Katrina Obata. CFDM-NW Executive Director. Received her certificate in Spiritual Formation & Spiritual Direction from CFDM-NW in 2004. She completed Supervision Trainings at The Mercy Center in Burlingame, CA and with CFDM-NW. Katrina enjoys being creative, completing the Experiential Training Intensive with Abby of the Arts for integrating expressive arts into spiritual direction. She served as staff with Fuller Theological Seminary leading online Vocation Formation Groups for U.S. and international students. She holds a B.S. in Psychology and has a diverse professional background having worked in NYC & LA in radio marketing, and in Seattle and Portland in finance. A native of the Adirondack Mountain area of New York state, Katrina has made the PNW her home since 1994. She is a mom to an adult son via foster adoption, and currently lives in Bend, OR with her husband, and wonderful dog.

Lisa Alteio. Spiritual Direction Program Assistant Director. Received her certification in Spiritual Direction through CFDM in 2014. She previously served on CFDM’s Board of Directors. Lisa teaches in the direction program sharing her passion for the arts as well as contemplative and embodied spirituality. Lisa lives in Bellevue with her husband, John, and their teenage daughters, Katie and Sarah. She loves learning, reading and boating on Lake Washington.

Chris Murphy. Serves as pastor for Newberg First Presbyterian Church in Newberg, Oregon. He is blessed to be married to Karen and to be dad to two daughters, Cate and Chiara. He is an ordained minister with the Presbyterian Church USA and earned his Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry in Spiritual Direction through Fuller Theological Seminary. Chris received a Certificate in Spiritual Direction in 2005 and has actively offered spiritual direction and prayer retreats for the last 20 years. Chris has taught for Fuller Seminary, CFDM Seattle, CFDM Los Angeles, and Renovare Institute. He is grateful to partner once again with CFDM and to help students grow in God's love and in the art of spiritual direction.

Paula Mitchell. Spiritual Director, teacher, retreat facilitator, writer, wife, and mother of four grown sons. She and her husband, Jim, live in Sequim, Washington. Paula is the founder and executive director of Doorways Ministries which offers Days of Prayer, Three and Five day silent retreats and an online nine-month program based on the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola entitled Free our Hearts. Paula teaches and supervises for the Christian Formation and Direction Ministry training program for Spiritual Directors as well as co-leads their new Supervision Program. Paula shares her own desire for deeper intimacy with Jesus, a love of prayer, and a heart to help others find freedom and joy as they follow Jesus.

Marilyn Vancil. Author of Self to Lose, Self to Find: Using the Enneagram to Uncover Your True, God-Gifted Self. She has studied the Enneagram personality system and its value in Christian spiritual transformation for over 30 years. She is a Certified Enneagram Professional in the Narrative Tradition, a certified spiritual director, and a trained life coach. She has also completed coursework on the Enneagram at Loyola University and the Deep Coaching Institute. Marilyn facilitates workshops and retreats on the Enneagram, focusing on how it can be used to deepen one’s life with God and improve relationships. She practices spiritual direction and coaching in Seattle where she enjoys life with her husband, Jeff. They have four grown children and eleven grandchildren.

David Hicks. Recently retired after 42 years of formal pastoral ministry in the Free Methodist Church. During that time he has had a variety of roles including local church pastor; director of Spiritual Formation and Pastoral Care for PNW conference of the Free Methodist Church; hospital chaplain; health care and retirement community chaplain. He is also a trained spiritual director and has been a faculty member with CFDM in both the formation and direction programs for the past 10 years. His training in spiritual formation and direction comes from various sources including, The Transforming Center (Ruth Haley Barton); CFDM (formation program); Soul Formation (spiritual formation and direction programs). He has a B.A. in psychology from Seattle Pacific University and an M.Div. from Fuller Seminary. He lives in Snohomish, WA with his wife of 45 years and their dog Cooper. They have 2 grown daughters and 2 granddaughters. David holds firmly to the conviction that the grace, love, and mercy of God is at the heart of all that matters and that everything must be viewed through that lens.

