Shane Brill '03 M'11

Education

• NTP, Nutritional Therapy Association, 2021
• MA, Washington College, 2011
• BA, Washington College, 2003

Professional Work

In the role of Associate Director of Alumni Communications, Shane Brill ’03 M’11 brings expertise in web development and video production to celebrate Washington College’s role in the cultivation of vibrant human beings. He empowers faculty and staff to engage alumni through virtual platforms and helps to reimagine traditions to connect alumni with campus. He develops content and supports programs to bridge institutional values that connect current students with alumni.

Shane is the permaculture educator at Washington College. He can often be found digging in the campus garden and leading workshops and talks on fermentation, foraging, ecological design, and food literacy. He advises internships and projects conducted by students relating to environmental literature and film, ethnobotany, food justice, composting, and horticulture. His work explores how to use food to optimize the health of humans and the environment.

Through Perennial Nutritional Therapy, Shane helps people address the root causes of health concerns with nutritional education and lifestyle guidance. He supports environmental initiatives in Chestertown and manages an urban homestead with bees, chickens, and a variety of edible plants.

At Washington College, he guides campus sustainability efforts and promotes individual and institutional practices relating to regenerative living. He connects health and nutrition, waste reduction, energy conservation, fiscal responsibility, diversity and inclusion, and food literacy and access.

Talks and Workshops 

• Fermentation Fundamentals
• Beekeeping: Colony Installation, Hive Maintenance, Honey Extraction, Swarm Capture
• Landscaping with Edible Native Plants
• Natural Pest Prevention: Ecological Tactics for Healthy Landscapes
• Permaculture 101
• Rediscovering Food
• Seasonal Foraging
• Sustainable Human Energy
• Urban Homesteading
• Wild Foods in Native and Novel Ecosystems
• Zero Waste Community Visioning 

Selected Publications

• “Wild May,” Washington College Magazine (Summer 2018).
• “Sophie, We Hardly Knew Ye,” Washington College Magazine (Spring 2017).
• “Urban Homesteader,” Washington College Magazine (Spring 2014).

In the News

• "Indigenous Peoples' Perspective Project" Attraction Magazine (10/1/22). 
• "Let It Rain" Chesapeake Bay Magazine (9/8/22).
• “Food Connection” Shore Magazine (7/1/21).
• “'We Love This Place' panel series concludes with conversation on environmental stewardship” The Elm (12/23/20).
• “Galena resident promotes sustainable community” Kent County News (7/23/20).
• “Learning to Return to Our Food Roots” Shore Home and Garden Magazine (10/01/18).
• “Washington College is Maryland’s First Bee Campus USA,” Chestertown Spy (4/10/18).
• “Medieval Dinner Coming to WC, May Day Tradition” The Elm (2/22/18).
• “What are weeds to some, it seems, can be food for others,” Kent County News (9/9/17).