How i3 Started

How i3 Started

Co-founder Rob Lerner tells the story of how SMA got its is…

The occasion was brunch in honor of John “Economic Hit Man” Perkins on the eve of the 2016 San Miguel Writers’ Conference, where John was a featured keynote speaker. We were at the home of Conference ringleader Susan Page and Mexican folk art impresario Mayer Shacter. The pancakes had long since been consumed, and fueled by a third (fourth?) round of coffee; the conversation had jolted up to such high-minded topics as the “state of human civilization.”

Suddenly, Diane blurted out, “Wouldn’t it be great if we had a regular lecture series here in San Miguel, something like the City Arts and Lectures series in San Francisco?” I could tell from the glint in Susan’s eye that she thought it was a good idea, too.

That was the spark, and just few meetings later we had a name—i3: ideas that inform & inspire — a volunteer steering committee, and our first presenter: former Mexican President Vincente Fox, speaking on U.S.–Mexico relations in the wake of the 2016 U.S. election.

Steering Committee:

Tina Bueche
Rob Lerner
Susan Page
Diane Varney

Founding Patrons:

Tina Bueche
Linda Conetta and Michael Ormsby
Helen Corcoran
King and Phyllis Culp
Jo Curtis
Martha Donnelly
Alice Eilers
Barbara and Gunnar Erickson
Gloria and Jerry Fastrup
Brigham Golden and Lynn Rawden
Jack Goodwin and Ruth Kaplan
Eleanor Goodwin and David Garrity
Judith Hadlock
Linda Hampton
Heather Hanley
Miguel Kelly and Ivonne Ruiz
Carol Latta
Rob Lerner and Diane Varney
Adele MacArthur
Kathleen Mann
Nonnie and Ed Markeset
Mike and Marti McGinnis
Christine McReynolds
Martin O’Malley
Susan Page and Mayer Shacter
Woody and Laura Rea
Paul Roach and Connie Early
Thomas Schneider
Emily Severinsen
Honey Sharp and David Lippman
Linda Simon
Rachel Stratford and Mark Stout
Joan Strouse and Bill Greenfield
Kathy Sulkes
Tim Sullivan and Nancy Borris
Frank Thoms
Maia Williams and Wyman Rousseau
Bill and Jackie Wilson
John Wolff and Helle Szkobel
Anne Zim

2018 Sustaining Patrons:

Michael Alford and Maricela Daniel
Vicki Allen
Sudhir Amembal and Kiran Puri
Margo Beck
Gregg Blackburn
Dale and Sue Braiman
Bravo Energy
Tina Bueche
Vicky Carunchio
Linda Conetta and Michael Ormsby
Michele Connor
King and Phyllis Culp
Susan Dalcamo
Art and Leona Defehr
Barbara and Gunnar Erickson
Karen Fawcett
Louisa Field
Loy Geddes
Christine Goodson
Joyce Grenis
Andrée Hill and Allen Zeesman
Carol Jackson and Art Bone
Leslie Jaeger
Mary Kloubec
Michael Koen
Zoune Lausseure
Heidi LeVasseur
Lauren Linowitz
Leslie Mann
Graham and Peggy Martin
Ric McBrier
Christine McReynolds
Beverly Moor
Blanca O’Leary
Barbara Pagano
Susan Page and Mayer Shacter
Victoria Pierce
Jennifer Primrose
Woody and Laura Rea
Angela Rubel
David Russell and Bonnie Bickel
Dan and Jenny Segal
Honey Sharp and David Lippman
Linda Simon
Bill Spence
Michael C. Spoor
Kathy Sulkes
Tim Sullivan and Nancy Borris
Linda and Saul Whynman
Willie Williams and Alex McLeod