David is author of Impact Networks and was a cofounder of Converge, serving as network coordinator from 2013-2021. He is currently cofounder of Hats Protocol, working to create a backbone for decentralized work. See davidehrlichman.com for a collection of his projects, writings, and podcasts.

David Sawyer (aka "Sawyer") played key roles in a variety of fields: education reform, national service, social entrepreneurship, venture philanthropy and environmental stewardship. He specialized in networks, strategy, design, and systems thinking. Before cofounding Converge, he helped launch the Americorps program, received The Servant Leader Award from the National Youth Leadership Council, and served as the first Executive Director of Social Venture Partners Portland. He was also a strategy consultant with Monitor Institute and has worked with countless mission-centered organizations and businesses, both small and large, to address complex social and environmental challenges. He lived in Portland, Oregon.

With over two decades of experience, Matthew Spence is a seasoned professional in designing, leading, and advising collaborative initiatives across diverse sectors, including large landscape conservation, early childhood development, and sustainable technology supply chain management. As a skilled communications consultant and trainer, Matthew brings exceptional clarity to every stage of an engagement, from initial sensemaking to design, execution, and comprehensive documentation. His expertise ensures that analysis, understanding, agreements, and outcomes are effectively captured and communicated throughout the project lifecycle, fostering successful and impactful collaborations.

I specialize in designing and facilitating conversations that move things forward. In my 17 years of experience as a facilitator, I've led more than 1,500 meetings for leaders navigating various organizational or network challenges. My facilitation style is rooted in deep listening, strategic guidance, and adaptive design. I regularly engage with network participants, board members, leadership teams, and community members of initiatives dedicated to social and environmental impact. While in the Converge Network, I had the opportunity to design and refine core Converge tradecraft, catalyze new networks, amplify existing networks, and hone the unique style of facilitation required for collaboration across entities.

Zach works at the intersection of business, sustainability, and human potential. His diverse work experience includes leading executive team retreats in Europe and China, advancing renewable energy development in Guatemala, and teaching public school in rural Japan. In his work with Converge he has had the privilege to help develop networks addressing landscape conservation, migrant justice, and income inequality. He is an optimist despite the evidence, a mediocre athlete, and a devoted husband and father.

A systems-oriented mind and purpose-driven heart led me to a career focused on cross-sector collaboration for positive impact. As a network strategist, facilitator, and writer, I combine a relational style with strategic acumen and a dose of imagination to help collaborative efforts thrive. During my tenure in the Converge Network, I served as coordinator, designed and refined open-source tradecraft, and supported dozens of networks and collaboratives working on complex change initiatives around the world. Before planting a stake in the consulting field, I was a social entrepreneur and drove a grocery-store-on-wheels. Learn more about me and my work at networkapproach.net.

Carri is a systems strategist, convening facilitator and leadership coach who cultivates thriving organizations and impact networks. She has been consulting with change leaders, teams, organizations, institutions, and networks for more than 25 years. Carri’s bright spirit, generosity, detail tracking, care and creativity make her a great partner to folks collaborating to foster change in complex systems. She is based in Portland, Oregon and enjoys working regionally and globally with people dedicated to re-imagining and co-creating a flourishing world for all.

I move between the roles of facilitator, coach, and researcher. In each role, my focus is on supporting individuals to learn, broaden their sense of what’s possible, and connect with a deeper sense of purpose. For the past 13 years I have worked with groups around the world to learn across differences and engage in collaborative action. Based in Victoria, BC, I am currently pursuing my PhD at the Bristol Business School in England, my research focuses on how individuals can access expanded capacities for sensemaking in times of dynamic complexity.

Gabriel helps senior level executives create high performance cultures of purpose, trust, and belonging. He is an international bestselling author, social entrepreneur, facilitator, and coach, whose leadership pedagogy is taught at Cornell and MIT. His PhD research at Yale illuminates when and how purposeful work contributes to the flourishing of people and organizations. He lives in Seattle with his wife, Sarah, and daughters, Ariana and Madeleine—with whom he shares a mission of creating unconditional love and powerfully contributing to others.

My work lies at the intersection of a brain oriented toward math and science and a heart holding a deep desire to transform the world. This combination led me to program evaluation research, where I spent 15 years helping organizations use data to inform the design and delivery of effective service programs and impactful policies to address a wide range of complex social problems. In this role, I saw how often programs’ impacts are limited by siloed sectors, institutional barriers, and a general lack of collaboration. Motivated by this experience, I now use my nerdy superpowers to develop accessible data practices to help networks and other collaboratives understand how they can work better, and achieve more, together.

Paula Manley is an educator, group facilitator, and strategist who supports people in forming impact networks—intentionally co-created networks in which many individuals and groups come together to discover and advance their shared purpose. She has expertise in designing convenings for learning and collaborative action, supporting network leaders, recruiting and hiring network coordinators, and guiding cohorts in which many leaders come together for peer support and joint learning. Paula’s work is grounded in her commitments to equity, inclusion, and systems thinking. Her clients include Media Justice Network, Oregon Immigrant and Refugee Funder Collaborative, Science Communicators Training Network, National Policy Consensus Center, and The Intertwine Alliance.

Yingzhao (Ying) Liu is an integral facilitator, a mother to a 6-year-old, an outdoor educator, and a painter and printmaker. She also founded Original Mind creative residency, lectured at Stanford University on Designing for Well-being, and was previously a design director for international markets at LinkedIn. She began her fascination with group magic with Where There Be Dragons, forming and leading their experiential programs for American students in southwest China, and serves on the board of North Cascades Institute. Ying is native to mainland China and came to the U.S. at age 18–at home in liminal spaces and eventually found her tribe of global citizens, artists, and quiet revolutionaries who are transforming the world in countless ways of the fractal.

Mina is a strategist, facilitator and executive coach for individuals, organizations, and networks that seek greater clarity, connection, and collaboration. She designs and facilitates strategy and leadership sessions as well as professional training and culture change programs. She specializes in bringing humanness and vulnerability to difficult conversations and in getting to the heart of the matter in a short time. Mina is also an East West culture and network bridge, traveling between the Bay Area, Shanghai and Singapore. Mina was previously a management consultant at BCG and The World Bank.

Jeanine partners with purpose-led leaders who are passionate about making an impact. She coaches, consults and speaks with a focus on collaborative leadership, empowering her clients to ignite their impact, align their teams and thrive. In addition to teaching Negotiation at Stanford for over a decade and at UC Berkeley, she has provided organizational development consulting, training & coaching to foundations, corporations, non-profits, social enterprises and networks including the World Bank, Amgen Foundation, Aga Khan Foundation, Twitter, Slack, Cisco, ParadigmIQ, Second Harvest, Central Park Conservancy, Encore.org, MedZed, Momentum Accelerator, SITELAB Urban Studios, Lean Startup Productions, UpStart Labs, Motorola Mobility, FSG, O'Reiley Media, and Big Bad Boo Studios.

Teletha co-creates human-centric systems and processes with people in organizations and networks. ‍ She believes that systems and processes function best when they are created in collaboration with the people who use them, align with the operational and strategic needs of the organization or network, fit into the organizational culture, and are useful for day-to-day management.