Jonah Braverman
Experienced Facilitator And Coach
Brooklyn,NY
Summary
For more than two decades, I have been immersed in working in partnership with communities in the United States and abroad to use participatory planning process and facilitation to foster an integrated, collaborative approach to structuring dialogue and planning efforts allow for reimagining of the world through humility and deep solidarity. I also have extensive experience in program management, design, implementation, evaluation, and best practice for replication. My practice is grounded in building community power to create a more just and sustainable world that connects the dots between equity, systems thinking, interconnectedness, ecology, economy, governance, peacebuilding, collective healing, and liberation
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
1
1
year of post-secondary education
Work History
Staff Developer and Educational Specialist -
Morningside Center For Teaching
New York, NY
10.2014 - 01.2022
- Developing content, training and coaching staff in a whole school approach to increase racial equity and Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT), as part of a federally funded research project that is in partnership with the NYC Public Schools and Rutgers University.
- Coaching teachers in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) approaches for a federally funded research project, which is a partnership among Morningside Center, University of Virginia Curry School of Education (Teachstone) and Fordham University.
- For these projects, I work in collaborations with partners to manage multiple contracts, build and maintain relationship with various school districts.
- Facilitating participatory action research and planning processes for schools throughout NYC.
- Developing curricula, coaching administrators, teachers, and social workers in implementing restorative practices as a strategy for building community, in various schools throughout the 5 NYC boroughs.
- Designing and facilitated a training for teachers in understanding urban agriculture, climate change and social transformation through a SEL lens, and sharing creative strategies for dealing with this complex issue, within the classroom context.
- Developing various experiential educational curricula for elementary and middle school afterschool programs that focused on creative expression, CRT, urban agriculture, civic engagement, and peer mediation with a strong emphasis on Social Emotional Learning.
- Developing lessons plans for the “TeachableMoment” website, on climate change, presidential election, students voice around the pandemic, and police brutality protests.
- Evaluating and coaching various afterschool programs in integrating SEL practices into their educational curricula.
- Facilitating 5-day trainings (25 hours) on undoing racism and restorative practices for teachers, social workers, and school administrators throughout the 5 NYC boroughs.
Coach and Facilitator – Consultant
Lower East Side Peoples Federal Credit Union
New York, NY
09.2020 - 12.2021
- Designed and implemented a sequence of trainings on equity, communication, conflict resolution, problem solving and social cohesion.
- Led meeting and workshops to wok intensively with CEO and other administrators to evaluate the climate of the LESPFCU and effectiveness of our efforts to shift the culture of the LESPFCU.
- Facilitated various workshops on connecting staff to the mission and vision for the LESPFCU, with the intention of connecting the dots and creating a common narrative.
Youth and Security Fellowship
Search For Common Ground
Kathmandu, Nepal
02.2014 - 05.2014
- Provided support to the project team and trained them in curriculum development and facilitation that is rooted in a popular education approach.
- Designed and implemented a curriculum and a toolkit on how to lead dialogue with both youth and adults.
- Strengthened the capacity of project partners and staff in facilitation skills that foster diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
- Developed a training of trainers’ manual on how to implement an experiential education program with a culturally responsive and conflict sensitive lens.
- Conducted on the ground participatory planning research for the USAID on the driving factors of youth violence.
- Developed concept papers based on the research that we conducted which connected youth violence, livelihood, drug addiction and immigration.
Curriculum Development Consultant
Centre For Peace Building And Reconciliation
Colombo, Sri Lanka
10.2013 - 02.2014
- Designed a curriculum for a program that focused on peacebuilding and reconciliation through interfaith and intercultural dialogue with clergy and community leaders.
- Conducted research and wrote a thesis paper, which focused on using a participatory action research and visual storytelling to work towards transforming the intractable conflicts between diverse ethnic and religious groups in Sri Lanka.
- Developed multiple concept papers on how to incorporate experiential education and conflict transformation principles into a photography program with the intention of using images as a medium for youth voice to be heard, and for them to play an active role in the post war social reconciliation process.
Youth Empowerment Program Coordinator
Added Value,
Brooklyn , NY
01.2010 - 01.2013
- Coordinated all aspects of a Youth Empowerment Program from seed to sale for 14 to 18 years old participants.
- Developed curricula on urban agriculture, leadership, food justice, nutrition, entrepreneurial skills, marketing, equity, and community organizing.
- Supervised and coached a team of 8 educational staff members and facilitated planning and program evaluation meetings.
- Developed and implemented a sequence of workshops that engaged stakeholders and residents in a participatory planning process to develop a new urban farm on New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) land.
- Collaborated with NYCHA, Green City Force, and community residents to develop content to build a model urban farm in the Red Hook Housing Projects.
- Developed and educational curriculum and implemented a green jobs training program for Green City Force AmeriCorps program for 18 to 24 years old participants.
- Conducted a comprehensive Community Food Assessment of Red Hook in collaboration with multiple partners throughout the 5 boroughs.
- Managed a farmers’ market twice a week and community agriculture supported program that served the Red Hook community.
Urban Agriculture Coordinator
East New York Farms
Brooklyn , NY
02.2006 - 12.2009
- Worked with local gardeners and regional farmers to organize, promote, and operate a farmers’ market serving 16,000 customers, which generated over $200,000 annually in income for participating community vendors.
