Writers

After a career in marketing and public relations in New York City and Santa Barbara, Calif., Judith Shadford moved to the Northwest to focus on writing.

A native of Detroit, Neal Schindler has lived in the Pacific Northwest for more than 12 years. He has held staff positions at Seattle Weekly and The Seattle Times and was a freelance writer for Jew-ish.com from 2007 to 2011.

Thomas Schmidt is a retired psychotherapist and chemical dependency counselor who belongs to the Sufi Ruhiniat International order of Sufi’s and is a drummer in the Spokane Sufi group and an elder at the Country Homes Christian (Disciples of Christ) Church.

Christi Ortiz is a licensed marriage and family therapist by profession and a poet by passion.

R. Skyler Oberst is an active leader in the interfaith movement, both locally and nationally.

Joe Niemiec Jr. began his spiritual quest in 1986 when he walked out of a Houston jail and was struck by the realization that his life was in shambles.

Walking the spiritual path has been part of the Rev. Toni Niemiec's life as long as she can remember.