Board Members

Jon Reneberg

Jon Reneberg is the passionate founder of the 1,000 Year Project. Inspired as a child, by the nature conservation of his grandfather, he learned to appreciate the world around him, and to understand that the impact we have on that world can last beyond our own lives.

Reneberg holds a BA in Business, and an MS in Safety Sciences and has been in various roles including Environment, Health, and Safety Engineer and Sr. Software Developer/Data Automation Engineer with a Fortune 100 manufacturing company. In addition to the environment, he has a passion for hardware and software prototyping, biyaking, kayaking, has his commercial drone pilot’s license.


Perry Gray-Reneberg

Perry Gray-Reneberg – an industrial technologist by trade – believes nature teaches us social dynamics.  He lives on California’s redwood coast and sees human efforts lose ground intruding on the realm of more venerable claims.  Dwellings erected, wells dug, forests cleared, paths laid all return to nature unless reinforced “against the elements.”  Nature can teach us to abandon our defensive posturing with others and with our long-term “home” in this world


Jacob Alheid

Jacob Alheid brings decades of software engineering expertise to the 1,000 Year Project to help guide the project in its technical path forward. In his free time Jake is an amateur motorcycle mechanic and rider, and aspiring BBQ chef.


Jimmy Betts

Jimmy Betts attempts to live and work within the intersections of climate justice, decolonization, adaptation, and front-line community survival through a biodiversity of solidarity tactics.  Jimmy’s interests include traditional medicine, root beer, bioenergetic therapies, plants, disaster relief and survival in wilderness and urban areas, pizza, grassroots community organizing, walking, and fiddle music.


Jared Ferraro

Jared Ferraro holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Purdue University.  As a expert in Continuous Improvement Methodologies, Jared brings long term strategic planning and statistical analysis to the team. In his free time, Jared enjoys spending time with his family, is a Black Belt in tae kwon do, and working on his Jeep.


Shawn Walters

New Board Member