Welcome Statement: As a fully inclusive community, we believe everyone belongs.

Vision for Center for Sacred Space

Anchored in Christian contemplative spirituality and welcoming to all faith traditions, we seek to:

Provide a spiritual direction training program which offers academic, practicum, and transformational opportunities equipping students to serve as Spirit-guided companions for others.
Provide confidential one-on-one meetings between a spiritual director and a directee, which focus on recognizing and responding to the Divine’s moment-by-moment presence in the directee's life, honoring the diversity of the human spirit.
Provide valuable spiritual tools, guidance, peer support, and continuing education for renewal and healing of mind, body, and spirit for all people.
Empower laity, clergy, and all people with a call to create and hold space for the Divine in their various spheres of influence.
Empower spiritual directors to integrate their gifts and graces in their communities and within their vocational settings, which transforms people and communities.

Core Values

As pilgrims on the journey of becoming Spiritual Transforming Community, we practice:

the Habit of Discernment
Hospitality of Spirit
Contemplation
Holy Listening

Volunteer Leadership Team

Kaye Westmark

Executive Director

My spiritual formation began as a child with God as my imaginary playmate, delighting together outdoors. This relationship, along with a church community, training in spiritual direction and spiritual formation have shaped my ministries, spiritual exploration, and led me into a contemplative life of prayer and companioning others in spiritual direction and spiritual formation.

In October 2021, I founded a nonprofit, Center for Sacred Space, Inc, with the purpose of providing safe sacred space for all people to deepen their connection with the Divine, self, and others, and to live a contemplative life bringing peace, justice, and freedom and healing into the world. I am the Director of The Art of Holy Listening Spiritual Direction Training program, certified Spiritual Director, certified in Spiritual Formation, and trained in small group supervision. I offer spiritual direction, facilitate spiritual formation small groups, plan retreats, offer contemplative worship, and build community.

I am a wife and mother of two adult married children. I enjoy outdoor activities, gardening, reading, singing, liturgical dance and spending time with family and friends. I find joy in creating spaces for others to awaken to the Divine within, witnessing the transformation in others, building community and companioning those called to spiritual direction.

Donell Seager

Director of Spiritual Formation and Worship

My training in the Art of Holy Listening, Class of 2012, transformed the way I live and move and have my being in world. Through it, I found a pathway for a deep contemplative life. Spirit has used this way of being to transform me, bringing me healing, hope, peace, and freedom I never thought possible.

In October of 2021, along with Kaye Westmark, I helped found Center for Sacred Space for the purpose of providing safe sacred space for all people to deepen their connection with the Divine, self, and others, and to live a contemplative life bringing peace, justice, and freedom into the world. My training in spiritual direction awakened in me a call to supervision and was a small group supervisor for the Art of Holy Listening, Class of 2020. I’m anticipating with joy serving as a small group supervisor for the Art of Holy Listening, Class of 2025. Witnessing the birth of spiritual directors has been one of my greatest joys and privileges.

I encounter the Holy through my husband of 36 years (Paul) and our children and grandchildren, nature and tending my gardens, at the beach, paddle boarding, and through my ministry of spiritual direction and spiritual formation, which includes facilitating small groups, teaching, and leading retreats.

Cheryl McCray

Communications Director

I came to spiritual direction through the Center for Sacred Space in 2022 after meeting Kaye, who facilitates a spiritual formation group at our church. The study of spiritual direction has been life changing for me. I am drawn to the community and the intentional focus on spiritual development offered by the Center for Sacred Space. I am absolutely delighted to be serving as Communications Director and instructor for the center.

I have been teaching for over 25 years, in both public and private schools and in tutoring centers in Tennessee, Alaska, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Florida. I was a licensed minister early in my career (in a teaching capacity), and I have always been drawn to spiritual learning. I was raised in a fundamentalist evangelical Christian path, but as I grew spiritually, I was drawn to ever widening circles of faith. I attended Lee University, a Church of God liberal arts school in Tennessee, graduating with a degree in Education and a minor in Bible and Theology. As my spiritual path widened to include more diverse perspectives, I found that the evangelical view no longer felt expansive enough. In 2021, my husband and I became members of the Episcopal Church, and we love it.

