Seminary
Faculty
Our faculty is one of the most experienced educational staff in Interfaith/Interspiritual Education.
Seminary Director
Rev. Dr. Melissa Stewart, Seminary Director
Rev. Dr. Melissa Stewart, DMin, LCSW-R, is an Interspiritual Minister, educator, and group facilitator. She mindfully cultivates an Interspiritual sensibility that requires an embodied and deeply related form of interpersonal engagement, affirms global interconnection, and supports anti-oppressive awareness, advocacy, and action. Melissa is also a spiritually attuned oncology social worker and supervisor. She promotes spirituality in medical care, particularly with people impacted by cancer and their loved ones. Melissa's dissertation, Living Into the Questions: Augmenting Oncology Social Work Practice through Spiritual Location and Deeper Inquiry, integrates social work and spirituality. She lives in New York City with her wife.
Seminary First-Year Deans
Rev. Dr. Curtis Jefferson, First-Year Dean
Rev. Dr. Curtis Jefferson is an ordained interfaith/interspiritual minister, certified meditation teacher, Usui Reiki master, and professional educator. He is a graduate of One Spirit Seminary and perpetual student of nature. As a lifelong musician, Curtis infuses music and movement as core elements of his spiritual practice, including daily chanting and body prayer (both practices that he returned to during his seminary studies). He holds a doctorate degree in education from Northeastern University, where his research focused on the process and experience of identity formation during professional training. Originally from North Dakota, Curtis lives just north of Seattle, Washington, with members of his chosen family (including his playful and loving rescue pup, Fin).
Rev. Dr. Deb Berman, DMin, LCSW, First-Year Dean
Rev. Deb (she/her) joins One Spirit from her home in Amsterdam, Netherlands. A licensed holistic and integrative psychotherapist in online sprivate practice, Rev. Deb is also the founder of PrideMinistry, an international online spiritual, life, and relationship coaching and counseling practice. PrideMinistry serves a diverse range of seekers, including those who identify as LGBTQAI2+, polyamorous, non-monogamous, kink, sex workers, straightfolx, allies, and beyond. Rev. Deb holds a Master’s degree from Columbia University’s School of Social Work and a Doctorate in Ministry in Pastoral Counseling and Clinical Education from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Her groundbreaking dissertation, “Understanding the Spiritual and Faith Community Needs of People in Alternative Relationships,” was the first study to explore the intersection of alternative relationships and spiritual communities. Rev. Deb is an ordained Interfaith minister through One Spirit and facilitates the institution’s Alt Faith Collective affinity group. With a distinguished career in organizational leadership, she has served as Director of Behavioral Health at Interfaith Hospital in New York City and Director of Social Work and Clinical Services at the National Jewish Council for Disabilities. Alongside her clinical work and coaching practice, she is a liturgy, leadership, and lifecycle advisor to clergy and faith communities seeking to become more understanding or more affirming of diverse sexualities, genders, and relationship/kinship structures. Rev. Deb has spoken at over 200 professional conferences and workshops and continues to mentor and supervise master’s and PhD students, psychotherapists, spiritual counselors, health and wellness professionals, clergy, seminary students, mental health counselors, and sex educators.
Rev. Nathan DeMay, First-Year Dean
Rev. Nathan DeMay is an ordained Interfaith Interspiritual minister and graduate of OneSpirit Seminary in New York City. He is also a certified Church Executive and has a certificate in Companion Animal End-of-Life Doula work from the University of Vermont Professional Certificate program. He is multilingual and holds a BS in International Business from Illinois State University. Having been enchanted by the natural world his entire life, he loves animals and the environment. Nathan offers ministerial services to anyone needing them in the metro-Chicago area. He lives in the Western Chicagoland Suburbs with his husband, Rob and their wonderful rescue beagles Charlie and Piper.
