Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Affiliations
Languages
References
Timeline
Generic
Gary Cuneen

Gary Cuneen

Oak Park,IL

Summary

Entrepreneur and creator with strong capacity to translate collective vision into action. Focused on driving metrics-based results in the arenas of climate, equity and sustainability with capacity to bring together diverse groups and organizations to generate plans and take action. Coalition builder/convenor, facilitator, strategic thinker, project developer, grant writer and direct communicator with desire to impact climate change regionally, nationally and globally. Capacity builder and leader with experience in democratic processes/training locally and internationally that engage people in making change within their communities.

Overview

41
41
years of professional experience

Work History

Founder and Executive Director

Seven Generations Ahead
Oak Park, IL
01.2001 - Current
  • Developed Seven Generations Ahead (SGA) from a non-funded 501 c 3 to a $1 million budget organization and have directed SGA for 22 years.
  • Designed and executed SGA programs, services, initiatives and projects; secured resources; and successfully transitioned staff into program implementation and management including SGA's Farm to School, It's Our Future and Zero Waste Schools Programs.
  • Developed partnerships and catalyzed the founding of coalitions and networks including GreenTown: The Future of Community; the IL Food Scrap Coalition; the Wasted Food Action Alliance; the IL Farm to School Coalition; the Fox Valley Sustainability Network; CPS Zero Waste; PlanItGreen; and the Cross Community Climate Collaborative.
  • Directed production of 24 GreenTown Conferences in 4 midwest states since 2007, including host acquisition; program development; keynote acquisition; sponsor acquisition and managing marketing and logistics teams
  • Led strategic planning for SGA and various coalitions including IFSC; PlanItGreen; WFAA; and FVSN, and facilitated numerous strategy discussions on program development/implementation; partnership building and funding acquisition.
  • Built and led community engagement, strategy development and production resulting in 4 community-wide sustainability plans.
  • Developed comprehensive Community Sustainability Report Cards related to the Oak Park-River Forest PlanItGreen initiative.
  • Secured grant funding and won two awards from the U.S. Conference of Mayors for the Cross Community Climate Collaborative (C4).
  • Led press conferences and preparation calls with community mayors and keynote speakers (Mayor Pete Buttigieg; Bill McDonough; Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.; Mick Cornett; etc.) and provided welcome addresses and keynotes at 24 GreenTown conferences and other conferences.
  • Convened and facilitated monthly coalition meetings linked to SGA projects, coalitions and conferences
  • Secured SGA a role at the UN Climate Summits (COP) as one of many official observer organizations and have brought area high school students to 4 consecutive COP meetings (Madrid, Spain; Glasgow, Scotland; Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt; and Dubai, UAE)
  • Wrote numerous private foundation, government and corporate funding proposals and support design of grant-making programs linked to SGA work.

Principal

Gary Cuneen & Associates
Carol Stream, IL
01.1993 - 01.2003
  • Trained 600 Salvadoran and Guatemalan government and university leaders, judges; lawyers; private/non-profit sector leaders; etc. on collaborative leadership; participatory decision-making and building teams as part of a multi-year program connected to DePaul University’s Human Rights Law Institute.
  • Facilitated a leadership and trust building program with top labor leaders and top corporation owners from El Salvador as part of a U.S. Agency for International Development/U.S. Federal Government 10-day post-civil war program on cooperative labor/management relations.
  • Led consulting and school leadership teams to increase student achievement within Chicago Public Schools placed on academic probation.
  • Consulted with corporate managers, universities, and non-profits improving leadership and management skills, communications and revenue acquisition.

High School Teacher/Basketball Coach

Hopewell Valley Central High School
Pennington, NJ
08.1989 - 06.1992
  • Taught high school Spanish grades 9-12 and coached high school boys basketball freshman through varsity.

Counselor

New Jersey State Corrections
Trenton, NJ
06.1988 - 07.1989
  • Ran therapeutic group and individual counseling sessions; conducted outdoor wilderness experiences as part of therapy; developed a NJ State Youth Prison Basketball Tournament and coached team.

Community Organizer

Wilmington United Neighborhoods
Wilmington, DE
05.1984 - 08.1986
  • Facilitated church and community-based organizing designed to increase affordable housing and jobs for low-income residents
  • Directed a “sweat equity” housing development corporation as part of community organizing work in Wilmington, DE.
  • Co-led community organizing leadership training for low income residents

Community Organizer

Phila Council of Neighborhood Organizations
Philadelphia, PA
05.1983 - 04.1984
  • Organized low-income residents and public housing project tenants to advocate for jobs, community safety and housing policy changes to address Phila's abandoned housing crisis.

Education

Wilderness Leaderness - Mountaineering, Backpacking, Crevasse Descent

National Outdoor Leadership School
North Cascades, WA
07-1994

Secondary Education - Secondary Education

Trenton State College
Trenton, NJ
06-1988

Bachelor of Arts - Political Science/Development Economics

University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN
05-1983

Some College (No Degree) - Spanish/Anthropology/Mexican History

La Universidad de Anahuac
Mexico City, Mexico

Some College (No Degree) - Theology/Counseling

Union Theological Seminary
New York, NY

Skills

  • Founder/Innovator
  • Coalition Builder/Convenor
  • Strategic Thinker/Communicator
  • Program Design/Implementation
  • Meeting Facilitation
  • Conference and Webinar Design
  • Public Speaking
  • Capacity Builder/Manager
  • Coaching/Mentoring
  • Grant Writing and Resource Acquisition

Accomplishments

Awards: Natural Home Magazine Earth Mover Award 2007; William Fitzsimmons Health Award 2008; Chicago Tribune Good Eating Award 2008; 2012 Oak Park Villager of the Year; 2013 Organizing for Action “Climate Hero”; 2014 Oak Park Villager of the Year Runner-Up; Illinois Association of Park Districts 2019 Community Service Award; 2018 Illinois Association of Park Districts Community Service Award; 2023 US Conference of Mayors Environmental Sustainability and Health Award for C4 Initiative.

Affiliations

Cooking; Wilderness Expeditions/Travel (Backpacking; Mountain Climbing; Backcountry Canoeing; Kayaking; Rafting); Woodworking; Gardening; Basketball

Languages

Spanish
Professional

References

References available upon request.

Timeline

Founder and Executive Director

Seven Generations Ahead
01.2001 - Current

Principal

Gary Cuneen & Associates
01.1993 - 01.2003

High School Teacher/Basketball Coach

Hopewell Valley Central High School
08.1989 - 06.1992

Counselor

New Jersey State Corrections
06.1988 - 07.1989

Community Organizer

Wilmington United Neighborhoods
05.1984 - 08.1986

Community Organizer

Phila Council of Neighborhood Organizations
05.1983 - 04.1984

Wilderness Leaderness - Mountaineering, Backpacking, Crevasse Descent

National Outdoor Leadership School

Secondary Education - Secondary Education

Trenton State College

Bachelor of Arts - Political Science/Development Economics

University of Notre Dame

Some College (No Degree) - Spanish/Anthropology/Mexican History

La Universidad de Anahuac

Some College (No Degree) - Theology/Counseling

Union Theological Seminary

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Gary Cuneen