Crew

Lisa Bodey – Director
director@crestoneenergyfair.org

The Crestone Energy Fair has changed my life and is giving me some of my biggest life lessons on dedication, perseverance and forgiveness.  Our crew is growing and I am humbled to be a part of a team of such extraordinary people.  This project represents the basics of permaculture to me…earth care, people care and resource share, so I absolutely love devoting my time and energy to this cause. Living off-grid in the tiny house I built since 2012, aligns with our path of supporting non-traditional, homeowner built and affordable housing for our community as well as utilizing our resources in a more responsible and equitable way. My passion lies in community organizing and networking and more recently I’m integrating restorative practices and social permaculture into our nonprofit.   I strive to be a bridge between our youth, my peers and the elders so that we can all live an abundant and healthy life together in Crestone. 

Nick Nevares – Producer
producer@crestoneenergyfair.org

The Fair’s Producer, Nick Nevares, has been a Crestone Resident since 2018, and become ingrained in the community through various non-profit groups, including the Crestone Energy Fair, the Crestone Energy Exchange, and involvement in feeding the community through monthly meals and the community annual Thanksgiving feast. Prior to living in Crestone, Nick had a prolific 12 year career producing corporate events and music festivals in New Orleans, which he left to find a more rewarding life in the Colorado mountains.  Sustainability and regenerative practices are the driving forces behind why he serves the community through the Fair and other events, and as a Realtor he helps guide buyers through the complicated process of navigating off grid living.  In his off time he spends time on home improvements, Gardening, rockhounding and hiking the bountiful trails throughout Colorado. 

Donovan Spitzman – Advisor
dspitzman@yahoo.com

Donovan is just an average guy making his way through life the best he can.  Like most, a divine series of events led Donovan to his passion for Passive Solar Design and Regenerative Living concepts.  A Tool and Die Designer by schooling and a business coach by experience, Donovan spends his days building a hybrid tire and papercrete home.  He considers himself just another dreamer, dreaming a dream. The dream of resilient collective abundance. 

Goldie Mariola – Home Tour Maven
hometours@crestoneenergyfair.org

The Energy Fair was my first exposure to the wonderful community of Crestone in 2017 and since then I have had the opportunity to become more involved. I have been a part of the Home  tours for the past 4 years and now I am the lead organizer of the tours. I am passionate about local building policy and also earth friendly building methods, especially Earthships. I love sharing the home tours and being able to offer the physical experience standing in a home that is built with recycled materials or uses passive solar or other earth friendly practices.  Crestone is home to some of the most amazing houses on the planet and I believe that the more people that see them, the more inspired building everywhere will be.

Lydia Sprouts – Booking
booking@crestoneenergyfair.org

Lydia Sprouts is joining the Energy Fair team this year as a booking agent for musical acts and workshops. She previously organized for Tribal Vision, Rainbow Lightning, Arise, Permaculture Action Days, and numerous private parties. She plays mandolin, sings and writes for the band, Pioneer Mother, an up and coming front range band that released their first album recently. She is a yoga teacher, and a hobby gardener, who, having moved off grid in the spring of 2020, is swiftly navigating an upgrade to full on future farm & permaculture queen. She is a part time mother of tween girls, and lives in Crestone with her partner and his son, where they steward a 42 acre sandbox that features a rainbow train car house, and a dojo.

Leighton Burt – Social Media/Digital Design leightonburt@gmail.com

Leighton is a valley local from Alamosa. Having grown up in his family’s outdoor recreation shop, he spent his youth falling in love with nature and the outdoors throughout Colorado. His professional career began after high school graduation, working as a student researcher developing drone sensor apparatuses for live analysis and data collection of Colorado wildfires the the NOAA Lab in Boulder. After moving to Montana to attend University, Leighton dropped out to pursue a less institutionalized lifestyle, spending three years making a living in culinary arts and digital design. Since moving back to the SLV, Leighton attended the 2021 Energy Fair and fell in love with the community, quickly finding his new home in Crestone. He became a versatile part of the team serving as a social media coordinator for the 2022 Fair, taking on responsibility as our web and graphic designer for the 2023 event.

https://crestoneeagle.org/who-we-are-leighton-burt-finding-a-very-big-world-in-a-small-town

Amory Reed – Freebox Fashion Show

Hi, my name is Amory, and I am blessed and honored to hold space for others in Union and Sacred journeys through aromatherapy, priestess work and Beyond Quantum Healing. I enjoy exploring alchemy and magick through art, nature, and engaging all the senses. I am super grateful to be part of the OLT/Valley View family as well. 

I am absolutely delighted to be returning for my 2nd year running the Freebox Fashion Show as part of the Crestone Energy Fair. Look for our booth on Saturday to get your fashion ready for the show, and go to our signup.com to volunteer to help during the Energy Fair and beyond with Freebox cleanup days. Thank you Crestone and the San Luis Valley for being such a loving community! 