Rev. Rachel Hollander, First-Year Dean
Rev Rachel Hollander is a speaker, teacher, writer, performer, podcaster, singer/song-writer, officiate, performance interpreter, and full-time minister. She was born into a musical theatre family and has been performing since the age of 4. She has shared her music and message across the country from Cleveland to New York City to San Francisco to Boise, Idaho and – for several years – while living in Anchorage, Alaska. Rev Rachel was ordained at One Spirit as an InterFaith/InterSpiritual minister in 2009 and received her graduate degree in Theological and Pastoral Studies in 2022. To learn about about her book, podcast, and more, please visit her website at: https://www.revrachelhollander.com/
Rev. Dr. Salome Raheim, First-Year Dean
Rev. Dr. Salome Raheim is an Interfaith Interspiritual Minister and 1st Year Dean at One Spirit Interfaith Seminary. She is a leadership and spiritual coach and an organizational consultant and trainer. She is passionate about actualizing the depths of human potential for caring, compassion, connection, healing, and justice. She has more than 40 years of experience in higher education, is Dean Emeritus at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work, and Professor Emeritus at the University at Albany—SUNY School of Social Welfare. Among her areas of expertise are promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEI&B), addressing implicit bias, and implementing practices in organizations to foster wellbeing. During her career, she has led two schools of social work (University of Connecticut and University of Iowa) in organization-wide, multi-year change initiatives to increase DEI&B. Rev. Dr. Raheim’s commitment to creating more just and healthy organizations has taken her across the United States and to four continents to deliver presentations and provide training and consultation to schools, universities, nonprofit organizations, governmental organizations, and businesses. Recent clients include Georgetown University; Office of the County Executive and Department of Children, Youth and Families, Albany, NY; Liberty Healthcare Corporation; National Association of Social Workers; and LiveWell Dementia Specialists in Connecticut. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Rev. Dr. Raheim received ordination from One Spirit (www.1Spirit.org), holds the PhD in Communication Studies from the University of Iowa, MSW from Catholic University of America, MA in Integrative Health and Healing from The Graduate Institute, and BSW from Bowie State University, a historically black college. She is a certified mindfulness and chair yoga instructor.
Rev. Sarah Bowen, First-Year Dean
Rev Sarah Bowen is a co-founder of Compassion Consortium―the first interfaith, interspiritual, and interspecies community. Passionate about the application of spiritual values to multispecies justice, she teaches interspecies mindfulness practices, companions humans during loss/grief, creates sacred eco-rituals, attends to the mental well-being of animal-care professionals and conservation biologists, advocates for planetary ethics, educates animal chaplains, and provides wildlife struck by cars a sacred sendoff. Sarah is the author of three award-winning books, including Spiritual Rebel: A Positively Addictive Guide to Finding Deeper Perspective & Higher Purpose and Sacred Sendoffs: An Animal Chaplain’s Advice For Surviving Animal Loss, Making Life Meaningful, & Healing The Planet and a columnist for Spirituality & Health magazine. Religiously, she currently identifies as a spiritually rebellious Christianish Taoist Vedantist with Buddhist, Jewish, 12-Step, and animist influences. But when she grows up, she’d really like to be a Jain. Sarah holds a BA in Human Ecology, MA in Religious Studies, was ordained through One Spirit Interfaith Seminary (2017), studied Anthrozoology at Canisius University, and is joyfully engaged in doctoral research on interspecies moral injury at Chicago Theological Seminary. She is a delegate at the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, faculty at Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, and a partner of the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab.
Seminary Second-Year Deans
Rev. Ali’a B. Edwards , Second-Year Dean
Reverend Ali’a B. Edwards is a grateful and proud 2012 graduate of the One Spirit Interfaith Seminary. She is overjoyed to be a ‘newbie’ Dean with the honor of holding sacred space for the incoming Class of 2024. She is the mother of one young adult son who is the brightest light and greatest teacher in her life. Ali’a is a hospice chaplain in Northeast Louisiana and an airport chaplain in Atlanta. She is a humanist interspiritual minister and a student and practitioner of Buddhism, cherishing her spiritual practices. Ali’a is curious, playful and adventurous. She adores her family and friends. Ali’a is an artist in love with life, determined to relish Life as it unfolds. In the powerful and multigenerational tradition of her matrilineal lineage, she is a praying woman. Ali’a is the writer and designer of several self-guided spiritual tools and journals. She is the spiritual leader of Rosewood Monastery, the contemplative respite and discernment enclave she founded in the Deep South.
