Samantha Krezinski

Samantha Krezinski is an interspiritual scholar-practitioner whose work bridges contemplative study, embodied practice, and community facilitation. She holds a B.A. in English and Philosophy with an emphasis in Religious Studies from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point and an M.A. in Contemplative Religions from Naropa University, where she studied under Pir Netanel Miles-Yépez. With him and a small team, she continues to support interspiritual community-building through her work with the Charis Foundation for New Monasticism and Interspirituality. Her path is further enriched by rooted practice and studies in Christianity, Divine Feminine, Buddhism and other traditions with a deep inquiry into varying levels of love and union. A certified yoga instructor since 2013, Samantha’s teaching emphasizes gentle expansion, alignment, and balance, inviting others into a more intimate relationship with their bodies. As a Reiki Master and energetic practitioner, she integrates subtle healing modalities with her intellectual and spiritual training; offering circles, classes, and personalized ceremonies rooted in presence and care.

• Wandering Kindness
• Charis Foundation

Bobbi Patterson

Bobbi Patterson, PhD, M.Div. is Professor Emerita of Pedagogy in Emory University’s Department of Religion and Graduate Division of Religion. A nationally recognized speaker on burnout, resilience, and community engagement, she has spent more than 50 years developing and leading community-partnered service initiatives. Her work focuses on helping individuals, teams, and organizations navigate change, build resilience, and transform challenges into opportunities for learning, adaptation, and sustainable service.

Emily Leithauser

Emily Leithauser is an award-winning poet, scholar, and educator whose work explores poetry, memory, elegy, and literary traditions across cultures. Her debut collection, The Borrowed World, won the 2015 Able Muse Book Prize, and she received the Grand Prize in Poetry at the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival. Her poetry, translations, and scholarship have appeared in leading publications including The New Yorker, The Paris Review, and The Hopkins Review. Emily teaches English and Creative Writing at Morehouse College, where she inspires students through her passion for poetry, literature, and the creative arts.

Courtney Cowart

Dr. Cowart is a scholar in the fields of ascetical theology and American church history whose work has explored the relationship of spiritual practice and leadership. She holds both an M.A. and a Th.D. from The General Theological Seminary in New York. Immediately prior to becoming Executive Director of SIM she served as Associate Dean and Director of the Beecken Center at the School of Theology, University of the South, in Sewanee, TN. There Courtney gathered and created cutting-edge formation resources from across the church to create a hub of continuing theological education and training for all the baptized.