Sheila is an avid moviegoer, a bit of a chef, an art lover and a writer.

Hired by The Educational Center in May, 2009, she is charged with building our BibleWorkbench constituancy and developing new resources and educational opportunities for children, youth and adults. With over 35 years of teaching experience, both in church and college settings, Sheila has considerable knowledge in curriculum development  and retreat design.

She earned her undergraduate degree in English and Speech Communications from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and graduate degrees from Appalachian State University (English) and Union Presbyterian Seminary. Her passion for using art, literature, film, television and music to illuminate sacred texts makes her uniquely suited to her work here at The Center--where religion, psychology and culture intersect.

Sheila lives in Charlotte with her husband, Tom Schulz, an artist.  They have grown children in Colorado, New York and Tokyo; and are the proud grandparents of two little girls.

Andy is a thinker, a theologian, a technolgical wizard and a talented editor and writer.

A lifelong supporter of ecumenical and inter-faith ventures, Andy came on board as Editor of The Bible Workbench in 2008. He comes to BibleWorkbench by way of experience with seminars offered by the Guild for Psychological Studies and by Walter Wink, Jerry Drino and Bill Dols, the founding editor.

He graduated Stanford University (A.B., English Literature) and the American Baptist Seminary of the West (M.Div) before earning his Ph.D. from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley in psychology and biblical studies. He has become one of the leaders in the field of psychological biblical criticism.

Ordained in the American Baptist tradition, Andrew has been a pastor, teacher, liturgical musician and retreat leader and currently works at building interfaith relations in San Jose and beyond. Author of Psychological Biblical Criticism, co-editor with Wayne G. Rollins of Psychological Insight into the Bible, and writer of many articles on psychology and the Bible, he has led several Bible Workbench groups in San Jose.

He served on the Board for Four Springs Seminars, including a term as President. He and his wife Pamela, a clinical psychologist, live in San Jose.

Melissa is a doer. She likes to create things, to grow them and to nurture them - but she's not afraid to weed!

Melissa joined our staff in 2009 when the center relocated to Charlotte. She came to work with us because she desired work that  "would feed my soul as well as help feed my family".

A native of Massachusetts, Melissa attended the University of Southern Maine for two years before coming to Charlotte as part of a visiting student program.  She decided to make her home here, and graduated with a B.S. from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. 

Melissa manages the daily operations of the center and serves as the Managing Editor of our publications, including acting as webmaster for our new and expanded website. She has experience working across many industries - legal, financial, insurance and real estate.  Her expertise is  in financial and regulatory policies, risk managment and strategic planning, fundraising, marketing and customer relations.  She has served as an officer on the board of directors for two nonprofit organizations and a local land-holdings group. 

Melissa lives in south Charlotte with her husband and teenaged son; and when not at the center can most often be found in her garden- planning, planting, growing ... and weeding!

When there's a ship that needs a captain, you call Tillie. Her steady hand and focused determination have helped lead us into an exciting new era here at the Center.

Tillie is a long-standing supporter of our work here. Her earliest affiliation with The Educational Center was in the 1970’s when she completed the original Centerpoint study program. Her bond was strengthened when introduced to BibleWorkbench at her church, Myers Park Baptist in Charlotte NC, by founding editor, Bill Dols who came to that church as Minister of Education. Since that time Tillie has been an avid promoter of  BibleWorkbench and has been active in training its leadership. She joined the Board of the Center in 2006 and became President in January, 2010.

A graduate of Converse College, Tillie is well known in Charlotte for her enthusiastic work in education, religion and the arts. She has served many nonprofits as a board member and is an effective leader in the field of fundraising and fund management. Additionally, she has advanced training in group process, group development and conflict management. It is Tillie’s hope that The Educational Center can design ways to work with youth in guiding their life decisions. She is passionate about education that transforms one spiritually, psychologically, and socially.

A devoted mother and grandmother, Tillie lives in Charlotte with Harry, her traveling companion in every best sense of the word.

We call him "Coop", and when Coop talks, we listen. His enthusiasm is contagious, whether he's talking about cooking, teaching, serving his community or working with The Educational Center.

