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I care about replying to your inquiry with a clear, thoughtful and considered response—and with the volume of messages I receive that usually takes time. I appreciate your patience and/or your gentle nudge if you don't hear back from me right away.
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A devoted mother first and foremost, Amber weaves together her roles as Spiritual Ecologist, Ordained Reverend, Educator, Master Naturalist, and Spiritual Guide into a unified practice of compassionate service. For decades, she has led her community through trauma-informed leadership, mindfulness education, environmental advocacy, and engaged action.
Her interconnected approach to earth, spirit, body, and community manifests through several initiatives: the Torchbearers Collective, a spiritual community fostering deeper connections with Earth and each other; Mindful School of Yoga, a mobile training lab making trauma-informed, healing-centered practices accessible throughout her communities; and her service as a board member for Beyond the City, a non-profit providing travel opportunities to underserved youth in Greater Grand Rapids.
Amber's commitment to community extends to public service as an elected official on the Board of Education for Grand Rapids Public Schools, where she applies her holistic perspective to educational governance and policy.
Amber's work draws inspiration from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, psychologist Sharon Blackie, activist Joanna Macy, and the Center for Wild Spirituality. With deep respect, she acknowledges her presence on the unceded ancestral lands of Michigan's first peoples—the Anishinaabe: Odawa, Ojibwe, and Bodéwadmi—and expresses gratitude to the land that sustains her life, work, and community.