Maureen Pelton, Co-Founder, ShiftIt Institute

Charlie Hartwell, Managing Director, Bridge Builders Collaborative

Listen to hear Maureen and Charlie’s personal stories of transformation that brought them to the work they do in the world. They each use their unique skills and gifts to support a common mission - to be of service to something bigger than themselves and shift systems.

They also share how they set intentions to live in harmony and connection with each other.

Maureen’s mystical presence emerged in her younger years as a Catholic, with a fierce devotion to “God,” but she quickly outgrew the external forms of religion. When Maureen was about to enter her senior year of College, she had to have a risky surgery that could potentially take her life.

The night before as she contemplated her options, Maureen entered such a deep state of surrender, it opened her up to the truth of oneness and then beyond. Maureen describes this presence as the cosmic mother, or unconditional love. She vowed in that moment to make her life an offering, and a service to that energy… then had a miraculous recovery from the surgery.

This experience sent her on a quest to understand what happened. She pivoted from her intended course of study in Law, to pursue an advanced degree in the Social Sciences. She started meditating, doing yoga, and studied dozens of modalities from spiritual, psychological and neurological traditions. Being a change agent, integrating systems theory and intuition, she pioneered courses, programs and retreats for Universities, healthcare systems, and corporations.

Her desire to transmit her mystical abilities to others led her down the path of mastering many healing modalities. Using these modalities she facilitates self exploration, and asks the right questions to help her clients trust their own wisdom. Equipped with many tools,

Maureen shifts paradigms wherever she goes. She has been described as a force of nature, who is powerfully wise and loving, blessed with the transformational capacity to see far beyond this physical world.

When she is not helping others cast out the repetitive loop of doubts and old stories, to become more fully embodied and live in love... you can find her spending time with horses, out in nature, hiking, getting people together for game night, doing yoga, traveling and enjoying time with Charlie.

Charlie started his first business, H&H Headquarters, in 2nd grade. He sold lemonade, made crafts and did odd jobs, and he’s been an avid entrepreneur ever since. He took a traditional path through Wall Street and Harvard Business School, but his post graduate work for major corporations left him unfulfilled. He left to help small businesses, and start new ones. One of these startups was the first for profit business expedition company in US history. The company promoted the Bancroft Arnesen expedition, the first ever all female crossing of the Antarctic Continent. The team used the expedition to empower girls and women to follow their dreams. This campaign generated 2.2 billion media impressions, and was endorsed by

Apple, CNN, Volvo, Motorola and the Girl Scouts. Charlie’s spiritual awakening began when he lost his grandfather and father in a 2 year period when his business was failing and his marriage died. This opened him up to the deeper calling of the universe. His spiritual awakening was amplified by meeting Maureen.

Their sacred union echoed Maureen’s dedication to be of service to love; ShiftIt is an extension of that love. Charlie is the “collaborative glue” of Bridge Builders, a group of investors focused on mental wellness, consciousness and spirituality based startups. He is a bottom up leader that empowers entrepreneurs, spiritual leaders, scientists, teams, and organizations. He connects businesses to ideas, people and resources, and major growth follows.

When he is not investing, consulting, writing, speaking or growing companies, you can find Charlie playing hockey, guitar, singing, recording albums, taking photos, or spending time with Maureen traveling and in nature.