A native North Carolinian, Joe is a semi-retired Episcopal priest who lives on the Albemarle Sound in Merry Hill, NC. He has been affiliated with The Educational Center since 1968 and helped birth the LifeText resource which later became BibleWorkbench. Joe graduated Barton College in Wilson NC and later earned his Master of Divinity degree from Virginia Episcopal Theological Seminary in Alexandria.

Joe spent his active career serving parishes throughout North Carolina, the last being St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Fayetteville, from which he retired. He is now serving his home church as part-time pastor. His remarkable institutional memory helps us stay true to method of teaching/learning that has been the hallmark of the Center since the 1940s.  He has served several rotations on the Board, most recently as a member of the Executive Committee.

Kathie sees connections. Between ancient mythologies and everyday life. Between biblical stories and current events. Between inner spiritual growth and outer service to others in community.

Kathie was also introduced to the work of The Educational Center through Myers Park Baptist Church and Bill Dols. She is a now a gifted BibleWorkbench leader and trainer, and currently serves as Associate Editor and writer for the publication. Kathie is currently pursuing her PhD in Mythological Studies at Pacifica Graduate Institute in California. Her knowledge of Jungian thought and archetypal stories is of great value to us, as are her skills as a retreat and small group leader.

Kathie served as a board member before recently being named board Secretary. A certified yoga instructor, Kathie is also a wife, mother, and a poet. Plus she singlehandedly built a labyrinth on her south Charlotte property! She is a  person with great vision for the future of the Center.

Kathie lives with her husband, Charles Johnson, and their children.

Joe is one of those exceptional people who quietly makes sure that all systems are up and running and every person is engaged. He's a rarity, one who can take complicated, even puzzling information and distill it. Synthesize it. He brings things together.

Joe is a long-time supporter of The Educational Center and BibleWorkbench. An ordained minister, Joe earned his B.A. in English from Wake Forest University and a Master of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. He served Myers Park Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC for over 17 years, as Church Administrator and as Associate Minister of Congregational Care and Missions.

He writes, “My ministerial philosophy is as a servant leader, to comfort and challenge the body of Christ as together on our journey of faith we seek to discover what it means to be a follower of Jesus”.

Joe is a North Carolina licensed realtor specializing in residential sales. He has been with Allen Tate Real Estate for 7 years. He and his wife Susan reside in Charlotte and  have three daughters.

Joe Clark builds things. It might be a table. Or intricate candlesticks. Sometimes it's a garden. Often it's relationships. He's happiest when building something.

With grace and intelligence Joe has been building the life of The Educational Center, in one capacity or another, since 1964. Most recently he served as Board President and now provides valuable counsel to the current board and the staff.

Raised on a farm near Wichita, Kansas, he attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. In 1963 he began seminary in Alexandria at Virginia Theological Seminary, attending his first class the day after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his "I have a dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial. Joe was ordained to the Episcopal priesthood in 1966 and has served churches in Minnesota, Connecticut and Maryland. While in Maryland he took a few years away from the church to serve on the staff of Governor Hughes and also worked on urban issues in Baltimore. He returned to graduate studies, earning a post graduate degree from General Theological Seminary in New York.

Now retired, Joe is the father of three children, three step-children and nine grandchildren. When he is not playing with them, he enjoys woodworking, golf, gardening and serving on the City Council.

Patricia is a world traveler. She appreciates a good journey--the planning, the variety of new experiences, the excitement of other cultures. So we were delighted when Patricia agreed to journey with us.

A lifelong educator, Patricia joined the Board in 2009. She was introduced to BibleWorkbench at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Anchorage and often facilitates the group. She is a servant-leader in the best sense of the word, having worked in her community, her church and across the globe to promote goodwill and understanding through teaching and caregiving.

Her undergraduate work is in Vocational Home Economics Education with a minor in Philosophy and Science. She earned her M.Ed in Guidance and Counseling from University of Alaska.  Much of her work has been with young people, “preparing them for the adult world.” She brings enthusiasm and deep compassion to our work at The Educational Center.

She lives with her husband in Anchorage and Arizona.

Were there a billboard about George, it would read "Got Volunteer?"

