--- title: "Gary Baran - Center for Nonviolent Communication" description: "Gary Baran" url: "https://www.cnvc.org/trainers/deceased/gary-baran" date: "2026-09-18T08:16:52+00:00" language: "en-US" --- ![Gary Baran portrait](https://www.cnvc.org/images/portraits/certified-trainers/Gary-Baran.jpeg) # We honor the memory of: # Gary Baran M.A., Philosophy | M.A., Educational Psychology: Counseling and Guidance | California-licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for 35 Years (Retired) Year of death: 2024 United States English Certified Trainer from 1998 to 2024 ### Message from CNVC #### Remembering Gary Baran: *07-Jan-2024* - We are saddened by the passing of **Gary Baran**, a widely-known member of the Nonviolent Communication community. Gary became a certified trainer in 1998, and also served as executive director for 8 years (1998-2006), a board member, and a member of the IIT Resource Team. His commitment and service to our mission, and his support and partnership with Marshall Rosenberg, have been invaluable. He helped CNVC become a thriving organization and helped NVC to become more visible and relevant in the world. In his own words, Gary lived in service of a vision of “a world in which the needs of all people are honored, in which the abundant resources of our planet are both respected and also flow freely so as to reliably meet those needs, and in which people resolve their conflicts peacefully.” In May 2023, Gary wrote, “[NVC and Social Change](https://orncc.net/article/nvc-and-social-change),” sharing his understanding of the potential of Nonviolent Communication to contribute to his vision. While Executive Director, he aimed to connect 1-on-1 with every Certified Trainer (around 60 at the time), and engage them in decision-making and active participation. He nurtured the international trainers email forum before there was social media or video conference meetings, which was vital to building the community. Among his many contributions to the field, he will certainly be remembered for his widely-used resource, “[10 Things You Can Do To Contribute To Internal, Interpersonal, & Organizational Peace](https://www.authenticcommunicationgroup.com/10-things-you-can-do-to-contribute-to-internal-interpersonal-organizational-peace/)”. This list provides a clear reflection of Gary’s deep understanding and dedication to the principles of Nonviolent Communication. Gary was a professor of philosophy at Los Angeles City College and worked as a marriage and family therapist for 35 years. We extend our condolences to Gary’s wife and two children, friends, and all who had the pleasure of knowing him. We remember his kindness, his thoughtful leadership, and the significant difference he made in the world and in the lives of those he touched. Thank you Gary! [CNVC Board](https://www.cnvc.org/about/board) (Ted, Stephanie , Martha, Matthew, Manasi Kanya, and Amal), and Executive Director ([Jeff](https://www.cnvc.org/about/staff/jeff-brown)) # Trainer's profile #### From Gary's obituary: Gary Baran died on 01-Jan-2024 following months of treatment for esophageal cancer. He was in his home surrounded by his family (see [obituary](https://app.bluebutterfly.com/memorial/v2/gary-baran)). Gary was born in Chicago, Illinois (U.S.) in 1943 to Irwin and Esther Baran. During his formative years his family lived in veteran’s housing projects, where he regularly interacted with people from a wide variety of backgrounds and had experiences which laid the foundation for his life-long interest in peace and social justice. He earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Northwestern University and a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he met his future wife Lynne Baran. He went on to teach philosophy at the University of Wisconsin, California State University (where he earned a second master’s degree in Educational Psychology: Counseling and Guidance) and Los Angeles City College. While at LACC, he was active in faculty associations, serving as Treasurer and then President of the Academic Senate. He helped organize collective bargaining for the faculty and then served several years as chapter chair of the faculty union (the AFT College Guild) and was a member of the Guild’s contract negotiation team. Gary was also a licensed marriage and family therapist and a Certified Trainer of Nonviolent Communication. ![Gary Baran and Marshall Rosenberg](https://www.cnvc.org/images/Jeff/Gary-Marshall-1999.jpg) *Gary with Marshall Rosenberg in November 1999 at a fundraising event in Sedona, Arizona (U.S.)