Our Staff

Lisa Miller, Ph.D

President, CEO and

Member of the Board of Trustees

Lisa Miller, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology and Education at Columbia University, Teachers College and is Founder of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute, the first Ivy League graduate program in spirituality and psychology.  http://www.lisamillerphd.com/

Dr. Miller is a foremost scientist on spirituality across the lifespan, with her work published in top research journals including JAMA-Psychiatry, American Journal of Psychiatry, and the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Her innovative research has focused on quantifiable effects of spirituality in health, resilience and thriving, and an overall sacred and joyful life. Her clinical and consultation work focuses on spiritual awareness and spiritual growth, for individuals, families, groups and organizations.

Dr. Miller is the author of “The Awakened Brain” and “The Spiritual Child; The New Science of Parenting for Health and Lifelong Thriving.” Based upon her decade and a half of experience, she offers talks, workshops and consultations on spirituality in healthy development to parents and schools, adult wellness groups, and private and public organizations. She is the Editor of The Oxford Handbook of Psychology and Spirituality and Co-Editor of the APA journal, Spirituality in Clinical Practice.

She has been elected as Fellow by the American Psychological Association, as well as for the Virginia Sexton Mentoring Award of graduate students. A graduate of Yale, she received her doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania from Martin Seligman.

Jen Halliday

Director of Strategy and Operations

Jen Halliday brings extensive experience in many areas of school leadership and currently serves as the Associate Head of School at Friends Academy, a Prek-12 Quaker school on Long Island.  Jen started her professional career teaching high school social studies. From 2002 to 2005 she served as a teacher and curriculum coordinator at ACS Hillingdon International School, London.  From 2005 to 2015, Ms. Halliday worked at Hawken School in Ohio, where she provided extensive school leadership, having served as Director of Hawken Middle School and as a member of Hawken School’s Administrative Council. She served in many roles, including teaching, admissions, student life, special projects and administration. In addition, Ms. Halliday taught graduate level education courses at John Carroll University through the school’s Site Based Program.

Prior to her time at Friends Academy, Ms. Halliday served as Head of School at Magnificat, an independent, Catholic all-girls high school serving 750 students.  She has a keen interest in research related to spirituality in education and was part of the CSE research team between 2016-2019.  Jen was co-author to the chapter entitled, Awakening Education: Nurturing Spirituality in K–12 School Culture in The Oxford Handbook of Psychology and Spirituality.  She has served as a panel expert at multiple conferences, including one at Oxford University, on using culture as a teaching tool for character education and development. 

Jen holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Education and Master of Arts in Education Administration from John Carroll University.  She recently completed a certificate program on the Psychology of Leadership through Cornell University. She and her husband, Chris, have twin daughters, Molly and Maddie, and reside in New York. Jen enjoys spending time with her family. She makes time for cooking, writing, reading, walking, yoga and meditation and is an attendee at Matinecock Quaker Meeting House. She is honored to re-join the CSE as Director of Strategy and Operations.

Paul Pryor Lorentz

ASI Lead Instructor

Paul Pryor Lorentz has served on the Convent & Stuart Hall faculty in San Francisco, a Catholic independent K-12 and part of the network of Sacred Heart Schools since 2007. He is currently Chair of Community Life for the high school and the Chair of the Department of Religion, Theology & Spirituality for the K-12 community. As Director of Liturgy, Interiority, Faith, and Engagement, Paul oversees the creative development and production of spiritually expansive and inclusive community gatherings and curricula. He is the lead teacher of Theory of Knowledge, a core course for the International Baccalaureate Programme.

After meeting Dr. Lisa Miller during her visit to the school in 2017, Paul accepted an invitation to contribute as a Fellow for the Collaborative for Spirituality in Education starting in its first year. Paul has consistently contributed to the Awakened Schools Institute as a speaker and site visitor. In 2023, he became the Lead Instructor for online ASI and school site visits.

Paul holds a BA in Philosophy from Loyola Marymount University and an MA in Philosophy from Boston College.

