REVITALIZING AN INSTITUTION
/ THE LONG NOW FOUNDATION /
CONTEXT
When I became Board President of The Long Now Foundation, the organization was entering a natural phase of renewal — three decades into its life, with an extraordinary legacy to honor and a new generation beginning to emerge. My task was to help translate its founding vision of long-term responsibility into a living practice for our present moment that could inspire founders, staff, and community members around a shared sense of purpose, possibility, and excitement about the organization’s future.
COMPLEXITY
Like any institution with deep roots, Long Now operates at the confluence of continuity and change. The work required balancing the wisdom of experience with the need for new perspectives, and doing so within a community of passionate, values-driven people. Navigating that landscape meant engaging with complex dynamics of governance, culture, and imagination — all while maintaining the organization’s integrity and its reputation for thoughtfulness and care.
CREATIVE RESPONSE
My approach was to treat institutional renewal as a creative act: to reawaken curiosity, connection, and cultural relevance without losing the steadiness that had defined Long Now’s identity. This included revitalizing the Long Now Talks series as a global forum for long-term thinking, deepening relationships with funders and collaborators, and helping to improve organizational governance and financial sustainability. The result: new momentum, partnerships, and financial strength for a keystone species of the Bay Area innovation ecosystem.
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