Bryony Schwan
My story,
Why I became a coach and organizational consultant
My path to becoming a leadership coach and organizational development consultant has been anything but straight. My work has taken me around the world from speaking on chemical policy in Europe, to lobbying at the United Nations Treaty Negotiations on Eliminating Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in South Africa, to spreading the meme of biomimicry on almost every continent. I’m grateful for all twists and turns and adventures along the way.
The last job I interviewed for was in 1990. Since then I have co-founded, led and grown five organizations and mission-driven businesses that strive to create a more just and sustainable world. I consider myself a change maker, a serial social impact entrepreneur, a networker, and a lover of the human mind. I know what it takes to build an effective organization and I know how painful, lonely and hard the work can be.
For the last six years I have immersed myself in the science of happiness, mindfulness, meditation and consider myself a life-long student of the nature of consciousness and human potential. I have read extensively and been to countless in-person and on-line workshops with some of the people I admire most in these fields. I bring my three decades of experience creating and running successful organizations and projects, over ten years of immersion in biomimicry and my deep passion for human development to my coaching and consulting. I know from experience that organizations are only as strong and healthy as the minds and hearts of the people in them and that helping people be the best they can be is the greatest investment leaders can make.
Through all of my work I weave my deep love of the natural world and passion for the outdoors. In my spare time I like to hike wild places and am an opportunistic whitewater river guide. I’m an avid photographer (as you can see from my photos on this site), public speaker, environmental and social justice advocate, artist, cook and gardener.
Background
& Education
Certifications & Trainings
The Art of Development Coaching – Coaches Rising (2018)
The Next Stage Facilitation – Ten Directions (2018)
The Science of Happiness – Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley (2016)
The Neuroscience of Self-Compassion – Dr. Kelly McGonigal (2016)
Healing Trauma – Dr. Dan Siegel, Mind, Body, Spirit Conference, Red Willow Center (2015)
The Power of Vulnerability – Dr. Brené Brown/Udemy (2015)
Yearlong Advanced Leadership Training – Rockwood Leadership Institute (2005)
Work history
Swan Consulting, LLC
Founder and CEO (2017 – present)
Swan Consulting provides its clients with cutting edge organizational development, coaching and strategy development.
Kindkudos
Founder and CEO (2014 – 2017)
Kindkudos was a mobile app designed to deepen the social connection between people and decrease the human drive to over-consume.
The Biomimicry Institute
Co-founder and Executive Director (2006 to 2013)
Working with visionary and author Janine Benyus, Bryony co-founded The Biomimicry Institute to empower people to create nature-inspired solutions for a healthy planet. While at the Institute she created a global biomimicry network establishing biomimicry organizations and projects in Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin and South America and across the US. She and her team partnered with universities around the world to establish biomimicry degree programs and courses including the development of the Biomimicry Center at Arizona State University. She turned the seed vision for www.AskNature.org, the first and only online database of nature’s design solutions, into reality by developing the team, concept and securing the financial resources. Working with musicians Amy Martin and Allison Miller, she helped produce the award-winning children’s music album “Ask the Planet.” In 2010, in collaboration with Benyus, Dayna Baumeister and Chris Allen, she was a founding partner of Biomimicry 3.8, a global innovation consultancy and Montana’s first established B Corporation.
Women’s Voices for the Earth
Bryony worked for 11 years as the Executive Director and then as the National Campaigns Director for Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE) a non-profit environmental justice organization that she founded in 1995. In the early years of WVE, Bryony co-created GUTS, one of the first outdoor leadership programs for girls. In 2000, she was recruited to build a national grassroots campaign to support the release of “Trade Secrets,” a documentary by Bill Moyer’s exposing the deadly effects of vinyl chloride on workers. In 2001, she co-founded and coordinated Coming Clean, a national alliance of health and environmental groups working to reform chemical policy. From their work in Coming Clean, Bryony and colleagues Stacy Malkan, Charlotte Brody and Jane Houlihan co-founded the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics that generated massive media coverage and engaged thousands of consumers to change their purchases, pressuring the cosmetics industry to increase disclosures and stop using many toxic chemicals.
She is skilled at helping leaders develop higher levels of self-awareness so they can better navigate challenging situations and relationships. Bryony is trained and versed in many of today’s most innovative tools for transformation and collaboration, including: Integral Coaching, Immunity to Change, biomimicry, positive psychology, mindfulness practice, adult development, and Integral theory. Bryony’s passion is working with the next generation of leaders to create a more just and sustainable world.
Leadership & boards
Some of the clients I have worked with
Adventure Cycling
Altruist Partners
Community, Food & Agriculture Coalition
Environmental Studies Program, University of Montana
HATCH a Better World Hospice
King County, Washington
Montana Institute on Ecosystems
New Republic of the Heart
ProjectCorps
Praxis Center for Innovative Learning
Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network (PSERN)
Raptor View Research Institute
Rejuvcare
Society for Ecological Restoration
The South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency
The 21 Acres Center for Local Food & Sustainable Living
University of Washington
What others say
~ Janine Benyus, Author, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature
~ Layton R. Smith, Strategic Business Development Specialist
Bryony Schwan, M.S.
Certified Associate Integral Coach®
Swan Consulting
Better@bryonyschwan.com
All the photographs on this site are Bryony’s.
See more of her photography here
Copyright 2023
Bryony Schwan Consulting
Missoula, Montana
Copyright 2023 – Bryony Schwan Consulting – Missoula, Montana