Tevyn East

Executive Director

Tevyn East is a transplant back into the soils of her ancestors, with many previous generations connected to Rutherford County. She is a movement artist, teacher, organizer, storyteller, cultural producer, and advocate for the Great Turning. She received a degree in Dance from Hollins University, and her training has also included theology, studies of social movements, and ecological economics. Before taking the reins at DSAEC, she gave 2 decades to collaborative experimental dance theater- the most notable of which include immersive carnival events (The Wunderkammer & Shen Tai) with the Zen Monkey Project in Charlottesville VA; her nationally touring one woman show, Leaps and Bounds, a theological tear down of global capitalism; and the Carnival de Resistance, a traveling carnival, school & village for cultural transformation.

Charlie O’Connor

Operations Manager

Charlie O’Connor joined the Dreaming Stone team in September, 2024. He is an experimental theatre artist, ballroom dancer, poet, teacher and amateur mycologist. With a background in the arts and community organizing, he has spent the bulk of his career working in the intersections of Art and Social Justice. He is an alumni of the volunteer program Mission Year where he served two years supporting non-profits in under-resourced communities such as the 5th ward of Houston TX, and the Kensington area of Philadelphia, PA. He spent five years in the heart of “K&A” living in and around The Simple Way community participating in neighborhood relief efforts. He has more recently partnered with Project Promise VI, in St. Croix helping to curate holistic enrichment programs for St. Croix’s youth. Some of Charlie’s artistic partnerships include Puer Aeternus Ensemble Theatre Company, Theatre of Alchemy, Carnival de Resistance, and Dazzled STX.

Chinobay

Board member

Chinobay is a musician, songwriter, educator, and intercultural facilitator, born and raised in Kampala, Uganda, Chinobay (née Herbert Kinobe). He is steeped in the musical traditions of his birthplace, has grown proficient as a pan- African instrumentalist, and is collaborating and recording with musicians from across the global south. He brings people’s stories to life to show the richness of Africa in all of its facets. While still a young musician, he started working with UNICEF GEM (Girl Education Movement) initiative, where his music acted as a powerful tool to reach, communicate with, and educate many people in rural areas about the importance of women’s education. He is now the mentor and tour coordinator for Dance of Hope, a youth-led arts education program that transforms the lives of Ugandan youth and touches the lives of children across North America. Also, Chinobay is the founder of the World Bridge Foundation, a philanthropic endeavor dedicated to improving the livelihoods of vulnerable communities through arts and education.

Todd Wynward

Board Member

Todd Wynward is an author, father, public school founder, math video game designer, small-scale farmer, wilderness educator and Mennonite minister for watershed discipleship. He has been engaged in education reform and social change movements for twenty years—starting both Roots & Wings Community School and Vista Grande HS—and has spent more than a thousand nights outdoors. With his allies in New Mexico Todd tries to practice an earth-honoring, people-dignifying, society-changing, despair-erasing Christianity. His recent book, Rewilding the Way: Break Free to Follow an Untamed God, was published by Herald Press.

Sarah Nolan

Board Member

Sarah received a degree in Theology and Philosophy from Azusa Pacific University and completed a MA in Ministry, Leadership and Service from Claremont School of Theology. She was the co-founder and Director of Programs and Community Partnerships at The Abundant Table, an Episcopal rooted nonprofit farm and worshiping community. She serves on the Episcopal General Convention’s Task Force on Creation Care and Environmental Racism and is actively engaged in work and conversations around emergent ministries, organizational vitality and the intersection of food, faith and the environment.

John Parker

Board Member

John Parker John has over 25 years of experience in North Carolina in asset-based community economic development, culturally appropriate and trauma-informed community organizing, community development finance, affordable housing, nonprofit management, small business and entrepreneurship systems development.  Since 2016, John has worked primarily with faith communities, congregational leadership (clergy and lay), and social justice partners through past roles with the Faith & Community Initiative at NCSU’s Institute for Emerging Issues and the Ormond Center at Duke Divinity School.  Throughout his career, he’s focused on nurturing collaborative community engagement and leadership development around community organizing, advocacy, and ministry.

Daniel East

Board Member

Daniel East is a board member who lives on the property at Dreaming Stone.  He has a degree in theater, but has been working in the solar industry since 2009.  He co-founded a non-profit called Indigenized Energy in 2017 that is focused on humanity’s just transition from extractive to regenerative relationships with energy.  Daniel is excited to support and witness how Dreaming Stone can generate and deploy all forms of energy into Western North Carolina.

Zap McConnell

Board Member

Zap is an investigator of dance/theater/movement/performance, as well as a visual artist, director, teacher, performer, environmental activist, and film maker. For over 3 decades, She has experimented with the cross pollination of installation art, site specific performance and dance, fueled by a fierce love of the natural world. She continues to travel, collaborate, and broaden her understanding of different ecosystems, cultures and communities.