Staff & Leaders (Page 4)

Staff & Leaders (Page 4)

Meet the Spirit in the Desert staff and board of directors. We are here to serve you. Please contact any one of us if you have a question or concern.

Lead Facilitator, Healing of Memories
Linda Rich is a Healing of Memories Retreat Leader

Linda Rich

Linda L. Rich, DCSW, LSW, CSAC has been an Institute for Healing of Memories facilitator since 2010 and chairs the board of IHOM-NA. As a social worker she has worked in a wide range of addiction treatment, mental health and medical programs. She served in military hospitals with the American Red Cross in Vietnam and in the U.S. She believes deeply in each person’s capacity to heal and to help others heal the wounds of the past. Linda is a…
Retreat Leader
Carla Christopher, Executive Skills for Church Leaders

Carla Christopher

Rev. Carla Christopher brings a unique and deeply experienced voice to the topic of congregational vitality, community engagement, and strategic planning through a lens of justice and belonging. A former case manager and therapeutic educator turned community organizer then Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging trainer for nonprofit and government entities along with faith communities, Carla was ordained into the ELCA Ministry of Word and Sacrament as a certified Redeveloper in 2020. As Assistant to the Bishop for Justice Ministries…
Executive Director

Eric Simonson

Eric Simonson has been engaged in several capacities at Spirit in the Desert over the past few years. Encouraged by his ongoing friendship with Spirit’s Faith Mentor, Jim Hanson, Eric and his wife, Michelle, met the late executive director Richard Andersen, who introduced them to the mission and vision of the retreat center’s ministry. Their lifetime connections and engagement in Lutheran congregational service sensitized them to discover and embrace the impact and value of Spirit in the Desert. From there, they began attending…
Guest Services Director

Denise Berberich

For many of Spirit in the Desert’s guests, the Retreat Center’s well-known welcoming hospitality begins on the phone or in person with Denise Berberich, Guest Services Director. “My job starts with identifying what people need for a successful retreat, whether that is a group of 50 people, or an individual, couple, or family wanting a renewal experience. I gather their information and put together a package with all of the details for guest rooms, meals and snacks, meeting rooms, equipment, and…
Retreat Leader

Jim Hanson

Everyone’s faith journey is different. Each journey is unique to one’s own history and experience. Sharing that journey with someone else can be a powerful experience. In the speaking and in the sharing one can clarify and bring into focus where one has come from and open oneself to what lies ahead. For nearly 7 years, Jim Hanson served as Spirit’s “Faith Mentor.” The dictionary defines a mentor as ‘an experienced and trusted advisor’. Jim has worked with churches and…
Spiritual Companion, Retreat Leader

Sue Palmer

Sue is a Spiritual Companion/Director, trained and certified through John Carroll University’s Ignatian Spirituality Institute, where she also received training in leading Silent Retreats. She has an MS in Mental Health & Wellness with an emphasis in Grief & Bereavement and has a heart for those experiencing the many griefs and losses that a life well-lived brings. Sue has experience as a Stephen Minister, a hospital Spiritual Care Aid, a divorce support group leader, and a hospice volunteer. Her passions…
Spiritual Director, Retreat Leader

Henry Rojas

Henry Rojas is a popular speaker and gifted spiritual director, currently serving as spiritual director at Spirit in the Desert. His unique brand of humor and insight has helped individuals and groups make transformational change for more than 20 years. Henry was the creator behind the most recognized of all NBA mascots, “The Gorilla” of the Phoenix Suns. His engaging parody, dancing rhythm and visual comedy is still unrivaled in sports and won him a place in the Hall of…