WHO WE ARE
Founders
Chris Gates
Founder & CEO at Mainsprings
Co-Founder & Chairman of the Board at EARN
Chris founded Mainsprings in 2006 after spending all his high school summers in Tanzania volunteering at a center for street boys. Chris has held many roles at Mainsprings during his time as CEO, and lived in Tanzania for 10 years overseeing the growth and development of the flagship campus. In 2016, Chris moved back to his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma with his four boys as the Tanzanian team transitioned to be led by all East Africans. Today, Chris is passionate about everything he has learned in his 22+ years in Tanzania to help further Mainsprings. He is also on the boards of several organizations with similar missions to Mainsprings’ and is the Co-founder of the Earth Allies Restoration Network. In his free time, Chris enjoys gardening, entertaining, and working on his farm. (Read more about Chris’ Founding Story)
Sophie Oppenheimer
Co-founder, CEO, & President at EARN
Executive Director at The Valley Foundation
Sophie Oppenheimer has a background in food systems, applied nutrition, evaluation, and public health. She believes that people can live in harmony with nature to produce their food – and that transitioning to a nature-based approach to agriculture is crucial to improving human and environmental health. She has spent the majority of her professional career supporting people and organizations focused on improving livelihoods, increasing food security, and restoring natural ecosystems. Sophie is the Executive Director of the Valley Foundation and the Co-Founder/CEO of the Earth Allies Restoration Network (EARN). Prior to these roles, Sophie worked as a professional researcher and evaluation consultant for twelve years. Sophie holds an MPH and an MS from Tufts University, as well as a BA from the University of Colorado Boulder. Sophie also received her official permaculture design certificate in February 2020.
Board of Directors
Reem N. Bsaiso
Founder at Global Thinkers Forum
Academically, Reem N. Bsaiso, is a scientist that had started her career as a research assistant working on polluted dam water samples for chemical and physical analysis, before earning her post graduate degrees in advanced computer aided design (CAD) and virtual reality (VA) from Virginia Tech (US) and education technology (InHolland). Her career progressed as she wrote several national, regional and global policies in technology and education, such as Jordan’s first ICT in Education Policy, UN ITU Arab Smart Strategy and running a global DC-based World Bank initiative in 14 country projects, overseeing 38 countries, training millions of teachers and students on merging technology in their classrooms and their lives. Currently she holds several positions such as: a Supervisory Board Member of the Netherlands-based Ecosystem Restoration Communities, Founder & Advisory Board Member of the Global Thinkers Forum in London, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Professionals for Humanity in USA-Africa, Advisory Board Member of the University of the People in New York, Consultative Committee Member at the League of Arab States / ALECSO, as part of Mrs. Hilary Clinton’s Open Book
Initiative and participant in the Barak Obama Entrepreneurship Summit in DC. Reem was invited four times as part of the US Department of States International Visitor Program and Professional Scholar. She also served, for 7 years, on the Higher Debt Swap Panel in UNESCO-Paris and was member of several World Economic Forum Global Committees; she also received the World Bank Award in Evoke Social Gaming. Reem has a passion for nature preservation and animals’ protection. She has been fighting for better energy, waste management, desertification and food security solutions, which earned her a position at the Jordan Senate Energy Committee. She also worked on reclaimed water reuse in agriculture (USAID-RIAL). As a speaker around the world, she also addressed the Global Science Forum that connected science to policies.
Courtney Cardin
Co-Founder & Certified Money Coach at AuraFinance
Courtney aims to unlock access to financial markets for underserved communities. Courtney is the co-founder of Aura – an inclusive financial wellness and investment platform leveraging behavioral psychology and industry-standard investment practices to help underserved individuals understand their money mindset and gain the confidence to put their money to work.
Courtney spent more than a decade working at the intersection of politics, policy, and finance to develop and implement inclusive economic development initiatives and models to promote innovation and entrepreneurship. She has experience building coalitions and strategic partnerships with civic organizations, community leaders, influencers, and companies to promote sustainable brands and progressive causes, candidates, and policies. In 2019, Courtney moved to Melbourne, Australia, and launched an impact consulting business, BC Global Partners. Courtney advised clients around the world on sustainable investment and inclusive growth.
