Stephen Apkon is an award-winning filmmaker, and social entrepreneur. He is the Founder and former Executive Director of the Jacob Burns Film Center, a non-profit film and education center located in Pleasantville, NY. Stephen is the Director and Producer of Disturbing the Peace. He is also an Executive Producer of Fantastic Fungi and Planetary, and Producer of I’m Carolyn Parker, and Enlistment Days, and Co Producer of Presenting Princess Shaw.

He is the author of The Age of the Image: Redefining Literacy in a World of Screens, published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux – foreword by Martin Scorsese.

Stephen lives in the Hudson Valley with his partner Marcina, their dog Osa, and the flora, fauna and fungi they share this corner of the planet with.

Sean Gallagher is a documentary filmmaker & editor. With over a decade of experience in creating media for non-profits, he currently produces media for Reconsider and was previously the Lead Content Producer at Jacob Burns Film Center.

His first feature-length documentary, Brothers of the Black List, was presented by Jonathan Demme and screened at festivals such as DOC NYC and was awarded 'Best Documentary' at the Catskill Mountains Film Festival. Sean is a recipient of the Merit for 'Artistic Contribution to Social Justice' by the SUNY Oneonta Department of Africana & Latino Studies. He also served as a co-organizer of TEDxSingSing, one of the first TEDx events to be held inside a maximum security prison.

Sean lives in the Capital Region of NY with his wife and daughter. He thinks it’s weird to write in the third person.

How did a Genetics Major become the Chief Marketing Officer for two media companies, conceive a lifestyle magazine and launch 25+ CPG and beverage brands in the US? In addition to empathy and curiosity, genetics like brand and marketing is about understanding humanity in the context of this miraculous world in the past, present and future.  

Ruth is passionate about the process of creating and the art of possibility.  She honors the wisdom of everyone on a team and is highly successful at co-creating with diverse teams, teaching leadership skills and galvanizing culture by living shared values.  

She is a devoted meditator, mother, grandmother and friend.  Her success is mostly about being fearless in her conviction and playing in the unknown.  Oh, she has worked at Procter and Gamble, Univision, Colgate Palmolive, People Magazine, and The Elevate Prize Foundation…to name-drop if that is useful!

Lina was born and raised in the town of Lagan, Sweden. With the pine forest and lakes abundantly all around, nature was always a part of life growing up, with hikes, mushroom picking, sledding and swimming. 

As the rest of the world beckoned, she flew the coup to study Marketing and International Communications in Stockholm, Sweden and New Paltz, NY; after which she has found herself working administratively across various fields with various organizations such as; The Gustafson Group PR in New York, NY; Bladins School in Malmö, Sweden; Mission Valley Textiles Inc in New York, NY; McKinsey & Co in Stockholm, Sweden, Northwestern Mutual in New Paltz, NY, and presently with Reconsider, Accord, NY. 

During her career she has also served on the board at The Co-operative Nursery of Summit, Summit, NJ, as Assistant Treasurer and Environmental Coordinator. Currently serving as Secretary on the board of non-profit organization Friends of Guirgho. 

Greatest accomplishment; being the mother of her two daughters.

Marcina Hale LMFT grew up in Ashtabula Ohio, a adventurous tomboy who loved to climb trees, bike, swim, play sports and ponder life. She studied psychology at Ohio University, Media at Long Island University and Systems Therapy (Marriage and Family) at Fairfield University.  She is enamored with the mystery of life and loves to play with what is possible.  

Marcina is a therapist and film maker who is trained in many modalities from different traditions and who appreciates the collective wisdom of cultures.  She is a License Marriage and Family therapist and also CIIS and MAPS certified in psychedelic work.  She has facilitated conversations and workshops internationally and across the US and has had the honor of co-creating with many amazing people especially the team at Reconsider including the Guardians / Board Members, Wisdom Keepers / Advisory Board and Chacarunas / Bridgers.

She is an Executive Producer of Fantastic Fungi, Producer of Disturbing the Peace and is a facilitator for Reconsider workshop experiences, which have been given in the U.S. and internationally. Marcina spoke at TEDxKC Women about how to change the world in which we are living. 

Marcina’s vision is to catalyst the creation of experiences that evoke thought and conversations that both challenge and inspire a new ways of relating to ourselves and to life itself. 

Don Morris grew up in Plymouth, Massachusetts, a skate rat, snowboarder, and drummer in a hardcore band. He attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

At ART + AUCTION and I.D. magazines, Morris apprenticed under "bad boy" graphic designer Tibor Kalman. In 1992, he joined Sanford L. Smith & Associates, where he designed catalogues for contemporary and fine art shows including the Art Dealers Association of America and the Outsider Art Fair.

In 1994, Morris joined Harris Publications. Morris was the Co-Founder and Creative Director of XXL and SLAM magazines. As Creative Director, Morris’ design—which infused graphic elements from the punk, tattoo, and hardcore scenes—came to define the look of hip-hop for an entire generation. In 2002, Morris photographed and designed rapper 50 Cent’s career-launching mixtapes, GUESS WHO’S BACK and 50 CENT IS THE FUTURE.

Recently Morris was the Creative Director of THE SOURCE, the longest-running hip-hop platform in the world, which is also known as “the Bible of Hip-Hop.”

Currently Don's focus is on being of service, deepening his practice and building his next platform.

Sarah Persitz infuses passion and purpose into all her professional endeavors. With over a decade of experience in community growth and engagement, she specializes in empowering individuals and teams to achieve their full potential. She possesses extensive knowledge in stakeholder engagement, grassroots growth, and strategic partnerships, and is committed to facilitating pathways to healing.

Throughout her career, Sarah has held senior roles in national and multinational advocacy organizations, co-founded an AI-powered matchmaking app, and established an international consulting practice supporting early-stage companies. She has worked with successful start-up professionals in various fields, from ancient wellness practices to exponential technologies.

An ardent supporter of transformational medicines that promote healing in our complex world, Sarah is a graduate of the University of Washington, holding a degree in Comparative History of Ideas and a Certificate in Non-Profit Management. Additionally, she is an ACC-trained coach, Master Level Reiki Practitioner, and breathwork facilitator currently residing in the Hudson Valley.

Originally from Mexico City, Mexico, Raymundo has been living in upstate New York since 2012, where he moved to live and work at a meditation center, overseeing the live events department and producing retreats, programs, and teaching events. At the end of 2019, he decided to complete his term on staff at this organization and pursue a Master’s degree specializing in Somatic and Nature-Based practices. 

His interests and study of mestizo herbalism, the healing potential of transformational medicines, and developing practices in Mental Health led him to “synchronistically” find Reconsider (or Reconsider found him). 

Throughout his life, Raymundo has always been intrigued with the mystery of consciousness and life itself. This journey has led him to explore both inner and outer worlds. Some of his joys in life include making mean salsas and other Mexican food, traveling, gardening, and building community. 

Raymundo is Reconsider’s Program and Community Manager.

Kevin Wadzuk stewards Reconsider’s 62-acre headquarters tucked in the woods between the Catskills and Shawangunks. A Hudson Valley native whose path to Reconsider has been a journey. Kevin’s gone from the nonprofit, drug policy world in DC to culinary school, from the restaurant world to mead-making to catering, eventually ending up down a long dirt road in a state forest in Wawarsing. With his partner Samuel, two dogs, two cats, porcupines, pheasants, chipmunks, chickens, rabbits, turkeys, snakes, the occasional bear, plus various other fauna and flora, he holds space for Reconsider and our visitors. Kevin strives to make Reconsider a welcoming place for guests to disconnect, reconnect & recharge for however long they’re visiting.