Doug Conwell

Douglas Conwell is founder of EarthWalk for Health, an organization dedicated to connecting people with the wisdom of the earth. Through EarthWalk, Doug has worked with and learned from many native peoples. He has served as a family therapist and health educator in Santa Fe. Doug is also a founding member of a statewide health agency and has worked as a counselor in the public school system. He leads private retreats throughout the southwest for all age groups.   His writings are found in The Spirit That Wants Me: A New Mexico Anthology, as well as other publications.  Doug brings to Sapira the extraordinary gift of a universal wisdom grounded in his love for the Native traditions.  Doug's spirit radiates and is infectious!

Jan Day Gravel

Jan Day Gravel is the principal consultant of the Janus Development Group, a firm specializing in leadership development for individuals, organizations, and communities. Jan has over fifteen years of experience in helping people enhance and develop their capacity to be better leaders both personally and professionally. Her work in Emergenetics®, how one is born genetically wired with a tendency to think and behave in certain ways, has enabled hundreds of individuals to “lead with their brain in mind.”

A retreat leader, speaker, and consultant, her experiences with not-for-profit organizations, federal agencies, business, industry, and community coalitions provide unique insights into the many challenges faced in rapid change environments. Her own personal experiences in the desert with Sapira have formed her desire to guide people in experiences to reconnect themselves with the sacred within.

Marcus Losack

Marcus Losack is founder and Director of Ceile De, a preeminent ecumenical organization specializing in the development of study programs and pilgrimages in Celtic Spirituality. He has worked as an Anglican priest in Ireland, the United Kingdom and Libya. Marcus is also author of the beautiful book, Glendalough, A Celtic Pilgrimage. From his time as Course Director and Lecturer at St. George's College in Jerusalem where he developed pilgrimages to the Holy Land and Egypt stems his love and particular interest of the relationship between Celtic Spirituality and the Desert Spiritual Tradition. Marcus is not only a gifted guide and incredible teacher but also a pilgrim whose love of the journey is contagious.

Regina Roman

Regina Roman, President of Sapira, is a retreat facilitator and spiritual guide trained at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation where she also served as associate staff for the Soul of the Executive Program. Her roots are in the Anglican faith tradition having earned a lay diploma in theology at Virginia Theological Seminary. After receiving a Masters in Business Administration in Boston, she began her professional commercial banking career serving companies across the nation. While living oversea, Regina traveled extensively as group organizer, guide and pilgrim. Two of her children are adopted from Russia where she developed a love for icons and now studies this timeless tradition with a Russian Master. One of her many gifts is integrating the realities of the everyday with the heart-centered wisdom traditions of the major religions.

Gary Sandman

Gary Sandman’s passion has been in the field of natural health care and spiritual growth. He has worked as a consultant to national organizations and is the former founder and director of Integrative Medicine, an educational organization matching the health needs of clients with accredited healers. Gary is currently developing a new technology to help identify an individual’s unique nutritional profile. His own journey led him to study with Rolling Thunder, a traditional Native American medicine man and pursue a study in early Christian spiritual practices. Gary is an active member of his local church serving on its board of Trustees and as a youth leader and educator to teenagers. Gary’s delightful spirit and wisdom of the wellbeing of body and spirit is an immense gift to Sapira and its pilgrim participants.

Kathy Spaar

Kathy Spaar is a long-time educator, spiritual guide and retreat facilitator. She currently serves as spiritual director at Sanctuary Retreat Center in Beallsville, MD and as former Director of Religious Education at a local church founded a labyrinth ministry. Kathy received spiritual formation training at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation. In addition, Kathy has studied for many years with Frederic Lionel, a master teacher of the Western Mystery Tradition as well as with Tom Brown, well-known tracker and teacher of wilderness skills and Native American spiritual traditions. Kathy’s environmental training began with her work in Costa Rica as a cross-cultural trainer with the Peace Corps. Her Masters of Science Degree in Linguistics from Georgetown University has enabled Kathy to connect with the stories of the people in her many international travels to sacred sites. Kathy’s special affinity for the Celtic tradition together with her ability to make many deep connections within various faith traditions is a priceless treasure to Sapira participants.

Dr. Rabia Tawfik

Egyptian Guide: Our Coptic Agent in Egypt is Dr. Rabia, who is a partner with Abanoub Travel, a well-respected full-service travel company. Dr. Rabia has specialized in tours and pilgrimages to the Sinai for over 15 years. He left a successful medical profession to be one of the first to develop these unique travel and study tours in the Sinai. His intimate knowledge of the land, its people and their faith traditions has earned him the love and respect of the local people, who offer us immense hospitality on all our pilgrimages. All the guides and staff have a deep professional respect for Dr. Rabia and his capable team, who consider personal service and safety a priority.

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