Unity In Marin's Board of Trustees
You are encouraged and invited to seek out a Board Trustee to present any of your questions, observations, ideas, recommendations and/or compliments concerning your church.
Tom McAuliffe - Board President
Tom has been attending Unity in Marin since 1986, he became a member in 1988. His wife Erika Martinez also attends Unity In Marin.
He has been a personal financial adviser, managing portfolios and preparing financial plans for families and organizations since 1986. He assists families and organizations in managing their investment portfolios.
Tom has facilitated classes at Unity In Marin, especially the 4T class, as well as a Masterminding class and many 7 week book study programs. He helped form and currently leads the Unity in Marin Men’s group, Has been involved in the leadership of the Unity in Marin Legacy Circle aka Candida Wright Legacy Circle, which is the community of planned giving supporters for UIM.
To contact Tom please leave a voicemail at 415-475-5000 x105
Nevin Valentine, Vice President
Nevin Valentine dedicates her abilities and talents to our shared vision of providing a loving and supportive community. She has been a member of Unity In Marin since 2002 and has served as an usher, helped to create the Hospitality Sponsor Program and chaired the Board Nominating Committee in 2005. She also facilitated a Seven Week Program on The Power of Now with her husband Darrell Holdaway, who has also been a member of UIM since 2002. She serves on Faith In Action team, and has co-led many relationship workshops at Unity In Marin with her husband Darrell.
Nevin served as the Board President of a nonprofit organization, Imago Couples International, that Darrell and she co-founded with Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt. In her careers as a college administrator and instructor, she has had many opportunities to exhibit leadership skills and has a proven track record of successful group facilitation. Nevin has a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education and is a certified Relationship Coach. She is a good communicator and contributes to win-win solutions that are prayer based.
Mark Granovsky, Board Treasurer
Mark started attending Unity in Marin in the spring of 2005, and became a member of the community that fall. Like many other people have described, “…when I attended my first service and sat in the back rows of the congregation, I felt like the message was being communicated expressly for me. I knew then that I had found my Spiritual community.”
Mark is a single dad and attends services with his 11 year old son, Nicholas, who is a 6th grader at Hall Middle School in Larkspur. Mark’s first involvement in the community began as a member of the Charitable Contributions Committee (CCC) in 2006. Mark has also volunteered as a substitute usher, helped review and hire the Family Ministry team, and served on the Candida Wright Legacy Circle.
In 2007, Mark joined the Board of Trustees as an associate member, and was elected to a voting member in January 2008. Mark currently serves as the Treasurer on the board, and his term expires January 2014.
Mark is the founder and CEO of G2Planet, an applications software and services company that provides event management, loyalty and rewards marketing programs, and customer relationship management solutions to Fortune 500 companies.
Barbara Cochran, Board Secretary
Barbara originally attended Unity in Marin when founding Minister Rev. Candi was in leadership. She lives in Novato with her husband, Larry Gorski who is also an active member of Unity and has served on the Board of Trustees.
She is dedicated to creating opportunities for community members to develop heart connections with each other in a non-judgmental, just-being, learning, discovering and expanding way.
Barbara is presently employed in private practice in Novato at 9 Corners Center for Balanced Living, a holistic wellness center. She is an Educational Psychologist, Cognitive Behavior Therapist, Life and Relationship Coach and Corporate Team Builder.
She has participated as an Usher, Spiritual Counselor, Chaplain, and has taught a few classes. She co-leads the Women’s Retreat at Mercy Center.
Barbara also was the leader of our Perfect Vision 2020 process that has supported our community in planning and building community and realizing the dreams of what is so feeding us from Spirit.
Frima Stewart, Board Member
Frima has been attending Unity In Marin since 2005 and became a member along with her husband, Joe Stewart, in July 2006.
Frima has a Masters in Social work and worked for over 30 years in the management and leadership of public health and human services in Marin County. From 2001 to 2009 she served as the Director of Public Health for Marin County in the Health and Human Services Department. She retired from that position in August, 2010.
Frima has also served in other leadership roles. She was a Board member of The Canal Alliance from 2007-2010. In 2009 she joined the Board of North Bay Children’s Center where she serves as a member of the Executive Committee and Chair of the Fund Developement Committee. She was a founding member of the Marin Family and Children’s Commission, formed in 1991, and was Chair of that Commission from 2005-2007.
At Unity In Marin Frima has served on the Charitable Contributions Committee since 2007, she was an Associate Member of the Board since April, 2010. Frima also served on the Vision 2020 Steering Committee, under the leadership of Barbara Cochran. And she served on the Education Steering Committee, headed by Rev. Medora Gordon, and is currently a member of the Program Oversight Team which is a team: Ministry Leadership members and the Board to coordinate programming and space use for UIM.
Frima's communication style is inclusive and collaborative and she creates meeting structures and agendas that allow all voices to be heard. She serves this community with enthusiasm, skill and great joy.
