CPI Board and Committees

CPI is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization administered by a board of directors and supported by committees, staff, and volunteers. Keep reading to meet the current board, and scroll below the biographies to read about our committees.

Felix Marisa

VICE CHAIR

Felix Marisa brought her background in marketing, PR and storytelling to the CPI board in 2022 as she was completing the yearlong PDC. She helps with CPI’s website, social media, communications, advertising, and events. Felix stumbled on permaculture “accidentally” and found it beautifully connected many of her passions and values, leaving her inspired to make it a permanent part of her life. She is especially interested in how it intersects with other practices that emphasize balance, such as wellness, spirituality, and mental health, and she enjoys collaborating on workshops and other guided experiences with a variety of artisans and practitioners.

Braden Trauth

Co-Founder, Treasurer

Braden became interested in permaculture after a journey of searching for sustainable living and sustainable design, coming from a background in Industrial Design. After several mainstream green endeavors that didn't fit the bill he began working with the Earthship Crew in 2002, self-constructed off-grid homes, under the creator of Earthships, Mike Reynolds. After selling his Earthship he embarked on an adventure to study permaculture with the likes of Bill Mollison, David Holmgren, Geoff Lawton, Scott Pittman, Peter Bane, Dave Jacke, and others. He is now an Assistant Professor of Industrial Design, teaching about Mutualistic Design, Sustainable Product Design through the lens of Permaculture. He is the co-founder of the Cincinnati Permaculture Institute and has co-launched the world's first Permaculture Farm Certification, Permaganic Authenticated.

Dale Murray

co-founder

Dale Murray Is Professor Emeritus in Industrial Design at the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning at the University of Cincinnati. Professor Murray has taught sustainable design studios, theory and methodology courses at DAAP for 22 years, specializing in Eco-Design, Sustainable Product Design, and Regenerative Design Methodologies. As his design professor, Murray is proud to have introduced Braden Trauth to sustainable design and helped set him on his career path as a permaculture guru and design professor. Dale completed Braden’s Permaculture Certification Course in 2010. The two then collaborated to establish the non-profit This Land Inc. in 2011, which was later renamed the Cincinnati Permaculture Institute. Professor Murray is devoted to the power of Permaculture and Regenerative Design as the best hope for humans to live and thrive in concert with nature and the planet. He rejoined the Board of Directors as Chair in 2020.

Jeff Ashba

Jeff Ashba is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning. From graduation through 2012 he enjoyed a career in design and construction and the last 14 years as a senior project manager for Hixson, Inc.  In 2004, Jeff along with his wife, son and daughter in-law started the Organic Farm at Bear Creek, growing Certified Organic vegetables and producing a line of Certified Organic value added products.  Jeff is also a member of the Clermont County Planning Commission.

Susan VonderHaar

Executive Director

Susan VonderHaar became Director of the Cincinnati Permaculture Institute in 2023. She has been a community advocate of Nature Education for all ages since her Master Gardening training days in 1996 when she was first introduced to Permaculture. After a career in environmental research and development she came to the design certification course. She was taught by Doug and Braden Trauth in 2011 and joined the CPI teaching team. She received teacher training in 2014 from Peter Bane and Sandy Cruz. The practice of Permaculture continues to unfold and inform her in new ways as she grows with the community.

Sandra Cheatham

Sandra Cheatham joined the Cincinnati Permaculture Institute board in mid- 2023.  She completed her PDC with CPI in 2022, studying under Braden, Susan, and Doug Crouch. Sandra is also a Master Gardener and earned her certificate in 2017.

Sandra graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 1981, with a BBA in Information Technology, and spent 40+ years in corporate America working in information technology and as a supply chain specialist. Her passion is plants, and she is working in CPI’s Growing Value Nursery, alongside our nursery manager Howard Zuefle, and is very excited about increasing her knowledge.

Dr. Nayana Shah

Dr. Nayana Shah is an international scientist –a theoretical quantum physicist– dedicated to living a conscious, compassionate and creative life illuminated by a constant inquiry of truth. Her research investigates emergent phenomena in (strongly) interacting quantum matter systems and tunable devices. This involves building theoretical models to capture essential features and studying those models to find universal patterns and behaviors in a diversity of complex materials. She uses a variety of theoretical techniques depending on the problem at hand and also extends and develops methods as needed.

This approach naturally lends itself to permaculture design which at its fundamental level also involves observing and working with patterns in nature and with laws of physics. Her whole systems approach in life also aligns very well with the permaculture philosophy. Nayana is a certified permaculture designer since 2020 and is interested in increasing the awareness and importance of using permaculture and regenerative design methods and in implementing those ideas in the community (including in schools). She has completed her Community Garden Development training from Civic Garden Center, is involved in the Common Orchard Project, and is also a member of the Green Schoolyard Action Network.

She has a wholistic plant-based lifestyle, is a long-term vipassana meditator and also actively practices yoga and non-violent communication. She has founded and led several initiatives in diverse settings and serves as a trustee on the board of Parliament of the World’s Religions.

COMMITTEES

Our committees are comprised of board members and volunteers and meet outside of our regular board meetings to manage different areas of our organization. If you are interested in being part of one of our committees or helping out on a project, please use the link at the bottom of the page to contact us!

Governance - chaired by Dale Murray
Oversees the maintenance of our organizational structure such as bylaws, contracts, charters, and strategic goals

Finance - chaired by Braden Trauth
Focused on the financial responsibilities of the organization, recordkeeping, reporting, and budgeting

Fundraising - chaired by Susan VonderHaar
Focused on sustaining the organization through donors, members, and grants

Education - chaired by Dr. Nayana Shah
Focused on the development of our permaculture design courses, curriculum design, and teacher training. Within this committee is a task force dedicated to our pilot Implementation program.

Marketing/Events - chaired by Felix Marisa
Focused on connecting CPI to the public, publicizing our course offerings and nursery, and representing CPI at events. Also manages our online calendar.

Nursery - chaired by Sandra Cheatham
Oversees the operations and available stock at Growing Value Nursery and projects at the Urban Earth Farms property