The Purpose of the Board: to hold the highest vision (truth) of TRA as an act of community; to serve as channel or vessel for the tasks of the community and to take these tasks to the next step; to be the voices of the members; to create and support forms for community to emerge. (9/92)
Purpose of the Board of Directors; implement the purposes of The Reiki Alliance; hold, develop, and direct vision of TRA; set goals; determine and set policy; evaluate policy implementation. (1/95)
The Board of Directors provides leadership and formulates policies for the Alliance based on the precepts of Usui Shiki Ryoho and the statement of identity. In its goal to reflect the spirit of the Alliance, the Board also seeks information and guidance from Alliance members.
The Board sets the theme of the annual conference, appoints committees and defines their mission, approves the annual budget and often identifies steps needed to achieve community goals.
Term of Office: members of the Board of Directors are elected by the membership during the Annual General Meeting, at their annual conference. A Board member holds a position for 3 years. There are 5 members on the Board, with rotating years. A Board member is eligible to serve two consecutive terms.
Nur (Natalia) Stepanova
RUSSIA
2021-2027
Gilberto Arias
USA
2022-2025
Tobi Doering
USA
2023-2025
Brian Brunius
USA
2024-2025
Elfie Schlumberger
GERMANY
2024-2027
Nur Stepanova
I have lived in Moscow for over 20 years. I studied English at school as all children did. I didn’t graduate from university and what helped to me later to start to speak and translate English fluently could be related to “Practice, practice, practice”. So, I know by my own experience that this principle works.
Almost thirty years ago I met Reiki when my initiating master Fokke Brink came to our city. The next time he came, I received Second degree, and then I started the process of preparation for Mastery. I would not say that it was an easy path, though I savor all the lessons I received on it.
At that time, I became an interpreter for Masters, who came to Russia, and this is how I met Phyllis Furumoto. I travelled a lot, and learned, and learned, and learned. Later I met Paul and I interpreted for him too - at “Way to Harmony” workshops held in Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Germany and USA. During his workshops and meetings with other master’s and students I continued my love of learning. I love everything I am doing in my life.
Later, I started to interpret for Phyllis, and saw a small part of her huge inner world. I realized I wanted to learn from her. I asked her to be my Mentor. She eventually agreed and I’m l grateful for everything I received from her. Not all the lessons were pleasant but why would they be? In these trainings I found my really deep understanding of the Reiki Precepts, and vital qualities of honesty, creativity, integrity and other things.
Phyllis convinced me to become a member of TRA – not with words, but with her passion she had for TRA. The way she spoke about it and with the ideas she had for TRA.
I became a member of the Board, in Germany in 2016, and I stayed in this position for one and a half years. At that time, I was not able to hold the difference of opinions within the Board. So, I stepped down. This year I felt the urge to do it once again,
Now as a member of the Board, my intention is strong to serve the Community and our Lineage Bearer Johannes Reindl, using all my knowledge, my skills as a facilitator, translator, teambuilding coach, Reiki Master and my innate abilities.
Compassion is very important for me. – to be softer to the world, to the people around, to things in the world, to words and actions of people. To know who I am and who I am not. With these qualities I steadfastly hold my inner core and commitment to serve the Reiki Alliance community.
Gilberto Arias
I started my Reiki journey in 2004, when Phyllis Furumoto visited El Paso, Texas and offered a Reiki Level 1 class. I fell in love with the beauty of Usui Shiki Ryoho and the humbleness and accessibility of Phyllis as a teacher.
In 2005, I was introduced to level 2 and was blown away by the depth of the practice. Eventually I felt a calling and was initiated as a master by Richard Davis in 2011. That same year, I requested and was fortunate to be accepted to be mentored by Phyllis.
I was born and live on the border between El Paso, Texas, United States and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Consequently, I’m fluent in Spanish and English and aspire to learn more languages to communicate better. I have a Master of Business Administration degree and my wife and I own and manage a logistics company and a wellness centre.
I have served in leadership positions in various professional and social nonprofit organizations and I’m the proud father of two adult children. I love my two dogs and enjoy all types of music, poetry, theatre, and movies.
I am enthusiastic about meeting people and learning from them. In my role on TRA Board, I am hoping to help the USR community become closer and enjoy more ways of expressing their unique perspectives and supporting each other’s journeys.
Tobi Doering
I live in Gainesville, Florida having lived in Florida most of my life. I have a married adult daughter and 9-year-old grandson who live in South Florida whom I visit regularly. I live alone but am very active in local service organizations and frequently host fellowship groups.
