Lester “Skip” Shuda

Skip is a social justice advocate, community resilience non-profit executive and spiritual seeker. He is mostly retired from careers in digital marketing, cannabis startups, online banking, and entrepreneurship education. Skip co-founded Soulful Cannabis to assist with corporate social responsibility, caregiver support and industry diversity in the cannabis industry. Recently, he completed a shamanic apprenticeship in the Pachakuti Mesa Tradition, leading to a deeper interest in forestry, foraging and our place in nature.  In 2022, Skip became president of Transition Town Media, a community non-profit focused on resiliency and localization where he leads the fire circle and foraging groups and helped organize a Summer Solstice event for the community.  Skip spends much of his time coordinating with other groups to help realize the potential of the transition movement in creating sustainable, resilient, and well-connected communities.  He is currently completing training to become a Pennsylvania Forest Steward.