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We are a dedicated community choosing to support the work of Hollyhock. United by a desire to serve and support those who are helping to make the world a better place, our staff and board members reflect the qualities that make Hollyhock an outstanding model for life and work. We are committed to working collaboratively to ensure the magical and high-quality experience that our guests and presenters have come to know and love.

Hollyhock Board

Joel Solomon - Board Chair
Joel activates money and business into pragmatic models for long term balance of ecology and society. RenewalPartners.com, Renewal2.ca, RSFSocialFinance.org, Vancity.com, TidesCanada.org are important financial change agents where Joel plays key roles.

"Hollyhock has given me clarity of life purpose, my wife Dana, and my new kidney, from co-founder Shivon. What will Hollyhock give you?"

Pamela Chaloult
Pamela fell in love with Hollyhock in 2001 at her first Social Venture Institute (SVI) and happily joined the board in 2003. Pam has worked with socially responsible businesses for the past decade and recognizes the importance of places like Hollyhock to advance the agenda of conscious business leaders.  As Vice President of the social venture capital investment fund, Renewal2, she encourages all those who are interested in social change to engage with Hollyhock. 

"I’ve been to many conference and retreat centres across North America and have yet to find one that blends magic and rigor as well as Hollyhock."

 Mark Deutschmann
Mark was Hollyhocked in '83, when he landed upon Cortes shores from the far away lands of Nashville, and found his way onto the grounds, and into the community. Through the years, he has found much healing, life and love, returning regularly and often. He is the founder and CEO of Village Real Estate.

"Now, on the Board, and a shareholder steward, I will continue to support this place and the work inspired for all of my days."

David Drysdale
David has been involved with  Hollyhock since 1997, after a 30-year career as an entrepreneur and retail business owner. David currently dedicates his time working as Hollyhock's Operations Director. 

"As a guest at Hollyhock, I first fell in love with the energy of the land, a feeling of home enveloped me here. The vision of Hollyhock attracted me to work with and contribute to an organization wanting to make a difference in the world. The  team of dedicated individuals that brings this work to the world continually  inspires and supports me."

Karen Mahon
Karen first came to Hollyhock in 1997 - and on that first visit she knew that she would organize her life so that it kept winding back to this magical place. Karen ran Hollyhock's charitable partner organization the Hollyhock Leadership Institute. She sees Hollyhock as an essential gathering place for people who are doing incredible work in the world to create deep and lasting social change. Previously she worked as the Executive Director of Greenpeace Canada.

"The invisible architecture of Hollyhock, invites each of us who go there to live into our deepest fullest selves. We then gather in community to learn together about how to best offer our energies to the vision of a better world".

Shivon Robinsong
Shivon is one of the co-founders of Hollyhock and was centrally involved in its administration and programming from 1982-1990. She is founder and co-director of The Gettin' Higher Choir in Victoria, BC and is passionate about the role of singing in building vibrant community. Shivon leads singing workshops at Hollyhock and around North America.

"I am drawn to Hollyhock for deeper conversations - with the people I meet there, with nature, with myself, and with Spirit. I have always felt the power of the Hollyhock land to heal and inspire, and to nourish and support the inner work of those who come for renewal."

Eduardo Schwartz
Eduardo has been a member of the Hollyhock family and a frequent visitor to Cortes for over 20 years.  He is a Professor of Finance at the UCLA Anderson School.

"Hollyhock and its surroundings are an oasis of peace and wisdom in a world challenged with survival." 

Soasis Sukuweh
A gifted 5Rhythms® movement instructor, Soasis first came here for a dance workshop and fell in love with Hollyhock as she danced with the spirit of the ever-present elements and the compassionate and engaged human beings she encountered here. She danced on the beach, under the stars, with the eagles, through the cedars.... the dance continues on!

"At Hollyhock there is space and time to journey inward, and to take responsibility and action for consciously creating the world with love. The wildness of the land and the garden delicacies nourish the soul, and the connection to other engaged and compassionate people is inspiring and uplifting to the spirit. This is a blessing!"

Peggy Taylor
Peggy has been involved in Hollyhock from the beginning and finds that the venture just gets better every year. Co-founder of Power of Hope, a youth/arts organization, and co-director of PYE-Global (Partnership for Youth Empowerment), an international training organization, she loves the way Hollyhock stays on purpose with it's mission: supporting and bringing together people who are working for a better world.

