Sue Simon, Patty Byrne, and Sheri Pool
We’re excited to introduce the candidates our Nominations Committee has put forward to join our 2026 Board of Trustees. Members will have the opportunity to vote on the slate at our Annual Membership Meeting in March.
Bios
Sue Simon has been an active and dedicated member of the Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa for more than three decades and is deeply honored to regard the Center as her spiritual home. She is a long-time resident of Sebastopol and an active participant in the Sebastopol Senior Center’s Senior Lesbians in Community (SLIC) group.
Sue’s personal interests include gardening, reading, films, and board games. She and her spunky Corgi, Gracie can often be found out for walks or happily playing ball. Travel has been an important part of Sue’s retirement years, including many trips to beautiful New Zealand. Her daughter, Katy, and son-in-law live there, and this family connection explains her ongoing relationship with the country.
Professionally, Sue devoted her career to public education, serving as an elementary and middle school principal. Her leadership and service were strongly guided by the teachings and practices of Science of Mind. Sue has likewise demonstrated an enduring commitment to the Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa through many years of volunteer services and support. She is honored to have been selected to serve the Center as a member of the Board of Trustees.
Patty Byrne began her journey with the Center in 2010 in Princeton, NJ, discovering a passion for spiritual study, teaching, and community. She was licensed as a Practitioner in 2015. After moving to California (which she loves), Patty continued teaching and sharing her passion for self-love, forgiveness, and inner transformation—a lifelong practice. She has been an active member of the Jail Ministry Team for over three years. She is committed to spiritual growth, compassionate service, and supporting the continued evolution of the Center.
With a professional background in nursing, mental health, hospice care, and healthcare leadership, her work has centered around empathy and support. Beyond her service work, Patty is an avid reader and enthusiastic traveler who has explored more than 30 countries. She enjoys photography, hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, and spending time with the people she loves.
Sheri Pool has been immersed in Science of Mind since 1994, when she first walked into a Center and knew instantly she had found home. Her journey has included assistant and staff ministry in Honolulu and Paradise, California, teaching 30-week Science of Mind courses, and leading classes on writing and speaking Spiritual Mind Treatments. She re-established at the Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa in 2013 and was licensed again as a Practitioner in 2021. At the Center she coordinates the practitioner schedule, facilitates Divine Love Meditation and Spiritual Enrichment Circles, and serves on both the Senior Minister Transition Team and the Practitioner Retreat Planning Committee.
With a professional background spanning planning, scheduling, administration, assistant and staff ministry, and nearly 30 years as a hospice volunteer, Sheri’s work has always centered around presence and compassionate service. She recently completed intensive training as a peer counselor for individuals navigating mental illness, homelessness, and substance abuse.
Beyond her service life, Sheri is a Santa Rosa resident who brings warmth, reliability, and a deep love for this teaching to everything she does. She is honored to offer her experience and her heart in service to the Center as a Board Trustee.
