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Mike Gordon joined the Sun Valley Institute in 2019 to help deepen the breadth and impact of the Sun Valley Forum. He comes to the Institute from a background working at the intersection of business and community resilience. His roles have focused on the positive impact organizations can have on the community fabric, global trends, and the environment.
His focus was cultivated during undergraduate studies at the University of New Hampshire. There, he worked with a mentor to follow a course of study in Environmental Philosophy. Through the works of Wendell Berry, Wes Jackson, E. F. Schumacher, and others, Mike developed a deep belief in the power of communities to bring about global change.
Mike’s philosophical background was turned toward the practical while working with the Schumacher Center for New Economics. As Outreach and Events Coordinator, he helped broaden the reach of the Center’s innovative local economy programs including BerkShares local currency and the community land trust model.
Mike also spent seven years as the Operations Manager for Lava Lake Land & Livestock. Between stints moving free-ranging sheep across the Idaho landscape, he was instrumental in refining the process for bringing sustainably raised local protein to the tables and restaurants of the Wood River Valley.
When not working with the Institute or with his wife, Sara, on their business, Bighorn Writing, LLC, Mike enjoys seeking adventures near and far. Whether exploring the Idaho backcountry or roaming the southwestern deserts, Mike finds inspiration in the blank spaces on the map.
