Team
Meet the hospitality veterans, real estate development professionals and award-winning conservationists behind Playa Viva.
The Playa Viva project is headed by husband and wife team David Leventhal and Sandra Kahn, developers of
Casa Viva Troncones, a popular B&B located 30 minutes north of Zihautanejo/Ixtapa. David and Sandra founded
Rainforest2Reef, a preserve in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula protecting over 350,000 acres of jaguar habitat.
David Leventhal
David is currently Principal of Playa Viva LLC; prior to Playa Viva, David was co-founder of Dexterra, Inc. a successful venture-funded mobile enterprise software company. His extensive sales and marketing background with companies such as Buzzsaw.com, Autodesk, Home Box Office, and Whittle Communication provides a solid foundation to better understand the needs of Playa Viva customers. As co-founder of Rainforest2Reef, David established the organizational infrastructure and much of its innovative use of technology to acquire and manage its members.
Sandra Kahn
Sandra was born and raised in Mexico City and graduated with honors from the Autonomous University of Mexico. She received her Masters Degree from the University of the Pacific in San Francisco. She runs two orthodontic practices in the Bay Area and is mother to two young children. Today, Sandra is involved in the Rainforest2Reef partner, Women Planting Trees. Sandra's main interest is in community development in Mexico especially organic agriculture and reforestation work with women and children.
Dr. Gerardo Ceballos
Dr. Gerardo Ceballos is a biology professor with the National University of Mexico. Dr. Ceballos is responsible for overseeing the development and management of Playa Viva's private reserve and conservation efforts for the land's flora and fauna. He was recently awarded the prestigious
Whitley Award for his excellence in the field of conservation.
Ayrie Cunliffe
Ayrie is an architect and engineer, with extensive design experience spanning a 30-year career. Ayrie specializes in integrated, organic design, incorporating natural materials and site context. Ayrie is the master designer for Playa Viva, leading the Regenerative Architecture team.
Michel Lewis
Michel Lewis is an architect based in Tepoztlan, Mexico, specializing in ecological design and building. For over 20 years, his firm has constructed hotels, schools, restaurants and private residences throughout Mexico, including David Leventhal and Sandra Kahn's
Casa Viva Troncones.
David Miller, Ph.D., LEED AP
David Miller, Ph.D. is project manager for Playa Viva and a Certified LEED Accredited Professional. David heads key project components including the energy systems and LEED certification. David earned his Ph.D. in physics from UC Berkeley. Prior to joining the Playa Viva team David worked on probabilistic catastrophe simulation modeling for insurance and reinsurance companies.
Michael Ogden
Michael Ogden is the founding director and principal engineer for NSI, a firm that provides comprehensive engineering services in the area of low cost, energy efficient natural systems, using the natural ecologies of ponds, marshes, prairies, grasslands, woodlands and forests. Under Michael's direction, NSI has worked internationally on more than 500 projects and specializes in the implementation of natural treatment system designs using native plant species. Michael is co-author of the book "Constructed Wetlands in the Sustainable Landscape".
Bill Reed
Bill Reed, our advisor, is an internationally-recognized figure in the sustainable architecture movement. Bill is president of the Integrative Design Collaborative - a consulting organization working to integrate green building design practice with living systems. He is also a principal of Regenesis, a regenerative planning firm and an associate of the strategic environmental planning firm Natural Logic. His work centers on managing and creating the framework for the integrative, whole-systems design process; emphasizing building evolutionary capability in design, construction, and engagement with our environment.
Tim Murphy
Tim Murphy is a founding member of Regenesis, with over two decades of experience in whole-system site assessment and environmental planning. A pioneer in permaculture education and design, Tim specializes in integrated, regenerative design for largescale projects. Tim oversees Playa Viva's permaculture regeneration efforts.
Odin Ruz
Odin is an innovative permacultura designer with diverse
experience from teaching conservation to indigenous farmers in the
Sierra Madre Mountains to designing a composting system for all of
Mexico City. At Playa Viva he is working to regenerate the Nature
Preserve. Raised at Huehuecoyotl, Mexico's oldest ecovillage, he has deep roots in the country's environmental movement.
Denise Ryan
Denise Ryan is our VP of Marketing. Founder of Santa Cruz, California-based Blue Marble Marketing, Denise is widely recognised for her ability to successfully launch new ventures. Denise's expertise in the conscious-consumer target allows her to quickly match the Playa Viva vision to urgent market needs and deliver effective market strategies.
Sadie Kaufman
Sadie Kaufman is Director of Sales for Playa Viva. Sadie was raised on The Farm, an intentional community in Tennessee, and she embodies many of the principles behind Playa Viva. Sadie is a graduate of Columbia University and has honed her communication and marketing skills heading successful fundraising campaigns for numerous environmental and education organizations. She is not your typical real estate sales person, that's for sure, but she is definitely the right person to attract and retain the right members for this intentional resort community.
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Metatepetl: Bringing the Archaeological Site at Playa Viva to Life!
by David Miller
Odin Ruz, our permaculture expert, has been working magic on the land at Playa Viva. Odin has been clearing the archaeological site, paying careful attention to only work the land for agric... Read this full entry
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Three Shades of Green: Wild, Welcoming and Wintry
Summer 2008 - BeE Woman Magazine... Read this full entry
Playa Viva Press Kit: Click here to download PDF.
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Communal Spaces &
Guest Services
