Community Member/Community Resident Biographies

Sara Senet ~ Co-Founder and Community Steward

I am currently a real estate investor, who is retired from owning a large transportation brokerage firm which I sold in 2003. I continue to build streams of income outside of Hummingbird with the intention to contribute more to Hummingbird financially. I am a co-founder of the community. 

Katharine Roske ~ Co-Founder  and Community Steward

As a co-founder of Hummingbird Community, I have a life long commitment to co-creating a planetary culture that is a living embodiment of our spiritual essence. Living my life at the    evolutionary edge, I am engaged in the fields of integral education, community building, conscious birthing, women’s spirituality, and health and wellness. I play at the core of Hummingbird as Executive Steward, Social Architect, global ambassador and ceremonialist. Development of the Hummingbird Living School is a major focus where at this stage of its growth, I serve as Program Director: over-seeing and facilitating programs, designing curriculum, developing the internship track and grounding structure.  As mother and grandmother, I am devoted to serving the “sun-eyed children of the marvelous dawn”. I live together with my beloved husband of 31 years in our honeymoon cottage by the river.

Makasha Roske ~ Co-Founder and Community Steward

As co-founder of Hummingbird Community, I serve the community as “Guardian of the Dream”, Social Architect, Meta Designer, Executive Steward and am on the Economic Development Team. Holding a vision for over 35 years of landing a soul-based community, I am committed to modeling the principles of co-creation (cooperation, synergy and self -organization) in all areas of life leading to the creation of a regenerative planetary culture.

Through entrepreneurial ventures and non-profit organizations, I have been instrumental in shifting consciousness in the areas of social investing, conscious commerce, health and nutrition, gentle birthing, education for the whole child, conscious media, renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture. In 1972 I co-founded World Family and have been a principle focalizer for international festivals and link-ups for world peace through the past 4 decades. As father of 8 children, grandfather of 21 and great-grandfather of 5, I am in service to the next seven generations and the awakening of our humanity.

John Zwerver  ~ Co-Founder and Community Steward

I have an extensive background in planning, organizational development and social policy. My background also includes disaster planning and response training both in the U.S and Canada. I have worked with communities and organizations in transition, and have consulted in different parts of the world. My background includes managing a number of large non-profit organizations and associations in Canada, as well as serving as a senior civil servant in the area of Social Policy for the Ontario government in Canada. I am the President and Co-Director of Global Family, an international peace education organization, and am one of the co-founders of Hummingbird Ranch. I have worked extensively with young people through the creation of international youth leadership training programs in North America, Europe and South America and am a Non-governmental agency representative to the United Nations Public Department of Public Information.

Carolyn Anderson ~ Co-Founder and Community Steward

I am a Co-founder of the Hummingbird Community and a Co-founder and Co-director of Global Family.  I and my husband John Zwerver, live in Nevada City, CA, where we work closely with Barbara Marx Hubbard and the Foundation for Conscious Evolution. I am a member of the Hummingbird Living School Core Group and am on the Aesthetics Team. I and John are partners in a marketing and financial services company called People Assets International.

David Fischer ~ Co-Founder and Community Steward

Originally from St. Louis, I connected in with Global Family and assisted in seeding and facilitating the resonant core group process. I held the vision for creating intentional community and for helping to create a model for doing this. In 1996, Hummingbird Ranch was born. I met my wife, Linda one year later and moved to the ranch in the summer of 1998.  We first lived in a little RV and tent for 4 months on the plot of land where the Roske’s now reside. We then moved to the ‘Little House’ and stayed there for 4 years. We moved yet again to the double-wide trailer across the way, where the Rusters are now. So you might say that we’ve planted our seeds everywhere at Hummingbird Ranch.  We now live in Taos, NM and run ‘HealthShoes’ - a retail/pedorthic facility - "comfort for your sole/soul is our goal". During my resident time at Hummingbird, I served as Ranch Manager for 5.5 years, which I still love to do when I am around.  I pride myself on being a wordsmith and all around punny guy!

Linda Fischer ~ Community Steward

Well I moved to Hummingbird Ranch in the summer of 1998 with David, who was already my partner at that time. I lived there here for about 5 years and then moved to Taos, NM to be closer to our shoe business – ‘HealthShoes’. I also attend summer programs and like to get involved with short projects, due to my commitments with the store. I love to dance and some have called me a youthful-camper-chique kind of gal. I simply love to hang out and enjoy keeping it real; keeping it fun; keeping it real fun!

