Dr. Kendall’s academic journey—spanning five colleges and four earned degrees (B.A., two M.A.s, and one Ph.D.)—has equipped me with a multidimensional understanding of public policy, human development, trauma-informed care, and educational systems. Together, these experiences form a strong foundation for my continued commitment to uplifting vulnerable youth, strengthening families, and supporting the communities that serve them.

My lifelong passion has been advocating for children and teens who face the greatest barriers to safety, opportunity, and belonging. Over 35 years of public service, I have worked for only three employers, dedicating each chapter of my career to improving the lives of young people.

I spent ten years serving the Harlem community, and then another ten years with the City of New York, serving as its Head Start Contract Manager and ensuring full compliance for programs supporting more than 12,000 children across the city. I later joined the National Park Service, where I served primarily as Residential Supervisor and Clinical Director for the Job Corps, guiding 225 young people through education, vocational development, and personal growth. I retired from the NPS after 17 years of service to pursue three graduate degrees.

While pursuing my PhD in Cincinnati, I also volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate with ProKids for five years, representing the best interests of teens in foster care and ensuring their voices were heard in the court system. I am a Reiki Master, a Trained Therapeutic Touch Practitioner, and an Ordained Minister.

Dr. Glenn Kendall, President of the Universal Faithists of Kosmon/Sacred Winds at Siskiyou & Founder and Executive Director of Youthaven Public Ecovillage.

Peter Hartgens, MSW, Clinical Services (UFK Board Member, Vice-president)

Helping and aiding inner-city residents is a deep passion of mine. To gain the knowledge and credentials, I attended and graduated from Columbia University School of Social Work in New York City. I worked as a clinical social worker at La Casita in the Bronx. In this capacity, I provided therapy, spiritual counseling, and community services for the agency’s innovative mother-and-child program that served over forty clients. I designed new cognitive therapeutic approaches compatible with the diverse Hispanic culture of the South Bronx. I am active with the Friends Society in California and serve a pivotal role at my church, “without walls.” My experience also extends into the spiritual realm, and I have clinically helped people navigate what Thomas Moore calls “The Dark Nights of the Soul.”

Carmela Laya-Saccardo, M.Ed., is an Educational Specialist (UFK Board Member)

Education has always been my passion. I believe that every child can learn. I think we must provide the necessary environment, tools, and skills for all children to feel and be successful, despite their circumstances or backgrounds. I am an Intermediate Special Education teacher in

I work in a self-contained classroom. I work specifically with students with disabilities, including high- to low-functioning Autism, Occupational Defiant Disorder (ODD), Attention Hyperactivity Deficit Disorder (ADHD/ADD), Emotionally Disturbed, and students with moderate cognitive and motor functions. I hold a master’s degree in early childhood special education and have extensive experience in early childhood development. I also have dual certification in general education for children from birth through 6th grade in both Washington and New York state. My peers, who share my worldview, have consistently recognized me as a gifted individual with certain spiritual abilities. I have a strong affinity for protecting nature through various non-intrusive strategies, while also being a Reiki Master.

Joan Greer, UFK Board Member & “Church Mother”

Joan is a retired educator and Master Montessori Teacher who operated two Montessori schools, Pre-School through Junior High. She became a Faithist in the 1950s and was a prolific student of OAHSPE; she often contributed to Kosmon Voice in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Sister Cora Bennett ordained her in 1987. She is our ordaining minister following Sister Cora Bennett's passing. In the 1990s, she was the primary author and editor of Kosmon Community News. Around 1992, she became the Archivist and Curator of Faithist Archives West, which is now UFK Faithist Archives. The archives contain the immediate history of Faithists from around 1882, as well as records of the history of Faithism spanning 9,000 years. Now in her 90s, she is lovingly called the “Mother” of the Church of the Universal Faithists of Kosmon, Inc.

Mayyah YisraEL, UFK Board Member and Chairperson of YPE

Myyah fills an immediate role in the organization. She holds a BS in Business Management/Finance. She has held various professional positions, including Bank Manager, Consumer and Commercial Credit Analyst, Personal Account Executive, and Online Banker. Her Native American heritage deepens the Board’s spiritual capacities and informs its perspectives on key issues and concerns. Her great-grandmother was the Princess of a Native American People, a Chippewa Chief, and she also has roots in the Native American Blackfeet tribe. She is an adventurer, researcher, investigator, and entrepreneur in social justice and early childhood education. She has extensive volunteer work with the Urban League, the Special Olympics, the Chamber of Commerce, and the NAACP.

