About our Board

 Hugh is a clinical social worker, an Episcopal priest, and a wilderness guide with a passion for helping people deepen on their psycho-spiritual paths. He offers psychotherapy and spiritual direction at the Healing Arts Center in Eastsound, and he is an assisting priest at Emmanuel Parish. He has a BA in Economics from Davidson College in North Carolina, a Master of Social Work from the University of Georgia, a Master of Theological Studies from Emory University, and a Master of Divinity degree from General Theological Seminary in New York. He has lived on Orcas Island since 2013 with his husband, Berto Gándara. 

 Helen is a life-long Orcas Island lover, having spent part of virtually every summer of her life at Indralaya. After college at Radcliffe College and graduate school at Stanford University, Helen taught at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts and University of Washington, where she remained until 1972. At that point, she shifted gears in a major way, resigned her tenured university position, and began writing college-level textbooks in human development, including The Developing Child, and Journey of Adulthood. Thirty years and more than 30 books/editions later, she moved to Orcas full time (2003).  Helen has served on the OPAL board for 9 years (3 years as chair), on the OICF board for 3 years, and on the Senior Center Advisory Committee for 3 years. At present, she continues as the chair of the OPAL fundraising committee. She has also served multiple 6-year stints on the Indralaya board. She now serves on the Indralaya investment and fundraising committees, cooks there for several weeks each summer, and runs a one-week special program of “Deep Singing” every year. 

 Bonnie Burg is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 40 years of experience. A graduate of SSA at the University of Chicago, she has worked in community, VA, and hospital settings. As a clinical faculty member in the Social Work and Psychiatry Departments at the University of Illinois Hospital and Clinics, she developed an integrated mental health/healthcare training program for graduate social work interns. In addition to clinical service in both psychiatric inpatient and outpatient clinics, she did clinical teaching of psychiatric residents, medical students and psychology interns. She has had a private practice for 40 years and currently sees individuals and couples for psychotherapy in her Eastsound office. She has served on several boards of social service organizations, both as a member and officer. Currently, she serves on the Operations Committee of the Senior Center, Orcas LGBT Fund, and Crossroads. 

 Diane Berreth is a leader in the education field and is the former Chief Planning and Policy Officer for the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) in Alexandria, Virginia. ASCD is the largest professional development organization in U.S. education serving over 100,000 members. Diane led the Association's planning, policy, government relations, and public information work. She has international expertise in strategic planning and has initiated and guided strategic planning efforts for ASCD, its affiliates, and numerous not-for-profit organizations. She received her doctorate in education policy and leadership from Indiana University. Since moving to Orcas Island off the coast of Washington ten years ago, she has served as president of the Orcas Island Community Foundation and sits on several other boards. Diane also consults with non-profit boards both nationally and locally on planning and best board practices. 

 Judy lives in Olga and serves as a senior partner in the DC-based law firm of James & Hoffman. During her 40-year career in labor law, Judy focused on issues such as the national fight to end growing income inequality, problems affecting women and immigrant workers, and the plight of low-wage workers. She has served on various boards of organizations committed to economic and social justice, such as the National Partnership for Women & Families, Alliance for Justice and American Constitution Society. She retired in 2017 as General Counsel of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Over her law career, Judy served as legal counsel to several unions, including the United Auto Workers, AFSCME, Teamsters, and United Mine Workers. She graduated from Wellesley College and Northeastern University School of Law, and previously worked for the Frontier Nursing Service in Hyden, Kentucky. Judy and her husband, Don Stillman (a retired union activist and writer), have been coming to Orcas with their now-grown children (Scott and Sarah) for more than 35 years.

 Ryan Carpenter was raised on San Juan and Orcas Island. After graduating from Orcas High School, Ryan pursued B.A. degrees in Religion and Sociology at Westmont College. During his years in Santa Barbara, Ryan led a group of student volunteers at the Salvation Army’s homeless shelter. After returning to Orcas in 1998 to help run the Deer Harbor Inn Restaurant, Ryan continued his graduate studies in philosophy at Trinity Western University in Langley B.C. and received a master's degree from the University of Melbourne in Narrative Therapy & Community Work. Ryan is the pastor of Care and Administration at the Community Church where he oversees the care teams and practices narrative therapy. Ryan is happily married to Kelly who is a public school teacher, his great joy is being a father of two elementary aged kids.