Board of Directors

Dr. Lo Sprague is a talented writer, photographer, lecturer and psychotherapist who has had a successful private practice and served on the faculty of several academic institutions and various national non-profit boards as well as a term as warden at St. John’s Cathedral in Los Angeles. 

She trained as a Jungian-oriented psychotherapist. Her background and focus have always been on the cutting edge of human capacities and the nature of consciousness. She did her undergraduate work in Clinical Psychology and Sociology at UCLA and her doctoral work in consciousness with Dr. Jean Houston at the Institute for Mind Research in New York; Dr. William Tiller, Chair of the Material Science Department at Stanford University; and Dr. Sandra Garfield at the Psychodrama Institute West Coast. 

Dr. Lo  is a well-traveled, deeply spiritual and passionate educator who invites students and colleagues alike to participate fully in the on-going adventure of discovery and awakening in their own lives. Together she and the late Rev. Dr. Gwynne Guibord built and ran Guibord and Sprague Associates, a widely-recognized psychotherapy and teaching practice. Following 9/11 and the rise of the Religious Right, they joined with a core group of concerned friends and colleagues to create The Guibord Center - Religion Inside Out to uplift the spirituality at the heart of every faith and throughout Nature.

Her interests today include The Animal Defenders International Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa where she and a colleague spend time every year and The Guibord Center in support of all people, but especially young people, in claiming their own spirituality as we all seek ways to deal with the daunting challenges of today.. 

Lurelean works side-by-side with Dr. Lo Sprague as Vice President of the Board of Directors of The Guibord Center and simultaneously serves as Senior Warden at St. John's Episcopal Cathedral. 

Retired as the Director and Chair of the Department of Nursing at East Los Angeles College (ELAC), Lurelean dedicated her formal career to advancing health equity and serving communities too often overlooked. Since her college days, she has been a passionate activist—someone who, in her words, “fights for the deserving and the underserved.”

As a student and later a public health nurse with Los Angeles County, she supported patients in need of comprehensive, compassionate care. That advocacy has continued at both local and national levels, including her service as President of Health and Education for the American Diabetes Association, and through leadership roles as Assistant Chief Nurse and EEO with the 349th General Hospital Army Reserve.

For many years she has run the Food Pantry at St. John’s Cathedral, where her commitment to justice, dignity, and caring for others continues to guide her leadership. 

Her life’s work reflects a long tradition of leadership rooted in service, advocacy, love of the Church and care for community.

Mary Kirchen is a founding board member of The Guibord Center and serves as Treasurer. She is also a member of the Immaculate Heart Community, an ecumenical community rooted in Jesus and united with the people of God.

The partnership between the Immaculate Heart Community and TGC reflects her desire to be of service through the shared mission of both organizations.

Mary has served in the nonprofit sector for over 40 years as Executive Director and board member of several organizations, bringing to TGC a passion for the possible through respect for diverse understandings of the Holy and through systemic change.

Lieutenant Colonel Chaplain Dr. Brenda “B.J.” Threatt is an ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Mentored by the Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray at First AME Church, Los Angeles, she now serves at Bryant Temple AME Church and as a chaplain at Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base.

With over 15 years of experience, she is currently serving as Director of Veterans Service at El Camino College, contributing to impactful programs that support veterans' housing and well-being.

Chaplain Threatt previously worked for Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as the South Los Angeles Director and Veterans Outreach Coordinator and is known for her community organizing skills and public speaking. She earned her doctorate in public administration from California Baptist University, a Master’s degree from California State University, and an MDiv from San Francisco Theological Seminary. She has been an important advisor to The Guibord Center since its inception.

Reverend Angie Buchanan is the Spiritual Director of Earth Traditions Church and Founder of Gaia’s Womb, an interfaith spirituality group that has organized women’s spiritual retreats for over 25 years. She serves as Senior Minister at Earth Traditions, is a Rite of Passage Officiant, and Pagan Student Advisor at the University of Chicago.

Additionally, she is an Emeritus Board Member of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions. In 2014, she was inducted into the Martin Luther King Jr., International College of Ministers and Laity at Morehouse College, in recognition of her significant contributions.

Reverend Buchanan has been actively involved with multiple organizations promoting religious freedom interfaith dialogue and peace among world religions. These include the Lady Liberty League, where she served as Public Relations Director for ten years, Women for International Peace & Arbitration, and the Our Freedom Coalition. She also taught “Introduction to Interfaith” at Cherry Hill Seminary for four years.

Her activism extends to women’s equal rights and religious freedom, with a notable achievement in securing the pentacle symbol as a recognized religious emblem on the headstones of deceased Pagan veterans.

Reverend Buchanan currently serves as the Spiritual Advisor for Pagan students at the University of Chicago. She is a Certified Death Midwife and an instructor in the Death Midwife Certification program.

www.EarthTraditions.org  

www.DeathMidwife.org

Pamela Hope is a highly qualified non-profit professional with over 40 years of experience working with non-profit organizations.  She has demonstrated success in grant writing, direct solicitations, cause-related marketing, resource development, community relations, and special events resulting in tremendous financial support.

Pam has a proven ability to grow relationships with supporters and provide ongoing contact and giving opportunities. She has worked with many local community-based groups by identifying potential donors, writing grants and proposals, securing financial support and in-kind donations.

Organizations have included:  Alexandria House, Immaculate Heart Community, St. Joseph Center, Goals for Life, Southern Christian Leadership Council – Southern California, Colette’s Children’s Home, Bend the Arc – A Jewish Partnership for Justice, and Clergy and Laity United for Justice.  

Pam is the President of Colette's Children's Home in Orange County and serves as the Chair of the Goals for Life NFL Alumni Advisory Group

Rev. Michael Trice,  Ph.D, EMBA is the Founding Director of the Seattle University   Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Engagement (CEIE) and Spehar-Halligan Professor.

He serves as a faculty administrator and constructive theologian with more than three decades of experience in organizational development, comparative religious studies, ecumenical dialogue, cultural and religious pluralism, and interdisciplinary leadership. Rooted in philosophy, literature, theology, history, and entrepreneurial-organizational advancement, he brings a collaborative, creative, and innovative approach to developing viable responses to the challenges facing communities today.

He also served the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in the Office of Ecumenical and Inter-religious Relations and represented Bishop Mark Hanson as President of the Lutheran World Federation on President Barack Obama’s Advisory Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

An accomplished author, editor, fundraiser, visionary, and beloved educator, Dr. Trice was also a cherished colleague, collaborator, and dear friend of the late Rev. Dr. Gwynne Guibord. He remains a deeply valued friend and colleague to Dr. Lo Sprague and The Guibord Center, where he serves alongside the Center on the National Council of Churches’ Buddhist-Christian Dialogue and Hindu-Christian Dialogues. He is currently working with Dr. Lo on the vital role of spirituality in shaping a successful, nonviolent response to policies and practices that cause harm to vulnerable communities.

In 2023, Dr. Trice was awarded the prestigious Gwynne M. Guibord Award for Excellence in Interreligious Leadership from the National Council of Churches in Christ in the USA.