John Karvel first heard Marshall Rosenberg speak about Nonviolent Communication on the radio in 2004 and immediately knew that he wanted to add to his peace practice by learning what it had to offer.  In 2005 he trained with Marshall Rosenberg, the Center for Nonviolent Communication and the NVC Training Institute. In the Fall of 2005 he began leading Basic Trainings in Nonviolent Communication in Minnesota. For John, NVC is a practical and effective way to bring the mindfulness of Thich Naht Hahn and the ahimsa (nonviolence) of Gandhi into all of our communication and interaction with others.

John is the founder and a coordinator of Citizens for Corporate Redesign (www.c4cr.org), a civil society organization in Minnesota in dialogue with business leaders, attorneys, and legislative leaders about possible avenues for promoting ethics, sustainability and social responsibility through corporate redesign. He is president of River Town Contracting Company, a 24-year-old St. Paul business. He is a graduate of Northwestern University. John is motivated by the desire to pass on a just, peaceful and sustainable global society to his 16-year old daughter. He also enjoys surfing with her anywhere there are waves, including Lake Superior.