Dean Martineau (Baha’i) has been a member of the Baha’i community for over 45 years. Baha’is have no clergy, so members work for the development of the community as their time and talents allow, and as they are elected or appointed to different functions. Dean spent time with the Baha’i of the French West Indies and in Costa Rica, and has occupied a variety of service roles in the U.S. He is originally from Washington State, but has been in Florida for the past seven years, where he met and married partner Judi Behrendt in 2018. In 2025, Dean and Judi moved to Belize, but Dean continues to share his Baha’i wisdom and insights with us.
Reverend Dr. Leslie Rust (Christianity) retired in 2025 from 33 years of active ministry in the Presbyterian Church. He has served mostly smaller congregations where the emphasis has been more on relationships than religion. His spiritual journey has had numerous stops along the way; he is presently in formation as a Lay Cistercian of Gethsemani. Leslie loves to write and blogs at characterinthemaking.com, where he muses about what’s going on within and around him. He is an avid hiker and enjoys being out on the trail, in the camp, or hanging out in a hammock. He considers himself a “blue-collar scholar”, having been to both trade school and graduate school. Leslie is a certified luthier who built a ukulele during the pandemic. He is married to Laura and they have two adult children, Maggie and Scott.
Leslie Zwick (Jewish) is an Orthodox Jewish wife, mother, and heart-centered entrepreneur devoted to bringing more light, healing, and divine connection into the world. Through her work as an energetic and wellness guide, she helps women and men of all backgrounds release old patterns, reconnect to their truth, and align their lives with Source – drawing on Torah wisdom, energy medicine, and intuitive tools. Her mission is to help others embody joy, wholeness, and sacred purpose.
Christopher Tims (Modern Mysticism)
Since 1988, Christopher has shared the Eternal Teachings as a living, practical path of awakening. Rather than a belief system, this work is offered as a way of life that naturally and inevitably dissolves self-limiting ideas, revealing the true nature of Self, God, and reality as consciousness exploring its own limitless creativity. Christopher brings a rare depth and breadth of experience to his teaching. His background spans Ancient Civilizations and Languages, Mystery School traditions, World Religions, Secret Societies, Nutrition, Exercise, Martial Arts, Yoga, Sacred Geometry, and the transformative power of sound. This integrated foundation allows him to guide others with clarity, discernment, and grounded wisdom through the breakthroughs they are seeking. Clairvoyant and clairaudient since childhood, Christopher views these and other subtle abilities not as special powers, but as natural byproducts of conscious union with the One Source.
Nuran Sykes (Muslim) My name is Nuran (Kathryn) Sykes and I'm originally from Cape Town, South Africa. I am from a large Catholic family and reverted to the beautiful religion of Islam 34 years ago. I have been married for 37 years and have four children and five grandchildren. Serving God has been at the forefront of my vision, and today my prayer is that this is being achieved through the interfaith work we do in churches, synagogues, colleges, and civic organizations.
Will Davis (Native American) is part Native American and follows those ways and traditions. He is also Buddhist. Will has been active in his community for over 40 years, and many in the Native and non-Native communities call him Uncle. He is a father and grandfather. His wisdom and knowledge of Native ideology combined with his Buddhist demeanor make him a very entertaining and enlightening speaker.
Shaman Geri Nettesheim (Shamanism) discovered in childhood that she had strong spiritual leanings and has actively explored the role of Spirit in her life. She is intuitive, inquisitive, and inspired, always seeking to understand the interplay between the spiritual and material worlds, and she serves as a conduit for both. Geri’s exploration eventually led her to Shamanism. She became a full mesa carrier and a trained Shaman under the tutelage of Master Mesa Carrier Shannon Davis in the Peruvian Q'ero Shaman lineage. She is also a spiritual teacher, Tarot reader, and medicine healer, and serves on the People of Diversity board.
Swami Shakti Durgaya (Vedic Yoga) was initiated by her Guru, Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati. As a Swami in the Lineage of Neem Karoli Baba, Swami Shakti shares the interfaith teachings of service and living from the compassionate heart. Her passion is to share the teachings of heart awareness with all who seek to learn and know more. She has led Kali Natha Yoga teacher trainings, workshops, and retreats on Kashi Ashram for 25 years. “ I have been blessed to live on our sacred Ashram and to share with all those seeking the essence of the Divine Mother, one heart at a time.”
Oracle Hekataios (Wicca) is a High Priest in several traditions of Wicca and is an interfaith minister who is helping dispel fiction and promote facts on the tenets and practices of Wicca. A former licensed and ordained Christian minister, Oracle has been serving the Goddess since his path veered into Neopaganism and Witchcraft in 2006. He runs his local coven, is the author of "Strix Craft: Ancient Greek Magic for the Modern Witch”, and does readings, book signings, and teaches locally and abroad. Oracle and his husband, Joey, have been married since 2016.
Sensei David Jitsusan Vititoe, Ph.D. (Zen Buddhism) has been practicing Zen Buddhism since 2005 and received Dharma Transmission from Fusho Roshi in 2019. Dave is a Lay Monk in the Open Mind Zen school and is a current member of the Lay Zen Teacher’s Association. In the early 2010's, he volunteered at the Lake County Correctional Facility, teaching meditation and emotional intelligence techniques to inmates in the corrections system. Dave received his Doctorate in physics in 1997 and works as a scientist and engineer building software systems for the U.S. government.