Our Collaborations

New Stories

New Stories is a nonprofit initiative that works with organizations, communities, and individuals to guide them toward sustainable well-being and meaningful collaboration through a wide variety of programs.

Founded by Bob Stilger, a respected author, community builder, and facilitator of transformative change, New Stories has long served as a platform for regenerative leadership and storytelling across the globe. Bob brought his deep expertise to the Leadership Journey as both a participant and co-facilitator during the Bali 2019 iteration, enriching the experience with decades of work in resilience, post-crisis recovery, and systems change.

Urban Ecology Center

The Urban Ecology Center (UEC) connects people in cities to nature and to one another, transforming urban spaces into vibrant hubs of environmental learning and community building. Founded by Ken Leinbach, a visionary educator and leader in place-based environmental education, UEC inspires generations to cultivate environmental curiosity, understanding, and respect. In 2023, UEC partnered with Ascend to launch the Urban Ecology Scholars Program, designed to explore urban sustainability and community regeneration. As part of this collaboration, Ascend funded a South Asian scholar to study and immerse themselves at UEC’s Milwaukee campus, fostering global exchange and deep, place-based learning.