time he actively pursuing a healthy lifestyle and culture enrichment. In the beginning of 2011 Thanasi relocated to San Diego where he has shifted his focus toward social entrepreneurship, renewable energy, and community development. Dedicating his time to develop TEDxAmericasFinestCity he produced numerous events culminating in a 600 person event highlighting innovations in San Diego. In his most recent position as the business development manager at the World Resources SimCenter he works on all areas of the organization including event management, marketing, membership, program development, fundraising, data base management and design. His thirst for knowledge varied skill set has helped to take this non-profit project to a greater market and increase its value to the community as it relates to its mission.

 

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Bobbi DePorter is Founder and President of Quantum Learning Network (www.qln.com), now in its thirtieth year. Her learning, life skills and character-education programs have impacted more than five million young people worldwide. Ms. DePorter is an early pioneer in the applications of accelerated learning, which she first applied in her highly successful business school. She then had the vision to help children realize their personal greatness by teaching these same accelerated learning techniques to them. This inspiration led to the launch of SuperCamp® learning and life skills academic summer camps in 1982.

SuperCamp has achieved worldwide success with over 56,000 student graduates from the program. The Wall Street Journal reported that SuperCamp "turns so-so students into academic achievers." USA TODAY stated that "Schools take a cue from SuperCamp successes."

Author of over a dozen books, she is acknowledged by many as a leading authority on effective learning and youth development. Bobbi studied with the renowned Bulgarian educator Dr. Georgi Lozanov in the late 1970s and was an early pioneer of accelerated learning in the United States.

Inspired by her success with SuperCamp, Bobbi established Learning Forum International, a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational corporation based in Oceanside, California.

 

 

Dr. Miller was president and co-founder of Access Research Corporation, an engineering company, as well as a board member of its parent company, TYX Corporation. Holding a doctorate in education with a focus on systems management from Cornell University, Dr. Miller is a founding trustee and member of the Board of Directors at California State University, San Marcos. She holds teaching credentials in higher education in New York, Massachusetts, and California and serves as guest or adjunct faculty at several prestigious universities. In recent years, Access Research won achievement awards for Women in Technology and Successful California Women-Owned Business. In 1987, she received national recognition as "Entrepreneur of the Year" by Arthur Young/Venture Magazine. She enjoys membership and affiliation in numerous engineering trade associations (IEEE, NSIA, AFCEA, ASTD, and NSPI).

 

Mr. Powers is VP of Sales & Marketing and co-founder of Stellar Solar LLP, the licensed provider of photovoltaic solar energy systems for The Home Depot and BP Solar in San Diego. He also helped to launch The Home Depot's national solar energy program in 2001. He is a writer and marketing professional with over 30 years experience in the field. He has been an avid supporter of GENI since 1986, when he first read Buckminster Fuller's book "Critical Path" and was inspired by the Global Energy Grid concept.

 

Mr. Henson is a 20-year veteran of the communications industry. He was Chairman and CEO of CMT (Country Music Television), served as Nickelodeon's first general manager, and helped create MTV Networks, Inc. He is president of his own Florida-based entertainment consulting firm, Nyhl Henson Enterprises, and serves as executive producer of Branson Hills Productions, in Branson, Missouri.

 

 

William A. Shopoff is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Shopoff Group and Shopoff Securities, Inc. William has more than 25 years of real estate and investment experience. His expertise includes the acquisition, development, and sale of new and re-developed residential and commercial properties throughout the United States, as well as partnership structure, debt placement, venture capital, and investment underwriting. William's focus has been on opportunistic (or value added) investing with his specialty for the past 10+ years being land investments. The Shopoff Group is a private real estate investment firm offering qualified, high net-worth clients strategic investment opportunities in land, residential and commercial properties, mortgage products, and pooled funds. William is a member of Commercial Investment Real Estate (CIRE). He earned his Bachelors of Science degree in biology and an MBA in finance/accounting from The University of Texas at Austin. Contact him at www.shopoff.com or bshopoff@shopoff.com.

 

 

Thomas has extensive international experience as a team leader, negotiator, crisis manager, and director of large organizations supporting multiple government agencies located at U.S. embassies abroad. Tom led energized, motivated, and productive teams that consistently earned high marks from customers for innovation, service quality, and efficiency. During Mr. Young's Foreign Service career, he represented U.S. government interests to senior foreign-government officials and overseas business leaders emphasizing a collaborative approach to achieving operational goals and accomplishing successful international negotiations. Currently Tom serves as a director on the boards of two San Diego-based nonprofit organizations. Contact him at tomyoung158@hotmail.com.

 

Pamela Stambaugh is the President and Founder of Accountability Pays. Her company provides advisory services to executive teams, gives guidance in executive management and distributes the Harrison Assessments Talent Solution to hire, retain and develop “A’ players. Pamela is a member of the San Diego Rotary Club and University Club of San Diego. A twenty-six year resident of San Diego and she is committed to making San Diego both economically and environmentally sustainable.

 

André Skupin is an associate professor of Geography at San Diego State University. He received a Dipl.- Ing. degree in Cartography at the Technical University Dresden, Germany, and a Ph.D. in Geography at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Areas of interest and expertise include text document visualization, geographic visualization, cartographic generalization, and visual data mining. Much of his research revolves around new perspectives on geographic metaphors, methods, and principles, outside of traditional geographic domains. Andre’s GIS expertise has been invaluable in developing the Geodesign San Diego program.

Even during his high school years, Tom harbored an interest in vehicles and energy efficiency. He has over 30 years of experience in executive management, technical product design and engineering research and development, particularly in heavy-duty hybrid-electric vehicles and large-scale energy storage technology. He is the recipient of a Lifetime California Community College Teaching Credential, a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), a life member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a member and past vice chair of the Transportation Committee of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Land Use Water and Energy and Technology committees of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. He also serves on the board of directors of the San Diego Clean Fuels Coalition the US Department of Energy Clean Cities group in San Diego. Tom holds a BS and MS in electrical engineering from Stanford University and a MBA from San Diego State University.

Phil Bona is a Senior Architect at BNIM Architects & Planning in San Diego. Previosuly a Planner at Baucentrum Urban Studio, and Adjunct Professor - Urban Design Studio at NewSchool of Architecture & Design, Chair San Diego Urban Design Committee of the AIA, making recommendations on future development in the region.

Jessica Block, a staff research associate at Calit2, continues to use visualization technology to address environmental issues and natural disasters, particularly wildfires. She is part of a UCSD team, together with researchers from Australia’s University of Melbourne, who in 2012 received an Australian Research Council grant of $1.5 million to design, build, and install wireless streaming sensors that can withstand failures in the field. This leverages expertise developed at UCSD to allow emergency responders to access dynamic environmental data that were previously unavailable in real-time. Jessica previously worked at the immersive visualization Design Theater at Arizona State University, and brings that experience to the SimCenter.