Samantha Sainsbury & Seva Gandhi

Teaches at Institute of Cultural Affairs

Samantha Sainsbury is a Program Coordinator at the Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA) in Chicago, IL, a capacity building non-profit that organizes community-based sustainability programming. Having studied Sociology and Gender and Sexuality Studies at Northwestern University (graduated 2014), Samantha’s experience with ToP methods is related to facilitating collaborative approaches to community-based social change. At ICA, her facilitation work primarily connects community members to local sustainability experts to support ongoing collaboration, learning, and action, including a collaborative energy-education program (Preparing for Rainy Days, 2015-16) and a coastal education program (Out and About Uptown’s Coast, 2017-18).

Seva Gandhi has been in the field of community development as an organizer and facilitator, locally and abroad, for the past decade. She received her Master's in Social Work (MSW) with a focus on community organizing and nonprofit management from the University of Michigan. Seva supports organizations and initiatives working on social change through her organizational development consulting, facilitation, and training. Seva’s own work focuses on community engagement, environmental justice, and anti-racism. Currently, she serves as the Director of Programs and Partnerships at the Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA), on the Board of the Asset Based Community Development Institute, and on the leadership team of CROAR, Chicago Regional Organizing for Anti-Racism. Seva’s interests involve food sovereignty, riding her bicycle, crafting, and cooking.