Presenters
2011 Speakers
Jeff Sabo
Jeff Sabo is a dad and partner who lives with his family and friends in Corvallis, OR. When he’s not following his various passions or hanging out with his kids, he writes about parenting, partnering, and unschooling at his blog, Just a Bald Man.
Patti Digh
“If the Buddha had two kids, a dog named Blue, a Southern accent, and a huge crush on Johnny Depp, his name would be Patti Digh,” wrote one reviewer after Digh’s grassroots bestseller, Life Is a Verb, was published. Digh (pronounced “dye”) is a Southern-born master storyteller whose stories are full of humor, poignancy, surprise, pain, and knowing.
Life Is a Verb: 37 Days to Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally, was one of five finalists for the prestigious Books for a Better Life award and a nominee for a Book of the Year award from the Southern Independent Booksellers Association. Her award-winning blog on which it was based, 37days.com, brings together readers from ages 12 through 95 across the globe; readers of that blog created an unprecedented 43-city book tour for Patti when the book arrived.
In the fall of 2010, Patti has two new books coming out: Four-Word Self-Help: Simple Wisdom for Complex Lives and Creative Is a Verb: If You’re Alive, You’re Creative. Her smart, funny, and moving writing will touch your heart deeply. Audiences come away from her readings both laughing and crying, and with a clearer sense of what’s important in their own lives.
Laura Flynn Endres
Laura Flynn Endres is a former public school teacher turned radical unschooler. She enjoys organic gardening, freelance writing, fitness, helping her kids pursue their passions, candlelight dinners and long walks on the beach. (Wait… what?) She has a paying job now, as a personal trainer and pilates instructor, which makes her breadwinner husband very happy, but she still dedicates much of her time to volunteer work. Sometimes Laura even tries to help on the family farm, though she’s probably just in the way. She blogs about their unschooled life – and the occasional farming (mis)adventure – at Wistful Wanderlust. Laura & her husband Rob live with their two sons, Brady 17 and Jonathan 14, on five acres of family land with a most fantastic view.
Ben Lovejoy
Ben Lovejoy lives and learns in Columbia, SC, with his wife, Kelly, and always-unschooled son, Duncan. His grown unschooler, Cameron, travels the world, yet still has a room at home to call his own when he needs it. Ben is a list owner for an unschooling dad’s Yahoo Group, facilitator at the SSUDs’ meetings at many unschooling conferences, and novice trip planner for dads to stay connected in between conferences. He cycles frequently, enjoys movies tremendously, loves music intently, dresses up repeatedly, eats good food from Kelly’s garden plentifully, and has learned to laugh more oftenly.
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Funshop & Circle Chat Presenters
Anna Soderberg
Anna Soderberg began directing in Washington D.C. at the Source Theatre’s One Act Festival in 1996. She studied directing in the University of Maryland Honors College and graduated with a BA in Theatrical Performance and Design. She professionally stage managed and designed props in the D.C. area for a few years then attended the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre. After graduating with a degree in professional acting, she moved to Portland, Oregon to tour for a year originating the role of “Cinderella” for The Tears of Joy Theatre. To her credit in the Portland Area, Anna directed “HAiR,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Everyman” and many new women’s plays with her company Radiant Theatre. She also directed “Pal Joey” in 2002 at HART. Anna also teaches theatre to students of all ages and plans to continue offering acting classes and shows to the Portland area community for many years to come.
