As Founding Mothers, we asked the questions…
“What if this were the last institution of higher education on the planet? What would we want to leave for the next seven generations and those that follow?” We agreed that there were three critical areas of human education if life on this planet is to continue. That is how we began our three academic departments Sustainability, Holistic Healing and Spirituality.
Lisa Evert-Raeyne, MATP, Head Minister at Haven
Lisa Evert was born in Saratoga, California to a family of artists, writers, and business professionals. She grew up in Santa Cruz, and in the San Francisco Bay Area and moved later to Nevada City and then to Austin Texas. Her travels have taken her to places like Maui, Hawaii and Sedona, where she felt an amazing personal and spiritual connection to Nohaa (Mother/Grandmother Earth) and the community there.
Lisa earned a BA in Psychology in Applied Behavioral Analysis at Kaplan University, where she was Valedictorian and Graduating Student Speaker. She jokes about how Colin Powell opened for her in front of an audience of more than 5,000 students, faculty and alumni. She holds a Masters in Transpersonal Psychology (MATP) with a specialization in Creativity from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. Lisa has a strong business ethic and the ability to move fluidly in an every changing global environment, which she credits her long business history and drive to always further her knowledge by seeking out innovating learning platforms. She completed the two- year Business Professionals Course with The Aji Network (formerly known as Hecht & Associates) learning directly from the founder Toby Hecht. She has over 25 years’ marketing sales and business experience as a Senior Sales Manager and Processing Manager in the mortgage banking and real estate industry. She gives credit to her education and own innate ability for strategic planning that had her see the writing on the wall, and her business ethic moved her to inform the leaders within her company about its questionable mortgaging practices. She chose early retirement rather than knowingly participate in the collapse of the real estate and mortgage industry and the onset of the US depression of December 2007-June 2009.
Creativity has always been a driving force in Lisa’s life. Singing to Spirit and for her community since kindergarten, Lisa inspires others through her music, writing, and creative expression. Her grandfather instilled in her from a very early age the wonder of nature and the use of different perspectives to tackle life’s challenges. Lisa draws on her extensive business experience, education and creativity to serve as Chief Executive Officer of Haven, Int. and Steward Mother of Emergent Studies Institute. Lisa knows how incredibly powerful life can be when you connect with yourself transpersonally (body, mind & spirit) and face life head-on.
Email: emergent.studies@gmail.com
Facebook: Lisa Evert-Raeyne
Blogs: Haven Spiritual Sanctuary Blog
Director of Operations and Technical Coordinator
Trace Whitley, MATP, Minister at Haven
Trace Whitley was raised by a family of educators who have inspired her lifelong passion for education. She grew up in the small suburban 
town of Duncanville, just south of Dallas, lived in and around the San Bernadino Mountains in California, and has traveled all over the Southwest and the East Coast — Asheville, Salem, Sedona, Santa Cruz and New Orleans. Although from a Celtic background, she currently lives in Waxahachie, Texas– originally named “buffalo creek” by the Native American tribes of the area. Known as “Gingerbread City” for the 18th Century houses lining its streets, the town is a picturesque haven for filmmakers and an ideal location for artists.
Trace has been an artist most of her life. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Communication from the University of Texas in Arlington and a Master of Arts in Transpersonal Psychology (MATP) with a specialization in Creativity and Spirituality from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. She currently serves as an Emergent Studies Institute Project Leader. In addition, she draws on her technical experience in video production, website design, graphic design and social media to serve as ESI’s Technology Coordinator.
Trace absorbs creativity from her surroundings, imagination and personal experiences. She believes that art can be expressed in many mediums and especially enjoys working with videography as well as a variety of other mediums, including ceramics, acrylic painting and mixed media. A current project is a documentary about the community of Sedona, Arizona– “Heart of Sedona.” This documentary not only features many of the spiritual artists, psychics, community leaders and spiritual guides in and around the Sedona area, but also the area’s rich history and the beautiful scenery and spiritual connection so many people experience there.
An avid movie fan (especially the horror genre) occasional gamer, Trekkie, Whovian and all around tech-nerd, Trace has had a number of hobbies over the years that include fishing, hiking, swimming and live action roleplaying (Amtgard). She enjoys bike rides, going to Renaissance Faires, reading non-fiction, walks with the dogs and going to drive-in movies.
Email: emergent.studies@gmail.com
Facebook: Trace Whitley Facebook
Emergent Studies Institute 
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