- Designed, build, and managed two youth program urban farms that used intensive, sustainable, and diverse agricultural systems to produce ethic groups for market.
- Wrote an educational curriculum that focused on youth leadership, urban agriculture, food systems, nutrition, and social and environmental justice.
- Supervised 24 youth interns, who served 60 adult community and backyard gardeners in the neighborhood to grow more intensively for market.
- Developed a training the trainer program where urban farmers facilitated educational workshops for one another to building their collective knowledge base and to become mutually interdepend.
- Led the monthly East New York Farms meeting with the community gardens and project partners.
- Provided agricultural and marketing technical assistance to 60 community gardens in the East New York neighborhood.
- Partnered with Cornell University Cooperative Extension and Just Food, GreenThumb NYC Parks and Recreation, Housing Preservation and Development and the New Immigrant Farm Project to recruit and train local farmers and gardeners in sustainable urban agriculture techniques and to expand our agricultural land.
- Organized and empowered local gardeners to build their capacity to support each other.
- Partnered with Heifer International to oversee a micro-loan program for the community gardener to increase agricultural production.
- Participated in monthly planning meeting with project partner, which included Cornell Cooperative Extension, Pratt Institute, East New York Local Development Corporation, and the United Community Center.
Interim Farm Manager
Hidden Villa
Los Altos Hills, CA
10.2005 - 02.2006
- Coordinated and managed all aspects of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program that served 500 people.
- Managed all aspects of organic farm production and management on a 10-acre educational farm.
- Trained and supervised 15 agricultural apprentices in sustainable agricultural, community food security and food justice.
- Develop an innovative initiative to expand the CSA program to serve low-income communities of color in a way that grounded in dignity and mutual respect.
- Trained farmers intensive agricultural techniques from MESA an agroecology international exchange program with students from around the world
- Wrote a weekly newsletter for Hidden Villa staff and the members of the CSA program.
Interim Farm and Market Manager
Added Value
Brooklyn , NY
03.2004 - 04.2005
- Supervised all element of urban agriculture youth program that engaged 20 youth interns in everything for agricultural production to marketing on a 2.5 acre farm.
- Managed 2 farmers’ markets, one on the farm and the in NYCHA housing projects with the intension of improving community food security.
- Organized community event in collaborative local, national, and international partners.
- Presented at various conferences coordinated conferences, workshops .
- Participated in the Red Hook Farm Planning meetings to collaboratively address community needs.
- Facilitated workshops for public schools and volunteers, on food systems, agriculture, and composting.
- Planned and implemented all aspects of farm production and management.
Urban Agriculture Technical Assistant
Cornell University Cooperative Extension
New York, NY
05.2001 - 06.2004
- Supervising East New York Farms youth interns in cultivating urban farms through the neighborhood.
- Facilitated educational workshops for the youth program on urban agriculture, marketing, and leadership development.
- Provided support and technical assistance around best practices to 60 community gardeners and
- Coordinated and managed the community farmers’ market, which included 60 local community gardeners and 8 regional farmers.
- Participated in the East New York Farms Planning Group Meeting, United Community Center’s planning, and community planning to ensure that all the different voices were heard.
Educational Instructor
Brooklyn Botanic Children’s Garden
Brooklyn , NY
05.1997 - 09.2001
- Developed and implemented multiple experiential educational curriculums for students from ages 3 to 25 years old
- Supervised and coached 5 educational interns.
- Work collaborative with staff and student to cultivate a one-acre Children’s Garden that is located at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
- Design the landscape of the Children’s Garden to engage participants curiosity in learning about the natural world around them in meaningful way.
- Partnered with a school that served autistic adolescents to build and implement a sequence of workshop on horticultural therapy and gardening.
Education
Master of Arts - Peacebuilding And Sustainable Development
SIT Graduate Institute
Brattleboro, VT 09.2013 - 09.2014
Bachelor of Arts - Education, Community Development, And Agriculture
Hampshire College
Amherst, MASkills
Facilitation
Program Design and Management
Restorative Practices
Effective Communication
Collaboration
Cultural Awareness
Community Outreach
Presentation
Conflict Resolution and Problem Solving
Participatory Action Research
Program Management
Timeline
Coach and Facilitator – Consultant
Lower East Side Peoples Federal Credit Union
09.2020 - 12.2021
Staff Developer and Educational Specialist -
Morningside Center For Teaching
10.2014 - 01.2022
Youth and Security Fellowship
Search For Common Ground
02.2014 - 05.2014
Curriculum Development Consultant
Centre For Peace Building And Reconciliation
10.2013 - 02.2014
Master of Arts - Peacebuilding And Sustainable Development
SIT Graduate Institute
09.2013 - 09.2014
Youth Empowerment Program Coordinator
Added Value,
01.2010 - 01.2013
Urban Agriculture Coordinator
East New York Farms
02.2006 - 12.2009
Interim Farm Manager
Hidden Villa
10.2005 - 02.2006
Interim Farm and Market Manager
Added Value
03.2004 - 04.2005
Urban Agriculture Technical Assistant
Cornell University Cooperative Extension
05.2001 - 06.2004
Educational Instructor
Brooklyn Botanic Children’s Garden
05.1997 - 09.2001
Bachelor of Arts - Education, Community Development, And Agriculture
Hampshire College