Writer’s Bios
THE NEUTRAL EXISTENCE TEAM
ADAM BEAZLEY, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP - Founder, CEO
Adam is the founder of Neutral Existence LLC, as well as an intern architect, industrial designer, freelance web designer, programmer and green design consultant. He created Neutral Existence in the Summer of 2007 in response to the growing concern of global warming and climate change. Adam developed this site as a way to educate people about the many different ways improve the environment through forward-thinking, high-tech products, and environmentally conscious design. Educated at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he received a B.A. in Industrial Design and Science (Architectural Studies), he currently resides in Lafayette, Louisiana which has proven to be a bit of a challenge considering that this oil state is not exactly environmentally conscious.
Even though Louisiana is not the most eco-conscious state, Adam is still proud to be a native of this unique area with its rich heritage. Growing up in southern Louisiana, Adam learned to appreciate nature and find beauty in even the most dreary of swamp scenes. This appreciation of nature followed him throughout his life and now his career. Staying in Louisiana and attending college there has benefited Adam by allowing him to meet his beautiful wife Cristina who also attended the University. Although Cristina was not a native of Louisiana, she fell in love with it, and luckily for Adam, she came back and decided to stay and finish her schooling there. After meeting and courting for 7 months, the two were engaged to be married 1 year later. After 5 years of blissful marriage the two had their precious son David on their fifth wedding anniversary. David (aka: Lil-D) is a blond haired, blue eyed, smiling happy baby who has brought the two much joy and happiness.
RITA McCONNELL - Environmental Writer
Rita McConnell is a freelance environmental writer who lives on a small farm north of Pittsburgh, PA, with her husband and two young daughters, a herd of cows, two horses, two cats, and one lovable Labrador Retriever.
Rita began her journey into the environmental world in the mid-1990s working with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) as a community relations coordinator. Her first television appearance as departmental spokesperson came as she queasily stepped off of a helicopter into the pouring rain amid more than 1 million burning tires. She quickly developed a desire to share a greater story of the environment – one which not only acknowledged the industrial past where many of our ecological problems developed, but also highlighted the professionals and visionaries who have been concerned about our impact on the planet long before we knew the world was warming.
Later in her career, as an account manager at an international public relations firm, she consulted for clients with a variety of environmental concerns, including those looking for answers to seemingly unsolvable questions. Most recently, Rita served as a private consultant to a major association of environmental professionals, where she helped to re-establish the organization’s marketing program and reinvigorate awareness of its annual meeting, top-notch information resources, and historical environmental expertise.
Rita holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from the University of Dayton in Ohio, and a Master’s in Corporate Communication from Pittsburgh’s Duquesne University. She enjoys keeping tabs on the wildlife living on her 190-acre property, including deer, fox, skunk, turkey, various birds – including a group of young bald eagles – and the occasional black bear. In her spare time, she ponders theories related to the mind-boggling television series Lost, takes nature walks with her daughters, and buries her nose in books; magazines and journals she feels can expand her understanding of the world and its many contradictions.
CRISTINA BEAZLEY - Natural Living Writer
When people ask Cristina Proaño Beazley where she grew up, she finds it difficult to give them a straight answer. She was born in Oklahoma, but lived in Houston, London, Quito (Ecuador), Dallas and Lafayette (Louisiana) due to her father’s job as a petroleum engineer. Cristina is fluent in Spanish and loves her Latin roots: her father is from Ecuador and her mother from Bolivia.
In Lafayette, she attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and obtained an undergraduate degree in journalism and a master’s degree in public relations. Her college experience blessed her with opportunities including serving as the university magazine student editor, serving as president of the UL Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, teaching undergraduate communication courses and presenting her master’s professional paper at a major communication conference (AEJMC).
Cristina still lives in Lafayette, with her amazing husband Adam and their precious son David. She recently quit her job as an account executive for a major cable company to stay at home with him. Although she loved her job, spending her days with David became much more important. In addition to writing, Cristina enjoys modeling, acting, consulting and more than anything, spending time with her beloved family.
JAYANTH KRISHNAPPA - Sustainable Engineer
Jayanth Krishnappa is an Electrical & Electronics Engineer as well as a Sustainable Engineer focusing on the renewable energy technology sector. Jayanth was educated at the College of Engineering in Bangalore, India and at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, UK, where he developed a keen interest in feasibility studies, energy policy, renewable systems design and installation, energy audits/surveys and building energy performance.
Jayanth’s quest, is to understand nature and the complex, inseparable links between humans and all other fellow earthlings in his own way. This has led to his interest in environmental sustainability and in particularly, renewable energy sources. Contributing something to the future, through these fields of interest, has thus become his passion. Equally passionate about the field of Electrical Engineering, Jayanth believes it has given a boost to his power of imagination and to see that there is ‘more than meets the eye’. This is what drives his research and thirst to know more.
