Our Team

One Spirit is working with a small and mighty team while navigating new enrollment for 2026-2027, guiding Seminary 2 students through to ordination in 2026, and re-visioning how One Spirit can best serve the world.

In addition to staff and trustees on the board, One Spirit is strengthened by its generous community members. Many serve as volunteers, and we encourage all community members to contribute something they feel is right. If you are interested in volunteering, please click here.

Founder

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  • Rev. Diane Berke is the Founder and Spiritual Director of One Spirit Learning Alliance. Ordained as an interfaith minister in 1988, she is a respected pioneer in the field of interfaith/interspiritual education.

    In June 2020, Rev. Berke stepped down after 18 years as Director of the One Spirit Seminary Training. Diane has worked closely with Andrew Harvey in his Institute for Sacred Activism, is a founding member of the Contemplative Alliance of the Global Peace Initiative of Women, and is a co-founder of Transformation 365, an online platform to introduce people to a broad range of contemplative practices. She is also a certified facilitator of the Circle of Trust® work of the Center for Courage and Renewal.

    Diane maintains a private practice in spiritual counseling/companionship and supervision of spiritual counseling students and practitioners. In addition, she is a licensed mental health counselor in New York State. A student and teacher of A Course in Miracles for over 30 years, Diane has led retreats and workshops on spiritual development throughout the United States and internationally. She is the author of several books and educational manuals, including Love Always Answers, The Gentle Smile, Developing and Deepening Your Spiritual Practice, and Forgiveness as a Path of Awakening.

    Diane is known for the clarity and wisdom of her teaching, the sincerity and depth of her compassion, and her ability to create exceptionally safe and nourishing learning and companioning spaces in which people can heal and blossom. She continues to actively serve One Spirit as a "spiritual grandmother" and guide.

Leadership & Operations

  • Rev. Dr. Courtney Bryant, a spiritual leader and educator, holds a Masters of Divinity from Duke University and a Doctorate in Religion: Ethics and Society from Vanderbilt University.

    She has served as Assistant Professor of Religion and Womanist Ethics at Manhattan College and Pastor of Righteous Relations at All Angels’ Church in New York City. As an academic, Courtney’s work has focused on the racial, gender, and sexual politics of embodiment. In her ministry, she fosters co-creation and discipleship through loving relationships and justice-seeking for the oppressed.

    Courtney’s expertise in spiritual education and personal transformation, as well as her skill in external communications and fundraising, greatly enhances the work we do at One Spirit.

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  • Damia life’s mission is to help others realize, express, and live out their fullest potential, and she is grateful to live that mission every day in her work supporting the students, staff, and community of One Spirit.

    Assisting with anything and everything from administrative needs and tech support to end-of-year event planning and celebrating the little wins, Damia is always available to partner with you to overcome any challenge, big or small, at any point in your journey.

    Damia holds a BA in Psychology and Anthropology from the University of Michigan, is a Registered Behavior Therapist, an ICRT Usui - Karuna - Holy Fire - Sekhem Seichem- Reiki Master Teacher, and a life-long learner.

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  • Finance and operations executive with more than 15 years of experience providing strategic financial leadership and operational oversight for nonprofit, education, arts, and mission-driven organizations. Proven success partnering with executive leadership and boards to develop financial strategies that strengthen organizational performance, support long-term sustainability, and align resources with institutional priorities. Expertise spans financial planning and analysis, budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, board reporting, audit preparation, internal controls, compliance, and organizational risk management.

    Known for translating complex financial data into actionable insights, I serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, delivering clear financial reporting, budget analyses, and performance metrics that inform strategic decision-making. I have led annual budgeting processes, managed monthly and year-end financial close activities, partnered with external auditors and accounting firms, and developed policies and controls that improve financial transparency, accountability, and operational efficiency.

    Beyond finance, I bring a holistic approach to organizational leadership—integrating financial stewardship with operational excellence, cross-functional collaboration, and systems improvement. My leadership style is rooted in building high-performing teams, streamlining business processes, and creating scalable infrastructure that enables organizations to grow, adapt, and achieve their mission. I am passionate about helping organizations make sound financial decisions while fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

    Nicole holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, in Finance from Temple University.