Rev. David Didio, Second-Year Dean
Rev. David Didio has called One Spirit his spiritual home since 2009, when he enrolled in the seminary program. He was ordained an Interfaith/Interspiritual minister in 2011. He has been a student of A Course in Miracles for four decades, and practices various meditation techniques as well as mind/body therapies. He has enjoyed an extensive career in the design industries, holding executive positions with major international brands, as well as the not-for-profit organization DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation for AIDS) where he was influential in expanding the organization’s outreach through over seventeen chapters across the country. After commencement, he offered his pro-bono services to One Spirit as a member of the core team of alumnae, deans and staff that led the process of re-visioning One Spirit’s Mission, Vision and Values. In addition to his work with One Spirit, David is a certified Holistic Life Coach, creates bespoke rituals and ceremonies, and offers spiritual mentoring and support to individuals and couples based on the sacred philosophy of Anam Cara. He volunteers at God’s Love, We Deliver and continues to further his spiritual education through One Spirit’s various workshops and offerings. He has completed his Shamanic reiki training at the master level, and has published his first book, God Is…an exploration of the Divine through the art of children. David is deeply committed to healing the illusion of separation through the practice of forgiveness, and feels very blessed to be a part of the diverse One Spirit community.
Rev. Dr. Nura Hirmina, Second-Year Dean
Rev. Dr. Nura Hirmina is a graduate of One Spirit's Interspiritual Seminary and Counseling programs, Nine Gates Mystery School, and New York Theological Seminary where she received her Doctor of Ministry degree. Rev. Nura is a mother and grandmother, former birth doula, avid traveler and retreat enthusiast. She has received training in Reiki, shamanic sound healing, 5Rhythms, dreamwork and the Pathwork Lectures.Nura is a life-long student of the world’s mystery traditions and embraces secular spirituality as her path. With almost three decades of corporate experience, Nura strives to blend the secular and the spiritual in her daily life. She approaches every interaction as an opportunity to engage in kindness as a spiritual practice. She is humbled to serve as a Second Year Dean.
Rev. Dr. Sushmita Mukherjee, Second-Year Dean
Rev. Dr. Sushmita Mukherjee, (she/her/hers), Based in New York City, on indigenous Lenape land, https://www.on-seeing.com/ Sushmita’s vocation straddles cutting edge biomedical research technology, and a spirituality imbued with magic and wonder. Her psyche thrives at the interface of image, imagination and creative innovation. Sushmita’s spiritual work draws on Eastern and Western myths, Earth-based traditions, Taoism, Sufism, and Perennial Philosophy. Her work is deeply influenced by the teachings of Carl Jung and James Hillman, and the creative perspectives of poets and writers, too many to name. Some of her specific interests include myths, dreams, poetry and art (especially fractal, mandala and abstract art), altar building, guided visualizations, chanting and vocalization, and practices of Interspiritual Companioning, Jungian-influenced Dreamwork, SoulCollage® and ChakradanceTM. Sushmita is deeply committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging in all fields of engagement.
