Andy Greif
Andy has 32 years of professional experience, nurturing resilience and emotional development of children and youth in educational and community-based settings. Working in southern Maine, his early positions were: experiential education coordinator and counselor in alternative- and special- education schools; partner in a business facilitating adults and children in team-building experiences through adventure-based activities; manager of a YMCA branch, where he began to develop the concept of youth development through the repair and use of bicycles. In 2005, Andy founded and served as the Executive Director of the thriving Community Bicycle Center in Biddeford, Maine (aka Apex Youth Connection), an after and out-of-school youth development program. Moving to Taos NM in 2016, Andy continued to support children through volunteering with the Nurturing Center, Field Institute of Taos, Twirl and the Taos Milagro Rotary Club. Andy sums up his decades of work with children and youth by expressing his motivation to nurture things that bring meaning into their lives–engaging them in experiences that bring them joy, a sense of belonging, and feelings of freedom and fun. Using the principals of Narrative Therapy, and following their interests, Andy strives to invites children into experiences that help them create positive stories about themselves and minimize unhealthy stories. Andy and his wife moved to Taos in 2016 to join the co-housing community Valverde Commons. He spends his time turning wooden bowls, hiking around Taos County, adventuring with grandkids, and tandem bike cycling.
