Our Ministers

REV. MITCH AUSTIN

Rev. Mitch Austin is a lifelong student of Science of Mind, a licensed Practitioner since 2012, and an ordained minister through Emerson Theological Institute. He is a member of The Amani Center Ministerial Council and a provisionally licensed Center for Spiritual Living Minister. Since 2016, he has been a sought-after speaker and transformative teacher, leading classes and programs such as Taming Your Inner Critic, Empowered Communication for Spiritual People, The Rise and Speak Experience and Eat, Pray, Live!

Mitch and his fiancée, Karen Blakeley (aka Rev. K) —moved to Grass Valley in April 2024, bringing their shared passion for spiritual growth. Both Rev. Mitch and Rev. K work in tandem to support the Sierra Center. Rev. Mitch previously played a key role at the Center for Spiritual Awareness (CSA) in West Sacramento, building a successful Teen Program, leading the Practitioner Core, and revitalizing the youth programs, serving on the Human Spirit retreat committee and spearheading fundraising efforts.

Beyond ministry, Mitch spent over 20 years in Parks and Recreation, rising to senior leadership, overseeing multi-million-dollar budgets, strategic planning, and community programs. He also served as a head of Human Resources and Corporate Compliance Officer in the nonprofit sector before transitioning to full-time ministry in 2023. He now leads Speak Teach Inspire, offering life coaching, corporate training, strategic planning and keynote talks. Lastly Mitch supports the activities of the Nevada County Pride organization donating his time and talent to support the LGBTQAI+ community.

Mitch is dedicated to building a thriving spiritual community where people feel empowered, loved, connected, and aligned with their highest truth.

REV. LANI HOWARD

Rev. Lani Howard is a second-generation San Franciscan who graduated from U.C. Berkeley in History and got a Master of Science in Systems Management from the College of Notre Dame. 

She worked for major California corporations first as a computer programmer, then a trainer, then as a software project manager. She found the Science of Mind in 1995 and became a practitioner and then received her 2nd Master’s degree from Holmes Institute when she became a minister in 2004.  

She served as an Assistant Minister in Corte Madera until 2008 when she accepted the position of Senior Minister at the Sierra Center for Spiritual Living in Grass Valley. 

She retired from that position in 2018 and is now a minister emerita at Sierra Center and her focus is on solving the climate change challenge.

REV. MADALYN WADE

Rev. Madalyn has been an active member of the Sierra Center for Spiritual Living since 2001, first, as a Licensed Science of Mind Practitioner, and then as a Licensed Minister in various roles over the years. 

Rev. Madalyn is a California native, growing up in Thousand Oaks before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area. She has her B.A. in History from U.C. Santa Barbara, her studies took her to the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and she earned a M.B.A. from Pepperdine University. After her years in the corporate world as a Human Resources Director and consultant, she received her Minister's License in 2006. Prior to that she received her Practitioner's License in 1996 after studying with Dr. Margaret Stortz. Rev. Madalyn served on the Religious Science International Board of Directors for three years and she served on the Integration Team bringing the United Centers and RSI into one organization, the Centers for Spiritual Living. Rev. Madalyn was ordained in April 2014. She has a certificate in Dream Tending from the Pacifica Graduate Institute and is a certified SoulCollage facilitator. When she is not teaching, Rev. Madalyn and Gary, her husband, love to travel around the world and come home to their mountain top home in Nevada City and their cat.

REV. JULIA ROBLES SCOTT

 Rev. Julia Robles-Scott lived in Nevada County when she was in grade school and developed a deep love of nature here. She found Sierra Center when she moved back in 2000 and felt like she had come home. She dove right into SOM classes and became a licensed practitioner in 2004 through Religious Science International. In the Spring of 2016 she began her ministerial journey and became a licensed minister in February 2022. Rev. Julia served our beloved community as our Bridge Minister during a crucial time of transition, and we are forever grateful for all her time, energy and leadership. 

Rev. Julia began a career in the mental health field as a Crises Peer Counselor in Nevada County in 2013, was hired by Resilience Inc. in 2015, and then Crestwood Behavioral Health in 2019, where she continues to work as a Director of Program Supports of the Recovery Resilience Solutions Team and as a member of the Recovery Education Advocacy and Leadership Team. 

Rev. Julia loves to be of service in creating a world that works for all! 

REV. KAREN BLAKELEY

 Rev. K has been a member of the Centers for Spiritual Living since 2010. She became a Practitioner in 2019 and completed her ministerial training in 2025.  She spent over 30 years in the Greater Phoenix, Az. area before moving to Eureka, CA in 2022 and then in 2024 to Grass Valley, CA.  She enjoys speaking, teaching, singing. playing her violin and spending time out in nature.  She has been a registered nurse since 2007 and has spent over eight years working in nonprofit management. She describes herself as a creative analytic with a passion for establishing a loving sacred space wherever she goes. Her greatest joy is in serving others and sharing her gifts with the world.