An artist by training with a background in public policy, Denise brings together creative practice, civic engagement, and systems thinking. For over a decade, she has used public art, deep listening, and collaborative design to explore what people need to thrive—and to translate those insights into practical policy pathways and community-rooted projects that unleash human creativity and compassion. Her experience in celebration art—lantern festivals, banners, and large-scale community rituals—shapes her belief that collective joy and belonging are essential civic infrastructure. That perspective informs her work with local governments on zoning reform, land-use approvals, finance, and cross-sector collaboration. Denise believes housing is cultural infrastructure, and that designing with care, climate awareness, and shared stewardship can help communities thrive in a changing world.

Tom is an economist and longtime advocate for equitable, sustainable systems. With a background in investment research, he has published extensively in both academic and industry journals. Tom currently serves on the investment board of VentureUs, a Pacific Northwest seed fund, and is a limited partner committed to supporting community-rooted innovation. He also serves on the board of the Seattle Economics Council, where he is a past president. At ecoTHRIVE, Tom brings strategic vision and a commitment to reimagining ownership models through cooperative finance and land stewardship.

Zsa Zsa is a community leader and fierce advocate for housing justice. Her journey from living in a car with her three children to shaping policy at the local and state levels– fuels her work with courage and compassion. Zsa Zsa was a founding organizer of the first homeless march in Eugene, Oregon, and served four years on the Springfield Human Rights Commission. In Seattle, she became a trusted leader at Camp Second Chance, where she helped build systems of governance and care. Today, she serves as Vice Chair of the Community Advisory Group of King County’s Health Care for the Homeless Network, where she leads training and outreach. Zsa Zsa brings deep lived experience, administrative skill, and generational wisdom to ecoTHRIVE’s work. As she says: “I create community where people feel safe and at least liked—if not loved, although love is best.”

Iris is an organizational change strategist and culture weaver with over 25 years of experience guiding transformation in complex systems. Her work bridges enterprise change, leadership development, and community-based innovation, with a consistent focus on helping people navigate transition with trust, clarity, and shared purpose. Iris has led large-scale change initiatives within Fortune 500 companies including Microsoft and Kraft Foods and across multiple gas, and electric utilities industry clients — including Chevron, Georgia Power, and Montana Dakota Utilities — supporting organizations in evolving their leadership practices, cultures, governance, and ways of working. She is also a co-founder of Sound Connexions, which supports creativity and social entrepreneurship. At ecoTHRIVE, Iris supports the design of the social and governance practices that make shared ownership resilient over time.