Celeste Joy Greer-Walker, The Executive Director of the Universal Faithists of Kosmon, Inc.

Celeste Joy has a wide range of skills and experience. She holds a master’s degree in religion. She is a massage therapist, a K9 Swim Coach, a provider of hospice services for dogs and people, and a digital media director with expertise in related software and systems. She is well-trained in the Rosen Method Bodywork System and permaculture. Her experience includes serving as a Montessori Assistant Teacher, Peer Advisor, and photographer.

As a Faithist Minister, assistant archivist of Faithists’ records, and executive director of UFK, her duties included teaching the doctrines and lessons discussed in the Oahspe (the 900-page Faithist Bible), planning and managing various programs and services that benefited UFK members, and facilitating group sessions and board meetings over the decades.

Jay Hicks, YHPE Treasurer

After graduating from Elder High School in Cincinnati, he studied information technology at the University of Cincinnati. Before long, First Financial Bank hired him as their Software Architect. In this capacity, he has overall responsibility for integrating systems to work synergistically and is significantly responsible for improving the efficiency of First National banking operations. Over the nine years at this bank, he worked closely with key managers in loan servicing, deposits, investments, and with the treasurer to make banking decisions more beneficial for the bank’s customers. His core aim is to improve proficiency and productivity by designing automation systems, software, and advanced programming. With the experience of producing artwork at Art World, he has successfully integrated his creative talents with the technological skills to function as the Board’s Treasurer.

Live Iteriteka, YPE Board Member

Live (pronounced “leave”), holding a B.A. in social work, is a dedicated social worker with extensive experience supporting underserved populations. Skilled in client advocacy, crisis response, care coordination, and cross-agency collaboration. Committed to amplifying marginalized voices, fostering autonomy, and building community partnerships that promote self-sufficiency and leadership development. She currently works at the Council on Aging, conducting home visits, responding to emergencies, and supporting clients. She has worked at the Linder Center of Hope as a mental health specialist; at the Lighthouse Youth Services as a social worker for homeless and at-risk youth; at the Women Helping Women as a first responder with law enforcement; and at the Trinity Network Services as a manager for adjudicated youth, interacting with probation officers and educators.

Skai Harris, YHPE Board Member

Dr. Kendall points out that Ira Chaleff (2003) writes that “Devoted leaders and followers enter a kind of sacred contract to pursue their common purpose” in The Courageous Follower—Standing up to & for our leaders (p. 89). At Youthaven Public Ecovillage, the Board wants to make this stance a living reality by having youths sit on the Board of Directors as voting or non-voting members, depending on their age and legal requirements.

Skai Harris is one of these young people. Based on her academic achievements and impressive writing skills at Fordham High School of the Arts in The Bronx, New York, she received several academic scholarships and is now attending Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is on the Dean’s list and majoring in social work. Skai, a highly mature young woman living independently as a college student, desires to learn something new, help others, and provide information that will benefit people, especially younger children. Dr. Kendall recognizes her as a competent, dedicated, and talented person; she is willing to help advance the Youthaven Public Ecovillage, Inc.’s mission into a new era.

Maylene Harris, YHPE Board Member

Maylene joins her sister as the youngest board member. Like her sister, she has received scholarships to attend college. She has a host of high school awards. She has decided to devote her studies by attending college in Pennsylvania with an academic scholarship. She has decided to concentrate her studies in business and finance, a much-needed skill set for non-profit organizations, such as Youthaven Public Ecovillage.

Selah Vee Sweet, SWS Director of Operations

Selah serves as the point guard of Sacred Winds in Siskiyou, bringing a lifelong connection to the land that began in childhood. After returning to make the property her permanent home last year, she has focused on restoring and modernizing the site—bridging the infrastructure developed in the 1990s with today's operational needs.

Working in a remote, off-grid environment, Selah spearheads efforts to revamp the hydro and solar power systems while helping restore the property’s homes and infrastructure. Her work reflects practical skills, resilience, and a talent for solving complex challenges in a rugged mountain setting.

Selah also brings professional operational experience, including helping launch the first Human Bean retail location at Southern Oregon University, as well as training in welding and fitness. Guided by the ethical and spiritual principles of Oahspe, Selah is dedicated to renewing the land and helping Sacred Winds grow into a sustainable, self-sufficient sanctuary.