In the last decade, I have been writing, editing, and marketing online curriculum. I have written and marketed courses for professional childcare certifications, school staff training, life skills courses for those aging out of foster care, and high school and career courses for the first accredited private, national online school district in the US.

I am currently working on two new certifications for yoga and Spiritual Direction. My husband and I live with our 4 children and 3 dogs near Pensacola, Florida. We spend as much time as possible outdoors, at the beach, hiking, camping, and walking. My cultural background is based in the UK, so I love all things British and Celtic. I also read extensively, binge period dramas, read and write poetry, and watch an excessive amount of stand up comedy.

Tim O'Keefe

Treasurer

I am Dean Emeritus at the University of West Florida College of Business and a retired professor of accounting. My 25 years at UWF included teaching business processes, industry analysis, managerial accounting, financial reporting and international accounting at the graduate level as well as undergraduate accounting courses. During that time, I also assumed administrative duties as Dean, Interim Dean, Associate Dean, and Director of Graduate Programs.

Prior to UWF, my family and I spent five years in the Netherlands where I was professor of accounting and director of the University of Rochester-Nyenrode Executive MBA Program at Nyenrode Business University. We moved to the Netherlands from Atlanta where I spent nine years on the business faculty at Emory University.

Although my research interests encompass international business, financial reporting standards, and managerial accounting, my latest efforts explore inclusion in micro business, entrepreneurship and non-governmental organization economies.

Retirement allows me to devote time to worthy organizations and spend blessed time with my wife, four children, their significant others and our five grandchildren. Unbridled joy!

Through my lovely wife along with the teaching and encouragement of dear friends and lifelong brothers and sisters in Christ, I am drawn to the mystery and centering of the contemplative disciplines. As Treasurer for the Center for Sacred Space, I am pleased to make a small contribution to its efforts to build, develop and support the spiritual formation and direction community.

Board of Directors

Lisa Ihns

President

I am a certified spiritual director and a member of the State Bar of Georgia. In 2018 I completed the Contemplation and Care of Creation certificate program at The University of the South's Center for Religion and Environment, and in October 2022 I completed the Eco-Ministry Certificate program through the Seminary of the Wild. I enjoy creating space for others to experience the comfort, healing and transformation that awaits in the beauty and solitude of God’s sacred, natural world.

Kaye Westmark

Executive Director

My spiritual formation began as a child with God as my imaginary playmate, delighting together outdoors. This relationship, along with a church community, training in spiritual direction and spiritual formation have shaped my ministries, spiritual exploration, and led me into a contemplative life of prayer and companioning others in spiritual direction and spiritual formation.

In October 2021, I founded a nonprofit, Center for Sacred Space, Inc, with the purpose of providing safe sacred space for all people to deepen their connection with the Divine, self, and others, and to live a contemplative life bringing peace, justice, and freedom and healing into the world. I am the Director of The Art of Holy Listening Spiritual Direction Training program, certified Spiritual Director, certified in Spiritual Formation, and trained in small group supervision. I offer spiritual direction, facilitate spiritual formation small groups, plan retreats, offer contemplative worship, and build community.

I am a wife and mother of two adult married children. I enjoy outdoor activities, gardening, reading, singing, liturgical dance and spending time with family and friends. I find joy in creating spaces for others to awaken to the Divine within, witnessing the transformation in others, building community and companioning those called to spiritual direction.

Donell Seager

Secretary

My training in the Art of Holy Listening, Class of 2012, transformed the way I live and move and have my being in world. Through it, I found a pathway for a deep contemplative life. Spirit has used this way of being to transform me, bringing me healing, hope, peace, and freedom I never thought possible.

In October of 2021, along with Kaye Westmark, I helped found Center for Sacred Space for the purpose of providing safe sacred space for all people to deepen their connection with the Divine, self, and others, and to live a contemplative life bringing peace, justice, and freedom into the world. My training in spiritual direction awakened in me a call to supervision and was a small group supervisor for the Art of Holy Listening, Class of 2020. I’m anticipating with joy serving as a small group supervisor for the Art of Holy Listening, Class of 2025. Witnessing the birth of spiritual directors has been one of my greatest joys and privileges.

I encounter the Holy through my husband of 36 years (Paul) and our children and grandchildren, nature and tending my gardens, at the beach, paddle boarding, and through my ministry of spiritual direction and spiritual formation, which includes facilitating small groups, teaching, and leading retreats.

