Meet Our Leadership Team
Our Board of Trustees demonstrate a deep commitment to their personal and spiritual growth, as well as a passion for service. They dedicate themselves to being a spirit-led board and serving the Brentwood Inspired Living community for a period of two years. Each board member brings specialized professional and personal skills.
Amy Van Linge
Spiritual Director
Amy’s passion is working with individuals and participating in the unfoldment of powerful life transformation.
After earning her Bachelor’s Degree, she spent years involved in child development and education, holistic health and wellness, and spiritual exploration and development. She has pioneered, led and participated in a wide array of missions.
She’s the Spiritual Director at Brentwood Inspired Living Center, a Certified Life Coach, Parenting Mentor, and an Inspirational Speaker who writes a monthly column in Brentwood’s local magazine, 110°. She’s also a devoted mother of four.
She says spiritual practice isn’t something she does, it’s who she is. She joined Brentwood Inspired Living Center in 2013 and says that the energy and love that emanate from this community deeply impact the world. She makes it her daily mission to continually energize and expand LOVE in the universe!
Karen Mingus
Treasurer
I belonged to Walnut Creek Unity for about 4 year before I moved to Oakley.
After I moved I was looking for a center I could be a part of and found Brentwood ILC.
The first time I walked in there I knew I had found my home. Everyone was so friendly and
caring.
I am so grateful for this community and am now on the board as the Treasurer. I love being a
part of the loving community, and have learned so many ways to Love and Be Loved from our
amazing speakers.
Jennifer Simpson
From the time I had to write a paper in the 9th grade on what I thought the biggest problem in the world was, roughly 47 years ago, I have been passionate about communication and how "us humans" treat and honor our home 'Mother Earth'. The subject of my paper was 'Communication' because, in my opinion, it is the 'Umbrella' from which all else rests under. If we don't know how to communicate with each other out of respect and loving compassion, despite our differences, we will continue to create separation and therefore build a wedge towards our goal of World Peace. My mission is to continually be aware of the opportunities of practicing World Peace, not only when things feel good, but particularly when things feel hard and challenging. This is where the 'Rubber meets the Road'.
As a passionate Board Member for Brentwood Inspired Living Center, I am excited to be able to support our Sweet Center in various ways from a Heart Space of willingness by meeting those edges that feel rough with more Love to bridge over to the place where Possibilities are happening and where that Energy is supporting our dream of World Peace.
Jan Knight
President
I have been on my spiritual journey since my teen years and, in the early 1980s, I joined and became very active at Unity Center of Walnut Creek, staying involved there for over 25 years. I was a trainer and co-leader in the creation of the Peace Wall (tiles) now located at the entrance to Unity Center of Walnut Creek and co-facilitated our 2010 plan for expansion.
I began attending our Brentwood Spiritual Living Center about 6 years ago and from that moment forward I consider our Center my SPIRITUAL HOME. I have served as the President of our Board since 2019. I love to be of service and give generously to support all sources from which I am spiritually fed.
Florence Cleisz
Florence Cleisz joined Brentwood Inspired Living Center in 2013. In 2015, Florence stepped onto the board and has assisted and uplifted our center in a variety of ways.
Currently, Florence is the kitchen lead and recycling manager. She is ready to lend a hand whenever possible.
Ron Vieira
The Mystery of Synchronicity brought me to the Brentwood Inspired Living Center two and a half years ago. I felt an
immediate affinity with the vibration of the community. Intuitively, I felt “at home”. My life journey has included the
pursuit of various modalities in the healing arts and spiritual practices.
The beauty of this community’s unfoldment is consistent with the emerging paradigm in Consciousness in which spirituality is authentically explored and where dogma, institutional beliefs and the explicit and implicit
expectations of conformity are being Released.
Robin Chatham
Secretary
I became aware that life was more than it appears, in my teens. I created a strong connection to nature and began my personal and spiritual growth journey. While I was raising my four kids and was an entrepreneur
I was compelled to be of service to the community, classrooms, in business and in my spiritual arena.
I discovered Unity in 2005.
I am full heartedly grateful for my spiritual friends, the discussion groups, meditations, movie nights, book studies, music in the park, Sunday Speakers and new activities on the regular.
I am thrilled to be of service as a board member, to be an integral and essential part of the growth and expansion of this Inspired Living Center. We welcome you.
Dave Kroske
We moved from the South Bay to Discovery Bay in 2004. I had a great spiritual community where I previously lived and was looking for like-minded people in the new area.
My wife and I found Brentwood Spiritual Living Center and have been a grateful part of the community since January of 2012.
In 2016, I joined the board of trustees and became the treasurer in January 2018. Julie and I feel blessed to be a part this loving community!