Chuck Watts, Co-Founder
Chuck Watts, a registered voter affiliated with the Democratic Party, co-founded the Empathy Surplus Project, because he believes caring citizens who may be affiliated with a political party want their public government to be effective. His core values are empathy, responsibility (both personal AND shared) and the strength to act on those values to protect and empower fellow Americans.
A retired Episcopal priest since 1991, he’s made his living in Wilmington, Ohio, as a financial adviser and partner with Edward Jones. He is married, has one daughter, and one grandson. His parents, now deceased, both retired from long careers as civilian employees with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, MS, district.
In November 2004, one of his friends suggested they study Don’t Think of An Elephant, by George Lakfoff. So for the next eight weeks, they studied this book about knowing our values and framing the debate. That eight-week study was the beginning of the Progressive Happy Hour, a weekly gathering of progressives, with no agenda other than discussing their values as they relate to our local democracy. Feel free to join us at The General Denver, Thursdays, 5:30 p.m.
Chuck became a follower of the Rockridge Institute, and was a frequent online commenter at RI. When Rockridge fellows Joe Brewer and Evan Frisch launched the Rockridge Nation, Chuck was one of 25 people around the country asked to be a part of this online community’s advisory council. After RI closed in April 2008, Joe Brewer founded Cognitive Policy Works, which is dedicated to facilitating large-scale behavioral change to strengthen public democracy. Joe Brewer continues to be a frequent consultant.
Chuck’s business partner, Angie Calendine, mother of Josh, has been an inspiration to him and a daily reminder of the American contract for public governance is that caring citizens protect and empower each other.
Josh Calendine’s Story of Freedom Expansion
Josh Calendine lives in Wilmington, OH, is 13 years old, and challenged with autism, a brain disorder that inhibits learning personal and shared responsibility. Those who witness Josh’s family’s love for him and observe their perseverance in helping him learn self-love and love of others are humbled and inspired by their efforts.
In 2011, Josh’s family lost significant health care freedom when the employer of Josh’s mom, who self-insures their employee health care, cut by half Josh’s autism care coverage and increased the cost by one third. Their annual total cost for health care plus insurance is more than $12,000.
Josh’s struggle is set in the context our shared American Nightmare, a growing plutocracy, cruel corporations and their enablers inside government, stealing our freedom and common wealth and ignoring our daily concerns. Josh’s mom and dad, and thousands like them in our country live personally responsible lives and don’t need or want anyone’s sympathy.
The Josh’s of the world are the reason the Empathy Surplus Project was created. On behalf of non-family, how do we help Josh’s fellow citizens exercise their god-given empathy and recommit themselves to achieving the American Dream of a functioning democracy, based on intentional conversations that matter.
Follow Chuck on Twitter and FaceBook. Contact Chuck at chuck.watts@empathysurplus.com
Gary Evans, Co-Founder
Gary Evans, a registered voter affiliated with the Republican Party, co-founded the Empathy Surplus Project, because he believes caring citizens who may be affiliated with a political party want their public government to be effective. His core values are empathy, responsibility (both personal AND shared) and the strength to act on those values to protect and empower fellow Americans.
- 1989 Wilmington College graduate – BA in Accounting
- 15 years public accounting experience
- 21 years tax experience
- 5 years as Business Owner
- Married 28 years – 2 children – 7 grandchildren
- Follow Gary on Facebook
- Contact Gary at gary.evans@empathysurplus.com
Joe Brewer, Consulting Partner
Joe Brewer is Founder and Director of Cognitive Policy Works, and is on Chuck’s Advisory Council. He is a social change strategist and facilitator of idea implementation for people seeking to innovate at the intersection of the advocacy, policy, and technology worlds. Throughout the last decade Joe has sought to understand human values and behavior through the study of cognitive semantics and complex systems with the goal of helping build livable communities for the 21st Century. Much of his work has focused on values, identity, and modes of thought that shape cultural understandings of political and social issues.
Joe is interested in developing new practices that empower people to manage large-scale social change while solving problems through collaboration. He would like to see greater levels of trust and cooperation arise through a culture of sharing that enhances life satisfaction and well-being for people everywhere. Joe is dedicated to making Cognitive Policy Works into a world-class educational center and consulting firm that trains people to manage the change process through the application of strategic planning tools and insights into the political, cultural, and psychological aspects of social change.
He contributes to the Strategies for Change project of WWF-UK as a principal researcher at IdentityCampaigning.org and is project coordinator for Seattle Innovators.
A collection of Joe’s writings can be found here.
Follow me on Twitter.
Current Invested Caring Citizen Partners
- Anita Dobrzelecki, Democratic primary, Bellbrook, OH, caring citizen pilot partner, anita.dobrzelecki@empathysurplus.com
- Gary Evans, Republican primary, New Vienna, OH, co-founder, gary.evans@empathysurplus.com
- Cliff Fahrer, Democratic primary, Wilmington, OH, caring citizen pilot partner, cfahrer@cinci.rr.com
- Kim McCarthy, Republican primary, Bellbrook, OH, caring citizen pilot partner, kim@thereikiroomofdayton.com
- Millie Mooney, Democratic primary, Dayton, OH, caring citizen pilot partner, mmooney003@woh.rr.com
- Elaine Musick, Republican primary, Bellbrook, OH, associate partner, emusick@woh.rr.com
- Kathryn Palmer, Democratic primary, Wilmington, OH, caring citizen pilot partner, kathryn.palmer@empathysurplus.com
- Jennifer Vallee, no primary participation, Wilmington, OH, caring citizen pilot partner, jvsmalls547@gmail.com
- Chuck Watts, Democratic primary, Co-Founder, Wilmington, OH, elected precinct representative to county party, chuck.watts@empathysurplus.com
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