The Sound Essence Project, a Washington State Nonprofit Corporation, is a collaborative international gathering of people with the intention to create a cross cultural network of resources in an environment of mutual learning with an emphasis on cultural sustainability. Through the confluence of our respective wisdom's, we hope to converge traditional practices with sustainable ways of life to create a profound partnership which expands world community and peace through education, herbal medicine, sound, color, and cultural communion.

Susan Bradbury
President/CEO

Susan Bradbury is passionate about life and peace. She dedicates her time traveling to the Middle East and the Korean Peninsula, building bridges between people, officials and the culture as a member of Women's Federation for World Peace and in the capacity of Ambassador for Peace.

The Sound Essence Project, a 501(c)3 was founded by Susan in late 2003. The mission Sustaining Cultures, Changing Lives and creating an international network of resources and partnerships to achieve sustainable advances in promoting peace, working towards gender equality and ending extreme poverty and hunger worldwide.

In Burundi, Africa she started microlending projects and farms with widows from the genocide. Mongolia is a country where tree planting, medical supplies, and starting bakeries as microlending projects has captured her heart. The last three summers she has traveled with nomadic storytellers of Mongolia, filming traditional stories for a full length documentary. Her love of people brings her full circle when traveling with What Does Peace Look Like? The Children's International Peace Art Show, and sharing the voices of the children of the world.

Susan holds a Master's Degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and has a clinic in Bellingham, Washington.

Bolor Smith
Director

Bolor Smith is a native Mongolian who was born and raised in a small countryside village called Ikhtamir in Arkhangai Province of Mongolia. As a child, she grew up hearing Mongolian folktales, legends, and myths from her father who is a tremendously imaginative and vivid storyteller. Her dream is to increase awareness and sensitivity toward Mongolian culture in America by collecting and translating Mongolian folktales, legends, and myths, and by teaching Mongolian. From her education and work in two completely different countries with distinct cultures and economic development, she has a wide range of experience interacting with a variety of people from richly diverse backgrounds. She has a Baccalaureate in Law (equivalent to Juris Doctor) from the Mongolian National University in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and an MBA from WWU.

Britt Walker
Director

Britt Walker has been intimately involved in cultural and environmental sustainability work since 2001.  Since that time, Britt has traveled extensively both nationally and internationally, working on a range of cultural and environmental projects. She graduated from Western Washington University at Fairhaven College in 2005 with a degree in Applied Cross-Cultural Studies.  This degree combined the studies of cultural and social anthropology while allowing her to travel internationally and “apply” this knowledge.  She is currently a co-director of the NGO, Sustainability Research and Education Project (www.sustainabilityresearchproject.org), whose mission is to cultivate symbiotic relationships between humans and ecosystems.  Her passion continues to be found in promoting and aiding small-scale community-owned and operated projects designed to bring self-sufficiency, awareness, and pride to underserved communities. 

Sibyl Sanford
Director

Sibyl's many passions in life include watercolor painting, classical and ethnic music, playing the piano, vibrational healing with sound and color, wholistic health, wilderness and nature. In the past year, Sibyl has acquired a Certificate of Mastery in reflexology and has also taken classes in sound and color healing. She is a professional watercolor artist and a signature member of the Northwest Watercolor Society. Her educational background is in Art Education, and she has taught drawing and painting to all age groups. In addition, she works with the Whatcom Community Foundation to support the arts and environmental projects in Bellingham.

Darcy Walters
Director

Darcy is deeply focused on the healing of the planet and its people through the teaching of sustainable practices and holistic health. Darcy graduated from Western Washington University's Fairhaving College in 1994, with a concentration of studies in Cross Cultural Perspectives in Holistic Health and Sustainable Practices. As a graduate of Fairhaven College, Darcy has an extensive background in cross-cultural studies, sustainable living practices, and alternative healing practices; including co-creation of flower essences, energy healing, crystal therapy, and herbal medicine. As a whole-health advocate, Darcy hopes to explore traditional healing practices in their countries of origin.

Tuya Luehr
Director

In between growing up in Mongolian countryside, moving to the capital city Ulaanbaatar and then moving to the USA, Tuya was blessed with the good fortune of experiencing exciting changes and meeting great people. She has a MA and BA in philosophy from the Mongolian State University and an MBA from University of Bridgeport, CT. Tuya worked at the Mongolian Academy of Science as a Research Analyst as well taught philosophy at various universities in Mongolia. Now she works as a Business Analyst at a software company in Redmond, WA. All of her studies were sponsored by scholarships therefore it is important for her to help young people to get an educational access. Tuya is also interested in cross cultural understanding and exchange and believes that by enriching from each others culture and experiences we can make a better world.

Jennica Ottenbreit
Advisor

Jennica is an engineer interested in improving developing communities access to essential life needs using sustainable methods. Having recently received a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Washington, she pursued a varied curriculum with environmental emphasis, exploring our individual and societal interactions with nature as well as the physical studies of water systems, ecology, and sustainable resource management. She is very interested in participating in collaborative and interdisciplinary projects linking cultures in an effort to foster both individual and community wellness. Jennica is particularly interested in supporting sustainable resource use, agriculture and business practices. She hopes to support the Sound Essence Project in a spirit of openness, respect and compassion.

Bayarmaa Dulam
Advisor

Ms. Bayarmaa Dulam, the first Fulbright FLTA from Mongolia, received her B. A. in English with a double major -- English Teacher and Translator/Interpreter -- in 2001 with honors and a M. A. in Linguistics in 2003 from Otgontenger University, one of the first private universities in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. A Professor of English at Otgontenger University, she has five and a half years of experience of teaching English as a foreign language. At the same time, she has also been working with non-profit organizations such as Save the Children, UK and Association of Parents with Disabled Children, as well as OCHKO Translation Service Center at a capacity of a freelance translator/interpreter. Bayarmaa is currently working in Mongolia as an interpreter and is head of the Sound Essence Project's Mongolian office.

Laura Jimerson
Advisor

Laura's roots in the studies of natural environment, performing arts, cultural exchange and peaceful living have happily found fertile soil with the Sound Essence Project. She is a transplant from New England and has found Bellingham to be a fantastic place to pursue her interests. She recently graduated from Huxley College of the Environment with a M.Ed. degree in Environmental Education. She served two years in the Peace Corps working in Honduras in Agriculture and has continued interests in cross-cultural exchange through farming, education and the arts.  She completed her undergraduate work in psychology and theater at Centenary College of Louisiana. Laura aspires to give more than she thinks is possible and to take part in improving the natural environment on every continent of the world.