WE ARE creatives, change makers, artists, & entrepreneurs.
WE ARE a media company and social platform at the intersection of creativity and social change.
WE ARE a community space to gather, innovate, collaborate, and get to work.
WE ARE creating the new creative economy.
WE ARE CTLST*s.

Now more than ever, humanity needs to imagine and create new systems and economies. We need a big idea studio, a community, a truly innovative and collaborative network led by creatives, artists, and those passionate, big-thinkers and dreamers in society who will fight to bring about change. The avant-garde of society is being called to step in. To build a network of people that helps catalyze this new shift into a more caring, collaborative, sustainable, creative world.

Together, we are an unstoppable CTLST*.

Meet Our Team

Urs Baur

Urs has 20+ years of experience from brand development and communications, developing and guiding strategic communications initiatives for global brands, and is also the co-founder of several companies and organizations, most recently Energizing Co., an international development and financing platform providing sustainable, community scale energy infrastructure in cities across North America. CTLST* manifests the next step in what he’s been passionate about over his career to date. He trusts in the combined power of technology, design, and storytelling to inform, empower, and inspire better communities.

Ron Hirt

Ron ran his own company, Primary Color, for 35 years with multiple locations, employing 350 people with his responsibility being client facing engagement and revenue generation.

His entrepreneurial determination has led him to CTLST*. Here, Ron gets to think about how he can challenge himself to do what’s right and be gutsy, while collaborating with peers and building a company from scratch. At the same time, I am involved with financial models, strategic road maps and company processes and investment opportunities. Above all, I stand by my team and make sure they have the tools to succeed.

Jess Dervin-Ackerman

Jess is a political strategist, community builder, and dedicated spiritual practitioner. She has spent the last 15 years working to bring about social change by building people power through grassroots organizing.

Jess has managed national digital organizing campaigns during 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, most recently working for Marianne Williamson and Tom Steyer. She has done work with 350.org, Sierra Club, Democratic Socialists of America, 350 Bay Area, and has consulted with community based organizations, wellness businesses, and entrepreneurs around online and offline network building and strategy.

Silvia Guyer

Silvia has over thirty years of experience in marketing, branding and interior design. Currently, presides over two boutique hotels in Switzerland. Born in Switzerland, however a citizen of the world, trying to make an impact and help form the future in a meaningful way. 

Lives between Europe and California, but happy to be stranded in the City of Angels for the next months

Susan van Daal

Susan van Daal has been a PR and communication consultant for over 10 years and specializes in community building. Another vector of her work is being an Ayurvedic practitioner and sharing healing practices with people to improve their wellness. She is passionate about learning from ancient wisdom and indigenous practices to innovate and improve the quality of life for the new society we are currently creating. Innovation in this new reality might mean going back and integrating structures from the past. Can we remove our borders, open up our yards and live as one family?

Tony Wells

Tony grew up in Orange County during the Reagan era, getting a front-row seat at the moment when the American experiment started to become derailed by a new strain of right-wing ideology that’s both virulent and politically effective, and which has held sway in this country to this day. That ideology has made him worried for his kids’ futures and excited to be involved in CTLST*. Tony brings his 20+ year career as an advertising creative - ready to put it to better use telling the stories of those who are working to change this country, and the world, and put it on a more enlightened, more egalitarian, and more sustainable path. And to help persuade other creatives that they too can help bring about change.

Kate Grasso

Kate Grasso is an entrepreneur, poet, innovator and muse-led devotee of Love. She’s the founder of The Joy Agency L.A, a conscious creative agency serving B Corps and exceptional brands & humans worldwide. She’s the founder and vision holder of poetsareprophets.com. She lives, prays and plays in Topanga, CA.

Do Ras

Do is an activist and event photographer based in Los Angeles; photographing performances, exhibitions, events, fundraisers and talks across the city. Clients: Hauser & Wirth, LAXART, Fowler Museum, ICA LA, Hammer Museum, MOCA, Geffen, Joan Gallery, The Armory, Neutra VDL House, MAK Schindler House, WCCW, Quotidian and Over The Influence Gallery.

Neil Feineman

For the past 40 years, Neil Feineman has chronicled subcultures on the cusp of going mainstream, from indie films and alt-rock to skating, DIY publishing, and, perhaps my favorite, electronic music. His work on magazines such as Beach Culture and Raygun and books such as Geek Chic are efforts he remains proud of. The live-streams make the days go by.