Lisa Brochu

Throughout my career as a writer, planner, and trainer, I've tried to live by the mission statement "Inspiring people to care for each other and the world in which they live." I'm passionate about encouraging people to do whatever they can to make the world a better place. That covers a lot of territory - these days, I try to invest much of my time, talents and discretionary income to support causes that I have a personal connection with, and that usually means wildlife-related issues, social justice issues, and helping those who live in East Africa work towards solutions to some of the enormous problems that plague those nations.

My husband and I share personal interests in our work and home life, and we genuinely enjoy spending time together (which is good because we're pretty much around each other 24/7). We travel internationally with our work in community development, interpretive planning, and training, but always take time to get to know the places and people we visit. Judith Stone once said, "Travel is not only broadening, I've realized, but burdening too. I carry these lives and places with me. But I'm grateful for the ballast; it's keeping me from tipping into total complacency." International travel is perhaps the best way to learn about yourself as you learn about others and forces you to find ways to reach beyond your own life experience to see the world differently and do something about it. It breaks your heart and it give you hope.

When we're home, we live pretty simply, spending most of our time writing on various projects, enjoying our many (too many) pets, and spending time in our garden, figuring out innovative ways to grow most of our own food.