* --- He married Lynne Varco in 1981 and became a stepfather to her two children, Andy and Courtney Shanely. Lynne and Gary had two children of their own, Emily Baran and Jordan Baran. After 27 years as a professor at LACC he resigned that position to devote all of his energy to being the Executive Director of the Center for Nonviolent Communication, a position he held for nearly 8 years. In 2006 the family moved from Southern California to Eugene, Oregon, where Gary was active in the Oregon Old Time Fiddlers Association and other music groups, playing banjo, fiddle and occasionally guitar, and offered training in Nonviolent Communication to a wide variety of groups, including inmates at the Oregon State Penitentiary where he volunteered for several years, and in the University of Oregon Substance Abuse and Prevention Program. For eight years he was a member of the board of directors of the [Oregon Network for Compassionate Communication](https://orncc.net/). He and Lynne considered themselves very fortunate to live in Eugene where they found many kindred spirits. Gary is survived by his wife, Lynne Baran, children Emily Baran and Jordan Baran; step children Courtney Gustin and Andy Shanely; his grandchildren, Lumin and Olin Jacobson; his bother Richard Baran; and many loving friends. #### Gary's bio while he was active: I envision a world in which the needs of all people are honored, in which the abundant resources of our planet are both respected and also flow freely so as to reliably meet those needs, and in which people resolve their conflicts peacefully. I strive to live in harmony with the principles of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and to offer NVC training to the public and to those organizations and institutions that resonate with those principles. I also provide counseling and consulting services to individuals and groups, and help to contribute to the spread of NVC by serving as a member of the board of directors of the Oregon Network for Compassionate Communication. I have a special affinity for educators, having been a professor of philosophy for thirty-five years, and with parents and mental health professionals, having been a marriage and family therapist for the same length of time — and a co-parent of two for over twenty-five years. I also have a special affinity for those who are responsible for organizational leadership, having served as executive director of the Center for Nonviolent Communication (CNVC) for nearly eight years, and am especially eager to contribute to the work of social activists. I live in Eugene, Oregon, USA and, since COVID-19 and for health reasons, I limit training and consulting to Zoom. ### Related - [ **Darold Milligan** ](https://www.cnvc.org/trainers/deceased/darold-milligan) - [ **Milli O'Nair** ](https://www.cnvc.org/trainers/deceased/milli-onair) - [ **Verena Jegher** ](https://www.cnvc.org/trainers/deceased/verena-jegher) - [ **Isolde Teschner** ](https://www.cnvc.org/trainers/deceased/isolde-teschner) - [ **Inbal Kashtan** ](https://www.cnvc.org/trainers/deceased/inbal-kashtan) - [ **Jared Finkelstein** ](https://www.cnvc.org/trainers/deceased/jared-finkelstein) - [ **Robert Maoz Kržišnik** ](https://www.cnvc.org/trainers/deceased/robert-maoz-krzisnik) - [ **Robert Gonzales** ](https://www.cnvc.org/trainers/deceased/robert-gonzales) - [ **Dorset Campbell-Ross** ](https://www.cnvc.org/trainers/deceased/dorset-campbell-ross) - [ **Vajrasara Annie Rankin** ](https://www.cnvc.org/trainers/deceased/vajrasara-annie-rankin) - [ **Jean-François Lecocq** ](https://www.cnvc.org/trainers/deceased/jean-francois-lecocq) - [ **Jim Manske** ](https://www.cnvc.org/trainers/deceased/jim-manske) - [ **Haruno Ogasawara** ](https://www.cnvc.org/trainers/deceased/haruno-ogasawara) Share this page: - [](mailto:?body=Hi%20check%20out%20this%20trainer%21&subject=Check%20out%20this%20Certified%20Trainer%20with%20the%20Center%20for%20Nonviolent%20Communication%21) - [](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnvc.org%2Ftrainers%2Fdeceased%2Fgary-baran "Share on Facebook") - [](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnvc.org%2Ftrainers%2Fdeceased%2Fgary-baran "Share on Whatsapp") - [](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnvc.org%2Ftrainers%2Fdeceased%2Fgary-baran&text= "Share on Twitter") - [](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnvc.org%2Ftrainers%2Fdeceased%2Fgary-baran "Share on Linkedin") - [](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnvc.org%2Ftrainers%2Fdeceased%2Fgary-baran "share on Pinterest") ### TRAINING FOCUS: - Conflict Resolution - Counseling & Coaching - Education - Mind-Body-Spirit - Parenting & Family - Social Change I am especially eager to contribute to the work of social activists, those who are actively engaged in helping to transform our culture into one that is more peaceful and honors the needs of all. ![](https://www.cnvc.org/templates/yootheme/assets/images/consent_placeholder_map.svg) ![](https://www.cnvc.org/templates/yootheme/assets/images/consent_icon_openstreetmap.svg)OpenStreetMap service required to load this map. ![](https://www.cnvc.org/templates/yootheme/assets/images/consent_icon_openstreetmap.svg)OpenStreetMap service required to load this map.