Still Harbor Announces Leadership Transitions

A Season of Transitions, Gratitude, and New Beginnings

Still Harbor leaders center collective leadership in all of our work. Many voices, experiences, and traditions inform the ways we learn, build, and heal together.

Deep listening is at the heart of our work as spiritual directors and facilitators. We make space in Still Harbor leadership spaces for constant discernment—to notice when seasons are ending, changing, or beginning.

Friends, our shared discernment brings us to this time of intentional transition at Still Harbor. We want to share details about those transitions with you so you can join us in our gratitude for those leaving, celebration of those moving into new leadership roles, and excitement about Still Harbor’s horizons.

Rev. Perry Dougherty (she/her) transitioned out of her role as Senior Partner on June 1 into the role of the Chair of Still Harbor’s Board of Directors.

Perry served as Still Harbor’s Executive Director from 2016 until 2018 until Still Harbor adopted a shared leadership model in 2018, at which time she became a Senior Partner, sharing executive responsibilities with Lauren Spahn and Rev. Monique Harris. She has been a long-time instructor of the Spiritual Direction Practicum and Group Facilitation Immersion.

“There is no greater gift than to work with people who know the importance of affirming our personal and collective unfolding,” Perry said in her letter to Still Harbor’s community. “Still Harbor is an organization that will continue to live into its unfolding as an organization, flowing ever more fully into alignment with the call for liberation that is deeply rooted in the sacred wisdom of nature and mystery.”

Perry’s immense experience as an instructor and senior leader at Still Harbor will be an invaluable foundation for her work leading Still Harbor’s Board of Directors.

“Working with Perry has changed my sense of what is possible,” said Still Harbor Co-Director Marchaé Grair. “Our relationship has had so many shapes—her graciousness in all of these different phases of our work together has made me see that transition and change within professional relationships can be held with tenderness, care, and intention. While I will miss working with her as a fellow Senior Partner, I am incredibly excited to watch Still Harbor’s board continue to do powerful work under Perry’s leadership.”

Nathan Bakken (they/them), former Chair of the Still Harbor Board of Directors, joined the Still Harbor leadership team on June 1 as the Co-Director of Still Harbor, with the focused role of the Director of Community Engagement.

“The leadership of Still Harbor has taught me how to facilitate a space with creativity, how to have hard conversations, how to honor every person in the room, and how to cultivate my curiosity to center care with an awareness of systemic injustice and oppression,” Nathan said in their letter to Still Harbor’s community. “As Still Harbor continues to navigate this transition, I have time and time again witnessed that same creativity, awareness of care, and upholding of honor through every piece of the process.”

In addition to sharing the responsibilities of the organization’s day-to-day management, Nathan will focus on building relationships with Still Harbor alumni and movement partners through digital communications and events.

“I know Nathan will do an amazing job connecting Still Harbor’s students, alumni, and supporters in innovative ways,” Marchaé said. “Nathan’s dedication to spiritual leadership, creativity, and ability to create community connection wherever they go are such gifts to Still Harbor. Every time I have a conversation with them, I’m transported to a spiritual place of possibility and abundance.”

Nathan will co-lead the organization with Marchaé Grair (she/her, they/them) who has been a Still Harbor Senior Partner since July 2020 and is also a former member of the Still Harbor Board of Directors. In addition to supporting day-to-day organizational management, Marchaé is now the Director of Programming. As the Director of Programming, she will focus on curriculum development and training opportunities at Still Harbor.

“Marchaé and Nathan hold a vision and a praxis that will ensure Still Harbor’s network of spiritual leaders tend to our movements with soul, integrity, and grace,” Perry said.

Marchaé will continue to co-instruct the Spiritual Direction Practicum with new instructors Nathan and Enrique Cintrón (they/them).

Ed Cardoza (he/him), Still Harbor co-founder and former Practicum instructor, recently announced his departure from the Practicum so he could focus on other ministries. Ed will continue to support Still Harbor as a member of the Board of Directors, a role he has had since 2016.

“So many Practicum alumni, including me, have gained essential spiritual tools and life lessons from Ed,” Marchaé said. “I’m thankful he will still be present as a Still Harbor board member and that his love of spiritual care and community will continue to nurture us within that role.”

Lauren Spahn (she/her) is anchoring many of the “moving pieces” of these transitions. Lauren, who became a Senior Partner in 2018, is now Still Harbor’s Operations Specialist and will steward a smooth transition for Still Harbor’s administration and operations work.

“Lauren is the glue holding so much of this transition together,” Marchaé said. “It is because of her commitment to fluid and iterative leadership that much of this feels possible. Lauren has a way of demystifying organizational operations work, and it's so empowering for new leaders.”

In addition to her work as Operations Specialist, Lauren will also be co-instructing the Group Facilitation Immersion program with Marchaé.

We love the Still Harbor community and promise to hold each one of your hearts tenderly during these transitions just as we are holding each others’. Please feel free to contact us with any questions. We look forward to sharing more with you soon.

With love and gratitude for this community,

Lauren Spahn- Operations Specialist
Marchaé Grair- Co-Director, Director of Programming
Nathan Bakken- Co-Director, Director of Community Engagement
Perry Dougherty- Chair of the Board of Directors