Our Board of Directors

Cynthia Boersma

Ashland, Oregon
Cynthia Boersma has been affiliated with KSC since 2012.  She has served as Retreats Registrar and a prior term on the Board of Directors.  She has experience in civil rights law and public administration.  She is currently a psychotherapist in Ashland OR, working with children and adults in all stages of life.  Other times will find her on the mountain trails.

David Kennedy

Ashland, Oregon
David earned a B.A. in Anthropology, and an M.S. in Environmental Education, and has worked as a teacher, recreational aide, truck driver, warehouseman, professional (paid) actor, bookseller, botanist, gardener, school bus driver, hospital porter, and journalist.  David’s personal interests include gardening, art, reading, science, music, understanding humans, animals, and the universe.  David writes poetry, especially Haiku, cooks, has published many opinion pieces in local papers, and is a certified cat weirdo and all around animal lover.  He’s been a Buddhist for about 45 years.

Sue Kretschmann

Talent, Oregon
Sue and spouse Roland, have been part of the KSC sangha since 2009. Their daughter, Ronnie, was one of the early Dharma Kids. Sue’s professional career was in hospital-based nursing as a RN, with roles in leadership, education, and organizational development. She has served on the KSC board since 2014. Her many roles include board link to the Administrative Assistant and the following teams: Volunteer Organizing, Technology, Zoom Host, and Embracing Conflict. Sue enjoys tending their orchard and veggie garden, hiking, camping, reading, trying new recipes from all over the world, knitting, and their many pets.

Hank Minnick

Ashland, Oregon
Hank Minnick has been an active member of the KSC Sangha since October of 2018. He has served on the membership team and cleaning team. He presently is a member of both the Joyful Effort and Insight I groups. Outside of KSC, he is a business program graduate from Southern Oregon University and presently works in manufacturing at Scharffen Berger Chocolates.

Phyllis Norris

Board President—Ashland, Oregon
Phyllis has served on the KSC board since 2000. She is board link to the Compassion in Action and Publicity teams. She is a retired CPA, and oversees KSC accounting functions, prepares budgets and financial reports. Phyllis also leads the Green Tara, Mahakala and Chenrezig practices in rotation. She previously served on the board, and as President and Treasurer, of Kagyu Droden Kunchab in San Francisco. Her interests include photography, interior design, pickleball, global travel, and travel writing.

Laura Parrish

Eugene, Oregon
Laura serves as the residential retreat coordinator for KSC. Laura is a retired attorney who has studied the Dharma for 20 years. She’s been a member of the KSC sangha, initially with the “northern sangha” (Eugene), and for the past 7 or so years with the Ashland sangha. Laura serves as board link to the KSC Newsletter. Her interests include music, playing piano, walking, hiking, gardening, camping, reading, knitting, and writing.

Martha Wilhelm

Talent, Oregon
Martha has served KSC on the board since 2014, as well as in the capacities of Events manager, Garden team, Mahakala chopon, a practice leader for 4 Tantric Deities, former Dharma Kids leader, Phase Forward team member and Zoom host. She is a former public school educator. Martha’s interests include land stewardship, travels, visual arts, friendships and family, contemporary writings, dharma, and learning about aging with grace. She completed a pilgrimage to Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet in the fall of 2019.

Kathy Gaines

Board Secretary—Medford, Oregon
Kathy has been a part of KSC since 2017. In July of 2022 she joined the Board of Directors and also assumed the role of secretary. In her professional career she worked in healthcare as a registered nurse in a variety of roles supporting patient care. This included patient care, staff education, organizational change and readiness and project management. In November of 2021 she retired after working 40 years at a local hospital. Her interests include all things gardening, learning new uses for flowers and herbs, reading and caring for her two dogs and two cats.

KRistienne McFarland

Ashland, Oregon
Kristienne is a new board member as of summer 2023. More information coming soon.