Our Staff
Mark Wilding, Executive Director
Mark Wilding is the Executive Director of PassageWorks Institute. Mark is the former Director of the Marpa Center for Business and Economics at Naropa University where he taught graduate courses in leadership and systems thinking. Mr. Wilding joined Naropa in 1994, and previous to founding the Marpa Center, his roles at the university included Director of Advancement, Administrative Director of Environmental Studies and Human Resources and Systems Officer. Mark helped found a public computer software company in 1985 and served on the board and in several roles until he left as President in 1993. In 1977 Mark served as Assistant to the Mayor of Utica, N.Y. He has a B.S. in Biology and an M.A. in Environmental Leadership. Mark serves as Vice President of the board of CORE Colorado’s Education Fund for Corporate Social Responsibility.
Laura Weaver, Associate Executive Director
Laura Weaver has worked for sixteen years in the fields of education and social service, joining the PassageWorks Institute in 2003. As the PassageWorks Associate Executive Director, Laura serves as a lead faculty member, facilitates transitions programs, consults with schools implementing the PassageWorks model, writes curriculum and articles, and collaborates on program, strategic and organizational development. Before joining PassageWorks, Laura taught college English for four years and co-founded and directed Bridges: an all-volunteer agency serving the needs of hungry and homeless people in the greater Philadelphia region. A published poet and writer, Laura holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Laura is also the mother of two teens, ages 17 and 13.
Elizabeth Amore, Operations Manager
Liz Amore serves as the Operations Manager for PassageWorks. In this role, Liz coordinates trainings and events, manages the website, and serves as bookkeeper for PassageWorks. New to the field of education, Liz worked for seven years for a construction-based business as office manager. She also served on the board of The Community Associations Institute in Sarasota, Florida for several years where she chaired committees and organized large-scale fundraising events. Liz attended Univeristy of Florida in Gainesville.
Batya Greenwald, Program Associate and Lead Faculty member
Batya was born and raised in South Africa, became a teacher in Australia and recently earned an MA in Education from the University of Montana. She currently teaches Kindergarten and has previously taught third, fourth, and fifth grade at the Boulder Community School of Integrated Studies. She was the founding Director of the Boulder Jewish Day School and has taught for more than 12 years. Batya has two daughters, aged 14 and 12, and is dedicated to empowering the lives of young people by facilitating and co-creating healthy communities in which they can thrive. Ms. Greenwald leads PassageWorks courses, and presents keynote addresses throughout the U.S.