"Achieving Sustainability should not be our children's responsibility,
...anymore than failure at such should be our generation's legacy."
~ Cain / St. Croix Institute, 2007
...anymore than failure at such should be our generation's legacy."
~ Cain / St. Croix Institute, 2007
Kelly D. Cain, PhD, Founder / Principal
From its launch in May 2007, Kelly has led SCISCD to become one of the leading university-based "think & do tanks" in the country for entrepreneurial planning, design, development, and fine-tuning of integrated sustainable business, NGO, government agency, campus, and community models. His strategic expertise is grounded in a holistic systems, yet pragmatic approach to creative solutions from needs assessment and conceptualization through scoping of purpose/mission/vison, metric development, feasibility, planning, design, implementation, and evaluation of diverse projects ranging from site planning and physical facilities to a disruptive entrepreneur ventures and the ‘re-localization of community economics.’
Kelly's current research projects focus on a ‘beyond sustainability,’ carbon negative approach to "best design and management practices" (BDMPs) for business, local units of government, NGOs, state and federal agencies. These approaches range from strategic and comprehensive planning templates, to the energy and food self-sufficiency models, and beyond. Soon to be released is an assessment and macro-economic study of food self-sufficiency capacity for each of the eighteen (18) counties of the St. Croix Watershed in both WI and MN.
Kelly currently Chair’s the St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity Eco-Village / neighborhood development, a national demonstration project for low to moderate income folks. His experience and expertise ranges from national and multinational corporate positioning of sustainable community development business models and localized carbon markets for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and other clients, to consulting for the US Fish & Wildlife Service / Malheur National Wildlife Refuge on Comprehensive Conservation Planning, and for the Aspen Institute and Ford Foundation on rural wealth creation through energy, food, and ecosystem services self-sufficiency models.
As a consultant for comprehensive and strategic planning initiatives for a variety of NGO's, campuses, communities, and local units of government, Kelly also serves on the Boards of St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity, WestCAP, and WECC, Inc. Kelly has significant international experience in Scotland, Nicaragua, Trinidad, the southern Tibetan Plateau of China, and various other countries.
Kelly lives with his wife Ruth, various orbiting adult children, dogs, cats, chickens (and the spirit of “Rex, the Rooster from Hell”), 40,000 bees (give or take a few thousand), and various other critters on a 5-acre permaculture farm within an 80-acre intentional community he and Ruth helped establish in 1990 outside of River Falls.
Kelly's current research projects focus on a ‘beyond sustainability,’ carbon negative approach to "best design and management practices" (BDMPs) for business, local units of government, NGOs, state and federal agencies. These approaches range from strategic and comprehensive planning templates, to the energy and food self-sufficiency models, and beyond. Soon to be released is an assessment and macro-economic study of food self-sufficiency capacity for each of the eighteen (18) counties of the St. Croix Watershed in both WI and MN.
Kelly currently Chair’s the St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity Eco-Village / neighborhood development, a national demonstration project for low to moderate income folks. His experience and expertise ranges from national and multinational corporate positioning of sustainable community development business models and localized carbon markets for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and other clients, to consulting for the US Fish & Wildlife Service / Malheur National Wildlife Refuge on Comprehensive Conservation Planning, and for the Aspen Institute and Ford Foundation on rural wealth creation through energy, food, and ecosystem services self-sufficiency models.
As a consultant for comprehensive and strategic planning initiatives for a variety of NGO's, campuses, communities, and local units of government, Kelly also serves on the Boards of St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity, WestCAP, and WECC, Inc. Kelly has significant international experience in Scotland, Nicaragua, Trinidad, the southern Tibetan Plateau of China, and various other countries.
Kelly lives with his wife Ruth, various orbiting adult children, dogs, cats, chickens (and the spirit of “Rex, the Rooster from Hell”), 40,000 bees (give or take a few thousand), and various other critters on a 5-acre permaculture farm within an 80-acre intentional community he and Ruth helped establish in 1990 outside of River Falls.
PROFILE
Dr. Cain has been a faculty member at UWRF for 27 years as a Professor in Environmental Science & Management at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Dr. Cain has extensive experience in the planning, design, and application of sustainable community–based models for small, medium, and large scale business, communities, university campuses, and government agencies. Besides energy and food self-sufficiency, land use planning, ecotourism, and environmental management applications, he also consults in ‘beyond sustainability’ curriculum development, and for community outreach and training, grant development, and as an external evaluator for both tribal and non-tribal entities. Dr. Cain has served on numerous civic and governmental organizations, including the City of River Falls Planning Commission, Parks & Recreation Board, and Extraterritorial Zoning Board, as well as six years as Supervisor for the Town of River Falls. He became the Director of Sustainability for UWRF, and founding Principal of the St. Croix Institute for Sustainable Community Development in May of 2007.