Joe Castillo. Joe and his wife, Christine, have three children, Ayumi, Kazuki and Kiyoshi. He was born in the Philippines and grew up in Los Angeles and Chicago. Joe serves as an associate pastor for Lighthouse Christian Church. He offers spiritual direction in Bellevue. He completed his certificate in Spiritual Direction from CFDM-NW in 2018 and is a graduate of the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and Fuller Theological Seminary, MA Theology and Biblical Studies. Joe enjoys reading, photography, playing the guitar, watching sports, and finding good frozen yogurt places.

Carolyn Shimabukuro. A native Washingtonian, she and her young adult daughter and son live in Redmond, WA. A graduate of the first CFDM-NW cohort, Carolyn serves as a spiritual director, labyrinth facilitator and directs the All-Seasons counseling and spiritual direction ministry. Her background includes a Masters of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary, CFDM Certificate in Spiritual Direction, Veriditas Labyrinth Certification and is ordained with the American Baptist Churches, USA. Carolyn hosts labyrinth walks and has created immersive labyrinth videos as a path for prayer. Her desire is that all may know that they are loved by God and to experience God’s presence and guidance in real and authentic ways.

Rev. Mona Chicks. Past CFDM-NW Co-Director, and Spiritual Formation Program Director. Mona began her connection with CFDM Northwest in the Formation program in 2012. She completed the Formation certificate that season, and her Spiritual Direction certification in 2022. Ordained in the American Baptist Churches-USA in 1996, Mona has been teaching and writing about formation tools through workshops, retreats, and programs in various churches since. Mona considers herself a native Pacific Northwesterner, despite being born and raised in California. Mona holds a BA in Religious Studies from Westmont College and an MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary. She is married to David, with an adult son. They live in Redmond, WA.

Terry Tripp. Board member and past CFDM-NW Co-Director, Reverend Terry Tripp Spiritual Guidance Training Director, Faculty, is an ordained pastor in the PCUSA Church. She served as Associate Pastor at BelPres for over 12 years in the area of pastoral care and spiritual formation. She also has been a spiritual director for 20 years, having received her training through the CFDM ministry. She brings a depth of intimacy with God and herself as she teaches spiritual formation and guidance ministry as well as retreat speaking. She lives in Poulsbo, WA where she enjoys rowing and gardening.

Gwen Shipley. Editor for CFDM’s Blog, “Being the Beloved,” and past CFDM-NW Co-Director, Spiritual Formation Director, Faculty. A worship minister and musician, Gwen has served in a wide range of contexts. She is a graduate of CFDM-NW’s Spiritual Director Training Program and holds degrees in Social Sciences and Psychology. She and her husband, Claude, attend East Valley Church and enjoy life in rural Washington state, with their active and diverse family. Gwen finds gardens to be especially life-giving and finds joy in facilitating awareness of and attentiveness to God.

Becce Bettridge. MBS, Past CFDM Spiritual Direction Program/Associate Director. Becce has been a spiritual director since 2009 and holds certifications from both Monastery of the Risen Christ in Santa Barbara, CA, and CFDM in Seattle. She holds a BA in Communication and Literature, a Master of Biblical Studies, and has studied spiritual direction and dream work with the Haden Institute in North Carolina. Becce continues to speak, teach, and write curriculum on the topic of spiritual formation. She lives in Poulsbo, Washington and enjoys kayaking, hiking, gardening, and playing golf with her husband, Joe.

Boni Piper. Past Spiritual Formation Director for CFDM-NW. She continues as guest faculty, is a spiritual director, Bible study leader and retreat speaker. Presently she is Chair of the Board of Directors for the nonprofit, Path from Poverty. She is a graduate of Geneva College, earned a Masters of Science degree at Seattle Pacific University, attended the Reformed Presbyterian Seminary in PA and is a graduate of CFDM-NW's Spiritual Direction program. Boni's passion is to see Christians find true freedom in Christ and deepen their felt presence of our Lord.