Rev. John Harrington, Second-Year Dean
Rev. John Harrington is a certified transformational coach, Qigong healing practitioner, ordained interspiritual minister (One Spirit class of 2021), and adoring father. He has a strong calling to be of service and support all life to thrive. As a lifelong learner and spiritual seeker, John has immersed himself in many cultures, spiritual paths, and approaches to personal transformational throughout the world. Some of the most life changing include spiritual journeys in South America, extended meditation retreats in India, working with Lion Shamans in South Africa and Zimbabwe, and communing with nature wherever possible. All these experiences continue to inform and expand his relationship with Spirit. John is guided by his deep commitment to listen to Spirit and act with Love. He aspires to help humans remember our own sacredness within nature and shift from a “power over paradigm” to a “power with” focus. He lives in the mountains outside Boulder, CO with his wife Cristina (One Spirit class of 2017), toddler daughter Joy, and beloved “Angel dawggie”.>
Spiritual Care Team
Rev. Ellen Lynch
I am an Interfaith Minister affiliated with One Spirit Learning Alliance in N.Y.C. There I completed a two-year seminary program and was ordained in 2011. Two years after ordination, I left a 30-year career in Commercial Real Estate and Economic Development, to take a position running the Food Bank of Westchester. I did my best to leverage past work experience, and my base of local contacts, to increase the amount and the quality of food being distributed to families in need across our county. In 2018 I joined the Spiritual Services Team at Burke Rehab Hospital in White Plains, NY, serving as its Interfaith Minister. I am honored to provide spiritual and emotional support to patients and caregivers who are facing life- changing situations, and to encourage and applaud for members of the hospital’s nursing team. In my community, I coach high school students, through not-for-profits, including Yonkers Partners in Education and Latino U College Access. Since 2014 I have worked to support the first-year seminary program at One Spirit Learning Alliance in various capacities. Currently I am one of three ministers serving as the Spiritual Care Team at One Spirit, supporting both classes in the seminary program. I have been an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous since 1992, and of Alanon, since 2016. I routinely incorporate prayers, rituals and practices of different faith traditions into my daily practice of 12 Step Spirituality. I continue to be honored by the opportunity to accompany our seminarians on their journey. Happy to listen to big stories, or small ones, I can be reached on my cell phone, by text (914) 462-0678.
Rev. Jackie Boyden
I am Rev. Jackie Boyden, a 2022 graduate of One Spirit Seminary, and I am honored and overjoyed to be a member of the Spiritual Care Team. My ministry continues to evolve as I complete my master’s degree in religion and theology at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities in Saint Paul, MN. I expect to graduate in early 2025, and then focus my ministry on social justice issues with particular emphasis on the spiritual needs of Queer folks and other marginalized groups. I was raised in a conservative Christian church. Over time, I moved away from institutionalized religion and found my home in Interspiritual Interfaith spirituality. My spirituality continues to grow in often unexpected ways, benefiting from many different streams of wisdom and faith. The animating force in my life is love. I was a lawyer for many years in the health care field. After that, I moved into teaching and was an adjunct faculty member at Duke University in Durham, NC and then NC State University in Raleigh, NC. I am currently an adjunct faculty member at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI in the Master of Public Administration program teaching constitutional and administrative law for government and nonprofit employees. Currently, I live in Grand Rapids, MI in an older neighborhood called “Eastown” on a lively street lined with big trees and lovingly cared for old houses near a brick-lined former streetcar route. My favorite diner is two blocks away, my favorite coffee shop is four blocks away, and one of my favorite city parks is five blocks away. It feels like home.
Rev. Larry Jett Wilson
I believe that education is our society’s best and most powerful vehicle for social change. Education is the single greatest key to personal success and self-actualization. Sadly, education is a key that recedes from the grasps of poor students and students of color, especially males, at a pace far greater than their ability to attain it. I have devoted my career to helping all students acquire that key, inclusive of race, ethnicity, disability, religion, sexual orientation or economic status. Over the years I have relentlessly pursued a course of professional development that would enable me to better serve all students and their teachers. My odyssey as an educator which began with studies at Swarthmore College and Columbia University has evolved to include positions such as science and mathematics teacher , the director of an out-of-doors science learning annex, a NYC Community School District-based staff developer for science, a district-based staff developer for mathematics, City College teaching adjunct, Broadcast Teaching Associate at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Senior Editorial Assistant/Reporter at Newsweek Magazine, a New York City high school principal (Bread and Roses of course) and as Administrative Assistant Superintendent. with the New York City Department of Education's Division of School Support and Instruction training the next generation of school principals. More than 100 principals and Assistant principals leading NYC Public schools today have been trained by Mr. Wilson. He is however most proud of the more than 1000 diplomas that he signed during his tenure as principal of BRHS. Now retired from the Dept. Of Education, Larry or "Jett" has pursued a calling of service and ministry. In 2013 he graduated from One Spirit Interfaith Seminary, he took his Vows of Ministry as an ordained interfaith, inter-spiritual minister. He is Elegun in the Yoruba/Ifa tradition and is a trained End-of-Life Doula.
