Meet our fabulous and dedicated volunteers! 

Listed alphabetically by first name.

Dean Van Leuven
www.lifewithoutanger.com 

Dean has been a United States Air Force Captain and Aircraft Commander, a rancher, and lettered in track and football at the University of Oregon, where he also earned his Bachelors Degree in Psychology and a Doctor of Jurisprudence in Law.  He passed up the opportunity to play professional football for a flying career.

He has practiced International Business Law in Europe, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Australia where he specialized in Corporate and Tax Law.  While in private practice in Oregon, and as a City Judge he developed a keen interest in anger issues because of his frequent encounter with anger related problems.

He conducts workshops and is the author of many books dealing with emotional issues in the family.  They include:  Life With Anger, Parenting Without Anger, Partnering without Anger, and A Peaceful New World.

His books have evolved from his work teaching classes and conducting workshops on the subject of anger.  His classes included mental health patients, high school students, businesses, parenting and relationship classes; as well as anger prevention classes for the general public.

CNL Committees: Parntering, Parenting & Family and Proposal Review & Scheduling.

Sister Kiran
www.bkeugene.com

Sister Kiran has 29 years experience as a teacher of a modern form of Raja Yoga meditation with the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University. She currently administers the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Center in Eugene, Oregon. A presenter on a variety of subjects related to spirituality and personal development, she also participates in community initiatives of an interfaith and peace-based nature.

Sister Kiran holds a B.S. degree in Human Ecology from Cornell University, has a postgraduate background in Holistic Health and has been certified in California as a Health Educator/Counselor and an Acupressure Masseuse.  After working in the healthcare sector for many years, she owned and operated a desktop publishing company and worked as a freelance trainer in the corporate sector. She has authored several published works and currently works part-time as a freelance editor.

CNL Committees: Steering, Proposal Review & Scheduling, Health & Well-Being, Media & Information, and Spirituality.

Megan Hinkel
Project Coordinator, Coalition for Nonviolent Living

In early 2003, Megan became aware that she was walking along the path of nonviolence, sustainability and social justice.  Each year, she gains more clarity and intention around ‘holding firmly to the truth’.

Megan graduated from the University of Oregon in 2006 with a B.A. in Sociology, with an unofficial focus on nonviolent living, via courses such as Nonviolent Social Change, Systems of War and Peace, Urban Farm, Yoga, and Meditation.

Megan joined the board of Oregon Network for Compassionate Communication in January 2007, is currently serving as Secretary, and is a co-founder of the Coalition for Nonviolent Living.  She has studied and used Nonviolent Communication since early 2006, has facilitated a few practice group sessions, and has developed and taught several techniques for self-empathy.  She is a member of the Eugene Bio Car Share, and is currently serving as their financial officer. 

CNL Committees:  Steering, Proposal Review & Scheduling, Budget, Fundraising, Publicity, Website, Lodging, Registration, Hospitality, Food,  Health/Well-Being, Media & Information, Spirituality, Sustainability, and Youth.

Michael Dreiling
www.uoregon.edu/~dreiling

Michael Dreiling is a co-founder of the Oregon Network for Compassionate Communication and currently serves as Vice-President. At the University of Oregon, Michael is the Graduate Program Director and a professor of Sociology where he teaches courses on nonviolence, globalization,  social movements, and American society. His academic interest in peace,conflict and social change span fifteen years, beginning with studies of social movements and their role in empowering marginal voices in modern political processes. Large-scale social conflicts, such as those over the North American Free Trade Agreement formed a crucible for his decade-long study of conflict and cooperation over the politics of globalization. This research is published in nine journal articles and a book in 2001. An active father of two children, Michael is also a co-founder of the Coalition for Nonviolent Living.

CNL Committees: Steering, Proposal Review & Scheduling, Budget, Fundraising, Politics & Governance, and Protection & Justice.

Mischa Davis

www.villagehealthservices.com
 
Mischa Davis' personal commitment to promoting and supporting nonviolence as a way of life goes back to her involvement as a college volunteer for the Community Alliance of Lane County.  Mischa is currently active in the interfaith community as a board member of Two Rivers Interfaith Ministries in Eugene, OR, an interfaith organization committed to building a network of faith communities for the promotion of peace and understanding. 

In 2007,Mischa participated in organizing Eugene's first Season for Nonviolence, a national educational, media and grassroots campaign to demonstrate that nonviolence is a powerful way to heal, transform and empower our lives and our communities. Mischa takes a holistic approach to supporting nonviolence as a way of life through building relationships and assisting others on their journey to well-being as a Reiki healer.

CNL Committees: Health & Well-Being, Spirituality, Steering, Proposal Review & Scheduling.

Sparrow Bailey
Sparrow is a Certified Public Accountant (C.P.A.) and has served as Treasurer for the Oregon Network for Compassionate Communication (ORNCC) since 2005. She has volunteered with local projects, including the Oregon Country Fair’s Spoken Word crew.  

As the mother of a teenage boy, she values communication and acceptance. Sparrow was first introduced to Nonviolent Communication in 2002 and since then has taught an introductory NVC course and participated in various Practice Groups. She has been on the Steering Committee of the CNL since its inception September of 2005, and is also active on the Entertainment & The Arts Committee. Sparrow says “ Working on the creation of this Conference is meeting my needs for contribution, connection, learning, teamwork, community, purpose and fun."

Her favorite part of the numerous meetings she has been attending are the “special activities” where everyone shares a little something about themselves.  She has high hopes that the 2008 Conference will provide an opportunity for many people to make connections with others and with themselves. 

CNL Committees: Steering, Entertainment & the Arts, and Budget.