PETER MCEVOY - Writer/Content Developer
Peter McEvoy is an internet writer, content developer and promoter currently living in Northeast Missouri. Raised in Missouri, a state with excellent nature conservancy, he grew up camping, hiking and canoeing in the Midwest. These experiences instilled in him an appreciation for the natural world and an understanding of our direct dependence upon it.
He encourages living a neutral existence both as a necessary change for our ensured survival as a species, but just as much because it is a very fulfilling way of living. He has had numerous experiences with sustainable living, including organic farming throughout Japan and work exchanging at Dancing Rabbit eco-village in Rutledge, Missouri. Peter also works with A Cooler Climate as a content developer, editor and online content promoter. Through his work he hopes to help others make changes in their daily lives that will reduce and eventually eliminate their impact on the Earth.
Peter enjoys keeping a broad range of activities in his life, including cycling, fine art, web design, writing, traveling and most of all, appreciating our beautiful world.
BRIAN LILOIA - Environmental Writer
Brian Liloia is a 24-year-old currently living at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in northeast Missouri, an off-the-grid intentional community devoted to sustainable living and culture change. Things you might find me doing here are building my own house out of cob, gardening, learning about permaculture, fermenting foods, editing short films and videos, and above all else, living simply.
It’s my ultimate goal to live as sustainably and self-sufficiently as possible, and here at Dancing Rabbit, my opportunities to do so have increased tenfold.
AMY ROTH - Environmental Writer
Amy Roth knew at an early age she wanted to spend her life “saving the planet” and took to writing environmental poetry and short stories when she was 12 years old. Though writing remained a passion, she pursued a degree in Environmental Analysis and Policy from Boston University and 2 years later earned her Masters in Urban Affairs.
Amy spent 7 years working for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, starting in the Wetlands Program and later in the Bureau of Waste Prevention first as an analyst and planner for the state’s solid waste master plan and later managing the municipal recycling grant program.
After 12 years on the east coast, Amy knew it was time to return west to be closer with her family in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana. In 2007, she and her husband relocated to Portland, Oregon, where she works for the Department of Environmental Quality implementing Oregon E-Cycles, the states first electronics recycling program.
In her spare time, Amy continues to write and loves spending time in the great outdoors. When it’s not raining, you’re likely to find her hiking, biking, camping and just taking advantage of all that Oregon has to offer.
Cassie Martin - Environmental Science & Parenting Writer
Cassie is 36 and lives in Buckingham, England. After being born in the UK, Cassie spent much of her childhood traveling around Israel and, later, Ireland. It was an isolated childhood and included less than two years at school throughout Cassie’s childhood.
The lack of other children in her life drove her to seek the company of animals, and she surrounded herself with pets whenever possible, and spent hours observing and studying the local wildlife.
As a teenager, Cassie returned to England to live with her grandmother, who helped her catch up on her missed education. At this time she became passionately interested in both local and global environmental issues, volunteering in community recycling schemes and nature reserve maintenance and campaigning against badger baiting. She then went on to attend Swansea University in Wales, where she earned a first honors degree in Zoology.
Having experienced a childhood of lack, insecurity, and emotional trauma, Cassie has a passionate interest in helping children learn to be strong and resourceful. With her Canadian friend Monicka, she has co-authored “The No-Limits Child”, a revolutionary approach to guilt-free parenting. Together Monicka and Cassie write and edit a parenting newsletter and website, www.kidsgoals.com, through which they love to communicate with parents and childcare specialists from all over the world.
Amanda Kondolojy - Environmental Writer & Nature Enthusiast
Amanda Kondolojy is a full-time freelancer and nature enthusiast. She graduated with degrees in Political Science and Journalism from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, but then moved back to her home state of Florida. As a native of central Florida, she loves getting out of the Orlando cityscape and visiting the “wild side” of the urban landscape. She can frequently be found swimming at natural springs, or hiking on one of Florida’s many outdoor trails.
Because she loves the city she lives in, Amanda strives to make it a better place. By thinking outside the box, encouraging urban environmentalism, and getting involved with the community, she is able to empower herself and others. Amanda also believes that greening your life doesn’t mean compromising on the things you love, and no matter what your interests or hobbies are, there is a way to make them greener.
In addition to being a “green geek” Amanda is also an avid video game and sci-fi enthusiast. She enjoys musical theatre as well, though her singing is best relegated to her low-flow shower.
Tricia Edgar - Environmental Educator
Tricia Edgar is an environmental educator who lives in the mountains of Vancouver, Canada. She loves to connect people with streams and forests and especially enjoys petting banana slugs. She’s also a mother of a preschooler and is passionate about the need for children to play outdoors.
She loves the ecological ethic behind permaculture and dreams of having a goat and chickens, though she is uncertain how this is going to work in her townhouse complex. Currently she grows vegetables, composts with many lovely worms, and is retrofitting her townhouse to become more sustainable. She coordinates a garden mentorship program through the Sustainable Living Arts School, sits on the board of a local green building organization, and thinks that gardeners are some of the most fabulous people on the planet.