  • Natalie Gomez is a visual artist, photographer, and Buddhist practitioner based in Washington, DC. She received her Master’s in Philosophy, Cosmology and Consciousness from the California Institute of Integral Studies and her Bachelor’s in Visual Art Studies from The University of Texas at Austin. With over 8 years of experience in nonprofit education and interests lying at the intersection of pedagogy, spirituality, politics, and creativity, she considers herself a student of life studying ways to bridge divides and create a more beautiful world.

Board of Trustees

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  • Ordained as an Interfaith Minister through One Spirit Seminary in 2019, Linda Bjork joined the Board of Trustees in 2020 and became Treasurer in November 2024. She is the Founder of Mindfulness Intelligence®, a pioneering method at the intersection of leadership development, emotional resilience, and consciousness training.

    With a global reputation for shaping visionary leaders, Linda works with Fortune 100 executives, U.S. Army Generals, entrepreneurs, and high-impact teams across sectors. Her teaching blends practical insight with deep inner work, helping individuals lead with clarity, presence, and purpose.

    An author and speaker, Linda has been recognized as an Evolutionary Leader and is a frequent contributor on international stages. Her published works include Inner Business, Mind Skills, and S.A.F.E.—as well as a growing series of mindful activity books for children, titled Inner Adventures.

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  • Activist. Counselor. Innovator. Minister. Known for her ability to give voice to the deepest expressions of Spirit and connect them to the daily experiences of living, Reverend Laurene Williams delights in creating spaces in which people can express love, experience connection, demonstrate responsibility and empower community. She believes the purpose of ministry is to serve and empower community such that people experience their natural connection to others. Reverend Laurene asserts, “The more we function from understanding the depth of our interrelatedness and degree of our interdependence, the more each of us can consciously create our lives and contribute to a world that serves us ALL. Church would expand beyond its walls as a ‘house of God’ to ‘God housed in us’ and the congregation from a group of ‘people assembled for worship’ to ‘worship resembled in people.’ God, the Nameless and Named, is a “Lived Experience and Living Presence”—the spiritual experience of a multi-faceted, multi-dimensional relationship to ourselves, one another and Life that we express and embody as our divine essence.” Whether it was human development, psychology, religious studies and sociology electives she studied as an undergraduate at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania or her choice to attend an interfaith seminary at One Spirit Learning Alliance in NYC, Reverend Laurene believes a curious mind cultivates a consciousness mindset. “Curiosity encourages us to look beyond the facts, explore the limits of what we know to discover what is True—that we’re intimately and intricately connected. My curiosity has led me to meet people from all walks of life and walk in life with all sorts of people. And with not despite our differences, we are the same in our essence.” A truth that has only deepened and expanded for her through more than 20 years of study in various educational and transformational trainings. Sought after for her compelling conversations, engaging inquiries, sense of humor and unique perspective on spirituality-infused living, Reverend Laurene explores with people how to embody their personal truth in alignment with Spiritual Truth for greater fulfillment, power, joy and peace of mind. This is accomplished through her writings, counseling, ministry, public speaking and transformational workshops and innovative programs. Born in Westbury, Long Island, Reverend Laurene Williams currently lives in Bloomfield, NJ.

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  • Brad Learmonth (Ordained at One Spirit in 2011, ISC 2015, ELA and CIC 2020), a leader in the non-profit performing arts for over three decades, received the 2014 William Dawson Award for Programmatic Excellence and Sustained Achievement in Programming from the Association of Performing Arts Presenters. As the director of programming at Harlem Stage (1988-2015) Brad created unique and nurturing platforms in all disciplines for visionary artists of color to create risk-taking and transformative work that responds to the social and political conditions that shape our lives.

    He also created award winning arts education programs for k-12 public school children. He continues his work in the arts independently. The activism and service that is essential to this vision carries through in Brad’s work on his spiritual path.

    Brad has a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science and trained as an actor. He was born in the Boston area and has lived in New York since 1982. He resides in New York City and Sag Harbor with his husband Jon, two and a half dogs, about 150,000 honeybees, a few dozen koi and the abundance of nature.

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  • We look forward to welcoming new talent to the board with the addition of new trustees who are currently in the application and interview process.