Michael Tippett 
Michael, serial entrepreneur and co-founder of NowPublic, first discovered Hollyhock through his interest in social media. As a business leader and successful innovator in the media space Michael has made connections with other social venture pioneers through the retreat and continues to be an enthusiastic guest, lecturer and board member.

"We live in a world that requires evolved and new approaches to problem solving. Hollyhock is a place where these new perspectives and solutions find nutrient-rich, organic ground in which to grow deep roots."

Christy Gibb
Christy is a management consultant with McKinsey & Company's Social Sector Office and the former Director of Ashoka Canada. Her first experience of Hollyhock was the 2004 Social Venture Institute (SVI), where she met many of the people that have been drawing her back ever since. Christy lives in New York City and joined the Hollyhock Board in 2009.

"Both Manhattan and Hollyhock are islands full of new ideas and fascinating people, but at Hollyhock I get to swap tall buildings for tall trees—would could be better than that?"

Cara Pike 
Cara is CEO of Pike Productions, an environmental communications consulting firm, and she directs the Climate Leadership Initiative’s Social Capital Project. Formerly the vice president of communications for Earthjustice and a founding board member of the Global Footprint Network, Cara speaks regularly on green marketing and social change and contributed to “Strategies for the Green Economy” published by McGraw Hill in October 2008. 

Victoria Watson
Victoria became Hollyhock's closest neighbour after visiting for the first time in 2007 and falling in love with Hollyhoci, its community and Cortes Island. Living most of the year in London, UK, she's a fundraiser, philanthropist, wife, and mother and is passionate about transformation, youth and a world that works for everyone. 

"Hollyhock gets under your skin. A place to return to for community, for education on what really matters and for renewal of the body, mind and soul"
 

Hollyhock Staff Leadership Team

Dana Bass Solomon - CEO
Dana has been involved with Hollyhock since 2000. She brings over 20 years of senior management in the hospitality and social business arena, as well as a deep love and passion for Hollyhock. Dana was instrumental in guiding Hollyhock and its programs to charitable status. Her current work includes leading Hollyhock's finance, fundraising, and collaborative partnering. A mother of four adult children and grandmother of Banyan, Dana loves to swim in the ocean and walk in the forest with her sweetheart and husband Joel Solomon, and enjoys the joy of laughter shared with family and friends.

"I am dedicating my prime work years to Hollyhock and its affiliated organizations because I believe now is the time to turn the tide towards positive change in North America."

David Drysdale - Operations Director
David has been involved with  Hollyhock since 1997, after a 30-year career as an entrepreneur and retail business owner. 

"As a guest at Hollyhock, I first fell in love with the energy of the land, a feeling of home enveloped me here. The vision of Hollyhock attracted me to work with and contribute to an organization wanting to make a difference in the world. The  team of dedicated individuals that brings this work to the world continually  inspires and supports me."

Clare Day - Program Director 
Clare has been involved with Hollyhock since 2006, designing and delivering Hollyhock's programs on Cortes Island and in Vancouver. Clare has a background in the contemplative arts, adult education and program development and design. It is at Hollyhock that she found a home for her calling - to be of service to support healing and social change.

“There is no place in the world like Hollyhock. It's here that I witness again and again the power that this place and this work has to transform people's lives- whether they are a leader of a non-profit, an artist, or a budding writer. What happens here is nothing less than remarkable, and always inspiring.”

Leslie Hoffman - Program Development Director
Leslie comes to Hollyhock by way of California, and has a diverse and varied professional work history focused primarily in the areas of development, production, project management and marketing in both the entertainment industry and nonprofit sector. Since her first visit in 2010, Leslie has been drawn back time and again by the creative power that is Hollyhock and is very proud to be a part of such a vibrant community.

“Hollyhock is an incubator for change. Whether on a personal level or on a societal level – the power of Hollyhock is transformative and has the potential to drive real innovation in the world. My own experience with this “shift in awareness” happened to me on a kayak in the middle of a dark body of water under a powerful, illuminating Cortes Island moon. The lesson still sits with me today.”

Lesley Kovitz - Program Operations Manager 
Lesley  joined the Hollyhock team in summer 2011. She has travelled worldwide with Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo as teaching tour organizer and personal assistant; was the Executive Director of Yoga BC; and served as manager of residential facilities for street entrenched youth. She's also a meditation/yoga instructor.