Nhien T. Vuong, Board Member
Nhien has been attending Unity In Marin since February 2005 and became a member in September 2005. A Stanford Law School graduate, Nhien has been practicing law in California since 1999 and currently works as a Contract Attorney / Project Manager primarily in the field of eDiscovery for complex business litigation. A trained mediator, with experience in family law mediation, Nhien brings a breadth of leadership, business, and communication skills to her service on Unity's Board.
A member of the Board since June 2006, Nhien has also served as a Prayer Chaplain for three years and a Unity Teacher for two. As a Unity Teacher, she has facilitated classes and leadership workshops on prosperity, the Twelve Powers, and the Enneagram at UIM. As a Board member, she served as the Event Coordinator for our community's largest annual fundraiser, the Annual Gala & Auction Benefit, in 2009, 2010, and 1011. As a Chaplain, Nhien has led pre-Sunday service meditations, Wednesday Night inspirational services and the 2008 World Day of Prayer Service. She has also volunteered for Helping Hands, served as a Team Leader for the Sunday Welcome Team, and served on the committees for Spiritual Education & Enrichment (SEE) week at UIM in 2007 and 2008.
Devoted to Truth studies and with a life calling to serve as a Unity minister, Nhien brings not only a strong prayer consciousness and earnest committment to Truth principles but also TON of zeal to her sacred service!
Sue Silkworth, Board Associate
Sue has been coming to Unity In Marin since 2001 and became a member in December 2002
She holds a Masters in Health Care Administration and has worked in this field for 25+ years. She was a Mediator for Marin Mediation Services 2003-2010. She also served as a Case Manager for Marin County Victim Offender Program where she carried a caseload of 90+ cases in 4 years.
At Unity In Marin, Sue served as a Prayer Chaplain for five years, and as Chaplain Program Leader for one year. She was on the Outreach Committee for two year and on the Charitable Contributions Committee for six years, for of those as chair and co-chair -6 yrs. She was also an InHome Study Group Facilitator, and is currently on the Loving Kindness Task Force
Sue's major professional focus has been in the field of sound administrative management and conflict resolution. Having clarity and breadth of vision, being able to see all sides of an issue, has assisted greatly in working with groups. Sue has deomonstrated the courage necessary to speak one's truth unequivocally; to be aware of and guided by core values. She is deeply grounded in Prayer and the Unity Principles form the basis for her spiritual practice which guides and informs all of the above.
Larry Hinkle, Board Associate
Larry was born and reared in Dayton, Ohio. He is the father of twin sons Sean & Shane (Sean now transitioned) and four wonderful Grandchildren; three boys and a girl.
Larry graduated from Bowling Green State University with a degree in Sociology and has a MBA degree from the University in Phoenix.
He worked for General Motors for ten years. Is currently employed in the banking industry and has worked for the same bank for over 25 years in the Retirement Programs sector. He is also a part-time Weight Watchers leader.
He enjoys playing basketball and swimming
Larry was raised Baptist, loved Sunday school and went an entire year without missing a Sunday. He then dropped out of organized religion for over 30 years.
In 1984 he moved to California and lived in San Francisco for 21 years. He came to Unity in Marin in 2005 and became a member in 2006. He was guided to Unity by his partner Caroline; she was looking for a new Spiritual home and Unity was a natural fit for them.
Larry serves as an Usher team leader, is on the count team and belongs to the Unity in Marin Men’s Group. He is the Co-leader of the Unity in Marin Chaplain Program along with Caroline McKinnon and an associated member on the Board of Trustees.
Larry feels nourished by Unity in Marin spiritually, intellectually and emotionally. His life has been enriched beyond measure by his experiences at Unity; through the people he has met and the activities in which he has participated.
Mayra Merritt, Board Associate
Marya Merritt and her husband Norlin Merritt and sons, Ian and Colin, began attending Unity In Marin in October 1996. Marya and Norlin became members in 1997. In the past, her husband has served on the Board of Trustees and continues to be an active member. Both Marya and Norlin knew from their very first service experience that they belonged at UIM.
Marya has participated on the Faith In Action Team since 1998 and continues to serve as FIA Chair since 2005. Marya also has served on the Usher Teams from 2004 to 2006 and served as Usher Team Co-Coordinator from 2006 to 2008. Marya served on the Charitable Contributions Committee in 2000 and served as an office angel from 1997 to 1999. Marya has participated in many UIM classes over the years including Unity Way of Life, 4T Prosperity Program, Twelve (12) Powers, Spiritual Economics, Lessons in Truth, Aramaic Our Father, Abundant Life, and Quest Program to name a few, and has participated in eight (8) Fall Book Study Programs over the years.
Marya has been a Chiropractor since 1981 and has practiced with her husband, Norlin, since 1985. Marya and Norlin infuse Unity Principles in their work. Her love and practical application of these principles have and continues to guide her in her personal and professional life. It is with this guidance that Marya brings love and understanding with a strong dose of gratitude, appreciation and enthusiasm to the Unity community.
For Information about the state of our Finances and for Board Meeting Minutes click here.