About Us
Evry Mann
Founder/ Director
Ev has a long history as an educator and community organizer. He is the founder and long-time executive director of the Center for Creative Education in Kingston, NY, and MaMA, Marbletown Multi-Arts, a cultural and community center dedicated to arts, wellness and education. He has worked as a teaching artist in k-12 schools since 1976 and directed the program for homeless students in Seattle Public Schools from 1989-1993.
He is the co-creator, with Lester Strong, of Elder Odyssey, a rite of passage program for mature adults and Healing Racism in America. He currently co-teaches the Encore Transition Program at Union Theological Seminary and serves as Education Director of the Peaceful Guardians Project.
Ev also has a long and eclectic history as a percussionist. He has played with Atras del Cosmos, Tiny Desk Unit, Gasha Band, Bantu, Chakra City, OmU, the Harmonic Choir and Levanta in a professional career that began in 1975 and is featured on seventeen recordings. He was an artist in residence with the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes in Mexico for six years (1975-81) and has studied traditional African music in Mali and Senegal. Ev is the founder of POOK, the Percussion Orchestra of Kingston, a youth performance ensemble that has given hundreds of concerts since its inception in 1997.
Since 1999, Ev has led over seventy trips to Cuba to study music, dance, visual art and education and wrote the sections on Music and Nightlife in Havana and Santiago de Cuba for the Time Out Guide. He continues to work with Cuban artists by serving as a translator on tours for various organizations.
Ev holds master’s degrees in religious studies from McGill University and in music composition from Mills College.
Susan Richmann
Sunday Gathering Planning Team
Susan had a long career in teaching and evaluating students with a wide variety of ages and learning challenges. She has a BSEd in English, an MSEd in Special Education and extensive graduate credits in teaching Reading. After being a strong advocate on behalf of students, as well as an activist in both educational and union leadership roles, she retired a decade ago. Since then Susan has continued living a full and meaningful life filled with changes and a few surprises. Good fortune has allowed her to travel extensively, volunteer often in the community and spend treasured time with family and friends.
An unexpected spiritual journey began when Susan sought AL-ANON support to understand the alcoholism in her family. This opened up a belief in a power greater than herself while concurrently becoming a dedicated TaiChi practitioner. She has also been inspired by her meaningful contact and study with an Indigenous Peruvian healer. This continuing journey has given Susan the courage to start a prayer group, lead a spiritual discussion group, and to help create Sunday Gathering at MaMA. All have supported her in a more grounded and peaceful life.
Therese Bimka
Sunday Gathering Planning Team
Rev. Theresa Bimka is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Spiritual Director, artist, author, educator, workshop facilitator, leader of international trips, and an ordained interfaith minister. In addition to her private practice in The Hudson Valley and NYC, Therese is The Director of The Interspiritual Counseling Program at One Spirit Interfaith Alliance where she offers a wide range of spiritually inspired presentations to students nationally and internationally. Therese has worked in the human potential field for more than 3 decades as a practitioner, administrator and supervisor working in a variety of settings including university, social service, prisons, community-based and non-profits. As a life-long learner, Therese has pursued extensive post graduate training in many psycho-spiritual modalities including: meditation/mindfulness, Buddhist psychology, Gestalt, Jungian Sandplay Therapy, Expressive Arts, SoulCollage Dreamwork, Guided Visualizations, The Realization Process, Restorative Justice and Somatic Experiencing. Her deep desire is to be of service in love, with love and for love.
Lester Strong
Sunday Gathering Planning Team
Lester currently co-facilitates Elder Odyssey and How to Help Heal Racism workshops with Ev Mann. In addition, Lester is the executive director of the Peaceful Guardians Project which serves as bridge for communication and conflict resolution between law enforcement agencies and communities of color. He served as the President and CEO of the SYDA Foundation for five years which operates yoga and meditation centers in 46 countries. Lester has studied Eastern philosophies and practiced meditation on four continents (North America, Asia, Europe and Australia) over the past 40 years. He also taught in and managed meditation centers in Boston, Atlanta and Charlotte for twenty years. Lester studied Judeo-Christian theology at Davidson College in North Carolina and the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta.
Rik Flynn
Sunday Gathering Planning Team
Rik has been an educator and resident of Ulster County for forty years. He was employed, in particular, as a Special Education teacher and School-to-Work Coordinator during this time. He is now retired and devotes time to not-for-profit engagements and collegial exploration in spiritual areas including the activities associated with MaMA’s Spiritual Gatherings. He and his wife, Susan, live in Cottekill.
He served as a classroom special education instructor, was an Assistant Director of the Mid-Hudson Teacher Center and an acting director and board member of the Ulster County School to Work Partnership. He received an undergraduate degree from Marist College and a Master of Science degree in Education from SUNY, New Paltz. During his tenure as a teacher at Ulster County BOCES, he was also an adjunct professor at SUNY New Paltz supervising a graduate level special education practicum requirement. He was president of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) Ulster County BOCES Teachers’ Organization and a member of several state and national professional education organizations. He was also a vice-president of the Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation (HVALF) and officer of the Upper Hudson Area Central Labor Council (UHCLC), AFL-CIO.
Eda Zavala
Chief Visionary Officer
Eda Zavala, Peruvian sociologist, curandera and environmental activist is an international consultant on Indigenous Knowledge, Amazonian Conservation and Traditional Healing Arts. Ms. Zavala is deeply engaged in the preservation and protection of the Amazon Rainforest, Plant Medicine and Shamanism. She is a direct descendant of the Wari People, an ancient Peruvian Civilization and the Ashaninka People from the Amazon.
Laurie Giardino
Administrative Director
Laurie: organized and relentlessly helpful. She’s on a mission to keep marketing for the Sunday Gathering spiritually visual.
Sunday Gathering Planning Team
Sunday Gatherings are the creation of a team of individuals who met for almost a year, breaking bread, taking turns at each other’s homes, in order to design, structure, and vision what a Sunday Gathering could be.
Photo #1
L:R Rik Flynn, Evry Mann, Lester Strong, Therese Bimka, Susan Richmann, (and Lester’s dog, Lola)
Photo #2
L:R Susan Richmann, Laurie Giardino, Evry Mann, Tanya Robie, Eda Zavala, Lester Strong, Lindsay McGowen, and Rik Flynn. (Therese Bimka not pictured)
Whole Sky Yoga
About Whole Sky Yoga
Whole Sky Yoga (WSY) was founded under the guiding principle that yoga should be accessible to all seekers. At our beautiful studio in Stone Ridge, NY, we provide a non-judgmental, inclusive space for self-exploration and personal development. We offer a diverse range of yoga and wellness classes and workshops, as well as a comprehensive teacher training and community gatherings. We aim to foster a welcoming and nurturing environment, which allows our students to deeply connect with their yoga practice and community.
Visit Whole Sky’s website for a full list of classes and offerings. wholeskyyoga.com
Annie Girvin
Owner & Director
Annie took over the reins at Whole Sky Yoga in June 2023. In addition to teaching yoga, Annie also runs her own marketing company working with clients to develop and execute strategic and creative marketing plans. Her classes incorporate functional movement, creative transitions, mindful flows, breathwork, and humor. She finds great joy in teaching and empowering others to reach their fullest potential, on and off the mat.
wholeskyyogainfo@gmail.com
917-974-8577