Shanthi Soans

ASI Project Coordinator

Shanthi Soans is a first-year doctoral student in the SMBI. With a background in ecology and environmental education, she is passionate about exploring and enhancing the ways organisms develop through their relationships with one another. Shanthi sees both scientific inquiry and spirituality as the unending pursuit of truth, and she is thrilled to be a part of the CSE’s work. 

Yoel Paredes Rodriguez

Director of Innovating Forward

Yoel Paredes Rodriguez is an alumnus of Teachers College, where he obtained his Masters of Arts in Psychology, and he also holds a Masters in Pastoral Care from Fordham University. He has worked as a Chaplain, youth pastor, and teacher for different Latino and Korean communities. Currently, he is studying Psychoanalysis at the National Psychological Association for Psychoanalysis (NPAP).

Yoel has been connected with the SMBI program since almost its origins where he has served in different capacities.

Sarah Keough

CSE Administor 

Sarah Keough is CSE’s administrator. A graduate of Salve Regina University, Sarah brings two decades of administrative experience in the educational and non-profit sectors to our team. She has held various responsibilities during that time, including bookkeeping, office organization, marketing, and event planning. Throughout her career, Sarah has also been a warm and welcoming presence for clients and visitors alike. A thoughtful problem-solver, she works to create organizational systems which work for everyone. Sarah prides herself on contributing courteous efficiency in service of the greater mission of any organization and brings that warmth and organization to CSE.

Outside of the office, Sarah enjoys scrapbooking, spending time on the Cape, and cheering on her family at their various theatrical and sporting events.

Lisa Rosenstein

CSE Conference Producer

Lisa Rosenstein is a visionary consultant and event producer who helps businesses and organizations bring their dreams to fruition.  This will be Lisa’s third time producing the Conference on Spirituality in Education.

With a rich background in launching successful startups in retail, gourmet food, and the fashion industry, Lisa contributes a wealth of experience and expertise to CSE. Lisa is also a trailblazer in championing women’s voices and amplifying diverse perspectives, as the co-founder of Chasing Light Speakers, an empowering all-women speaker agency.

As the annual CSE Conference consistently impacts the global, spiritual, and educational conversations of the day, Lisa is thrilled to partner with the CSE team to design programming that unites a global community and provides a powerful and memorable experience for participants.

Beth Styles

CSE Web Design & Blog

Beth Styles is an inspirational multimedia producer who’s team oversees the content creation and management of CSE’s website, including art design, media, blog, and special events.

Beth is an award-winning composer, music-video producer and artist, whose life’s work has focused on bringing diverse communities together through uplifting music, art and transformative dialogue.

Our Staff

Lisa Miller, Ph.D

President, CEO and Member of the Board of Trustees

Lisa Miller, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology and Education at Columbia University, Teachers College and is Founder of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute, the first Ivy League graduate program in spirituality and psychology.  http://www.lisamillerphd.com/

Dr. Miller is a foremost scientist on spirituality across the lifespan, with her work published in top research journals including JAMA-Psychiatry, American Journal of Psychiatry, and the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Her innovative research has focused on quantifiable effects of spirituality in health, resilience and thriving, and an overall sacred and joyful life. Her clinical and consultation work focuses on spiritual awareness and spiritual growth, for individuals, families, groups and organizations.

Dr. Miller is the author of “The Awakened Brain” and “The Spiritual Child; The New Science of Parenting for Health and Lifelong Thriving.” Based upon her decade and a half of experience, she offers talks, workshops and consultations on spirituality in healthy development to parents and schools, adult wellness groups, and private and public organizations. She is the Editor of The Oxford Handbook of Psychology and Spirituality and Co-Editor of the APA journal, Spirituality in Clinical Practice.

She has been elected as Fellow by the American Psychological Association, as well as for the Virginia Sexton Mentoring Award of graduate students. A graduate of Yale, she received her doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania from Martin Seligman.