Since his earliest years in Charlotte, NC, George has brought his extraordinary gifts to the nonprofit sector as a volunteer and financial supporter. He has served as the chairman of Community School of the Arts, Lakewood Preschool, Through-The- Week-School, all in Charlotte. He served as Executive Director of Mecklenburg Ministries and as a Board member of Saint Peter’s Home.

Along with this rich history of giving, George also brings his passion for spiritual growth and his love for BibleWorkbench to the board of The Educational Center.

George spent over 30 years in the banking industry after completing a Bachelor of Science degree from University of North Carolina and an MBA from Harvard University. He and his wife, Bobbie, have two sons, two lovely daughters-in-law, and three grandsons.

A warm and personable sharp-shooter, Cathia is not afraid to ask the hard questions and shake things up...all in the name of discovery and transformation.

Cathia owns her own business, Cathia Friou Consulting, LLC, which provides leadership coaching and team development for businesses of all shapes and sizes. With a decided focus on "know thyself," Cathia practices what she preaches. She is a lifelong learner and seeker, has an insatiable appetite for Jungian psychology (with a particular affinity for James Hollis) and is fascinated by the human animal in general.

Cathia graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Journalism in 1990 and completed the Executive and Organizational Coaching program at New York University in 2008. She was first introduced to BibleWorkbench in the late 90's while a member at Christ Episcopal Church. She later joined Myers Park Baptist Church and was part of a BibleWorkbench group there led by Bill Dols.

Having lived in Manhattan twice over the last 10 years, she is back living in her hometown, Charlotte, where she shares life with her two cherished daughters.

Ed is a partner in the Charlotte, North Carolina law firm James, McElroy & Diehl, P.A.  His practice is devoted principally to business litigation - including practice in State and Federal Courts and arbitration before FINRA and AAA.  He also maintains an active white-collar criminal defense practice. He began his legal career as an assistant District Attorney in Mecklenburg County from 1977 to 1981.  He has been in private practice with James, McElroy & Diehl, P.A. since that time.  He currently represents the Mecklenburg County Bar as a Delegate to the ABA House of Delegates and serves as State Chair of the North Carolina Chapter of the American College of Trial Lawyers. 

He was awarded a B.A. in History, summa cum laude by Wofford College in 1974 and a J.D. Degree by Duke University School of Law in 1977.

His community involvement includes current service on the North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission, the Board of Directors of McLeod Center (a drug treatment facility), the Board of Directors of Legal Services of the Southern Piedmont (a non-profit which renders civil legal services to clients who cannot afford counsel), and the Board of the Federal Defenders of the Western District of North Carolina (a non-profit which provides representation in Federal Court to those who cannot afford counsel).  He also serves on the Advisory Board of The Center for Professional and Applied Ethics at UNCC and The Medical Humanities Advisory Council at Davidson College. He has served as Chair of the Board of Deacons at Myers Park Baptist Church in Charlotte and currently serves as a life Deacon.  He is an active participant in a Bible Workbench Group originally led by Bill Dols.

He is married to Dorothy Brown Hinson, and they have two children, Philip, age 28 and Rebecca, age 21.

Eric retired from the Board in December 2010.  We thank him for his time, efforts and contributions in serving The Educational Center.

If you look up "lifelong learner" in the dictionary, you'll find a photo of Eric Wohlforth. His spirit of adventure and his love of knowledge have earned him many degrees and diplomas, the latest being a Master of Arts in philosophy, which he will complete in 2010.

Eric E. Wohlforth is a founding member of the law firm of Wohlforth, Johnson, Brecht, Cartledge & Brooking, the first Alaska based public finance law firm formed in 1966. Eric did his undergraduate work at Princeton University and received his law degree from University of Virginia. He also holds a Master of Arts degrees in religious education from Loyola University and in organizational development from Fielding Graduate Institute. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Alaska, Achorage in recogntion of his civic engagement, dedication, achievements and contributions to the state of Alaska.

Eric served as Board treasurer for many years, only recently vacating that post. His support of the work of The Eduational Center has been long-lived and steady. His dedication to its purposes is remarkable, and he brings rich institutional memory to the mix. He has been a BibleWorkbench writer, associate editor and facilitator.