We help envision, plan, design, and implement land-based projects by drawing on natural patterns that inspire our whole systems approach to land use. At each project site we study the patterns in the landscape, listen to the stories of the people who live there, and explore the possibilities that can emerge from thoughtful, place-based design.
Our process is active and collaborative: we work directly on the land with clients and land stewards, shaping projects through dialogue, hands on-design, and mentorship.
At Porvenir Design, we continue to deepen our practice in permaculture design, regenerative development, and agricultural food systems through direct experimentation on our own projects, collaboration with local practitioners, and the ongoing development of practical educational experiences. We share this knowledge through client work courses, and mentorship processes, both on and off project sites.
Our team is committed to practicing what we teach and building a business rooted in the work we believe in. We work to create more time outside, more doing what we love, more autonomy, more abundance, more connection, more life.
The Team
Scott Gallant
scottgallant@porvenirdesign.com
Scott Gallant is a permaculture designer and educator with over 15 years of experience working predominantly in Central America.
He is the co-founder of Porvenir Design. After graduating from Wabash College in 2008 with a degree in Economics he became the farm manager at Rancho Mastatal for nine years before founding PD. As an educator, he prides himself on the clear and concise teaching of complex ideas. He has co-facilitated over 25 PDCs and more recently created an online Syntropic Farming Primer course.
His expertise lies in helping clients understand the potential of their land, growing food using syntropic farming, and using the principles of permaculture to care for the land.
Today Scott splits his time between Costa Rica and southern Italy, where he is developing a small farm project. In his free time he is a daily reader, writes poetry, calls his nieces and drinks lots of tea.
You can find him on Instagram here and you can find his short self published book of poems, Empty Pockets, here.
Sam Kenworthy
samkenworthy@porvenirdesign.com
Sam Kenworthy is a water systems enthusiast and landscape manager with over fifteen years of experience in the tropics. He has experience designing and developing homestead sites of all sizes, educational centers, farm operations, and beyond. Sam has created educational curriculums for students and practitioners of all ages, particularly focused on environmental conservation, practical skill building, and applied research. Originally from the east coast of the United States, Sam currently resides on his family homestead on the southern Pacific coast of the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica.
Dedicated to continued learning and improving his skill sets, Sam is passionate about whole systems design, context appropriate water management, generating more and better yields, and well executed design for human eco-systems. Experienced in working in a wide variety of environments, he enjoys the challenge and process of designing around difficult landscapes. Sam holds a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Political Science and Hispanic Studies.
Hugo Soto
hugosoto@porvenirdesign.com
Hugo began his path in permaculture in 2012, guided by a deep curiosity about organic agriculture and a desire to reconnect with both people and place. Born in San José, Costa Rica, he first made his mark by promoting urban permaculture—transforming city spaces into edible gardens and community hubs rooted in native plants.
Over the years, Hugo has integrated regenerative thinking into his planning approach, complementing his design work with training in methodologies for designing social structures. His work reflects a commitment to systems thinking, ecological resilience, and meaningful community engagement through work and educational experiences.
Now based in Pérez Zeledón, in southern Costa Rica, Hugo is focused on education, site-based learning, and cultivating collaborative living. In 2025, he began stewarding a small farm—a hands-on project to deepen his skills as a practitioner and further explore place-based solutions. In this new chapter, Hugo continues to seek ways of living and working that regenerate the land and strengthen relationships within the community.
Dani Mekler
danimekler@porvenirdesign.com
Daniela is learning and working in art, education, and land-based projects. She holds a master’s degree in Art, Education, and Community Practice and has experience facilitating workshops and educational programs in museums and cultural institutions—activating these spaces as dynamic sites for learning and exchange.
She was introduced to permaculture by the Porvenir Design team in 2020 and is deeply invested in continuing to put these guiding principles into practice, both personally and professionally.
Daniela is committed to exploring the connections and possibilities that emerge at the intersection of nature, creative practice, and community work. Her approach is grounded in participatory processes that center collective care. She enjoys making things with her hands, creating maps and processing information, listening to music, and going for walks.
Alberto Koberg
betokoberg@porvenirdesign.com
Alberto, aka Veto, studied Construction Engineering, but being the son of a biologist he has been in contact with nature, intrigued and amazed by it since a very young age. This led him to work for seven years at SPHERA Sostenible as Project Manager for lower impact construction projects which incorporated sustainability elements. While researching more sustainable ways of living he took the Permaculture Design Course with Porvenir Design in 2018 and since then has been incorporating and practicing permaculture principles into his life, finally shifting from engineering to permaculture design in 2023.
Alberto is passionate about ecology, relationships between living organisms and natural processes, and is determined to understand nature and life itself better. Through the lens of permaculture he hopes to improve the way in which humans interact with nature and (re)integrate the human environment with the natural environment. Alberto enjoys spending time in nature, whether in his home garden, hiking in the mountains or surfing. He also enjoys mycology and birdwatching in his free time.