Meet the DEAL Community

Bremen, Bremen, Germany

 I am a critical economist. I was immediately enthusiastic about the combination of planetary boundaries and social foundations. The model encourages us to shape the here and now differently with a view to the future. It provides guidance for political decision-making and for decisions in the private and non-profit sectors. I am in the process of making this model known in my environment. I work in public administration. And I am involved in civil society. I personally will now also use it to evaluate the party programs during pre-political elections. 

I work at the intersection of learning, confidence building, and community empowerment.. As a study skills tutor and ESOL instructor, I help learners from diverse backgrounds build clarity, self‑belief, and the tools to thrive. My practice is person‑centred, inclusive, and grounded in the belief that every learner brings their own story and strengths.   My earlier career in the global energy sector gave me a strong analytical foundation and experience working across cultures. Today, I bring that same adaptability and curiosity to education, digital inclusion, and community‑led initiatives across Aberdeen and abroad. 

India

Independent social media strategist working with brands in the climate and sustainability space.

Mexico City, Mexico

I am starting a new venture in the circularity space, and I am looking for ways to build in a less extractive and more purpose-driven way.

Beijing, China

Cross-sector innovator, social ecosystem facilitator, focusing on emerging market practices and commercial solution implementation. Exploring sustainable business innovation, integrating new technologies with traditional resources to address industry pain points and create societal value.

Sauveterre-de-Béarn, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France

Agence d'architecture multidisciplinaire, laboratoire d'exploration urbaine, et accompagnement des territoires en transition. ​

Blackheath, New South Wales, Australia

I’m a strategy and communications consultant, working at the intersection of systems thinking and social and environmental impact. Through my work, I focus on how we align purpose, action and behaviour in complex contexts. I’m particularly interested in how communities mobilise around environmental transition - and what's required to enable sustained participation. I’ve joined the DEAL community as I'm keen to learn from others applying DE in practice, and to explore how these ideas translate into real-world change.

New York, New York, United States

Currently working as an independent writer and researcher for my Substack newsletter Arcology 2.0: Toward a New Urban Systems Science --  Arcology 2.0 helps you to understand why our cities are thermodynamically broken -- and what the post-carbon/post-growth city must look like to survive the Great Simplification.  I'm a consilient thinker integrating the concepts of planetary ecological boundaries, biophysical systems, regenerative economics and urban human habitat,Calling on all urbanists, ecological economists, sustainability educators, degrowth thinkers, architects, city planners, and intellectually curious generalists who feel the urgency of civilizational transition. 

I'm a Steward and Director at Threadwork Collective, with a focus on transitions, community and participatory design. A part of this work includes our TOGETHERHOOD MANCHESTER initiative; a place-based collective project exploring how we centre children and young people in shifts towards future wellbeing economies. It would be great to connect with others in and around Manchester who might be interested in playing a role in our collective action.  • LinkedIn Profile • Email • Threadwork Collective • TOGETHERHOOD MANCHESTER

London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom

Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, living in Vancouver, Canada, and a Current Graduate Student at UCL studying Economics, Education, and Development. Interested in rethinking modern models, integrating decolonial perspectives, and placing emphasis on context and local place-based learning. 

London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom

Hi, I’m Uta – a regenerative brand strategist based in the UK. I work with planet-positive founders and sustainability-led businesses whose work has evolved, but whose brand hasn’t quite caught up yet. I help them clarify their positioning, communicate their impact more effectively, and build brands that support meaningful, long-term growth. I’m particularly interested in how branding can contribute to shifting business towards more regenerative, responsible models – not just in what we say, but in how we show up and operate.

Bangladesh

Kazi Shahnoor Ashraf is emerging as a leading voice in regenerative and sustainable design in Bangladesh, working at the intersection of permaculture, bioregioning, climate-resilient development, regenerative economics, and eco-social living systems. His work focuses on developing integrated human–nature solutions that enhance community resilience and restore ecosystems in climate-vulnerable landscapes. Kazi holds an MS in Environmental Science, an MSc in Climate Change and Development, alongside an MA in Design for Sustainability and Regeneration. He has completed advanced international Courses through Gaia Education (UK) and holds a Diploma in Permaculture Design Science from the Sustainable Agriculture Institute and Rak Tamachat Permaculture in Thailand. He also practices systems thinking, applying it to design socially viable, ecologically regenerative, and economically resilient initiatives. On 22 December 2025, he launched a new three-phase permaculture training programme aimed at equipping Bangladeshi youth with practical knowledge and skills in sustainable and regenerative living systems. He is the founder and lead designer of the Lama Ecovillage initiative, envisioned as a replicable eco-social living model that integrates permaculture zoning, water harvesting, food forests, Indigenous land stewardship, and participatory governance. The initiative serves as a living laboratory for place-based regenerative solutions. Kazi is a Founding Member of ICCES. Through research, training, curriculum development, and public education, he continues to advocate a shift from extractive development models toward regenerative, community-centred approaches aligned with ecological restoration and social well-being.

