Session Recordings Now Available! 19 sessions totaling nearly 20 hours from our extraordinary 2025 event are now accessible through February 22, 2026. Access starts at $20, with options to support future events at higher contribution levels. Couldn’t attend? Get full access to these exceptional recordings now! See schedule and get access below!
P.S. Spread the word! Share this page with your colleagues, neighbors, and organizations. Help others discover how sociocracy transforms decision-making by creating more inclusive, effective, and harmonious collaborative environments.
An ecosystem thrives when the organisms living there are healthy, connected, and growing. Their needs are met, and they can carry out their role in their niche. Similarly, a sociocratic system thrives when its members show-up authentically and with a strong sense of self. Work that we do within ourselves helps us to show up fully and collaboratively in our communal lives. This conference shines a light on how the inner work we do contributes to flourishing and functional communities.
The 5th Annualย Virtual Intentional Communities Conferenceย โย Bringing Our Best Selves to the Wholeย โ is organized by theย Intentional Communities (IC) Circle in Sociocracy For All (SoFA). Rooted inย sociocratic principles, thisย online gatheringย showcases the power of shared governance in action. Your participation shapes transformative experiences and strengthens governance bothย within and beyond intentional communities.
By hosting these important conversations, building community, and maintaining a constant presence, we continue to grow and spread these vital tools. Let us know how we can support you in starting, maintaining, or refreshing sociocratic practices in your community.
Event Time
Saturday, November 22, 2025
UTC: 15:30โ21:30
PT: 7:30 AMโ1:30 PM
ET: 10:30 AMโ4:30 PM
GMT: 15:30โ21:30
CET: 16:30โ22:30
Tickets range from $20 to $240, providing access to 20 expert-led, engaging sessions full of valuable insights. Recordings will be available for 3 months.
Your generosity makes a meaningful difference in supporting this event and growing our future IC Circle program. Every contribution helps ensure sustainability and allows us to continue offering gatherings like this one.
If youโre able, please considerย $240. This higher contribution directly funds future events and strengthens the IC Circleโs ability to nurture intentional communities.
For most attendees, we invite a contribution ofย $80. Accessible options at $20 and $40 are available so that everyone who wishes to join can participate.
Conference Schedule
UTC: 15:30
PT: 7:30 AM
ET: 10:30 AM
GMT: 15:30
CET: 16:30
Welcome. Opening Plenary
Preparing the ground for being together – a menu of social frameworks
Ted Rau
A Sociocratic Journey: Building a community culture
Stefani Danes
Unravelling Interdependence and Codependence
Lana Parra
ย Legitimizing Sociocracy: Boards, Bylaws and Governance Documents
Jerry Koch-Gonzalez
Becoming our Best Selves with Neurosciences
Audrรฉe Morin
Assessing and mapping your relationships based on the principles of permaculture
Teel Short
Introduction to Advocates for Sociocracy in Community
Kathleen Walsh
Selecting People for Roles in BIG groups (of 50, 70 or 100)
Heinz Feldman
Connecting your Circles with Professionals
Cate de Vreede and Bryan Bowen
Thinking about bringing our best selves
Joann Terranova
The Good, the Bad and the Almost Ugly – How Sociocracy Saved our Village
Mena Quilici, Janet Palmer, Kate Davis
Roots of Sociocracy: complex systems and life in the chaordic space
Eduardo Mercovich
Inhabiting Leadership: The Tension Between Individual Needs and Group Performance
Mauge Caรฑada and Genny Carraro
The Inner Work of the Collective Self
John Schinnerer and Krista Bremer
Ask Me Anything: Building Inclusive and Adaptive Organizations with Sociocracy
Jerry Koch-Gonzalez
Finding out your sociocratic strengths and weaknesses with the Organizational Sociocracy Assessment
Audrรฉe Morin
UTC: 21:00
PT: 1:00 PM
ET: 4:00 PM
GMT: 21:00
CET: 22:00
Speaker & Session Details
UTC: 16:00โPT: 8:00 AMโET: 11:00 AMโGMT: 16:00โCET: 17:00
Preparing the Ground for Being Together โ A Menu of Social Frameworks: Sociocracy thrives when relationships are healthy and alignment is easy. This presentation walks through social practices that support strong connections and cohesion within communities. (Presentation). Ted Rau: Ted is an advocate, trainer, and consultant for self-governance, focusing on sociocracy. Co-founder of Sociocracy For All, he teaches and consults internationally. He is a father of five, German citizen, and author of four books on self-governance, with another in progress.
