In 2014, the VWBPE Organizational Committee instituted a personal achievement award to recognize an individual who has provided outstanding service to both the field of education and the virtual world community at large.

Our past recipients include:

Many were all around the conference over the past 3 days — still generously sharing and supporting us.

We hope you were able to attend the Above the Book, Catching up with the Thinkerers with Wisdomseeker earlier today.

It’s inspiring how our Thinkerers continue to make such a difference.

They are all true collaborators and leaders. Please give them a round of applause.

The THINKERER AWARD is presented to an individual whose deeds and actions have shown consistent selfless service towards the promotion of learning, community, educational practices, and who exemplifies the spirit of cooperative development within immersive environments.

The recipients of this lifetime achievement award are not simply outstanding professionals in their field, they characterize transformational leadership qualities which:

• envision and guide change;
• enhance the motivation, morale, and performance of others;
• promote best practices and continuous improvement; and
• inspire through their words and actions.

I am so honored to introduce to you, one such individual.

AvaCon currently fiscally sponsors the nonprofit community of practice, Nonprofit Commons in Second Life, where Joyce has been a community leader and host of weekly Friday meetings since October of 2012, and Co-Chairs with Dr. Cynthia Calongne (Lyr Lobo) the NPC Educational committee.

Joyce was surprised that we consider her an educational leader, but it’s clear she is.

In 2007, Joyce began working for the Online Leadership Program at the educational nonprofit Global Kids, the first organization to teach and offer youth educational programs in Linden Lab’s then SL Teen Grid. Joyce helped produce digital media learning content, including a Second Life Curriculum, the RezEd journal, podcasts, and their edu blog holymeatballs.org. She also helped produce many virtual and physical world events, collaborating with the MacArthur Foundation, Sesame Workshop, The Gates Foundation, and more; and worked with a teen-led team to develop the social issue game CONSENT! a first-person, simulation game in Second Life based on Harriet A. Washington’s book Medical Apartheid.

Joyce holds a BFA in Visual Design and is a 2012 graduate of the Singularity University Graduate Studies program, focused on applying exponential technologies to addressing Global Grand Challenges. During this program, she focused on the future of education, held regular working group meetups, and co-founded with a few fellow students the education-focused project Eddefy to help students map their learning journeys.

As her avatar Rhiannon Chatnoir, she co-founded the Vesuvius Group with Jeroen Frans (Frans Charming) to develop web applications and build immersive environments for community-building and learning with client projects for the World Bank, California Academy of Science, NY Department of Ed, Georgia Tech University, Arizona State University and more, and has organized numerous social good online events, including the Virtual Haiti Relief campaign within Second Life that helped raise earthquake relief awareness and $10,000 USD in virtual micro transactions.

In addition, along with her AvaCon co-founder Chris Collins (Fleep Tuque), Joyce/Rhiannon was one of the initial group of people that helped establish the VWBPE eighteen years ago. Phelan noted what a great help she was in that foundational group.

Joyce continues to use her time and talents to create content and design immersive experiences; convene community events that teach technology skills; and organize communities focused on social good and learning online and in Second Life, OpenSimulator, and other virtual worlds.

Find more info about Joyce and her work:
https://about.me/joycebettencourt
https://avacon.org
https://nonprofitcommons.avacon.org
https://conference.opensimulator.org

It is for all these reasons, and more, that the VWBPE Organizational Committee proudly confirms Joyce Bettencourt/Rhiannon Chatnoir as the VWBPE 2025 Thinkerer Award recipient.