Co-founder, Institute of Ecotechnics. Director
Treasurer Emerita, Institute of Ecotechnics (US). President and CFO Emerita, and Director, Global Ecotechnics Corporation (NM). Ecological Project Development. Co-founder and Original Owner Synergia Ranch. General Manager Emerita, and Resident Artist, Synergia Ranch LLC, Ecology and Retreat Center (NM). Former CFO and Director, Biosphere 2 Project 

Marie Harding. Co-founder, Institute of Ecotechnics. Director, Treasurer Emerita, Institute of Ecotechnics (US). President and CFO Emerita, and Director, Global Ecotechnics Corporation (NM). Ecological Project Development. Co-founder and Original Owner (1969–2012), General Manager Emerita, and Resident Artist, Synergia Ranch LLC, Ecology and Retreat Center (NM). Former CFO and Director, Biosphere 2 Project (Arizona).

Marie Harding, widely known as “Flash,” is a founding member of the Institute of Ecotechnics and one of the central figures in the history and development of Synergia Ranch. Together with John Allen,
she co-founded Synergia Ranch LLC in 1969 and has dedicated more than five decades to the growth, continuity, and stewardship of the Institute’s projects and communities.

Over the course of her career, Marie has served in numerous roles including director, financial officer, builder, organizer, and operational manager. Most recently, she retired from her formal position as General Manager and Director of Operations at Synergia Ranch after more than fifty-five years of continuous service. Her work helped shape the ranch into an internationally recognized center for ecological experimentation, interdisciplinary dialogue, and long-term collaborative living. Marie also played a pioneering role in the creation of the RV Heraclitus, serving both as a builder and as the vessel’s first captain. The Heraclitus became one of the Institute’s most ambitious and enduring projects, undertaking global expeditions focused on ecological systems, oceans, culture, and human adaptation.

Known for her practical intelligence, perseverance, and deep institutional memory, Marie carried much of the operational and organizational continuity that sustained Synergia Ranch and related projects across generations. Her contribution extends beyond administration into the physical and cultural fabric of the ranch itself.

Alongside her ecological and organizational work, Marie has maintained a lifelong parallel practice as a painter since the 1960s. Her work has been exhibited in a variety of settings, and she created several major mural projects for the Caravan of Dreams, including murals on the History of Jazz and Blues, Planetary Dances, and theatrical productions presented at the venue. Her paintings remain an integral part of the visual atmosphere of Synergia Ranch, where original works are displayed throughout the Retreat Center and residences.

Although retired from formal management, Marie continues to live at Synergia Ranch and remains an important elder presence within the community, offering historical perspective, guidance, and
counsel to younger generations carrying the work forward.