Bridget O'Brien - Curriculum Vitae

 "You can live life by default or by design. The choice, the next step is yours."

I weave beauty and function into my life and work. This includes cultivating a range of regenerative applied skills in design, facilitation, horticulture, eco-landscaping, food growing & preservation, Permaculture, regenerative farming, herbalism, fermentation, yoga, and wellness techniques – and generally as an approach to living an ethical and abundant life. My studies and work focus on design of personal well-being, community building and ecological land use. 

Sharing my passion for impactful loving service through work as an educator, I travel offering design, consultation, project management, and a range of workshops.

I am Director of Resilient Spirals LLC, co-founder of Garden Juju Collective, co-director of Gateway Farm and co-creator of Adapt Design Deck and toolkit.

Education & Mentoring

• 2016-Present Ecopsychology, ethics, conservation and bush regeneration training and mentoring with Charlie Brennan PhD
• 2019 Earth Plastering Workshop in Oxford, MI USA at the Strawbale Studio with Deanne Bernard
• 2019 Coppicing Agroforestry Workshop in Cedar, MI USA at J2 Farms with Dave Jacke
• 2018 Dynamic Group Facilitation Training in Crystal Waters, QLD AUS with Robin Clayfield
• 2017 Bionutrient Food Association Soils Workshop in Ann Arbor, MI USA with Dan Kittredge
• 2017 Yoga Teacher Training (200hr) At the Yoga Maya Center for Culture & Arts in Ypsilanti, MI USA with Trevor Eller
• 2016 Rocket Stove Workshop in Victoria, AUS with Tim Barker & Joel Meadows
• 2016 Forest Garden Design Training in Ballarat, VIC AUS with Dave Jacke, Kat Lavers, Speedy, Steve Burns & Matt Bowmen
• 2014 Permaculture Teacher Training in Ann Arbor, MI USA with Peter Bane, Sandy Cruz and Penny Krebiehl
• 2012 Permaculture Design Certification in Stelle, IL USA at Midwest Permaculture with Bill Wilson, Becky Wilson and  Milton Dixon
• 2004-2005 & 2007-20016 Nursery & Greenhouse management, horticulture and landscape design training & mentoring at Downtown Home & Garden in Ann Arbor, MI, Hampshire Farm Landscaping in Tecumseh, MI & Landscape Supply Inc in Taylor, MI
• 2003- 2005 & 2009-2010 Floral Design training & mentoring with Laura Lanzon of Enchanted Florist Ypsilanti, MI & Barb of Tom Thompson Flowers Ann Arbor, MI
• 2003-2005 Attended Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, MI USA to study Art and Education
• 2001-2003 Attended the International Academy of Design & Technology in Chicago, IL USA to study Marketing & Merchandising
• 1997-2000 Ypsilanti High School – Ypsilanti, MI College prep courses were taken throughout my high school experience. Participated in Varsity Swimming and Soccer all four years receiving awards for swimming including the title of Captain for 3 consecutive years

Work & Volunteer Experience

• 25 years Retail Sales 
• 22 years Product Ordering & Merchandising
• 22 years Floral Designing
• 20 years Gardening 
• 18 years Marketing
• 15 years Management 
• 15 years Landscape Design
• 12 years Food Forest & Ecological Landscape design 

Gateway Farm Hub - Co-Director - Plymouth, MI 2023 - Present 

• Starting in 2018 we designed and installed the food forest, native plant sanctuary, ponds, value added program, educational programing prior to Directors
• When we came on as directors we grew many aspects of the farm and developed more diversity of revenue streams. We redesigned all internal and onsite systems to be more effective and efficient. 
• Oversee crew, ordering/vendors, retail outlets, events, and community engagement.

