David Leon Zink has an ear for music, business and community.  He works from home as a consultant in the areas of management, marketing and federal grant writing for firms serving both nonprofits and for profits – work that supports his calling as a performing songwriter and recording artist. David serves on the boards of several local orgs active in arts and culture, organic gardening and regenerative practices, and connecting communities with trails.  A Butte County native, David and his soulmate of 38 years live in Magalia, California.

Susan Dobra, PhD,  is a writer, editor, and educator who has taught at the university level for over 40 years; served as editorial director of the magazine Magical Blend; and worked as a grant writer and nonprofit consultant. A published writer, she currently teaches in the Philosophy Department at California State University, Chico. Until the Camp Fire, she lived with her partner of 20 years in Paradise, California, where they sang together, grew organic vegetables,  hosted a weekly open mic, and participated in a range of community service organizations. 

Carrie Fritsch is an internationally recognized product and graphic designer, local business owner, wife, mom and CSU Chico graduate with deep Paradise roots. Born and raised in Paradise and being 1 of 5 family homes that were lost in the Camp Fire, she has an immense love for the Town and is very invested in its recovery and success. In addition to being a board member at Regenerating Paradise, she also volunteers for the Rebuild Paradise Foundation and serves as a zone captain for the Camp Fire Zone Project.

Adam Thompson has twenty years of experience in California’s affordable housing development industry. He servesas a consultant for various multi-family affordable housing developments throughout the State with an emphasis on rural new construction and acquisition-rehabilitation projects. Adam, and his wife Alyssa, moved to Magalia in 2020 with their two boys to escape the heat and hustle of city life in Sacramento. He enjoys playing music with his family, traveling, and being surrounded by the vibrant nature and regrowth on The Ridge. There is a good chance you will find him at his favorite establishment in Paradise – Nic’s on the Skyway.

Nicole LaJeunesse is a professional writer, editor, and curious person from Northern California. With a passion for storytelling, Nicole crafts grant proposals that connect community ideals to on-the-ground efforts, transforming raw information into thoughtful, engaging narratives. In addition to grant proposals, Nicole also writes interview-based profiles, tutorial articles, essays, and poems. She holds a Master’s in Cinema Studies from San Francisco State University and is most enthusiastic about community resilience, media literacy, and the arts. Outside, she grows pumpkins and chats with scrub jays. Inside, she indulges in homemade food and the strangest mysteries she can find. The weirder the better.

Allen Myers was born and raised in Paradise, California as a third generation member of the ridge community. He left Paradise and gained a global perspective. He traveled the world for a number of years, living and working with communities as he documented those stories and lessons in an art project called, Nomadsight. He is a storyteller and founder and director of The Earth Day Film Festival. He cares deeply for his community. Allen is a founding member of Regenerating Paradise and served as Executive Director from 2019 through the end 2022.

Majdi seeks integrative solutions and aspires to understand the interconnectivities between resources, communities, economies and the environment. His passion is in supporting wholistic and regenerative sustainable development efforts that incorporate sustainability’s three pillars (environment, community, economy). As an academician, he developed optimization models and solutions at the nexus between water, energy, and food.

Bob Stilger, PhD, is an activist-scholar who focuses on fostering connection, strengthening leadership and regenerating community. Over the last two decades, Bob’s attention has been drawn to questions of how we create the lives and communities we actually want in times of disaster, crises and collapse. Bob and his nonprofit organization, NewStories joined us in Paradise in early 2019 to help us discover new ways of working in community which could help to regenerate paradise. Bob’s 2017 Book, “AfterNow: When We Cannot See the Future Where Do We Begin,” provides a roadmap for work in communities after disaster.

Annie's work is built on the belief that an outer shift must first come from an inner shift. In her work with RP, she continues to be humbled by the resilience and strength of the community of Paradise. She offers the organization support with administration, writing, event production, and website management. Annie's favorite part of working with RP is the relationships formed with board members and collaborators. They continue to inspire with their perspectives and experience on hope and change in our world. Annie loves gardening, dancing, and being still in the forest.

Julian aspires to bring people together to co-create in ways that capitalize on their potential and develop their future. This work emphasizes new roles and relationships that bring social, economic, and ecological benefits. The outcomes of this community developmental work include increased awareness of who we are as a community, increased potential of what could be possible, and vibrant and resilient people networks for the ongoing process of building community. As a master planner and designer Julian has partnered in designing retreat centers and co-housing projects.

Like much of our society, I focused on making things for most of my life. In my case, I have been a practicing architect for 54 years, 36 of those years leading The Ratcliff Architects. While there is great satisfaction in design, I have become more focused in this century on the living systems which are supported by what we make. All of life is renewing itself, adapting to change…and so I became a student of regenerative development. These unfolding processes of “becoming” are found in ourselves, loved ones, our communities and nature. We can regenerate our communities by infusing skillful intention into our change processes, to raise our consciousness of ourselves and each other, and then manifest potentials for meaningful living beyond everyone’s expectations. My role will be to participate and assist in guiding these kinds of engagements.

Mary Bellefeuille moved to Paradise in 1978. Earning a Business Management degree came in very handy, as she has managed her husband’s construction business since 1980. Raising three children in Paradise, Mary became very involved in the schools, youth sports, church and the community. Over the years, Mary has been involved with Paradise Ridge Youth Soccer, Paradise Little League, and Paradise Piranhas Swim Team, American Cancer Society Relay for Life, Youth for Change, California Vocations, Paradise Boys and Girls Club, Rotary Club of Paradise. Mary serves on the Paradise Recreation and Parks District Board of Directors and works at Enloe Medical Center as an Employee Events Planner and Recognition Specialist. Her passion is helping this community become the best that it can be for all the people residing here.