Jen Halliday

Director of Strategy and Operations

Jen Halliday brings extensive experience in many areas of school leadership and currently serves as the Associate Head of School at Friends Academy, a Prek-12 Quaker school on Long Island.  Jen started her professional career teaching high school social studies. From 2002 to 2005 she served as a teacher and curriculum coordinator at ACS Hillingdon International School, London.  From 2005 to 2015, Ms. Halliday worked at Hawken School in Ohio, where she provided extensive school leadership, having served as Director of Hawken Middle School and as a member of Hawken School’s Administrative Council. She served in many roles, including teaching, admissions, student life, special projects and administration. In addition, Ms. Halliday taught graduate level education courses at John Carroll University through the school’s Site Based Program.

Prior to her time at Friends Academy, Ms. Halliday served as Head of School at Magnificat, an independent, Catholic all-girls high school serving 750 students.  She has a keen interest in research related to spirituality in education and was part of the CSE research team between 2016-2019.  Jen was co-author to the chapter entitled, Awakening Education: Nurturing Spirituality in K–12 School Culture in The Oxford Handbook of Psychology and Spirituality.  She has served as a panel expert at multiple conferences, including one at Oxford University, on using culture as a teaching tool for character education and development. 

Jen holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Education and Master of Arts in Education Administration from John Carroll University.  She recently completed a certificate program on the Psychology of Leadership through Cornell University. She and her husband, Chris, have twin daughters, Molly and Maddie, and reside in New York. Jen enjoys spending time with her family. She makes time for cooking, writing, reading, walking, yoga and meditation and is an attendee at Matinecock Quaker Meeting House. She is honored to re-join the CSE as Director of Strategy and Operations.

Paul Pryor Lorentz

ASI Lead Instructor

Paul Pryor Lorentz has served on the Convent & Stuart Hall faculty in San Francisco, a Catholic independent K-12 and part of the network of Sacred Heart Schools since 2007. He is currently Chair of Community Life for the high school and the Chair of the Department of Religion, Theology & Spirituality for the K-12 community. As Director of Liturgy, Interiority, Faith, and Engagement, Paul oversees the creative development and production of spiritually expansive and inclusive community gatherings and curricula. He is the lead teacher of Theory of Knowledge, a core course for the International Baccalaureate Programme.

After meeting Dr. Lisa Miller during her visit to the school in 2017, Paul accepted an invitation to contribute as a Fellow for the Collaborative for Spirituality in Education starting in its first year. Paul has consistently contributed to the Awakened Schools Institute as a speaker and site visitor. In 2023, he became the Lead Instructor for online ASI and school site visits.

Paul holds a BA in Philosophy from Loyola Marymount University and an MA in Philosophy from Boston College.

Shanthi Soans

ASI Project Coordinator

Shanthi Soans is a first-year doctoral student in the SMBI. With a background in ecology and environmental education, she is passionate about exploring and enhancing the ways organisms develop through their relationships with one another. Shanthi sees both scientific inquiry and spirituality as the unending pursuit of truth, and she is thrilled to be a part of the CSE’s work. 

Yoel Paredes Rodriguez

Director of Innovating Forward

Yoel Paredes Rodriguez is an alumnus of Teachers College, where he obtained his Masters of Arts in Psychology, and he also holds a Masters in Pastoral Care from Fordham University. He has worked as a Chaplain, youth pastor, and teacher for different Latino and Korean communities. Currently, he is studying Psychoanalysis at the National Psychological Association for Psychoanalysis (NPAP).

Yoel has been connected with the SMBI program since almost its origins where he has served in different capacities.

Sarah Keough

CSE Administor 

Sarah Keough is CSE’s administrator. A graduate of Salve Regina University, Sarah brings two decades of administrative experience in the educational and non-profit sectors to our team. She has held various responsibilities during that time, including bookkeeping, office organization, marketing, and event planning. Throughout her career, Sarah has also been a warm and welcoming presence for clients and visitors alike. A thoughtful problem-solver, she works to create organizational systems which work for everyone. Sarah prides herself on contributing courteous efficiency in service of the greater mission of any organization and brings that warmth and organization to CSE.