Laura Enzer – Wellness Panel Moderator
mountainlaurelapothecary@gmail.com

With lots of love and passion for Crestone and its way of embracing alternative living, I am thrilled to join the Crestone Energy Fair team as the Wellness Panel Moderator. I was born and raised in Crestone. This is truly, in every sense, my home. I am an herbalist that is looking forward to a lifetime of learning and connecting with plants. I opened Mountain Laurel Apothecary in the heart of downtown Crestone and see a fulfilling future for myself being the bridge between the community and the plants. I truly believe in breaking free of molds we’ve been given and pushing forward as a community and planet to reinstate some more traditional ways of living. The Crestone Energy Fair does an incredible job of educating and bringing awareness to this valuable knowledge and I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of the team! 

Taylor Martin – Family Village
www.RainbowLightning.org

Taylor earned a Bachelors Degree in humanities [health and wellness] from the State University of New York. During her time in school, Taylor taught herself how to sew. She began to design clothing and spread her passion for self expression through wearable art, by teaching sewing lessons! Wherever she found herself working, Taylor continually had profound encounters with children. Moving to Colorado in 2011, Taylor dove deep into the world of early childhood everything! Before having two sweet children of her own, Rainbow Lightning was her baby; a 501c3 organization dedicated to empowering self-expression through music, art and nature! 2023 will be Taylor’s 4th year coordinating the children’s offerings at the Crestone Energy Fair, and she CAN NOT WAIT!

Crystal Price Wade – Wellness Village

The Crestone Energy Fair has provided a wonderful outlet for me to combine health and
wellbeing with community building and organization. I feel truly honored to work in a crew of passionate individuals deeply dedicated to the planet, sustainability and community. The
Wellness Village of the Energy Fair is relatively new to CEF and I’m excited to be part of its
growth and fulfillment. I moved to Crestone in 2008 as a teen and have benefited greatly from
the general healthy lifestyle of the locals. I’ve eaten amazing local food, attended the Crestone
Healing Arts school, found a practice in Ashtanga yoga and so much more. I’m hoping with the
CEF I’ll be able to give back, share some of the magic of this place and continue to discover
what it means to be a part of this village.

Brett Buchanan – Lead Builder

2022 was my first year delving into the Energy Fair and learning to play a key role in a variety of fashions besides being Lisa’s right hand man (actually left hand). By trade I am a home builder and my company Crescent Moon Construction is based in Crestone & the SLV where I focus on custom homes ranging from Netzero designs to traditional rough sawn framed homes. I have been exposed to plenty of construction methods but the mountains are where I wanted to reside as well as being closer to the natural world. I am an owner builder with my partner Lisa Bodey and we’re striving to build using natural methods and using local resources and natural building techniques are being incorporated into our tiny house. Our county is unique as there are no building codes and therefore building with creativity is endless and many opportunities are at our hands grasp. I enjoy working with my hands and am constantly looking for challenges as well as a new way to build using local resources and long forgotten techniques. I am inspired by the local artisans and craftsmen from earth ships, passive solar design, cob techniques, earthen floors, straw bales, emf solutions, solar, in floor heating systems and other techniques that align ourselves with our planet, embracing our outdoor conditions and the energy that is all around us. I have been in the construction industry for over 20 years and am constantly looking for ways to give back to our community through volunteerism and am thrilled to be apart of the energy fair team. When I’m not working, I’m working. There is never a dull moment and there’s plenty to work on, additions, securing materials, firewood, honey do lists, furniture, rebuilding, gardening, and of course creek dips, soaking in hot springs and fishing.

Jae Sanders – SLV Seed Exchange, Director
Partner Organization
slvseedex@gmail.com

In 2009 Jae realized that standard home building practices could be greatly improved by smarter design using regional materials and that industrial food production is by no means sustainable nor does it support human nutrition. She surmises that if people have manageable and affordable shelter and nutritious, local food, they will be healthier, less stressed and able to pursue their passions to make the world a better place. Since then, she’s been focused on how people can thrive despite changes to the economy and climate. Building resilient food sheds, regenerative agricultural infrastructure and affordable housing are the avenues in which she applies her skills and experience. 

Rob Treaphort – Golden Turtle Sound

From creating beats at 13 to curating soundscapes in studios at 14, I’ve breathed life into music. In 2016, Golden Turtle Sound was born, becoming the heartbeat of events – from intimate soirées to electrifying festivals. With years of hands-on expertise, my team and I orchestrate a sonic space that resonates deeply, turning gatherings into unforgettable symphonies of sound. Let’s craft sonic wonders together! Rob Treaphort, the mastermind behind Golden Turtle Sound and has been the lead Sound Engineer for the Energy Fair for 4 years.