Optimizing the Value of the Children in our Communities: Letโs take a look at what supports our community children to feel a strong sense of value and belonging. In addition, what are some things that interfere with kids of all ages feeling that they matter, are understood and seen for who they really are. (Presentation). Gina Simm: Gina is a member of Cherry Hill Cohousing in Massachusetts, involved in the social and emotional well-being of the community. She is the author ofย Heart to Heart โ 3 Systems for Staying Connected. Her motto: โOpen-hearted Children lead to an open-hearted world.โ
Unravelling Interdependence and Codependence: An ecosystem thrives when its members are rooted, healthy, and connected. This participative workshop explores codependence vs interdependence, helping participants strengthen self-awareness and community dynamics. (Participative workshop). Lana Joy Parra: Lana is a doula, reproductive health coach, sociocracy consultant-in-training, and member of a multigenerational intentional community. She guides inner work around boundaries, codependence, and interdependence to foster resilient and authentic communities.
A Sociocratic Journey: Building a Community Culture: At Rachel Carson EcoVillage, weโve adapted sociocracy over five years. This showcase shares three stories from our journey: Empowered Learning Circle to Sociocracy 101, NVC to Transformative Communication, and Facilitation Playground to Sociocracy Conversations. (Showcase of sociocracy in my community). Stefani Danes: Stefani is a registered architect and member of Rachel Carson EcoVillage, serving as project manager. She designs affordable and senior cohousing, teaches housing and intentional communities, and is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.
UTC: 17:00โPT: 9:00 AMโET: 12:00 PMโGMT: 17:00โCET: 18:00
Legitimizing Sociocracy: Boards, Bylaws and Governance Documents: The legal system and how we think of ourselves as communities are not a good match. In this session, we will explore how to safely manage sociocratically governed communities in the context of Boards, Home Owner Associations, bylaws and other governance documents. (Presentation). Jerry Koch-Gonzalez, a consultant and certified trainer in Sociocracy and NVC, helps organizations create inclusive, adaptive structures. He co-founded Sociocracy for All and Cherry Hill Cohousing, where Sociocracy has thrived since 2013.
Becoming Our Best Selves with Neurosciences: Meetings can trigger tension and reactive behaviors despite sociocratic processes. This workshop explores how neuroscience and somatic practices help regulate our nervous system, fostering empathy, connection, and collective intelligence. (Presentation, Participative workshop). Audrรฉe Morin: Trained as a biologist, Audrรฉe has studied 42 intentional communities in North America. She shares expertise in sociocracy, restorative circles, and collaboration frameworks professionally under Interconnexion. Audrรฉe is certified as a sociocracy trainer and working toward her consultant certification.
Los Portales, an Example of Deep Sociocracy: Last year, we celebrated our 40th anniversary at Los Portales, using sociocracy for over ten years. This showcase explores how governance evolved, tools to nurture sociocracy, manage conflicts, and connect inner and collective sociocracy. (Showcase of sociocracy in my community). Charlie Lenglez: Charlie has lived and worked in the Los Portales ecocommunity in Spain for over 40 years. He is a teacher trainer, sociocracy trainer, and community consultant. Charlie has been involved in the Spanish Ecovillage Network and GEN-Europe, and is certified by the International Sociocracy Certification Board.
Assessing and Mapping Your Relationships Based on the Principles of Permaculture: Natural systems have balance and cycles; this workshop guides participants in mapping their relationships (โfriendventoryโ) using permaculture principles to identify thriving areas and places needing care in community life. (Participative workshop). Teel Short: Teel has been a communitarian for most of his life and focuses on relationships as the central priority. He has served as HR director at a 150-member commune and works with his wife to design new versions of communal life in Chicago. He is also a songwriter, basketball fan, and board game enthusiast.
UTC: 18:00โPT: 10:00 AMโET: 1:00 PMโGMT: 18:00โCET: 19:00
Networking and updates from CohoUS/CCN/FIC/SoFA: Representatives from key organizations supporting community and sociocracy share updates, upcoming initiatives, and opportunities for collaboration. An open networking space for strengthening inter-organizational connections. Hosted by Neil Planchon
Cohousing Association of the U.S: The Cohousing Association of the U.S. promotes collaborative living opportunities and community resilience across diverse neighborhoods.ย (Founded in the 1990s). Canadian Cohousing Network: The Canadian Cohousing Network fosters the development of sustainable, intentional communities that enhance social connections and environmental stewardship.ย (Founded in 1997). Global Ecovillage Network: The Global Ecovillage Network supports the creation of sustainable and resilient human settlements through ecological practices and community collaboration.ย (Founded in 1995). Foundation for Intentional Community: The Foundation for Intentional Community connects and supports diverse communities committed to cooperative living and shared values.ย (Founded in 1992). Sociocracy for All: Sociocracy for All promotes inclusive decision-making practices through sociocracy to empower organizations and communities worldwide.ย (Founded in 2016)
Introduction to Advocates for Sociocracy in Community: What happens in a community of practice for sociocratic intentional communities? Come observe or participate as experienced Advocates join their experiences to create collective intelligence. Bring your questions about sociocracy in community! Kathleen Walsh: A retired mental health professional and facilitator, Kathleen promotes cooperative living through Prosocial and Sociocracy. She is active in her Portland cohousing community and enjoys outdoor activities, cooking, and live music.