Outside of the office, Sarah enjoys scrapbooking, spending time on the Cape, and cheering on her family at their various theatrical and sporting events.

Lisa Rosenstein

CSE Conference Producer

Lisa Rosenstein is a visionary consultant and event producer who helps businesses and organizations bring their dreams to fruition.  This will be Lisa’s third time producing the Conference on Spirituality in Education.

With a rich background in launching successful startups in retail, gourmet food, and the fashion industry, Lisa contributes a wealth of experience and expertise to CSE. Lisa is also a trailblazer in championing women’s voices and amplifying diverse perspectives, as the co-founder of Chasing Light Speakers, an empowering all-women speaker agency.

As the annual CSE Conference consistently impacts the global, spiritual, and educational conversations of the day, Lisa is thrilled to partner with the CSE team to design programming that unites a global community and provides a powerful and memorable experience for participants.

Beth Styles

CSE Web Design & Blog

Beth Styles is an inspirational multimedia producer who’s team oversees the content creation and management of CSE’s website, including art design, media, blog, and special events.

Beth is an award-winning composer, music-video producer and artist, whose life’s work has focused on bringing diverse communities together through uplifting music, art, and transformative dialogue.

Our Staff

Lisa Miller, Ph.D

President, CEO and Member of the Board of Trustees

Lisa Miller, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology and Education at Columbia University, Teachers College and is Founder of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute, the first Ivy League graduate program in spirituality and psychology.  http://www.lisamillerphd.com/

Dr. Miller is a foremost scientist on spirituality across the lifespan, with her work published in top research journals including JAMA-Psychiatry, American Journal of Psychiatry, and the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Her innovative research has focused on quantifiable effects of spirituality in health,

resilience and thriving, and an overall sacred and joyful life. Her clinical and consultation work focuses on spiritual awareness and spiritual growth, for individuals, families, groups and organizations.

Dr. Miller is the author of “The Awakened Brain” and “The Spiritual Child; The New Science of Parenting for Health and Lifelong Thriving.” Based upon her decade and a half of experience, she offers talks, workshops and consultations on spirituality in healthy development to parents and schools, adult wellness groups, and private and public organizations. She is the Editor of The Oxford Handbook of Psychology and Spirituality and Co-Editor of the APA journal, Spirituality in Clinical Practice.

She has been elected as Fellow by the American Psychological Association, as well as for the Virginia Sexton Mentoring Award of graduate students. A graduate of Yale, she received her doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania from Martin Seligman.

Jen Halliday

Director of Strategy and Operations

Jen Halliday brings extensive experience in many areas of school leadership and currently serves as the Associate Head of School at Friends Academy, a Prek-12 Quaker school on Long Island.  Jen started her professional career teaching high school social studies. From 2002 to 2005 she served as a teacher and curriculum coordinator at ACS Hillingdon International School, London. From 2005 to 2015, Ms. Halliday worked at Hawken School in Ohio, where she provided extensive school leadership, having served as Director of Hawken Middle School and as a member of Hawken School’s Administrative Council. She served in many roles, including teaching,  

admissions, student life, special projects and administration. In addition, Ms. Halliday taught graduate level education courses at John Carroll University through the school’s Site Based Program.

Prior to her time at Friends Academy, Ms. Halliday served as Head of School at Magnificat, an independent, Catholic all-girls high school serving 750 students.  She has a keen interest in research related to spirituality in education and was part of the CSE research team between 2016-2019.  Jen was co-author to the chapter entitled, Awakening Education: Nurturing Spirituality in K–12 School Culture in The Oxford Handbook of Psychology and Spirituality.  She has served as a panel expert at multiple conferences, including one at Oxford University, on using culture as a teaching tool for character education and development.