Resilient Spirals & Garden Juju Collective - Co-Founder & Co-Director - 2016 - Present

• Develop and facilitate workshops and presentations 
• Ecological landscape design, consultation and implementation 
• Managing crew, clients and all aspects of business operations
• Prominent projects we have done:
• Adapt Design Game & Toolkit developer & publisher 
• Whole Farm Design at Gateway Farm Hub 
• Al-Hadiqa Rooftop Heritage Garden - Arab American National Museum
• Heritage Animal Habitat Area at Plymouth Orchard & Cider Mill
• Oakhill Food Justice Farm - Sustain Australia 
• Chavez Community Garden - Graft Living

New Rising Sun Farm - Program Director & Designer- Ganges, MI - 2016 - 2017

• Supporting whole farm design and development.
• Coordinating and implementing onsite events.

Refugee Garden - Volunteer - Ann Arbor MI -  2021

• Design consultation and planting support 

The Agrarian Adventure - Volunteer - Ann Arbor MI - 2015 - 2016

• Education facilitator for elementary to middle school aged students 

Permaculture Action Network - Volunteer - MI, IL, CA - 2016 - 2017

• Workshop facilitation at workdays and festivals
• Action day volunteer coordinator support 
• Standing Rock fundraiser event coordinator 

Ann Arbor Learning Community – Volunteer - Ann Arbor MI - 2015 - 2016

• Parent Volunteer for Classroom Garden

People's Food Co-op - Marketing Manager - Ann Arbor,  MI - 4.2014 – 5.2016

• Designed and implemented advertising, marketing and promotions campaigns for in store, mail, website, social media and newsletter emails
• Special event support for in store and off site events 
• Taught educational classes and workshops

Landscape Supply Inc. – Sales & Marketing Coordinator – Taylor, MI - 9.2013 – 1.2015

• Designed and implemented advertising, marketing and promotions campaigns for in store, mail, website, social media and newsletter emails
• Coordinated weekly sales with Procurement and the Sales Manager
• Created the concepts for and implemented all print and WordPress website content and graphics.
• Supervision, training, and scheduling of showroom sales team.
• Daily use of Counterpoint operating system and Microsoft Office software including Excel and PowerPoint. 

Enchanted Makeovers – Volunteer - Taylor, MI - 2014 - Present

• Shelter remodel workday volunteer.
• In the planning phase of designing and installing a Food Forest Classroom pilot project at their National Headquarters in Taylor, MI.

Goldner & Walsh Garden and Home – Retail Manager - Pontiac, MI 10.2012– 5.2013

• Ordering and merchandising of floral department, hardscape and softscape products.
• Managing flower shop and garden center sales staff including hiring, scheduling, planning, training, and problem resolution between staff.
• Designed and implemented advertising, marketing and promotions campaigns via Facebook & Constant Contact.
• Worked with customers renting the facility for events in regarded to planning the timeline, floral décor, rentals and drafting contracts.
• Organized and taught educational classes and workshops.

Abundant Michigan Permaculture, Ypsilanti – Ypsilanti, MI - 2013 – 2017

• Work Day Volunteer, Student, Presenter, Steering Committee Member and Design Guild Liaison 

Tom Thompson - Floral Design Assistant - Ann Arbor MI - 2009 - 2010

• Understudy to lead designer and owner 
• Floral design, processing and deliveries 

Hampshire Farm Landscaping – Nursery Manager - Tecumseh, MI 5.2007 – 2.2013

• Designed and implemented advertising, marketing and promotions campaigns for in store, mail, website, social media and newsletters
• Daily growing and maintenance care of plant material including houseplants, annuals, perennials, vegetables, fruits, bulbs, shrubs and trees. 
• The daily care for onsite ponds including the filtration systems, plant material, Koi and Goldfish.
• Ordering, receiving, pricing, merchandising, and inventory of hardscape and softscape products.
• Managing nursery and garden center sales staff including hiring, scheduling, training, and problem resolution between staff.
• 5 years of experience utilizing Bobcat skid steers including the use of hydraulic tree arms, forks and bucket attachments.
• Administrative assistant duties for the owner-operator.
• Organized and taught educational classes and workshops. 