EXEMPLARY CLIENTELE
Aspen Institute / Ford Foundation China Exploration & Research Society
Electric Power Research Institute NE Oklahoma State University
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 3M, Aveda, & Uponor Corporations
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College Infinity Retail Services & MAMAC Systems
National Board of Community Action Partnerships GO BUY LOCAL & Borner Farm Project
CURRENT RESEARCH
Localized Energy & Food Self-Sufficiency Capacity & Macro-Economic Impact Models for WI & MN
St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity Eco-Village I & II - Conceptualization & Project Cmtt. Chair
Sustainable Business & Community Model positioning for the Electric Power Research Institute, and Rural Wealth Creation Project for Aspen Institute / Ford Foundation
AWARDS & HONORS
UW System Teaching Scholar, 2000-01 Sabbaticals: 3M (1998) & China (2006-07)
UWRF Advisor of the Year, 2006 Distinguished Teacher of the Year, 1994-95
UW System Idea Fellow, 2004 UW System Teaching Fellow, 1993-94
BOARDS OF DIRECTORS (current)
St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity
West Central Wisconsin Community Action Partnership
WECC, Inc. (formerly WI Energy Conservation Corporation)
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Education - Resource Management (1988). University of Minnesota
M.S., Outdoor Education, (1980). Western Kentucky University
B.S., Agriculture, (1978). Western Kentucky University
A.S., Architectural Technology, (1978). Western Kentucky University
A.S., Liberal Studies, (1978). Western Kentucky University
Related EDUCATION, TRAINING & AFFILIATIONS
Dr. Cain has been a faculty member at UWRF for 27 years as a Professor in Environmental Science & Management at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Dr. Cain has extensive experience in the planning, design, and application of sustainable community–based models for small, medium, and large scale business, communities, university campuses, and government agencies. Besides energy and food self-sufficiency, land use planning, ecotourism, and environmental management applications, he also consults in ‘beyond sustainability’ curriculum development, and for community outreach and training, grant development, and as an external evaluator for both tribal and non-tribal entities. Dr. Cain has served on numerous civic and governmental organizations, including the City of River Falls Planning Commission, Parks & Recreation Board, and Extraterritorial Zoning Board, as well as six years as Supervisor for the Town of River Falls. He became the Director of Sustainability for UWRF, and founding Principal of the St. Croix Institute for Sustainable Community Development in May of 2007.
EXEMPLARY CLIENTELE
Aspen Institute / Ford Foundation China Exploration & Research Society
Electric Power Research Institute NE Oklahoma State University
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 3M, Aveda, & Uponor Corporations
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College Infinity Retail Services & MAMAC Systems
National Board of Community Action Partnerships GO BUY LOCAL & Borner Farm Project
CURRENT RESEARCH
Localized Energy & Food Self-Sufficiency Capacity & Macro-Economic Impact Models for WI & MN
St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity Eco-Village I & II - Conceptualization & Project Cmtt. Chair
Sustainable Business & Community Model positioning for the Electric Power Research Institute, and Rural Wealth Creation Project for Aspen Institute / Ford Foundation
AWARDS & HONORS
UW System Teaching Scholar, 2000-01 Sabbaticals: 3M (1998) & China (2006-07)
UWRF Advisor of the Year, 2006 Distinguished Teacher of the Year, 1994-95
UW System Idea Fellow, 2004 UW System Teaching Fellow, 1993-94
BOARDS OF DIRECTORS (current)
St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity
West Central Wisconsin Community Action Partnership
WECC, Inc. (formerly WI Energy Conservation Corporation)
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Education - Resource Management (1988). University of Minnesota
M.S., Outdoor Education, (1980). Western Kentucky University
B.S., Agriculture, (1978). Western Kentucky University
A.S., Architectural Technology, (1978). Western Kentucky University
A.S., Liberal Studies, (1978). Western Kentucky University
Related EDUCATION, TRAINING & AFFILIATIONS
- GRI G4 – Global Reporting Initiative (Chicago / 2014)
- Permaculture Design Certification from Permaculture Institute of Australia (2/2010)
- Society for College & University Planning – Planning Institute Certificate (1/2009)
