Our Board

Cynthia Jurs, President

is an authorized Buddhist teacher of “engaged Buddhism” who received formal dharmacharya transmission from Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh in 1994. She is a holder of the Dudjom Tersar lineage and has practiced and done many retreats in both the Tibetan Vajrayana and Zen Buddhist traditions for the last 30 years. Her principle Vajrayana teachers include Ven Gyaytrul Rinpoche, Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche, Tsoknyi Rinpoche, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche and Ken McLeod. In 1990 she was introduced to the hermit and meditation master Venerable Kushok Mangden, Charok Rinpoche, and received the practice of the Earth Treasure Vases – a practice she has been carrying out ever since. In collaboration with Link TV, she produced The Grandmothers Spacebridge and the documentary film based on this live ceremonial television event, Turning Prayer Into Action: Indigenous Grandmothers Meet the Bioneers. She was Vice President of Animal Alliance and is now President of Alliance for the Earth, and directs the Open Way Sangha in Santa Fe, New Mexico where she practices meditation with others and leads retreats, rituals, classes and ceremonies.

Dr. William Hugh Wheir, DVM Vice President

graduated from Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1979 and conducted a mixed vet practice in Santa Fe, New Mexico before founding Animal Alliance in 1989 and serving as President and Executive Director until 2008. Dedicated to protecting endangered species and reducing animal suffering, Animal Alliance served as an action-oriented grassroots organization specializing in fieldwork, on New Mexico’s Indian Pueblos, sea turtle nesting beaches on the coast of Oaxaca, the barrios of Mexico City, and South African game reserves. Since 1995, Dr. Wheir has worked to develop alternative techniques for humane domestic and wild animal population control including working with elephants in South Africa. He has also carried out fieldwork on humane animal population control methods in Mexico, Costa Rica, South Africa, Romania, and the USA. Dr. Wheir created Animal Alliance’s Sea Turtle Protection Program and Educational Outreach Program, working with local sea turtle biologists and veterinarians in Mexico and bringing Native American high school kids to turtle nesting beaches. He is a pioneer of animal acupuncture and has been involved in thousands of spay-neuter clinics across the US and Latin America. Dr. Wheir has presented his work at veterinary conferences and symposiums including the Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs International Symposium, the Bioneers Conference, Peace Jam and International Sea Turtle Conferences. Currently, Dr. Wheir is also on the Board of Directors of the Biosphere Foundation and Elephants in Crisis, serving as their Scientific Advisor.

Ginny McGinn, Treasurer

is a passionate social change leader and advocate for education, the environment, youth leadership, and transformational change in the areas of diversity, power and privilege. She brought her strong communication skills, strategic thinking and management to Bioneers, a nonprofit environmental education organization, for eight years; first, as Deputy Director and then as President. Her organizational leadership helped Bioneers grow into a cutting-edge cultural phenomenon that communicates a timely message of sustainability and social change. Ginny also offered her expertise to producing The Grandmothers Spacebridge at Bioneers in 2007, linking the International Council of Indigenous Grandmothers to Bioneers youth and presenters via live satellite “spacebridge” in a dialogue about healing our relations, ourselves, and our planet. She was previously a Marketing Director at Odwalla Inc. McGinn is currently Co-Director at the Center for Whole Communities serving their mission through fundraising, communications, and strategic planning. She brings her heartfelt caring to building, maintaining and improving relationships with businesses, foundations and nonprofit organizations – weaving people, ideas and logistics into a seamless flow as a producer of events and programs.

Ellen Wingard, Secretary

is a leadership consultant and author who partners with leaders committed to business as an engine for social change in addressing justice issues, women’s empowerment, peace-building and environmental sustainability. As an early innovator in the field of leadership development, Ellen has 27 years of experience coaching leaders and their teams in social responsible leadership and personal renewal with clients such as Diageo, Harvard Business School, Pfizer, St. Jude’s Hospital, UN Food Programme and numerous public and private sector organizations. Ellen is a member of the Women’s Leadership Board, Harvard Kennedy School and the American Democracy Institute where she serves on the Leadership Council to mentor emerging leaders in public service roles. She is a board member and founding advisor to World Pulse Media, a web based media channel connecting women and girls as change agents in 140 countries. Ellen’s early career as a former student then staff member of the original University of Massachusetts Stress Reduction Clinic with Jon Kabat-Zinn from 1986 through 1994 created the foundation for mindfulness training as an essential practice for leaders in all sectors. She has presented to the Committee of 200, Babson Leadership Series and the Fletcher School International Business Program. In 2005, she and Lin Coughlin published the Jossey-Bass book Enlightened Power: How Women Are Transforming the Practice of Leadership.

Stephen Badger

is a practicing Buddhist, a father, husband, and budding filmmaker; currently producing a documentary on the legendary music from Muscle Shoals, Alabama and it’s influence on rock and roll in America. He is the past President of the organic seed company, Seeds of Change and a member of the Board of Directors of Mars, Inc.

Dr. Paul Irwin

is a celebrated author, activist, and leader in the international animal welfare and protection movement. Dr. Irwin is the President and CEO of Elephants In Crisis, an organization dedicated to protecting elephants from human development and exploitation. Previously, he was president of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) from 1975 to 2004. Dr. Irwin authored Losing Paradise: The Growing Threat to Our Animals, Our Environment, and Ourselves. The book is a frightening look at the growing signs of ecological catastrophe and an inspiring vision of the steps we can take to overcome them. This wide-ranging examination of our world and its animals shifts from the simple concept of loving animals for their own sake to the cruel “sport” of hunting and trapping, from the collapse of the American family farm to the question of sustainable use. Dr. Irwin offers solutions to these problems that are within reach of all of us to create a truly humane society. Dr. Irwin has also served as president of the World Society for the Protection of Animals, Humane Society International, the Center for Respect of Life and the Environment, Earth Voice, and the International Center for Earth Concerns. An ordained minister in the United Methodist Church, Dr. Irwin also served as the president of the American Bible Society and was host of its television show “American Bible Society Presents.” He also taught for six years at the Boston University School of Theology.

Linda Ward

is a mother and grandmother who left the corporate business world of radio and telecommunications to become an experienced guide in indigenous shamanic healing traditions. She received her training from traditional Mexican healers and curanderas in Mexico, including her primary teacher, Dona Julieta Casimiro from Huautla de Jimenez, Oaxaca. For over 10 years, she has traveled regularly to study and practice there and has helped organize and lead many group pilgrimages, ceremonial events and private counseling sessions. Linda was instrumental in organizing the visit of The International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers to Huautla de Jimenez, Oaxaca at the invitation of Dona Julieta who is a member of that council. She is a skilled healing arts practitioner with a degree in Transformational Bodywork and Hakomi Body Centered Psychotherapy and is a certified massage therapist. She is a passionate photographer who’s interest in film led her to became Production Assistant on The Grandmothers Spacebridge and the documentary film based on this live ceremonial television event, Turning Prayer Into Action: Indigenous Grandmothers Meet the Bioneers. She joins the board of Alliance for the Earth and the Earth Treasure Vase Global Healing Project offering “everything from aphids to zebras”.