Tim O'Keefe

Treasurer

I am Dean Emeritus at the University of West Florida College of Business and a retired professor of accounting. My 25 years at UWF included teaching business processes, industry analysis, managerial accounting, financial reporting and international accounting at the graduate level as well as undergraduate accounting courses. During that time, I also assumed administrative duties as Dean, Interim Dean, Associate Dean, and Director of Graduate Programs.

Prior to UWF, my family and I spent five years in the Netherlands where I was professor of accounting and director of the University of Rochester-Nyenrode Executive MBA Program at Nyenrode Business University. We moved to the Netherlands from Atlanta where I spent nine years on the business faculty at Emory University.

Although my research interests encompass international business, financial reporting standards, and managerial accounting, my latest efforts explore inclusion in micro business, entrepreneurship and non-governmental organization economies.

Retirement allows me to devote time to worthy organizations and spend blessed time with my wife, four children, their significant others and our five grandchildren. Unbridled joy!

Through my lovely wife along with the teaching and encouragement of dear friends and lifelong brothers and sisters in Christ, I am drawn to the mystery and centering of the contemplative disciplines. As Treasurer for the Center for Sacred Space, I am pleased to make a small contribution to its efforts to build, develop and support the spiritual formation and direction community.

Pam Avery

Assistant Executive Director

I taught music for twenty years as a first career, then following two bouts with cancer, moved to Pensacola, Florida to do ministry. I have been in pastoral ministry for nineteen years, currently serving as Associate Pastor at Gulf Breeze United Methodist Church. I am a certified spiritual director. I am also certified in Enneagram. I began work with the Enneagram Personality Profile twelve years ago and was amazed at the transformational effect it had on me. I love sharing it with others. I have led numerous spiritual retreats as well as Enneagram training sessions around the Pensacola, Florida area and beyond.

My husband, Rev. Dr. Charles Avery passed away in July of 2020. I have two sons, two daughters-in-love, and three precious grandchildren. My joy is to help people find their own joy! I am very excited to be a part of the Sacred Space Leadership Team and look forward to empowering new spiritual directors.

Dr. Heidi Miller

Board Spiritual Director

Heidi A. Miller, Ph.D. is Director of the Doctor of Ministry and Associate Professor of Spirituality and Christian Ministry, McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University, Atlanta, Georgia. She has directed programs and served as faculty at Pfeiffer University, Duke University, Southern Methodist University, and Eastern Mennonite University. Dr. Miller has also co-founded and served as a Managing Director in non-profit organizations. Her areas of teaching, research, and writing focus on transformative aspects of leadership, spirituality, spiritual guidance, justice, and worship. She has also worked with business executives regarding the connection between theology and spirituality and has been a consultant with congregations undergoing transition and trauma, as well as with communities working with refugees. For more than 20 years, she has been training sojourners throughout the U.S. and Canada, and designing curriculum in spiritual direction, and soul tending in one-on-one, small group, community, congregational, and organizational contexts.

Susan Byram

Donor and Grant Coordinator

I am a Georgia native with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology & Master degree in Elementary Education. Mike and I married in 1983. In the early 90’s, while living in Kentucky, we became parents to David (1990) & Phillip (1992, married to Molly since 2018). In 1994, I co-founded the Purchase Area Autism Society (KY) and after moving to Florida in 2001, co-founded the Autism Society of the Panhandle (now Autism Pensacola). I served as a volunteer advocate and leader in the autism field from my son’s diagnosis in 1994. In 2006, I began serving as director of Autism Pensacola. With my leadership Autism Pensacola grew from a small parent led support group to a non-profit business with strong community support and leadership. In 2018, I retired and became a full-time community volunteer. I continues to volunteer with Autism Pensacola as well as other non-profits in the area. Mike and I are members of First Presbyterian Church, Pensacola. I am an elder who assists with Sunday School, and I play in the handbell choir.

We are Deeply Grateful to our Partners

Walmart Supercenter

Creighton Rd., Pensacola, FL

Our Heartfelt Thanks to our Sustaining Members

Sandy Christianson

Scott & Kaye Westmark

Tim Trent

Paul & Donell Seager

Valerie & Joseph Virgilio

Pam Avery

Lisa Ihns

Ginny Longwell