The Board of Directors consists of three to seven member-servant leaders of good standing who were nominated for the Board of Directors by the Member Board Trustees and selected as a Director by the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board is an ordained Awakening Together Minister. The primary purpose of the Board of Directors is to oversee the Member Board Trustees to ensure the Awakening Together purpose and values remain in the highest position of consideration in all organization-level decision making including decisions made in the management of day-to-day affairs.
Our Board of Directors are:
Rev. Joanne Schneider
Joanne has been on a personal spiritual path for quite some time. In 2009, she was ordained through Pathways of Light. In 2016, she was ordained through Awakening Together. She has been involved in Gentle Healing since January 2017. Joanne works as university faculty where one of her roles is to chair a board of researchers who review research for the protection of human subjects. This board considers both safety and ethics. Joanne serves as the Chair-Minister of the Board. She was elected to the Board of Directors in August 2018.
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Norma Clarke
When Norma was a child her mind began to question what she was taught in Sunday School.. “Hell? God is love? He cares for me? He punishes?” Norma’s mother began to study metaphysics. Through this, Norma learned she did not have to believe the teachings of Christianity. Norma cycled through versions of Christianity, reading about Catholic Saints, trying to become a Charismatic Christian, joining a Unity Church, and then one day discovered A Course in Miracles. That proved to be the beginning of change in the way she saw herself and her spiritual life. She also studied Buddhism and Advaita. Now she uses anything that deepens her sense of connection to All That Is. Referring to different paths, Norma says, “It’s all in the mix, all leading to the Truth that I am.” Norma serves as Awakening Together’s Vice Chairperson. Reelected for a second term to the Board of Directors in May 2019.
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Rev. Sherry Daves
Sherry’s journey on the path to remembering her connection to Spirit within began with ACIM in 1999; however, like the story is told so many times, that book got shelved for about ten years when she couldn’t wrap her head around it intellectually. When the book came back into her life again, this time it spoke directly to the heart and spurred a life-long passion and commitment to depth of knowing the inner Divine. Yoga practice, the study of NTI and other Eastern spiritual philosophies have helped deepen her spiritual commitment. She has been a practicing attorney for 25 years, with most of that time dedicated to financial reorganizations and, more recently, assisting nonprofits and grant-writing. She has been an Awakening Together ordained minister since 2016 and currently services as the Secretary of the Board of Directors. Elected to the Board of Directors in March 2017.
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Lisa Hester
A mystical friendship that challenged core beliefs led Lisa to turn to the world of unseen phenomena, Intuition guiding the entire way. The ensuing year-long reflection of quantum theory, mind and meditative sciences, all pointed to one source of principles and power which underlies all creation. So in 2014 she set out to know God, soon landing upon the in-depth spiritual teachings of James Porter Mills. A loving family friend recommended Regina’s New Testament Interpretation, the words giving rise to overwhelming Peace & Divine Love within, instilling Trust and Faith in the process of creation that is God. Yet continued heart-rending suffering being experienced by loved ones finally provoked Lisa’s complete Surrender of body, mind & soul to God, a practice learned thru audio recordings of Regina’s Inner Ramana. By late 2015, she took up incessant contemplative practice inspired by Regina’s Guiding Light exploration of the Book of John. Only a couple months later, early 2016, during Awakening Together’s MPP study of The Spiritual Teaching of Ramana Maharshi, the Universe delivered in glorious fashion a profound spiritual awakening. Hooked, God Consciousness is Lisa’s only passion… to live Life, “to bathe in the fountain of our Divinity!” She serves as Awakening Together’s Treasurer. Elected to the Board of Directors in August 2016.
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Ron Raitz
Ron grew up in a small Georgia town and in a deeply religious Seventh Day Adventist family and almost went into the ministry before becoming disillusioned. He became actively involved with a mega Methodist Church after his two children were born. In 2013 he started his non-religious spiritual journey after unsuccessfully trying to prove his wife was wrong about “all” of the new testament not being the “word of God”. The progression of Neale Walsch, Hay House speakers and A Course In Miracles followed. He started an ACIM group and started working with Jennifer Hadley. Then discovered Inner Ramana and Nisargadatta which changed his path. He felt the Awakening Together platform and core principles most aligned with his practice. He has been a member of three non-profit boards, owns a tax consulting company, is married and has two college age children. Elected to the Board of Directors in May 2019.
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Rev. Toni Fields
Toni was introduced to the idea of God as a child in Catholic school. Although she did not understand all the rituals and rules of the Catholic religion, she did know in her heart there was something that loves unconditionally. This was enough to keep the fire in her heart to want to know more about unconditional love. She did not continue practicing the Catholic faith after high school, but was lead many years later by way of spiritual texts to ACIM, where instantly she recognized a connection to the non-dual message. This lead to teachings from Regina Dawn Akers at Awakening Together. Through the study of many non-dual teachers, she was ordained as an Awakening Together Minister in December 2018. Toni continues to develop spiritual maturity through ongoing non-dual practice in search of truth where unconditional love is reality. Elected to the Board of Directors in May 2019.
