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Staff Louise Ille, Executive Director  Louise A. Ille has been our Executive Director since September '08 . As an army brat, Louise grew up all over and of necessity learned to make friends quickly. She loves Murray Grove and, when not putting out fires, she visualizes great things for the future Murray Grove. Louise first experienced Murray Grove at a retreat with the UU Church Monmouth County congregation in 1999, and agreed to become a Grover, acting as liaison between Murray Grove and UUCMC. She joined the Murray Grove staff in 2007 working part time on outreach and marketing.A people person, Louise is an effective networker on Murray Grove‘s behalf. Her experience working for both government social service agencies and private non-profits (notably the Second Harvest Community Food Bank of NJ) has given her expertise both in satisfying governmental requirements and finding effective solutions to pressing problems with limited resources. Louise has attracted an impressive group of very able people to assist our outstanding and dedicated staff in finding new groups to book our facility, new ways to strengthen our bonds with UU congregations, and offer exciting new programs. New Year's Eve Celebrations, Drum and Dance Fests, Rainbow Circle (serving the GLBTQQI communities) and Grove Gatherings featuring live entertainment have all been initiated since she became Director. She has also had occasion to shovel snow, make coffee, work with plumbers in the mud and freezing rain and in general do anything that needs to be done. Louise and her network of staff and volunteers have succeeded in obtaining much needed grants for Murray Grove and are continuing this effort. They are all committed to seeing Murray Grove survive, thrive, and become an even more valuable asset to an ever-growing number of people. * * * * * Michael Masters, Assistant Director  Michael Masters arrived at Murray Grove in January 1999. It is the latest stop on a journey that began in the orange grove country of southern California and has led by way of a study of history at the cliff-top seaside UC Santa Barbara to twelve years teaching English in Yokohama, Japan (where he lived for a year in a Zen temple and became an expert in remote traditional hot spring inns), sandwiched on either side by 14 months of backpacking through Europe on the way to Japan and another 14 months backpacking through Southeast Asia on the way back. Four years of reacclimation to this culture followed, from a base in the Boulder, CO, area, including a year of Blue Highways-style backroads driving around North America looking for just the right situation for himself. And here’s where he found it!Paralleling, and far more important than the exterior journey has been the interior one. On a path of self-discovery for nearly 40 years, Michael has come to the firm and essential conclusion that all meaning in human life comes from the experience and practice of radical selflessness – which is identical to Thomas Potter’s universal love! Talk about synchronicity! He lives and works at Murray Grove trying to live up to Thomas’s example, serving this sacred site and the people who come here as selflessly and as lovingly as he is able. * * * * * Kathy Hermansson, Coordinator of Facilities and Housekeeping  Kathy Hermansson, our housekeeper for five years now, besides her deep commitment to and love of Murray Grove, has the eye of a designer and the touch of an artist in her ongoing effort to make the place ever more attractive and welcoming, in its simple, homey way,with each passing day.
* * * * * Carolyn Maher, Bookkeeper  Murray Grove's longest-serving staff member, Carol Maher is not only our bookkeeper but our heart and soul. She keeps our eye on reality, while at the same dedicating herself totally to our vision: being what we are and more, to the extent of our and her abilities.
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