Selecting People for Roles in BIG groups (of 50, 70 or 100): In intentional communities, often all members want to select for the important jobs (i.e., members of the general circle). I would present three different ways to do it, show the pros and cons of each solution, and let the participants share their experiences. Heinz Feldman
UTC: 19:00โPT: 11:00 AMโET: 2:00 PMโGMT: 19:00โCET: 20:00
Connecting your Circles with Professionals: The effectiveness of your forming group greatly influences how successfully you can work with cohousing professionals. Sociocracy helps forming groups become organized and ready to engage with their professional team. Bryan Bowen is Principal Architect at Caddis Collaborative and a housing developer experienced with sociocracy, including work with Treehouse Village. Cate de Vreede is a community developer in Mi’kma’ki, Canada, and co-founder of Treehouse Village Ecohousing. She is a certified Sociocracy Facilitator.
Thinking about bringing our best selves: People engage more fully when recognized for who they are. This session introduces tools from โThe Thinking Environmentโ to help participants explore authentic participation and clarity through Thinking Pairs.
Joann Terranova lives at Woodard Lane Cohousing in Olympia, WA, with her husband and son. She also works to create learning environments in Christian contexts to nurture spiritual growth for children and adults.
Learning from Ten Years of Sociocracy in Our Senior Cohousing Village: Join us to learn how Sociocracy has benefited our Senior Cohousing village and how, 10 years later, weโve overcome challenges, added some useful tools, and embraced and learned from some difficult meetings. Mena Quilici has been part of Quimper Village almost from the beginning. She leads Meals Team and Community Life, enjoys facilitating Process & Governance, and loves cooking, shared meals, social events, and teaching in the Art Studio. Janet Palmer is one of QVโs founders and serves on the Process team, Community Life, and Coordinating Team. She enjoys building friendships and trust among neighbors, and stays active rowing, biking, swimming, and traveling. Kate Davis moved from North Carolina to Quimper Village six years ago. She has led the Finance and Legal Team for five years and participates in the Process & Governance team.
Roots of Sociocracy: complex systems and life in the chaordic space: We will review fundamental concepts of complex systems theory and apply them to our communities to understand tensions and dynamics. Participants will engage in deep reflection and explore new paths forward. Eduardo Mercovich is from Argentina, with a background in Biological Sciences. Since 1992, he has worked in socio-technological complex systems, consulting internationally and focusing on technology for human rights. He enjoys biking and considers his intentional community Confluencia his extended family.
UTC: 20:00โPT: 12:00 PMโET: 3:00 PMโGMT: 20:00โCET: 21:00
Inhabiting Leadership: the tension between individual needs and group performance: When people join a sociocratic community, taking on leadership roles can be challenging. This session explores how communities support members in assuming leadership positions. Mauge Caรฑada has 35 years of experience in ecovillage community life, is a Psychologist, Facilitator, Trainer, and Organizational Consultant, and co-founded Arterra Bizimodu. Genny Carraro is a trainer, consultant, and facilitator with experience in social activism, international diplomacy, and humanitarian assistance. She co-founded the Italian Processwork School and has been active in Arterra Bizimodu ecovillage for nine years.
The Inner Work of the Collective Self: Collective trauma can undermine group processes and intentional communities. This experiential session explores signs of trauma, effective responses, and collective healing practices to increase coherence and belonging. John Schinnerer is a whole systems design consultant, teacher, and facilitator specializing in governance, human relating, and ecological design. Krista Bremer is an author, mediator, and facilitator focused on group process work and collective trauma healing, with training in healing practices and certification in collective trauma facilitation.
Ask Me Anything: Building Inclusive and Adaptive Organizations with Sociocracy: Explore the practical application of Sociocracy and Nonviolent Communication in creating inclusive, adaptive organizations. In this Ask Me Anything session, Jerry will answer your questions, share real-world examples, and offer guidance for fostering collaborative, thriving communities. Jerry Koch-Gonzalez is a consultant and certified trainer in Sociocracy and Nonviolent Communication. He co-founded Sociocracy For All and Cherry Hill Cohousing, where he has helped implement sociocratic structures since 2013. Jerry supports organizations in building inclusive, adaptive systems that empower everyoneโs voice
Finding out your sociocratic strengths and weaknesses with the Organizational Sociocracy Assessment: Learn to use a tailored survey to assess your communityโs sociocratic governance, identify strengths and areas for improvement, and interpret results with a coach. Audrรฉe Morin has studied and worked with intentional communities and regenerative projects, sharing tools for sociocracy and restorative circles professionally under the name Interconnexion
Contact Us
If you have questions about the conference, please contact us at iccircle-support@sociocracyforall.org