“Arriving on Cortes felt like a hand opening to offer me a gift. All I needed to do was accept it. Both Hollyhock and Cortes are incredible environments to be a part of, I am thankful to be here and excited about being able to work with, and work for, an incredible group of staff, guests and presenters.”

Greg Osoba - Marketing Manager
Greg has been working at Hollyhock since 1989 and has seen it all from vantage points in registration, hosting, housekeeping, the garden, and maintenance, before settling into managing the marketing department full-time. He is also a musician playing electric bass and hand drums in original music Cortes Island ensembles.

"I'm drawn to Hollyhock for the spectrum of creativity I get to inject into my work as we explore new and greater possibilities for telling the world about the amazing offerings of Hollyhock. As well, my colleagues are incredible people; we have a lot of fun and I feel highly supported in this little piece of paradise."

Nori Fletcher - Garden Manager
Nori has been at Hollyhock since 1982 and is a fanatic gardener grateful for the opportunity to provide jobs while demonstrating to the local and global community how to organically grow vegetables, herbs and flowers on agriculturally marginal land.

At Hollyhock, you can taste Nori and her team's love for their work in your food!

Rebeka Carpenter - Food Services Supervisor
Rebeka brings several decades of hospitality executive management experience to share with us at Hollyhock. She's a professed  lifelong “foodee”. Her love of providing a place for people to relax and breathe deeply, and fill both their soul and their belly with nourishment, feels at home overlooking the changing waters of the Pacific.

"I'm living my dream, having the time of my life and blessed to be in a place where good things keep happening for all of us and our Mothership, Gaia."

Bill Ophoff - Naturalist
"I came here because I had nothing else to do and I'm still here nearly two decades later," says Bill.
It was through Hollyhock naturalists and staff that Bill rediscovered his interest in nature, the environment and people.

“Sharing nature with Hollyhock guests is a lot of fun and that's why I'm here.”

Tari Pfeifle - Accounting & Front Office Manager

Tari came to work at Hollyhock as a third generation Cortes islander, looking for a place to use her skill of working with numbers, without having to leave home. Currently in her 16th season at Hollyhock, Tari is aware of just how much more Hollyhock has become for her.

"Hollyhock allows me a unique opportunity to share this very special island, that I call home with others who are just discovering it's magic.”

John R. McQuaid  - Sustainability Manager 
John is a Director and co-founder of Wizards 4 Environmental Technologies Inc. He first came to Hollyhock as a vendor installing solar hot water for the hot tubs and the Beach Cabins, before taking on the role of Sustainability Manager.
 

Elizabeth Macdonald - Store & Bodywork Manager 
Elizabeth has been working at Hollyhock since 1993, starting off as a chef in the kitchen where she gained a reputation for her tasty Mexican, Greek, and seafood dinners. She then served as assistant store manager before taking over the mantle as manager with emphasis on locally produced and sustainable crafts and art. Elizabeth is an avid world traveller and loves everything Indian.

“I feel blessed to work in such an incredibly beautiful setting, with a great community of people, in a place that challenges me to learn and grow all the while doing exciting, inspiring work in the world.”

Andria Lee Winters - Volunteer/Host/House Manager 
As an ordained minister, Andria feels blessed to experience the magic of Hollyhock and considers it the perfect place to be of service, to continue her own spiritual growth, and to assist in humanity’s evolution. As an advocate for Mother Earth, a lifelong learner and a confessed seminar junkie, Hollyhock is her perfect home away from home.

“Humbled, grateful and honoured am I to be part of Hollyhock at such a monumental time in earth's evolution. The sacredness of the land, the consciousness of the people and the awesomeness of the experience is definitely Divinely Inspired” 

Heidi Hartman - Vancouver Marketing & Social Media Manager  
Heidi joined the Hollyhock Marketing team in the summer of 2008. Prior to Hollyhock, Heidi was the event manager at the Social Venture Network in San Francisco. Hollyhock provides a place for Heidi to realize her vision of building safe space for people to connect and create positive change in the world.   

 

“Such a glorious and exquisite haven! I appreciate the unique and totally intentional way that I have been treated with absolute care and attention by every single staff person.” —Program Participant

“I would think I needed something…you were there, done, taken care of, with a smile, with love, and with care.”
—Conference Organizer

“The atmosphere is like that of being welcomed as the pampered guest at a good friend’s home. So welcoming!”
—Program Participant