The Storytelling Team
Dr. Arthur Sherwood
Social Scientist, Explorer, Storyteller
Western EIC Explorer Team Leader
He/Him
Who am I? I am a storyteller, explorer, tinkerer and tender. These are my gifts and I share them with the world in many ways. Here I will describe a little of what this looks like at Western Washington University. Back in 2014, I was named the first Cole Professor of Entrepreneurship...a cool university title and set of resources that was in search of a purpose and design. Prior to this, I was a university professor at Indiana State University...a wonderful place and set of people. Yet, I felt I had reached a plateau and felt called to explore new paths. (and in there, was a lot of work with the the local food movement and food cooperatives).
I arrived at WWU full of energy and excitement to work with students and to help support them in their search for self and how they might find their part in this world through entrepreneurship, innovation and changemaking. The primary way I shared my gifts in this position was through working for students. I focused on collaborative program design, super cool curriculum and pressing the edges of what and how we learned at the university about ourselves, the world and the relationship between the two. I also was invited to become a WWU Community Engagement Fellow and Sustainability Fellow...both of which were critical to my own learning of self and the opportunities to identify and share my gifts with the world. I am so grateful for all the people that have been part of this journey.
Gwen Fluhr
Western EIC Explorer
Camera Storyteller
They/Them
Gwen has been taking photos all their life...and as technology advanced, videos became a love as well. Just take a walk with them, and you will experience the capturing of so many stories happening around us.
From the interaction of coal-black raven couples in the PNW to the jungle crows on the Andaman Sea Coast; from a mallard ducks navigating an icy stream at Padden Creek in Bellingham to green sea turtles navigating the reefs of Mabul Island in Borneo; from local Salish Sea orcas to sloths in Costa Rica. And don't forget those ninja squirrel shenanigans! And humans too...of all sorts and in all sorts of stories. With degrees in outdoor recreation and herbal medicine and extensive experience in creative arts, world travel and healing,
Gwen has a broad range of nature based interests including the interaction of humans and our more than human world. A perfect fit for the camerahuman that travels the world to capture the moments related to the Sustainable Development Goals. With multiple ESP Global expeditions already in their backpack, the excitement continues to tell the stories of entrepreneurs, innovators and changemaker's' as they engage with the issues related to the SDGs.
Kurtis Johnston
Western EIC Explorer
Team Tender
Hi, my name is Kurtis Johnston. Im a sophomore at Western Washington University studying Recreation Management and Leadership along with Entrepreneurship. I have many passions; skiing, backpacking, sailing and photography being my main recreational interests. I'm super excited to be one of the first members of the ESP team! My job as a Western ESP Explorer is to create and make available the recordings/podcasts that Arthur (our team leader) and Gwen have collected over the past couple of years. Cheers to discovery, curiosity and creativity!
Syd Carver
Western ESP Explorer
My name is Syd and I started at Western in Fall 2023 after taking a gap year to travel and volunteer on sustainable farms through the Workaway program. Some of my passions are mycology, gardening, art, dance, and going on adventures. I am currently planning on majoring in Biology while also designing a Fairhaven Interdisciplinary Major and completing the Honors minor.
I hope to discover more about the science of the natural world and our place in it in order to build relationships of reciprocity and healing with the environment and people around me. I love hearing people's stories and I am excited to be a part of the ESP team!
Riley Nachtrieb
Western ESP Explorer
Riley is an award winning filmmaker, ultra endurance athlete, and student pursuing Recreational Management and Tourism at Western Washington University.
Through her work, from Australia’s austere outback to India’s Himalayan peaks, she has gained advanced experience in video production, digital media/community management, and content creation. Through every endeavor she pursues, her aim is to showcase unique stories, from perspectives from around the world.
Art & Gwen
Flags flying at UPEACE in the Central Valley of Costa Rica