Rich Ruster ~ Community Steward

I am a Vision Steward for Hummingbird Ranch Community, a consciousness-based eco-community in Northern New Mexico.   I am also Executive Director and co-founder of Hummingbird Living School, as well as a core partner of the Community since 1998. My doctorate is in holistic psychology and whole systems science. My studies combined with my professional and community experience have matured into my life work as a path-maker into synthesis culture. I am author of The Homing Process: A Unifying Theory of Evolving Systems (1989), and am working on a book, Cultivating Synthesis Reality: Living beyond the American Dream.

Marie Ruster ~ Community Steward

My background involves 18 years of teaching business and management and computer skills training in large corporations. Taking a much-needed break from business, about 10 years ago I became an esthetician using holistic, bio-dynamically grown skin care products. I am also a Hummingbird Steward and recently released my membership in a number of other teams to focus as much as possible on launching our Fund-raising Campaign.

Ralph W Huber  ~ Community Steward

I have been a member of Hummingbird Community for the past eight years, living part-time at Hummingbird and part-time in Santa Fe. My professional background includes educator, corporate trainer, and management consultant.  I am a resource for the development of the Living School curriculum at Hummingbird; in addition, I meets regularly with interns and individuals who are exploring community to support them in their community integration. I have a Ph.D. from New York University's Department of Communication Arts and Sciences and have served as Board President of Unity Church in Santa Fe.

Michael Elliot ~ Community Steward

I was born in Ohio in July of 1951 in a rural farming community.  I have lived most of my adult life in the western United States working in the healthcare industry.  I moved to Hummingbird Ranch on February 14, 2004 and began the journey of community life.  I serve as the facility manager,  operations manager, and financial manager for the community.

Ami Spangler ~ Community Steward

Having visited Hummingbird first in May 2005, I arrived to enter the Exploring Community Phase in September 2005. I crossed the threshold to become an Apprentice Steward in December 2006 and as of February 2008, have become a Community Steward . Co-creativity, alchemy, conscious evolution, and open-hearted relationship is what I surrender to. I practice and blossom with this community; with Gaia and Spirit; with an enlivened soul. And so it is – laughter, love, tears, joy and communion. I am a life-long artist, yoga teacher since 1993, and co-creator of the Dancing Colors Arts and Media Center (Sculpture, painting, dance, movement, music, media, and the art therapies.

Mark Courtman ~ Apprenticing Steward

I was most definitely led by my Soul to be at Hummingbird. I love community life, and our focus to be stewards of living a sane, sustainable, loving lifestyle.  It is also heart opening to have my neighbors support me and each other in our individual and collective souls’ mission.  I owned a natural food store for nineteen years, and co-founded a charter school in the inner city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  I then lived four eventful years on the Big Island of Hawaii, before I was called to live here. I am currently focusing my attention to fund raising for humanities highest aspirations, especially Hummingbird.  I feel very fortunate to be aligned with my soul’s purpose, being with the right people, at the right time, doing the right thing.   

Jamie Shah ~ Community Resident and Program's Manager 

I first arrived at Hummingbird as an Intern, ready to dive in and assist Katharine with summer programs at the Ranch.  I very quickly fell in love with this beautiful Intentional Community, so knowledgable and co-creative in circular and shared leadership models.  It felt quite easy to follow what I organically discovered was my purpose in this community: to nurture and host those who walk the land as visitors, program participants, etc. and introduce the magic and healing properties of this land; creating a safe space to just be.  I took on the responsibility of Assistant Program's Director last Summer and enjoyed it so much that I moved into the role of  Program's Manager for the Ranch this year.  In other news: I was born and brought up in Toronto, Canada to amazing parents, I am East Indian and love to cook all types of food, especially spicy!  I lived in Japan for two years in a small fisherman's town and engaged in the dynamic Japanese culture, enjoying every minute of my immersion. Currently, I am in the process of completing my Master's Thesis on the Intentional Communities Movement and continue to engage in projects and literature that foster learnings of circular service, leadership and management practices. I continue to engage my heart, mind, soul and body to do more for humanity...to cultivate balance in my relationships, to help in the quest to bring about positive change to our environment and to live in harmony with our Earth. 

Dan Best ~ Exploring Relationship Track 

I arrived here at the Hummingbird playground after several years on the road devoted to the unfoldment of my soul.  Once upon a time I lived a happy and comfortable life in Virginia as a psychotherapist specializing in children, adolescents, and families.  Now I’m engaged in the year-long process of joining the community-- the Exploring Relationship track.  My lifepath has taken me through neuroscience to psychotherapy to Earth ways practices.  Beholden to the Mother, I am devoted to the healing and integration of all the parts of myself, to facilitating the healing of others and the planet, and to conducting rites of passage and wilderness experiences for youth and adults.   Other interests include acting, dancing, reading, animals, traveling, coffee, and wine.  Hope to see you here someday!

Jura Doucette ~ Community Resident

Bio coming soon...