Team

Chris Yaw

Chris is a Detroit area pastor who holds two graduate degrees in theology. He unintentionally killed his gardener in 2013 and found The Hyacinth Fellowship soon after. He has volunteered for the Fellowship in a variety of capacities. He is currently president of our the board of directors. He and Maryann are working on a book to help those who unintentionally harm.

Rev. David W. Peters, D.Min

The Rev. David W. Peters, D.Min served as an enlisted Marine and Army chaplain, deploying to Iraq in 2005. Today he is the vicar of St Joan of Arc Episcopal Church in Pflugerville, Texas and an adjunct instructor at Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. He is the founder of the Episcopal Veterans Fellowship. David is the author or two books about war and homecoming, with a third book on moral injury forthcoming. He hosts two podcasts and his articles have appeared in a wide variety of publications. David currently serves as vice-president of the board.

Anita Grossman

Anita Grossman is a fundraising professional with over 30 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, primarily in health, human services and educational organizations. A Chicago native, Anita holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois and has done graduate work in religious studies at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. Anita currently serves as treasurer of The Hyacinth Fellowship.

Kimberly Rice

Kimberly Rice works at the local, state, and national level on issues affecting children and youth with disabilities. She is a member of a number of boards and commissions, including a four year term on the presidential line of the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders, one of 18 divisions of the national special education professional organization, the Council for Exceptional Children. Kimberly is currently a doctoral student in the Office of Special Education Programs funded Special Education Leader Scholar Community at Arizona State University. She currently serves as secretary to the board.

Aaron Alexander-Bloch, MD, PhD

Aaron Alexander-Bloch, MD, Ph.D.

Aaron Alexander-Bloch, MD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He is a board-certified psychiatrist and conducts academic research on neurobiological, developmental, and genetic factors that contribute to vulnerability for mental illness. His research is funded by the National Institutes of Health and has been published in journals including Nature and JAMA Psychiatry. Aaron joined the board of The Hyacinth Fellowship in 2023.

The Rt. Reverend Mark A. Bourlakas

Consecrated the 6th Bishop of the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia on July 20, 2013, Bishop Mark Bourlakas came to Southwestern Virginia from Christ Church Cathedral in Louisville, Kentucky, where he served as dean. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1985 and a Doctor of Ministry degree in 2012 from the School of Theology at University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee; and a Master of Divinity from Seabury Western Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois in 1997. 

Michael A. Gentry, J.D. LCSW

Michael A. Gentry, J.D. LCSW, is a therapist in private practice in Scottsdale Arizona specializing in relational trauma and addiction. In addition to his master’s degree in social work, Mike has advanced training in trauma therapy, including Somatic Experiencing, NeuroAffective Relational Model, and a Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies. Mike was a litigation attorney for 11 years before moving into the behavioral healthcare field in 2006. He joined the board of The Hyacinth Fellowship in 2021.

Advisory Board Members

Alex Orteig
Ben Clague
Ben Patey
Brooke Ely
Hilary Welty
Jennifer Eikenhorst
Kaitlyn Mole
Linda Ballard
Mary Kay Hamalainen
Mark O’Brien
Melissa Mannion
Todd Wickert

Contact Us

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