BIO

I am Steven Lyman, born and raised in Santa Rosa, California. I am a third generation Sonoma County resident. I was raised in a loving family in the Roman Catholic tradition and attended St. Rose Catholic School from K through 8th grade. I attended public high school at Santa Rosa High. I graduated during the peak of the Vietnam War and became a Conscientious Objector around the same time in 1970. I was introduced to the writings of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin at 15 years old and his life and his work have greatly influenced my life journey. I am an active participant in the beloved Emmaus Community, an intentional Eucharistic Faith Community. I am married and a father of four children. I was involved in men’s work with Richard Rohr for many years. I love gardening, cooking, photography, and baseball.

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I became a Licensed Psychiatric Technician immediately following high school and worked with the severely developmentally delayed (DD) population at Sonoma Developmental Center for much of my adult career. In 1985 I became a Registered Nurse and promoted to Assistant Coordinator of Nursing Services (ACNS) for more than 10 years and was Acting (CNS) for one year. I did nurse consulting for eight group homes and was Program Director for three homes for DD residents. I worked for the Dept. of Health Services, Licensing and Certification for 5 years doing annual surveys and complaint investigations for Skilled Nursing Facility’s, Dialysis Centers, and Intermediated Care Facility’s for the DD residents. I worked for a short time in the Pediatric ICU at UCSF. I recently retired from six years of teaching Certified Nurse Assistants at the Santa Rosa Jr. College.

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Another thread of my life involves my love of nature. I am an avid backpacker and have traversed all of the John Muir Trail in the Sierra Nevada from Yosemite to the summit of Mt. Whitney. The mountains, lakes and streams are my cathedrals. In 1977 I received a bachelor degree in Environmental Studies and Planning from Sonoma State University. In 1999, I completed a MA program at the University of Creation Spirituality in Oakland, Ca. The program was directed by Matthew Fox. I experienced many wonderful instructors including Brian Swimme, Cosmologist, Joanna Macy Eco-activist, Clarisa Pinkola Estes, and Angeles Ariens to name just a few. I have been dedicated to Eco-justice issues for many years and I am a member of the Council for Ecological Discipleship at St. Columba’s Inverness.