Mary Light Herbalism School - Volunteer - Saline MI 2006

• Herbalist understudy and classroom support 
• Design and implementation of a medicine wheel garden at school

 One of A Kind Botanical Design – Floral Designer + Owner/Operator – Tecumseh & Ypsilanti, MI - 9.2006 – 12.2012

• Special occasion florist 

Downtown Home & Garden – Greenhouse Caretaker & Sales Associate  - Ann Arbor, MI - 10.2004 – 5.2005

Grizzly Peak Brewing Company - Assistant Brewer - Ann Arbor MI - 8.2003-9.2004

Enchanted Florist – Floral Design Assistant  - Ypsilanti, MI 5.2002 – 8.2003

Publications

• Brennan, C. & O'Brien, B. ‘Permaculture in our Daily Lives’ Ailuna Blog 2022.
• Brennan, C. & O'Brien, B. ‘Adapt Design Game & Toolkit’  Self Published 2020.
• Brennan, C. & O'Brien, B. ‘Radical Redesign’ in Permaculture Magazine UK 2021.
• Brennan, C. & O’Brien, B. ‘Towards Ethics that Break Your Heart’ Permaculture Design Magazine 2018.
• Brennan, C. & O’Brien, B. ‘Radical Redesign’ Permaculture Design Magazine 2017.
• O’Brien, B. ‘A Permaculture Perspective - The Production of Our Choices’ The Crazy Wisdom Community Journal 2016.

Presentations

• Washtenaw County Conservation District keynote ‘Regeneration through Permaculture, Conservation (Rewilding) & Community Engagement’. 2025.
• Ecopsychology Convergence: Sanctuary & Healing in Times of Chaos and Ecopsychology Place & Self Workshop, organizer and facilitator. Plymouth, MI, USA. 2024.
• Elaine Ingham Soil Food Web School, Permaculture Design Course - Co- Facilitators. Online/USA. 2024. 
• Plan C, ‘Thoughtful Preparedness: A holistic approach to proactively planning for future challenges’. Byron Bay, NSW. 2024.
• Urban Agriculture Forum ‘Nourishing, Ourselves, Farms & Places’. Sydney. 2023.
• International Food Forest Symposium ‘Broad-Scale Food Forests’. UK/Online. 2023. 
• International Food Forest Symposium ‘In Defence of Food Forests’. Online. 2021.
• Urban Agriculture Forum ‘The Practice of Food Forests for Decolonisation.’ Melbourne. 2021.
• Australasian Permaculture Convergence ‘Design & Adapt: From disaster to dreams’. QLD, AUS. 2021.
• Urban Agriculture Forum ‘Gleaning, Foraging, & Gardening for Joy & Survival’. Melbourne. 2018.
• Great Lakes Bioneers Conference ‘Foraging, gardening, gleaning for survival & joy’. Co-facilitator. USA. 2018.
• European Permaculture Convergence 'Permaculture Ethics Beyond Slogans’ & ‘Yoga Meet Permaculture’. Wicklow, Ireland. 2018.
• International Permaculture Convergence ‘The design game Adapt’. Tellengara, India. 2017.
• North American Permaculture Convergence ‘Adapt Game’. Sebastopol, CA, USA. 2016.

I’ve also presented on the following topics in locations throughout the UK, Portugal, USA, and AUS: 

• Permaculture Design Certificate
• Permaculture Futures: Design & Adapt
• Walkabout Permaculture
• Social Permaculture 
• Food Forest Design 
• Foraging, Gardening and Gleaning for Survival & Joy
• Community Garden Co-Design
• Ecological Gardener Up-skilling Courses 
• Ecopsychology: Making Sense of Place
• Adapt: A toolkit for sustainability and decision making
• Design & Adapt for Uncertain Times
• Healing Self, Healing Land
• The Fermentable Harvest 

Closing

“It’s the amount of love of heart that you pour into your work that determines how meaningful and beautiful it will be.” - Mata Amritanandamay

Over the years my work and life experience has led me down many paths to reach the place I’m in today. One thing that has remained constant is the amount of heart, passion and dedication I put into all I do. I look forward to the next opportunities that come my way and hope that I can always live by design with thoughtful and love filled action. 

In gratitude, 

*Bridget O’Brien

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