Consulting Practice
Working together for over 25 years, we are a husband and wife team of insightful and compassionate professionals, trained and equipped to assist in personal and family development toward optimal well-being.
Geoffrey “Ba” Luvmour and Josette Luvmour, co-founders of Summa Institute, each bring more than 25 years of professional experience to their positions. Together they created Natural Learning Relationships, a unique and powerful formulation of human development and family systems, with wide ranging applications in education (curriculum and pedagogy), family relationships (inclusive of all family members), social justice (from environmental education to prejudice) and community empowerment. Their work has garnered international acclaim from professionals and parents alike. They have presented at national and international conference. They bring 21 years of board and business management experience. Between them they have authored six books and numerous articles on a wide range of education and family-centered subjects.
Ba received his MA from University of California, Sonoma State in 1983. A respected family and organizational consultant, he regularly appears on radio programs in Oregon. Ba is well known for supporting human service agencies and schools in Portland. He is currently Director of Summa Academy and Master Teacher.
Josette received her PhD from the Fielding Graduate University in 2009. For her dissertation research, Josette did a study on adult development when the adult meets the child’s developmental needs. Her study showed that adult development is significant in adults who make sustained intentional efforts to use child development practices along with engaging critical self-inquiry. The results showed several themes in adult development: (a) adult cognitive development, (b) adult emotional development, (c) development of adult well-being, and (c) the emergence of wisdom. She is currently Director of Professional and Family Development at Summa Institute as well as conducting a Private Consulting Practice in Portland, Oregon.
Josette and Ba have pioneered the field of whole family experiential learning and created many successful programs that have touched thousands of families. Ba and Josette have collectively published six books. They wrote four of those books together, two on Natural Learning Relationships and two on Cooperative Games and Activities, one of which won the Parents Choice award. In addition, they have spoken at numerous conferences, published many articles, and trained professional staff so those professionals can use Natural Learning Relationships in their work with children.
Josette and Ba live together in Portland, Oregon (with their poodle, Robinson) and they enjoy living in close proximity to their children and two lovely granddaughters.