Board Members - Earth Rights Institute

Earth Rights Institute Board Members are very much part of our family, some who have been part of our organization from the beginning. They are the individuals that have helped steer our organization towards a sustainable future. We are so happy to have such a wide array of powerful board members who are authorities in their expertise. You will notice that each of them bring a special experience within the principals and values of our organization. We are proud to have them as our board members and are inspired by their advancement in their work and lifestyles they have chosen. They bring richness to our work and continue to help us advance our mission.

Tamara Muruetagoiena

SENIOR GLOBAL MANAGER, GLOBAL R&D AT DRISCOLL'S

Tamara holds a Master of Forest Science from Yale University, MBA from UC Berkeley, and a BA in Political Sciences from Washington State University. Trained as a forest scientist, Tamara has a strong expertise in applying and teaching field methodology to the management of research projects in the US, Spain, and Dominican Republic. As an international forestry consultant, she designed and created protocols for riparian forest restoration projects directed towards water quality improvement.

Quisia Gonzalez

VICE PRESIDENT FOR HONDURAS, INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR LAND VALUE TAXATION- M.D.

After training as a medical doctor at the Universidade de Pernambuco in Brazil, Quisia returned to her native Honduras where she practiced medicine for three years until she moved to the US in 1989. She has worked extensively in the field of education, including adult basic education and literacy, as well as parenting and HIV counseling. In addition, she has been active in the Proyecto de los Trabajadores Latinoamericanos, advocating for fair wages and immigration reform.

Gina Smallwood

SENIOR AUDITOR ANALYST (HHS-ACF) HIGHLIGHT TECHNOLOGIES

Gina Maria Smallwood, graduate from the University of Maryland University College is an experienced not-for-profit accountant, visual artist and community activist, certified as a spiritual advisor from the Delphi University and professional coach from the Coach Training Academy. As an Accountant, Gina consistently provides reliable business support to foundations, government agencies, non-profit organizations, small businesses, and individuals throughout the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Rob Wheeler

UN REPRESENTATIVE FOR GLOBAL ECOVILLAGE NETWORK

Rob Wheeler has represented the Global Ecovillage Network at the United Nations for the past 15 years and has participated actively in the UN Commission and now the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development for the past 20 years. He is helping to organize GEN’s PanAfrican Ecovillage Development Programme and GEN’s Ecovillage Impact Assessment project. He serves on GEN’s Fundraising and Outreach and Networking Working Groups and is the Coordinator of the UN Working Group.

Marta Benavides

UN HUMAN RIGHTS & PEACE ADVOCATE

Marta was born and raised in El Salvador. She is working and living in El Salvador as a biologist, theologian, educator, permaculturist, ecologist. Marta has worked all her life to manifest a culture of peace in her country and the world. She is part of the leadership of various networks at the national and international levels, both in secular and religious contexts, working on culture of peace, sustainability, inclusiveness, and women rights.

Judy Yetter

PROFESSIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL COACH

With her sights on improving the big picture, Judy has been applying knowledge to create systemic change for more than 20 years. She has made contributions as a grassroots ecologist and as an environmental educator working in concert with government agencies, social organizations, universities and business leaders.

Melissa Burns

INTERNATIONAL & DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIST

Melissa Burns is an international and development economist who has worked in about twelve countries in Africa, as well as in the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. She has also worked for United Nations organizations in Rome and New York City, for architect-planners in Paris, and in host country posts; as well as at USAID, World Bank and World Health Organization country missions worldwide.

Norie Huddle

AUTHOR, MANAGER AND COACH

President, Center for New National Security since 1979; Co-Founder of the Garden of Paradise since 2007

She does research, writing, public speaking, workshops & seminars, coaching and mentoring for a range of clients. Spent over four decades working both in the US and internationally, developing innovative interactive processes - high level communications, design of new systems, conflict resolution and more. Norie is the executive speech writing and ghostwriting, as well as team building, vision & goals clarification, creative problem solving & more for the New National Security.

She is the Co-Founder & General Manager of the Garden of Paradise - www.gardenofparadise.net - located near Vilcabamba, Ecuador. Today with her husband, they are creating an innovative model rural development project in a world class setting. They offer a variety of high quality consulting and health enhancement services in a exceptionally beautiful & inspiring setting.

Diane Perlman

CLINICAL AND POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Diane Perlman, PhD is a clinical and political psychologist with interests in the psychology of enmity, nuclear proliferation, terrorism, gender and violence, post-conflict processes of restorative justice, and strategies of tension reduction and nonviolent conflict transformation. She is interested in psychological literacy in the media, language, messaging and framing for demystification, producing insight that might lead to better thinking towards more viable solutions to our most serious problems.

Courtney Dowe

SINGER, SONGWRITER AND ACTIVIST

Guided by the philosophy that music should be accessible to all people, Courtney Dowe has performed in places as humble as subway stations and as legendary as The Filmore in San Francisco. Her interest in human rights has inspired “protest songs” ranging from the subject of police brutality in the United States, to the struggle for Dalit rights in India as well as the persecution of Falun Gong by the Communist Regime in China. She is not just an artist she is an adventurer who reflects the nature of her life in her music.

In 2010 her debut album “Accomplice” was released and acclaimed as the #3 album of the year in the international newspaper, The Epoch Times. That same year her original composition “ A Song For Sean Bell” enjoyed airplay on BBC radio.

Our BOARD MEMBERS