The restructuring of the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) ecosystem has created at its heart the Network Steward Circle (NSC) which links the Regional, Global Nodes, NextGEN, and GEN Elders together. It is made up of 3 members from each Node/Circle. Its core purpose is Network coordination, stewarding GEN’s shared purpose, and to serve as the General Assembly of GEN International. The Circle is also a forum where geographical and cultural diversity, diversity in age, race, voice can work together in balance and harmony, truly anchoring GEN as an inclusive network.
Meet GENOA Network Stewards!
Network Stewards are engaged, trusted individuals, network weavers/leaders in active communication and collaboration within their Node or Circle. They are network weavers ready to work in a global team and deeply committed to GENOA’s purpose and the Ecovillage movement.
Thalea Tane, Aotearoa New Zealand
Thalea has served as an integral member of the GENOA council and is pleased to continue a role as one of the three NSC members representing the GENOA circle for 2021. As an active indigenous member of her Tribe(s) in Northland, Thalea continues to educate and advocate for the revitalisation and co-creation of regenerative communities across Aotearoa, Oceania and SE Asia. As a tutor in Sustainable Living and speaker in national judicial conferences, International forums and summits, Thalea has also represented GEN/GENOA in the United Nations COP25 Climate Change Conferences in Madrid. Thalea will continue to dedicate herself to working alongside circles, indigenous nations, governments and key stakeholders who align themselves with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and are responding to the Climate Change emergency in solidarity with grassroots communities.
Amena Bal, India
Amena joined the GENOA NSC to serve Mother Earth and to be an active voice for wellness and oneness in our world through being part of meta networks. As a permaculturist, living in TI Ecovillage in South India, she is on a mission to spread the ecovillage movement and share regenerative living through creating synergy between loving-kindness and integral ecosystem sensing and designing. A spiritualist and devoted energy healer, her main purpose is to heal and compassionately harmonize communities with their environments. Working with land, youth and women is very close to her heart. Her life is dedicated to connecting and working with communities and projects that are creating circles of a new healed humanity living happily in beautiful balance with Gaia.
Thao Ngo (Kin)
Thao Ngo, often called by her friends and colleagues as Kin, is a learner and educator from Vietnam. Kin is passionate about ecology and is on a long exciting quest of her life learning from and caring for Mother Earth. Being a young soul in the network, Kin has been a member of NextGENOA since 2016 and joined the GENOA Office team in mid-2020. She is happy to step into the role of GEN regional liaison in GENOA and a member of the NSC. In addition to her role in GENOA and NextGENOA, Kin works with non-governmental organizations in Vietnam in organizing and facilitating training on ecological education and eco-lifestyle. Kin believes in the power of reconnection and re-enchanting the world. She is learning to be a Deep Ecology facilitator and trainer.
Karen Xingtong Wang, China
Karen has been living in Sunshine Ecovillage since March 2018 and working as the General Secretary until now. She is also the Secretary of China Ecovillage Network. In Sunshine Ecovillage, she mainly takes care of the community by building the ecovillage with 4 dimensions in a holistic system together with all members and in charge of public relations outreaching works as well as Sunshine Eco Academy. She has taken EDE twice and TOT once and organized EDE as the facilitator and translator in China twice. She is very familiar with Ecovillage building & designing and facilitating related workshops.
Before joining Sunshine, she worked as a mandarin teacher for 9 years and organic farming for 4 years in Shanghai. In 2021, she will put most of her time and energy into building the international ecovillage-based education system in GENOA especially East – Asia, and start the Green School Program for children in Sunshine.
