Date & Time: Thursday, April 30, 2026 (10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. PT / 1:00-2:30 pm ET). Watercooler chat is open until 12:00 p.m.PT / 3:00 p.m. ET

Title:  Who is a Community Steward? Defining the framework and finding the people

Description: Join us for an interactive session exploring what it means to be a Community Steward. Together, we will reflect on the characteristics and actions that define this role, build connections with fellow stewards, and learn and share practical strategies for stepping more fully into that role.

Arika Virapongse and Eva Jo Meyers are co-authors of the newly released book, From Me to We: A Guide for Community Stewards. Their work is designed to support individuals and groups in cultivating empowered, purpose-driven communities. Learn more about Arika and Eva below, along with the rational and experiential aims of this workshop.

• Arika Virapongse, M.S., Ph.D.: Arika’s academic interests have taken her from fine art and ethnobotany to traditional medicine and natural resource management. She has spent years learning about how people and communities live with their local natural environment in Thailand as a Fulbright scholar, in the Amazon of Brazil, and in many other places in the world. Today, as a scholar, consultant, and evaluator based in Boulder, Colorado, Arika focuses her work on social-ecological resilience and community-based systems. She’s published dozens of scientific and public-facing articles, and is often called upon by organizations and science-related groups to help develop their community engagement strategies. As dedicated world schoolers, Arika and her family spend as much time as they can practicing place-based learning. Learn more about Arika here: www.middlepatheco.com.

• Eva Jo Meyers, M.A.: Eva has a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Art and Community Activism from Oberlin College, a Master’s Degree in Humanities and Leadership from New College of California, and earned her CA Teaching Credential in Art from San Francisco State University. She was a Fulbright scholar in Thailand from 1999-2000 studying the impact of culture on pedagogy. Eva has published numerous articles on topics related to education, equity, and facilitation in periodicals including FastCompany, Afterschool Today Magazine, and Parents.com. Her first book, “Raise the Room: A practical guide to participant-centered facilitation,” was published in 2019. Eva is the co-founder and owner of Spark Decks, a publishing company that supports professional development for change-makers (www.spark-decks.com). She has taught and run youth programs in New York, San Francisco, Bangkok (Thailand), Chongqing (China), and Ako (Japan) and currently spends her days facilitating workshops and retreats for school districts, government agencies, and nonprofits throughout California and the U.S.

Rational Aim:

• Help participants identify Community Stewards
• Ensure participants have a clear understanding of what a Community Steward is and does

Experiential Aim:

• Be motivated to further define community stewardship for themselves
• Learn and share ideas with their peers, and feel like they are part of a community

ToP Competencies:

• Manage positive client relationships
• Create a Participatory Environment
• Evoke the Creativity of the Group
• Use ToP Methods Effectively
• Model positive professional attitudes
• Orchestrate quality events
• Produce effective results

Registration:

• $10 Members
• $40 Nonmembers (if you would like more information about joining the ToP Network, please click here.

Register:

To register, visit:  https://top.memberclicks.net/pdwapril302026

*All proceeds of this registration benefit the ToP Gathering Scholarship Fund!