Who we are

Ann Bliss

Ann C. Bliss, is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in private practice in Portsmouth NH and the Executive Director of the Center for Trauma Intervention. She developed and managed the Seacoast Response Team, ( now a part of the NH State Disaster Behavioral Health Response Team), a community based network designed to respond to critical incidents within schools, communities, and businesses.

Ann has been a part of the Piscataqua Sustainability Initiative since it’s beginning in 2006. She is a study circle facilitator for the natural step for communities, is trained in open space and world café technologies, and has been part of the organizational team for the Portsmouth Sustainability Fair 2008 and 2009.

Melinda Salazar

Melinda is a sustainability education consultant whose work is informed by over thirty years of experience teaching in K-12 and in Higher Education, and her work at The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education. Melinda taught in the Women's Studies Program at the University of New Hampshire, at Oyster River High School and will be teaching for Western New Mexico University in 2009/10. Also a jewelry designer, Melinda has recently taken up bronze casting. Her work can be found in galleries in Portsmouth, NH.

Melinda is a member of the Piscataqua Sustainability Initiative, co-organizer of The Teaching Peace Conference, Learn Green Portsmouth Youth Forum and a Natural Step Study Circle facilitator in Durham, NH.

Paul Burke

Paul moved to the seacoast 17 years ago, having first specialized as a builder, cabinetmaker, and residential designer involved in the building and restoration of historic homes in southern Rhode Island. He is the principal of Classic Building & Design Co.Having had this experience gave him the foundation to develop well thought out home designs and utilize sustainability principles that he brought to the seacoast in the “Not So Big House” style.Paul, who makes his home in South Eliot with his wife and two children, has served on a number of town committees. His efforts have been focused toward community awareness and approaches to building in the new village model. His involvement with the town has been praised by Paul Schumacher, Executive Director of Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission.

Kevin Beane

Over 30 years ago, Kevin co-founded his first business, Environmental Alternatives, a solar design and construction company. He has extensive experience in all phases of residential construction, with a particular interest in retrofitting existing structures for energy efficiency and renewable energy. Kevin's recent projects include construction in Maine, New Hampshire, Washington and Puerto Rico. When he is not building, he augments his interest in structural design as a massage therapist and as a Tai Chi instructor.

Michael Bliss

Michael has been a contractor/builder for over 35 years. He co-owned a residential building company where he designed and built passive solar homes for over 18 years. He remains committed to renewable energy and alternatives to the use and depletion of fossil fuel. Currently, he supervises commercial building expansions, including schools, hospitals, and fire stations. Michael has been a member of Piscataqua Sustainability Initiative since it began and facilitates study circles. He has similar training in permaculture techniques and the transition initiative.

We are Community

Co-Directors

Kevin Beane

Ann Bliss

Michael Bliss

Paul Burke

Melinda Salazar

The Natural Step Process

The Natural Step for Communities, by Sarah James and Torbjorn Lahti, call community citizens who have a "burning interest in sustainable development and community change "fire souls." The impetus to create SEAREI grew out of our interest as Natural Step Study Circle facilitators for the Piscataqua Seacoast Initiative, to make our ideas come to pass. As galvanized fire souls, we combine our background in wellness, education, design and construction to provide a program for community members that addresses all four Natural Step Systems Conditions.

SEAREI is a Community Partner with PAREI Plymouth Renewable Energy Initiative 49 Thornton Street Portsmouth, NH 03801 .searei@gmail.com www.searei.org

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