Teresa has studied a variety of spiritual and religious practices over the years. She was baptized and brought up as Lutheran in Colorado until her mother came out as a lesbian and had to leave the church when she divorced her father in 1970. In high school, a World Religions course reignited Teresa’s interest in various traditions, and after moving to Boulder, CO for college, she became a “Boulder hippy chick” and studied various new thought, Buddhism, and other religions, along with various alternative medicine and healing practices. Over the years, she continued to feel a calling for spirit and joined a variety of churches in Colorado, but never quite found the right fit. Teresa found her true connection to God in nature and water, in red rock canyons as a whitewater river guide, and a deepened connection to spiritual energy through becoming a Reiki Master and studying various other intuitive and spiritual practices. 
 
Professionally, Teresa’s career has included over 30 years of private and non-profit business management, teaching, and research, including years as a public parks and recreation agency administrator various public agencies in Colorado. Teresa was the former CEO and Founder of GreenPlay, LLC, a national management consulting firm that completed community quality of life planning for nearly 650 communities between 1999 – 2021. In 2022, Teresa sold GreenPlay to BerryDunn, and Teresa continues part-time work consulting there, enjoying a flexible “work from anywhere” lifestyle that allows her to re-create her body, mind, and spirit on a daily basis. 

Teresa now authors books and articles, teaches for universities, state, and national associations, conducts research, and consults. Areas of focus are typically quality of life systems planning and management, leadership, access to nature, preventive community health, operations, strategic planning, and community engagement. She also is the Executive Administrator and Director of the Healthy Communities Research Group for ActivEnviro, www.activenviro.org, a global non-profit that provides research and education to help fill the gaps for professionals who help communities thrive. 

As for education, Teresa has a BS in Kinesiology, and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management. In 2017 she completed a funded PhD in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management through the College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University. Teresa is also a registered yoga teacher and wellbeing coach. She plays guitar, sings, and writes music with several different acoustic rock/Americana bands. She loves combining her natural intellectual curiosity, love of the outdoors and healthy lifestyles, creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, and public sector heart to help communities and individuals thrive. 

Teresa started coming to the Crystal Coast on weekends when she was studying at NC State in Raleigh. Teresa has invested in a variety of rental properties here and moved to Morehead City full-time in 2022. She has helped her sister, Tracy, her son Caylon, and her daughter-in-law Yara also relocate here. Longing for a community of like-minded spiritual friends, she found Crystal Coast Unity through a Google search right at the start of the pandemic, and instantly connected with Unity’s spiritual messages and welcoming people. Through participation in various Unity book and study groups, she feels she has now found her tribe, a place of belonging, and a great group of friends. 

Now she would like to use her skills and growing love of Unity principles and practices to help give back to our Unity congregation that gives her so much, as a contributing member of the Board of Trustees.