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  • We look forward to welcoming new talent to the board with the addition of new trustees who are currently in the application and interview process.

Educational Team

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  • The Reverend Sarah A. Bowen has been on the educational faculty of One Spirit Seminary since 2018, serving as a Dean, and facilitator of learning for 12-Step Spirituality and Interspecies Spiritual Care units. She is also the founder of the One Spirit in Recovery affinity group.

    Sarah's area of current research is addressing moral injury in animal-centered professions through trauma-informed spiritual and emotional care. A passionate speaker, teacher, and writer, she is the author of the award-winning Sacred Sendoffs: An Animal Chaplain’s Advice for Surviving Animal Loss, Making Life Meaningful, & Healing the Planet, a columnist on human-animal relationships for Spirituality & Health magazine, and frequent presenter at academic and professional conferences.

    Sarah is also the lead clergy and Executive Director of Animal Chaplaincy Training at Compassion Consortium and a faculty member of Omega institute for Holistic Studies in the Hudson Valley of New York, where she lives with two cats, a human husband, and a ridiculous amount of squirrels.

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  • 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, an 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.

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  • Rev. Kyndra Frazier was recognized by the Root 100 as one of the Most Influential African-Americans for breaking down barriers and paving the way for future generations in the field of mental health. She is a licensed therapist and has served as a Baptist clergywoman for over a decade.

    Kyndra served as the Associate Pastor of Congregational Care and Wellness at First Corinthian Baptist Church, as well as the Founding Executive Director of the HOPE Center, a church-affiliated mental health facility, both located in Central Harlem of New York City, from 2016 to 2020. During her tenure there, she was awarded the American Psychiatric Association’s Achievement Award for Innovation in the Mental Health Field.  Kyndra is currently the CEO of KYND Consulting Inc., a mental health and wellness boutique that supports individuals, couples, families, and organizations in thriving through therapeutic services, coaching, organization development and change consulting, and trauma-informed organizational training. 

    Kyndra has been featured in multiple print and digital publications including Vice Magazine and the New York Times. Kyndra holds a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology, Emory University, a Master of Social Work from Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from North Carolina A&T State University. She is currently a Business Doctoral candidate in Bowling Green State University’s Organization Development and Change program. 

Media Team

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  • Jack is a multifaceted creative professional with a strong background in content creation, digital media strategy, and tech supervision. At One Spirit, Jack contributes his expertise in media and community engagement to support the organization’s mission with a grounded, collaborative, and service-oriented mindset.

    He has been a part of the tech team for 10+ years, bridging the digital landscape between presenters and students, ensuring smooth access to online classrooms and learning materials. 

    With years of experience producing engaging work across various social and video platforms, Jack blends creativity with intention, always aiming to uplift One Spirit students and faculty, spark connection, and help others share their stories authentically. 

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  • Rev. Marshall K Hammer (she/they) was ordained by One Spirit in 2021. She is an Animal Reiki & Reiki Practitioner as well as an Animal Chaplain. She is also a co-facilitator of One Spirit in Recovery.

    Marshall’s work is guided by a commitment to meaningful and accessible community care, creative expression, and healing.

    With eight years in practice, Marshall specializes in grief support—particularly for those who have lost loved ones to suicide—and animal chaplaincy, gently holding containers where healing is deeply personal, inclusive, and embodied.

    As a Media Team member at One Spirit, Marshall brings creative expression to the work of building community and sharing resources that support collective spiritual growth and empowerment.

One Spirit’s Founder, Rev. Diane Berke

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“In 2001, in the aftermath of September 11th, I felt an urgency to take the work I had been doing to a deeper level. In August 2002, One Spirit Learning Alliance was born. We embrace and teach the deep truths found at the heart of all the world’s spiritual paths and traditions, draw upon the wealth of spiritual and contemplative practices that help us evolve and grow, and commit to cultivating and living the values shared by all traditions: of peace, compassion, wisdom, service, interconnectedness, social justice, and love.”

Read Rev. Diane's Welcome Letter

Meet Rev. Dr. Courtney Bryant, CEO of One Spirit

Rev. David Wallace, a beloved One Spirit teacher, sat down for a conversation with Rev. Dr. Courtney Bryant, who joined One Spirit as CEO in 2024.