A trained attorney with a focus on antitrust and congressional investigations, Courtney previously represented Fortune 500 clients, served as Senior Counsel for the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, and an attorney for Secretary Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. Courtney received a B.A. in International Studies and a B.A. in Jewish Studies from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.
Ashley Colpaart
Founder & CEO at Food Corridor
Ashley is the founder and CEO of The Food Corridor. The Food Corridor is the world’s largest platform connecting food entrepreneurs to rentable commercial kitchen space. Ashley is a Registered Dietitian and earned a Doctorate in Food Systems from Colorado State University and a Master’s in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. She has a unique systems understanding of food and human health in social, economic, and environmental spheres.
François de Keuleneer
Expert Engineer and Business Developer at DEME-Group
Following graduation from the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland) with an Msc in Hydrogeology and Geothermics, François joined the DEME-Group in 2014. After a year as an on-site project engineer, he joined the Engineering, Design and Technology Department as an Environmental Engineer. He is now co-leading the Nature Based Solutions cell and doing business development for large scale ecosystem restoration projects.
François co-founded the Ecosystem Restoration Community Foundation in 2017 and has been the chairman of the Supervisory Board since then. The foundation has been created to create a movement in support of communities (60 to date) acting to restore ecosystems on the ground.
Nate Marrs
President at Oppenheimer Development Properties
Nate has a broad base of knowledge across many different focuses and markets. Having a science-based background and tons of hands-on experience in the physical fitness, construction and military fields has allowed him to cross level his different experiences and utilize those in markets in which otherwise would not have been utilized. Having sales and project management experience has allowed Nate to step into a completely different field in structuring land conservation deals. Relationship and trust building skills make this easy and transparency makes it possible. Honesty equals freedom. Take care of your body, get outside and be kind.
Alexis Oppenheimer
Senior Architectural Designer at KEM STUDIO
Alexis Oppenheimer is a Senior Architectural Designer at KEM STUDIO. A Kansas City native, Alexis spent 12 years in New York City, working in both Architecture and Real Estate Development. After graduating from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation in 2018, she moved home to be closer to her family and be part of Kansas City’s exciting growth. Alexis’s expertise focuses on mixed-use and multi-family developments that aim to create a positive impact on local communities. With a keen eye for design, she believes problem-solving and collaboration are essential parts of the building process.
In her free time, Alexis enjoys camping and traveling with her husband and son. When at home, the whole family can be found doing projects around their 1902 Bungalow they fully renovated over the last 4 years.
Administrative Staff
Brendan Kiely
EARN Administrative Coordinator
Brendan joined EARN in 2024 as an Administrative Coordinator. His professional experience is based in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors where he worked in various administrative and research roles. He recently lived in the Washington, DC area where he attended George Washington University and received a Master’s in International Development, focusing his studies primarily on the environmental sustainability component of agriculture and energy systems. His studies allowed him to travel to both Togo and Malawi where he fell in love with working with farmer groups on different climate conscious sustainable agriculture projects. Following the conclusion of his schooling, he moved to Denver, Colorado where he currently works and lives. Brendan enjoys a wide variety of outdoor activities and sports in his leisure time.
Travis Purser
Partner Coordinator
Travis has been working for non-profits since he first joined Mainsprings in Tanzania in 2013 as a Volunteer coordinator- later promoted to co-campus director where he handled more of the day to day operations and served for 2 years. Travis moved back to the states in 2015 and had been helping Mainsprings with development for 8 years before moving to EARN to help as an administrative and logistics manager for the EARN movement. He has supervised and assisted with the growth of the EARN Network and is currently overseeing the Grantee Program that EARN is conducting. He is a Graduate for the University of Tulsa, and currently lives on a regenerative farm just outside of Tulsa, OK. He loves traveling, farming and animals.
