Paul Sheldon is an internationally recognized authority on environmental education, program development, sustainability, bioregional resilience, food planning, natural capitalism, fundraising, and local community organizing. He is also a board member of the Bellview Grange and a consultant to such organizations as Pollinator Project Rogue Valley.

Paul is well-known in emergent education, children’s programs, neighborhood planning, energy, water,  resource efficiency planning, and board development. He is a founding faculty member of the Presidio Graduate School’s MBA in Sustainable Management. Through his articles, publications, and conference presentations, Paul has made many connections while implementing environmental education in correctional institutions and associations, as well as community-based organizations around the United States and beyond. His work on energy efficiency in Alaska, economic and energy alternatives to coal plants on the Dineh (Navajo) Nation, and his background working on agroecology, sustainable agriculture, energy, and water systems at Natural Capitalism Solutions (with his older sister, Hunter Lovins) prepared him well to support the work of The Crest.

Paul’s recent Greening Corrections Technologies Guidebook, published by the National Institute of Justice, includes many examples of successful environmental education and self-funding community organizing projects. He has years of environmental leadership in organizations such as the American Correctional Association, the North American Association of Wardens and Superintendents, the American Jails Association, Medford’s Golden Rule ReEntry, Oakland-based Planting Justice, as well as Boulder, Colorado’s community energy planning process. Through his extensive background with neighborhood development and children’s Environmental Education Programs such as the Los Angeles-based TreePeople, Colorado-based Natural Capitalism Solutions, and the John Denver’s Windstar Foundation, Paul complements The Crest’s commitment to wholistic, sustainability-oriented environmental education and outreach to community-based organizations and leaders. His experience will help provide resources and planning for continuing success and liaison with other regions.

In addition to policy and organizational work, Paul has led folk dancing for more than 100,000 people. He lives in Ashland with his wife of 30 years and their friendly grown border collie, “Bailey.”