Jen holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Education and Master of Arts in Education Administration from John Carroll University.  She recently completed a certificate program on the Psychology of Leadership through Cornell University. She and her husband, Chris, have twin daughters, Molly and Maddie, and reside in New York. Jen enjoys spending time with her family. She makes time for cooking, writing, reading, walking, yoga and meditation and is an attendee at Matinecock Quaker Meeting House. She is honored to re-join the CSE as Director of Strategy and Operations.

Paul Pryor Lorentz

ASI Lead Instructor

Paul Pryor Lorentz has served on the Convent & Stuart Hall faculty in San Francisco, a Catholic independent K-12 and part of the network of Sacred Heart Schools since 2007. He is currently Chair of Community Life for the high school and the Chair of the Department of Religion, Theology & Spirituality for the K-12 community. As Director of Liturgy, Interiority, Faith, and Engagement, Paul oversees the creative development and production of spiritually expansive and inclusive community gatherings and curricula. He is the lead teacher of Theory of Knowledge, a core course for the International Baccalaureate Programme.

After meeting Dr. Lisa Miller during her visit to the school in 2017, Paul accepted an invitation to contribute as a Fellow for the Collaborative for Spirituality in Education starting in its first year. Paul has consistently contributed to the Awakened Schools Institute as a speaker and site visitor. In 2023, he became the Lead Instructor for online ASI and school site visits.

Paul holds a BA in Philosophy from Loyola Marymount University and an MA in Philosophy from Boston College.

Shanthi Soans

ASI Project Coordinator

Shanthi Soans is a first-year doctoral student in the SMBI. With a background in ecology and environmental education, she is passionate about exploring and enhancing the ways organisms develop through their relationships with one another. Shanthi sees both scientific inquiry and spirituality as the unending pursuit of truth, and she is thrilled to be a part of the CSE’s work. 

Yoel Paredes Rodriguez

Director of Innovating Forward

Yoel Paredes Rodriguez is an alumnus of Teachers College, where he obtained his Masters of Arts in Psychology, and he also holds a Masters in Pastoral Care from Fordham University. He has worked as a Chaplain, youth pastor, and teacher for different Latino and Korean communities. Currently, he is studying Psychoanalysis at the National Psychological Association for Psychoanalysis (NPAP).

Yoel has been connected with the SMBI program since almost its origins where he has served in different capacities.

Sarah Keough

CSE Administor 

Sarah Keough is CSE’s administrator. A graduate of Salve Regina University, Sarah brings two decades of administrative experience in the educational and non-profit sectors to our team. She has held various responsibilities during that time, including bookkeeping, office organization, marketing, and event planning. Throughout her career, Sarah has also been a warm and welcoming presence for clients and visitors alike. A thoughtful problem-solver, she works to create organizational systems which work for everyone. Sarah prides herself on contributing courteous efficiency in service of the greater mission of any organization and brings that warmth and organization to CSE.

Outside of the office, Sarah enjoys scrapbooking, spending time on the Cape, and cheering on her family at their various theatrical and sporting events.

Lisa Rosenstein

CSE Conference Producer

Lisa Rosenstein is a visionary consultant and event producer who helps businesses and organizations bring their dreams to fruition.  This will be Lisa’s third time producing the Conference on Spirituality in Education.

With a rich background in launching successful startups in retail, gourmet food, and the fashion industry, Lisa contributes a wealth of experience and expertise to CSE. Lisa is also a trailblazer in championing women’s voices and amplifying diverse perspectives, as the co-founder of Chasing Light Speakers, an empowering all-women speaker agency.

As the annual CSE Conference consistently impacts the global, spiritual, and educational conversations of the day, Lisa is thrilled to partner with the CSE team to design programming that unites a global community and provides a powerful and memorable experience for participants.

Beth Styles

CSE Web Design & Blog

Beth Styles is an inspirational multimedia producer who’s team oversees the content creation and management of CSE’s website, including art design, media, blog, and special events.

Beth is an award-winning composer, music-video producer and artist, whose life’s work has focused on bringing diverse communities together through uplifting music, art, and transformative dialogue.