Welcome to White Pine Institute.  On this page, you will find answers to some basic questions you may have.

 The who, where, what and why of the Institute:

Who?

Where?

What?

Why?

Why do CE events cost so much?

When I started White Pine Institute, a driving force was to offer high quality workshops that included much more value and were more reasonable in cost.  It is an ongoing experiment to see if it can really be done.  Here are a couple of my ideas.

1.  Have you ever had this experience?  You attend an expensive workshop and have an OK time of it, learn a few tricks, move on.  The next day or next week you speak with a colleague about the workshop.  He says, "Oh, that sounds interesting.  Did you know that Margaret (colleague down the hall) uses that approach?"  Right at this moment, my thoughts sound something like this: "Geez, I wish I had just spoken to Margaret!"  Barring that, I wish I could have paid her to lead the workshop instead.  At White Pine Institute, we are going to get Margaret to do the workshop.  It turns out, Margaret is a dynamic and effective trainer and she actually does the work herself so is also full of clinical wisdom and practical examples.  Not every person who writes a popular book, does research, or appears on Oprah is an effective trainer.  But Margaret is an effective trainer. She also feels personally responsible to her colleagues and community and her enthusiasm is genuine.   We'll hire her and put her in front of you instead.  In other words, we will use local experts whenever possible.  Let's train each other at what we are good at.  This just makes sense. So, if you know Margaret, want to be Margaret, or if you already are Margaret, give me a call!

2.  Put the workshops in locations you would want to visit.  Okay, so this is very far from being a novel idea.  Conference planners have been doing this since there have been conference planners.  Well, it is a good idea.  Especially in times like these, with the economy making loud clunking sounds, being able to justify a trip for professional reasons is especially valuable (especially if you can deduct most of the expenses!).  I personally love New England and my home state of Maine.  I look forward to organizing workshops, leading workshops, and attending workshops all over New England in upcoming years.  See you there!

3.  The Simply Seven idea. (details coming soon)