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

I am a Professor of Population & Public Health at the University of Calgary, Canada. I am eager to connect with and learn from others working towards economic systems change that will support social justice within planetary boundaries. 

Eugene, Oregon, United States

I'm an ecological economist and assistant professor at University of Oregon. 

Dorking, Surrey, England, United Kingdom

Looking to deepen my understanding of doughnut economics and to immerse myself in hope. That seems far more appealing to me than laying down and accepting we have already lost. 

Bangalore Corporation Industrial Estate, Mahadevapura, Bengaluru, Bengaluru Urban, Karnataka, India

A Learning & Development Professional with over three decades of work in helping people grow in corporates and communities. 

Visby, Gotland, Sweden

I am a former Agile Coach turned Regenerative Coach Working with Doughnut economics with municipalities in Sweden And the Regenerative Business DNA (Laura Storm) with organisations

Saint-Malo, Ille-et-Vilaine, France

After 30 years in the automotive industry, from now on I want to help organizations adopt holacracy and the doughnut economy.

San Francisco, California, United States

Hi, I am new to doughnut economics. I love environmental issues and social justice.

Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

Experienced sustainability project manager driving impact through large-scale corporate sustainability programs and non-profit initiatives.  My expertise lies at the intersection of sustainability, operations, and people. I have a proven track record in project and operations management, reporting excellence, and stakeholder engagement, consistently delivering measurable results on KPIs, and global initiatives. I am valued for my resourcefulness, effectiveness, and problem-solving in enabling both global strategies and local market success. With a strong academic foundation in Sustainability Management, Business, and Political Science, and fluency in three languages (English, Spanish, and Catalan), I bring a unique mix of relationship building, execution skills, and cross-cultural collaboration. Passionate about advancing sustainability in organizations and in society, I strive to transform commitments into measurable impact and long-term value. I am currently contributing to the award-winning Amplify Impact program, HP’s sustainability program for channel partners, supporting over 4,700 businesses across 48 countries on their sustainability journey, with an average improvement on their sustainability score from 22% to 48%. I lead digitalization and partner enablement initiatives while advancing sustainability consultancy, new technologies implementation, and innovative tracking and reporting tools. Highly committed to climate and sustainable advocacy. I am a member of the Youth Advisory Group for the Ecosocial Transition for the Government of Catalonia, which works towards advancing sustainable public policies in Catalonia. And I serve on the board of Oikia as treasurer, a catalyst for sustainable societal and political transformation.

Lyon, Rhône, France

Developing and leading innovative sustainable business models and ecological programs based on risk and system analysis, helping society transition to 100% regenerative economy | English, French, Spanish, German

Göteborg, Västra Götaland, Sweden

Devansh is an entrepreneur, engineer, and process designer who is driven by a passion for sustainability, co-operative business, and system design. At Colors of Being, he is facilitating a purpose-driven, post-growth and wellbeing economy in Gothenburg, with a focus on food, housing, and the creative arts. He brings a broad range of perspectives, drawn from his life in both the Global South and the West and grounded in more than a decade of experience in systems thinking, agile product development, and sustainable business.

Seattle, Washington, United States

Throughout my life, I have been led by a deep sense of purpose to eradicate poverty, improve the global quality of life, and create a world where everyone’s needs are met. This led me to work in real estate, where I hoped to one day develop equitable cities and build schools. These goals remain unchanged; however, last year, I began to question how I could make a stronger, more visible impact now, rather than in the future. I started my career at age 12, working across retail sales, hospitality, nonprofit education, and real estate, gaining early exposure to how organizations operate and how different stakeholders experience them. To expand my knowledge, I earned my B.A. in Corporate Communications from Baruch College, with a minor in Psychology, where I built a strong foundation in public relations, strategic communication, storytelling, stakeholder engagement, and organizational behavior. Shortly after graduating last year, I took an intentional sabbatical to align my career with my purpose directly and to learn how to address the world’s most pressing challenges. This led me to explore topics such as global development, wealth inequality, systems thinking, and regenerative post-growth economic models. Both my academic and professional pursuits continue to reinforce my belief that businesses can play a powerful role in creating a flourishing world, particularly when they are aligned with a clear purpose for human and planetary wellbeing. Today, my goal is to help more businesses harness their power for socioenvironmental good by partnering with leaders to explore how their operations, stakeholder experiences, communications, and strategy can more fully align with their purpose, mission, and vision. I also plan to build a not-for-profit real estate business as another example of what the next generation of business will be. I am actively seeking opportunities to continue learning through real-world experience, mentorship, and collaboration. If you resonate with my mission or are also working to make a positive impact,  please feel free to connect with me, and let’s plan a virtual or in-person coffee chat!

Genève, Geneva, Switzerland

I have been interested in the grand challenges for a long time, and the concept of donut economy finally validated my aversion to consumerism and how my research can have an overarching framework of the principles of planetary boundaries as a guiding North Star.