THE ARETE INSTITUTE
Human Excellence. Global Transformation.
Arete (/ˈærətiː/; Greek: ἀρετή), excellence of any kind; fulfillment of purpose or function: the act of living up to one's full potential.
Janet Ivey-Duensing, President and Chief Creative Officer at Janet's Planet, Inc.
Janet Ivey is committed to enriching the lives of children through education and programming. With over 17 years in the media, Ivey has captivated Nashville and beyond with her work and she has received 12 Regional Emmy®s and 5 Gracie Allen awards for her work.
Most notably, Janet Ivey has been recognized for her work on Nashville Public Television children’s series Janet’s Planet, an interstitial series she helped create. This dynamic and fast-paced series is geared to 6 – 10 year olds and focuses on scientific and historical facts and events. Viewers get to travel at the speed of thought and the interstitials air throughout the day between acclaimed children’s shows like “Zoom,” “Maya and Miguel,” and “Arthur.”
In the October 2010 Nashville Lifestyles magazine, Janet was named as one of Nashville’s 25 Most Beautiful People both inside and out!
Buzz Aldrin has chosen Janet to be one of his ShareScience Education Ambassadors for his ShareScience Foundation because of her enthusiasm and dedication for science education.
In the February 55h , 2010 issue of the Nashville Business Journal, Janet was named as one of the 30 members of the Women of Influence Class of 2010. She was recognized in the Inspiration and Mentor Category.
Elisa Parker, SEE JANE DO Co-founder, President and Host
Elisa Parker is an award-winning producer, reporter, writer, talk radio host and an activist. She is the co-founder, CEO and creator of See Jane Do, a multi-media platform that engages and shows everyday women how to be heroes and leaders of their own lives. See Jane Do also provides tools for women to put their passion into action.
An acknowledged media maven, Elisa’s work takes her around the world to connect people through the power of stories and solutions that go beyond leaning in to broken systems. For ten years she has hosted a weekly show featured on nationally-acclaimed radio station KVMR, where 350 interviews have included such luminaries as Gloria Steinem, Eve Ensler, Donna Karan, Michael Franti, Krishna Das, Indigo Girls, Gloria Feldt, Terry Tempest Williams, Helen Reddy plus the untold stories of everyday women who are doing extraordinary things. See Jane Do has also been featured on NPR in addition to other media outlets.
Elisa is also the co-founder & director of the See Jane Do Passion into Action™ Women’s Experience (PIA), an annual event serving over one thousand women in rural communities and small town America. In addition to PIA, Elisa facilitates and moderates programs, panels and workshops that aim to fill the gender gap in leadership. Elisa connects and inspires committed “self-leaders” through such additional See Jane Do events as “Soirees Into Action,” SJD Slumber Parties, One Billion Rising NC, TEDxGrassValley and the See Jane Do Media Lounge.
Elisa is a recipient of the Jody Fenimore Award for Public Affairs and Osborn-Woods Community Service Award. She is an alumna of the Women’s Media Center Progressive Women’s Voices program and The White House Project’s Go Run program. She holds a BA in Communications from San Francisco State University and a MA in Organization Development with a focus on Leadership at University of San Francisco. Elisa lives in the Sierra Foothills with her husband, two daughters, two cats, one puppy and a Beta Fish that won’t give up.
Kimberly D’Urso, Owner, D'Urso Reporting
Kimberly is the owner of her own court reporting business, D’Urso Reporting. Kimberly is the president of Nevada County Citizens for Choice, which works to ensure access to low-cost/free reproductive health services and unbiased sex education in Nevada County. She has been certified as a Certified Crisis Intervention Counselor with Catalyst Domestic Violence Services, and also as a Certified Health Worker for the California Family Health Council.
In 2013, Kimberly attended the summit in New York as United Nations Delegate for the Commission on the Status of Women. Kimberly is a two-time Presidential Delegate for Barack Obama, attending both Democratic National Conventions. And in 2013, Kimberly co-organized One Billion Rising, with Elisa Parker of See Jane Do, which had the participation of more than 1,000 local supporters.
Kimberly finds her greatest joys in self-discovery, her family, traveling, cooking, gardening and, newly, exercising! Social justice is at Kimberly’s core, and young women and men are a primary focus in that field.
THE ARETE INITIATIVE FOR WOMEN
Meet the Participants
The Arete Institute is proud to announce the inaugural Arete Initiative participants: Janet Ivey-Duensing (TN), Kimberly D'Urso (CA), and Elisa Parker (CA). Exceptional women, all, Janet, Kimberly, and Elisa are readying themselves for a challenging and life-changing program, during which they will "lean in and release" for six, life-changing months (including one month-long intensive beginning in September). They will "lean in" to a rugged and regular physical and spiritual discipline (among other things) while, at the same time, engaging in the inner work necessary to release any remaining habits and patterns that no longer serve them.
We are proud beyond measure to welcome these exceptional women to the A.I. family!
Julie Madrona: Teacher, English as a Second Language
Julie, mother of two, teacher, and fourth generation healing arts practitioner, has been teaching in public education as a bilingual instructor (in Spanish) for over 13 years. Her greatest community accomplishment is as co-founder, developer, and participant of Nevada City Cohousing, an intergenerational cooperative living neighborhood, established in 2005. She's also active as a volunteer art docent at a local elementary school, assisting Elisa's endeavors at See Jane Do, supporting SYRCL- a river coalition group, and giving massages to her community neighbors. Julie trains as a triathlete and placed 6th in her age group in the Golden State Triathlon in October of 2014.
Her joy and dream lies in creating social patterns and rhythms where Beauty and the longing of our lively souls can resonate in harmony with Nature.
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