Eden Elderberry – Kitchen Witch

Eden Elderberry fell in love with Crestone after attending her first Homes Tour during the 2021 Energy Fair. She can be found working at the Northern Saguache County Library District, hanging out with her three kids, or volunteering for various community outreach projects. This will be Eden’s second year working for the volunteer kitchen and she hopes to initiate low energy storage and food preparation methods to the kitchen this year.  

https://crestoneeagle.org/who-we-are-eden-elderberry-embraced-by-community

Chris Manfield & Allison Wonderland – Art Installation

After graduating with my BFA from SFAI in 2018 I worked for the International Center of Photography until 2019. I completed my MFA in Studio Art from San Francisco Art Institute in 2021, where I was nominated as SFAI’s 150th anniversary graduate commencement speaker, outstanding MFA student, MFA exhibition best in show, and recipient of the John Collier grant and awards. Besides continuing to engage my community through the arts and education, I’m an environmental activist and a father. 

      The Art and Education communities have inspired and shaped me as an artist. Consequently, they’ve shaped the way I see the world and without it, I wouldn’t be who I am today. As an artist and educator, my work and research is committed to the study of anthropological discourse, in relationship to environmental sustainability and institutional reformation. To me, learning is a collaborative effort and the beauty in our desire to connect with the world and each other is realized when we begin to reflect upon and respond to a range of complex human conditions by sharing our personal experiences to inspire one another. The purpose of making art, after all, is to remind ourselves that life is more important than art!

Shawn King – Demonstrations

Skillset: Specific expertise in consulting on materials choice and design engineering for durability, resistance and adaptation to extreme weather and seismic events, aesthetics, and minimal environmental impact using natural, local, salvaged, repurposed, and on-site materials.

Workshop and individual instruction in and technological development of appropriate technology and techniques for DIY earthen ultra-ecological family homes and other built-environment components such as garden walls. Emphasis on earthen and locally-harvested or salvaged materials, minimal cost and minimal environmental impact for passive solar-rational new construction and retrofitting of conventional structures by their owner-builders.

Experience: I have been organizing, teaching, and leading workshops on natural building techniques, materials, design, and siting with Cob Cottage Company and the North American School of Natural Building since 2012. The workshop series included 9-day intensives designed to prepare novices of all ages to effectively build their own natural home and teach others in the process. I have developed workshops and taught along-side Ianto Evans and Linda Smiley, authors of The Hand Sculpted House and founders of both the modern cob revival world-wide and the North American School of Natural Building, an organization connecting natural builders from a wide variety of styles and lineages to shared information and expertise. I have directly advised on design and implementation of many build projects, enhancing the soundness of design choices, reducing carbon footprint and other environmental impacts, lowering costs, and simplifying design and build process.

I have built my own cob cottage by hand, remodeled my own conventional house with natural paints and plasters, installed earthen floors, and built and cooked with earthen bread ovens.

Anya Kaats – Green Room

Anya Kaats is a writer, archetypal astrologer, and podcast host who fell in love with Crestone in 2018. Her podcast, “A Millennial’s Guide to Saving the World” was inspired by Anya’s desire to help her generation rewrite and redefine what it means to be a millennial by challenging the status quo, rejecting black and white thinking, and embracing nuance and paradox. Anya and her partner Chris founded “The Crestone Conglomerate” in 2020 with the goal of re-creating reciprocal and regenerative ways of living on the land and in community. In 2023, Anya founded a non-profit in the same name to shepherd cross-sector collaboration in creating meaningful projects related to art and infrastructure in Crestone and the surrounding San Luis Valley. Anya spent over a decade managing creative marketing for natural products companies and is thrilled to bring these skills, along with her passion for community and alternative ways of living to The Crestone Energy Fair.

Artist – Allison Wonderland

Allison Wonderland engages in the curious blessings and burdens of being human; tending soul through death midwifery, immersive installation creations, ritual theatre and poetic saturations. She is committed to co-cultivating systems of mutual empowerment and dismantling systems of oppression.

Kimberly Engard – Master of Ceremonies

Photography by Shanna Gillette www.shannagillettephotography.com facebook/sasharaephoto instagram/lila_hum

Dr. Kim’s experience with Medicine and the Healing Arts spans over 30 years. In addition to her Naturopathic Medical Practice she is an International Lecturer, Teacher and Master Herbalist. She has been spotlighted on Shift Network, Healing Our Earth, and the International Qi Gong Association as well as Healing and Chakra Science teachings in the US, Bali and abroad. She was faculty at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine for 10 years and has taught and been an honorary member of the Environmental Medicine Board as well as her online teachings for doctors and the public.  In addition to her medical practice, she consults with Holistic clients worldwide about Integrative and Natural Healing Modalities.  She is committed to the Healing Arts and treating the whole person; body mind and spirit. She believes the key to healing starts with treating cause to dis-ease and integrates many healing and spiritual traditions in her practice and teachings.

More information can be found on her website DrKimEngard.com.

Melinda Myers – ScSEED Fiscal Sponsor Rep

Afton Fleming – Merchandise

Doug Beechwood – Terra Media – Videography

Volunteer Wrangler – Dana Oglesby

Green Team – Charles McEntyre