Guest
Speakers
Eric Miller
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Eric is an economist and educator with research interests in sustainability metrics and models and policy. Eric is a David Suzuki Fellow focussed on enhancing ecological economic literacy in Canada. Eric also teaches courses in ecological economics and sustainability informatics, and directs many projects and partnerships at York University including the production of the National Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts. Eric’s prior work as a consulting economist has informed governments, industry, think-tanks, and NGOs. His earlier career in public service had him leading the team of economists in the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, after he had worked for the Ministry of Environment and for Environment Canada.
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Bruce Knotts
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Bruce Knotts was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ethiopia, worked for Raytheon in Saudi Arabia (1976-80) and on a World Bank contract in Somalia (1982-4), before he joined the Department of State as a U.S. diplomat in 1984. Bruce had diplomatic assignments in Greece, Zambia, India, Pakistan, Kenya, Sudan, Cote d’Ivoire and The Gambia, where he served as Deputy Chief of Mission. While in Cote d’Ivoire, Bruce served as the U.S. Government’s Regional Refugee Coordinator for West Africa. Bruce worked closely with several United Nations Special Representatives and observed UN peacekeeping operations in Sierra Leone from 2000-2003. Bruce retired from the Foreign Service in 2007 and began directing the Unitarian Universalist Association Office at the United Nations (UU@UN) in 2008. Bruce founded faith-based advocacy for sexual orientation/gender identity human rights at the United Nations and continues to advocate for the rights of women, indigenous peoples and for sustainable development in moral terms of faith and values.
Bruce is frequently invited to speak on various topics at venues around the world including recently in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Republic of Korea, Ghana, The Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Bruce is adjunct faculty at New York University teaching a senior policy course on refugees and migration for Master of Social Work (MSW) students. Bruce is co-chair of the NGO Committee on Human Rights at the United Nations, the chair of the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security, a member of the NGO Security Council Working Group, and he chaired the NGO/DPI Executive Committee (2015-19) representing DPI (now DGC) affiliated NGOs at the United Nations. Bruce is a trustee of the Parliament of the World’s Religions and serves as the co-moderator of the steering committee of Religions for Peace, USA. He is a Commissioner for the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation. In 2006, Bruce Knotts and Isaac Humphrie were wed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Isaac works internationally as a venue manager for New York Fashion Week, event environmentalist, photographer and social media consultant.
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