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Hollyhock Presenters

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Our presenters are curated for their quality, depth, integrity, and alignment with our educational purpose. Since 1982, a distinguished faculty of authors, educators, activists, artists, performers, and practitioners have shared their work at our Cortes Island campus and in Vancouver.

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LaUra Schmidt

LaUra (she/her) is a truth-seeker, community-builder, cultural critic, and grief worker. She is also the granddaughter of a holocaust survivor. Inspiration finds her in natural landscapes and honest, open-hearted dialogue.
LaUra graduated with a BS in Environmental Studies, Biology, and Religious Studies. Her MS is in Environmental Humanities. LaUra has been studying and cultivating personal and collective resilience strategies for nearly a decade. She is trained in nonviolent civil disobedience, and is a Climate Reality Leadership Corps member & mentor. She recently earned an “Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy” Certificate through The Embody Lab.

LaUra & Aimee Lewis-Reau have written a book on their unique 10-Step program they run through Good Grief Network, which is expected out Spring 2023, through Shambhala Publications.

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