In 1995, I was invited by a friend to hear a free lecture about Reiki given by a woman named Barbi Lazonby. Barbi’s lecture was prominently placed on the front page of our local Gainesville newspaper. During the talk, she spoke about the history of Reiki, her lineage as trained by Virginia Samdahl, and her own Reiki journey. While speaking, she gave each of us a short mini-treatment. When it was my turn, she put her hands on my head and it felt like “little toasters” were warming me. She said that if I took her class that weekend, the same stuff would come out of my hands. With only this superficial goal, I started my own Reiki journey that continues to take me to infinity and beyond, knowing that the Force, universal life energy, is with me!
While my education and work life has been centered on science and finance, I have had the opportunity to have a variety of jobs, ranging from camping tour guide to real estate investment manager. I currently have my own commercial real estate appraisal company.
Twice in my life I have sold all my belongings and ventured into new parts of the world to experience new cultures and meet new people. I camped for 6 months in the Canadian Maritimes and later I lived in a converted van for 6 months, exploring in New Zealand after surviving a tsunami in Samoa. I taught Reiki during each of these excursions. I also became certified as a meditation teacher and mindfulness trainer in recent years.
Practicing Reiki has given me a tangible experience of a Power greater than myself that surpasses all that I could imagine, giving me a connection to all living things. I have been able to bring the countenance of Reiki into everyday situations as an alternate way to see and process life. Reiki shows me that I am not “large and in charge.”
I’m looking forward to working with my fellow board members to help TRA continue to grow and prosper. Reiki will teach us!
Brian Brunius
I’ve been a member of TRA since 2011. During that time I served as the Organigram Coordinator for 5 years, Support Line Backup for 4 years, and the Finance Administrator for the past 6 years. I’ve seen how TRA’s processes work (or how they sometimes fail us), and I’ve experienced the love and desire for community that holds us together.
In those years I’ve never wanted to be a board member. When Christopher Tellez announced he was stepping down from his position a year early for health reasons, I was approached by the Nominating Committee to ask if I would consider running for the Board, and my answer was unequivocally “no.”
At the 2024 conference in Uruguay, however, I felt something different. I met Lies and Tobi and Gilberto and experienced their intelligence. I heard their ideas for TRA, and I thought, “I could work with these people. We could really make some positive changes together.” The energy of the conference was coursing through me, and I felt Reiki moving me. It motivated me to raise my hand at the AGM and nominate myself for election.
Though a year on the board filling Christopher’s seat will pass quickly, I hope to accomplish some modernization of the finance systems during that time. I’m eager to assist in the implementation of the TRA Student Circle, which I think will be a crucial part of the future of TRA. I’m also excited to be the Board liaison for a number of TRA’s teams, and I look forward to meeting them soon.
Thank you all for giving me the chance to serve the TRA community.
Elfie Schlumberger
I am from Esslingen in the south of Germany. I have two adult daughters and one grandchild and love to travel since they live in the north of Germany and in Devon, England. I also spend time in the US, which is where my partner Tim lives.
In 1983 I was initiated in first degree Reiki by Brigitte Müller and Phyllis Lei Furumoto, who were visiting Germany. This fell on fertile ground within my search for personal growth and I felt enthusiastic about the possibility of sharing a deep inner space with others in treatments. In 1986 Phyllis initiated me as a Reiki Master in Abiquiu Canyon, New Mexico. I have been a member of the Reiki Alliance since 1987. The TRA has become the community I’ve always envisioned and dreamed of, where we share common values, support each other and are connected on a deep level through Reiki. Throughout ups and downs in my life, Reiki has always been a central part and I’ve never questioned my membership in the Alliance.
For about 12 years I led a center for holistic growth with my at-the-time husband, where he taught Aikido and did bodywork and I taught Reiki. During this time I was part of the conference team of the Reiki Alliance for several years, and worked as an interpreter and translator. I was also an organizer of the German Reiki Festival in Gersfeld.
Through changes in my personal life, I went back to working as a school teacher and my involvement in the Reiki community and as a Reiki master moved to the background for awhile. However, I did continue to help translate the newsletter of TRA occasionally.
Now at the age of 67 I am happily retired from school and free for new adventures. After years of not being able to go, I was able to attend the conference in Uruguay in May 2024; it felt like coming home. I am very excited and looking forward to being more involved in the Reiki community again and working on the board. Let’s see what we can achieve together and what the future holds for us.