Trainers
Mark Shepard
Lead Trainer
Mark Shepard is the CEO of Forest Agriculture Enterprises LLC, founder of Restoration Agriculture Development LLC, and award- winning author of the book Restoration Agriculture: Real-World Permaculture for Farmers. Mark has also been a farmer member of the Organic Valley cooperative, the world’s largest Organic Farmer’s marketing co-op, since 1995. He is most widely known as the founder of New Forest Farm, the 106-acre perennial agricultural savanna considered by many to be one of the most ambitious sustainable agriculture projects in the United States. Trained in both mechanical engineering and ecology, Mark has developed and patented equipment and processes for the cultivation, harvesting, and processing of forest derived agricultural products for human foods and bio fuels production. Mark was certifiedas a permaculture designer in 1993 and received his Diploma of Permaculture Designfrom Bill Mollison, the founder of the International Permaculture Movement. He teaches agroforestry and Permaculture worldwide.
Tom Benevento
Trainer
Tom enjoys collaborating with others who seek social justice and ecological healing in their communities. He is founder and co-director of New Community Project’s Sustainable Living Center and the Jubilee Climate Farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. One of his enduring interests is designing, and developing permaculture and agroforestry systems with subsistence farmers. Tom’s work has been inspired by living with Guatemalan indigenous farmers for over ten years. He has extensive experience learning, teaching, and working with village farmers in Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Jamaica, and most recently Malawi in permaculture, agroforestry, and community development. He holds an MS in Sustainable Systems. Outside of work, Tom enjoys hiking, playing music and spending time with his family. In good years, he aspires to keep the groundhogs out of his home garden.
Antje Förstle
Trainer
Antje Förstle is a Permaculture designer, educator and consultant – and an author, artist, dive master, solar-cooker engineer and forest steward. Antje has 30 years of experience in Ecological Restoration, Landscaping, Community Development, Social Business, Farming, Gardening and Marine Conservation in East Africa. “I am passionate about marine and terrestrial environmental protection and restoration. I believe our responsibility is to safeguard and foster our planetary communities, human and non-human, and that joyfulness and healing can only come with diverse, strong and honest relationships.”
Travis Purser
Trainer
Jeremiah’s passion and education in Permaculture, natural building, and alternative technologies began in the late 1980’s. He completed his first Permaculture Design Course in 1992 and many advanced classes leading to a Diploma from the Permaculture Institute. He was a partner with Living Structures, one of the first Permaculture and green building firms in the USA, for five years. In 2000 he established San Isidro Permaculture in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a design and installation company focused on water catchment, permaculture education, grey water systems, native and edible plant landscapes, erosion control & land restoration. He has also consulted and conducted trainings in the Caribbean, Central America, Africa and Asia for many years on several projects. Jeremiah is a consultant for the Valley Foundation. His contributions include working with partners to design and install permaculture projects.
Eric Jules “EJ” Oppenheimer
Trainer
EJ has a background in environmental science and anthropology. He has worked as an agroecologist and permaculture trainer for the past 10 years. As Director of Operations of the Valley Foundation, he oversees activities at the Valley Park Agroecology Center, and leads the design, implementation, and training for all Valley Foundation permaculture projects. EJ is the lead facilitator and trainer for most Permaculture training seminars put on by the Valley Foundation. EJ received his official permaculture design certificate in February 2020 and his Trainer’s Diploma in July of 2022.
Lazaro Paruason
Trainer & East Africa Regional Hub Coordinator
Lazaro is Mainsprings’ Head of Permaculture in is the primary Permaculture teacher and trainer for Mainsprings’ staff, students and PDC participants over the last 2 years. Lazaro has been trained in person by Mark Shepard multiple times and has a great wealth of knowledge of East African agriculture and vast experience working with children and community engagement. Lazaro is passionate about integrating entrepreneurship practices in Permaculture to help communities alleviate poverty and increase resilience. He is originally from Ngorongoro region of Tanzania, which is rich in biodiversity and cultural heritage. Lazaro is a phenomenal writer and is currently combining those skills together to help create a Permaculture Curriculum in both English and Swahili for schools, organizations and farmers across East Africa to use.
