MEET OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Assisi Foundation’s leadership team come from diverse backgrounds and areas of specialization, which is also representative of the interdisciplinary nature of the programs and initiatives we develop and support. Each Board Member voluntarily and generously gives their time, expertise, guidance and – above all – their love for this work.
Should you wish to reach out to one of our Board Members, please send an email to [email protected]
Dr. Michael Conforti
President
Dr. Michael Conforti is a Jungian analyst and the Founder and Director of The Assisi Institute: International Center for the Study of Archetypal Patterns. He is a faculty member at the C.G. Jung Institute, New York, Jung Institute, Boston, and for many years served as a Senior Associate faculty member in the Doctoral and Master’s Programs in Clinical Psychology at Antioch New England.
A pioneer in the field of matter-psyche studies, Dr. Conforti is actively investigating the workings of archetypal fields and the relationship between Jungian psychology and the New Sciences. He has presented his work to a wide range of national and international audiences, including the C.G. Jung Institute – Zurich and Jungian organizations in Australia, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, Italy, Russia, South Africa and Venezuela.
He is the author of Threshold Experiences: The Archetype of Beginnings (2007) and Field, Form and Fate: Patterns in Mind, Nature and Psyche (2002), which have been translated into Italian, Russian and a soon to be released Spanish edition. His articles have appeared in Psychological Perspectives, San Francisco Jung Library Journal, Roundtable Press, World Futures: The Journal of General Evolution, and Spring Journal.
Dr. Conforti maintains a private practice in Mystic, CT and consults with individuals and corporations around the world, including working as a consultant for film and television projects.
Dr. Silvia Behrend
Vice-President
Dr. Silvia Behrend is Director of International Studies of The Assisi Institute: International Center for the Study of Archetypal Patterns. She develops, supports, teaches and maintains programs in Latin America, Russia, Australia and Cyprus. She has presented international webinars and lectures in English and in Spanish and currently serves as translator and faculty in the Latin American program.
She has a private practice in Olympia, Wa as a Certified Archetypal Pattern Analyst, mentor and educator. As a clinical leader, Silvia has co-developed and co-implemented programs and retreats for the Assisi Institute, for Gonzaga University in the Doctoral Leadership Program, as well as many intergenerational programs utilizing the arts as a means of individual and collective transformation.
As senior faculty of The Assisi Institute, she hosts national and international webinars on many subjects; dream pattern analysis, the field of leadership, psychological development, the creative, unconscious communication, voice of psyche and others. She has researched and published articles on the transformational power of art, the archetypal fields of leadership and exile.
Kevin P. Richard
Secretary/Treasurer
Kevin Richard, MA serves as an administrator in the Rhode Island (RI) Family Court system. Through several decades of working with the Court and its respective population, Kevin has overseen large judicial programs and departments; worked on policy and system reform, served as an advocate for children; and worked as a counselor.
He has been appointed to numerous committees designed to address areas of child welfare, juvenile justice, and areas of mental health. In 2015, he was part of a three person delegation from Rhode Island invited to the White House in order to address the growing concern with child trafficking.
In 2019, Kevin received recognition through a RI LaSallian Award for his contributions for Juvenile Justice reform. In his most recent appointment, he serves on the New England Regional Judicial Opioid Initiative which consists of Chief Justices from each respective state with the aim to address the judicial response to the opiate epidemic.
Kevin has been part of The Assisi Institute since 1993 and has been certified as an Archetypal Pattern Analyst. He has served as the Institute’s Director of Studies and has assisted with programmatic design. He continues to serve as a speaker, student mentor, consultant, and as of 2021 serves on the Assisi Foundation’s Board of Directors. As a senior faculty member of The Assisi Institute, his presentations examine the interface of science and Jungian Psychology, initial conditions, and the objective role of images in art, stories and in the human condition.
LuAnn Conforti-Brown, PhD
Dr. Conforti-Brown is a certified Archetypal Pattern Analyst. She holds a Masters degree in Clinical Social Work from New York University and a PhD in Existential-Humanistic Psychology from Saybrook University. She is a Certified Life and Wellness Coach and a Soul Injury Educator & Practitioner currently in private practice in the Tampa area of Florida. For the past 15 years Dr. Conforti-Brown has been an Assistant Professor of Clinical Instruction at the University of South Florida, School of Social Work. During her tenure with the university, Dr. Conforti-Brown received the Social Work Educator of the Year award from the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) for outstanding teaching and mentorship. She is an expert in traumatology, and has published journal articles and book chapters on the importance of integrating spirituality into trauma treatment for military and Veteran populations. She is an experienced public speaker and group work facilitator. She provides training on the integration of Soul Injury and holistic body-mind-spirit interventions to hospitals, mental health agencies, and clinicians across the allied health professions.