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Scott WilsonScott was born in upstate New York, Scott attended Wake Forest University to study biology and then medicine. During summer vacations he worked on his family’s apple farm where his brother Dan continues as owner of Hicks Orchard in Granville, New York. During residency at the University of Pittsburgh, Scott met his wife Lisa. After he completed residency in orthopedic surgery at Hershey Medical Center and fellowship in orthopedic oncology at Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and after Lisa completed residency in dermatology, they moved to New Orleans to begin their practices and a family of three daughters.
In 2005 Lisa perished in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Scott moved his family back to Winston Salem to work as a professor of orthopedic surgery at Wake Forest's Cancer Center. Today two daughters are graduates of NC State University and the third is an undergraduate at Appalachian State University. Scott and Kelly met through Green Street Church. On one of their many runs around Salem Lake, Kelly shared his friend Georgia Sprinkle’s vision of building a retreat. The dream of the Threshold Retreat began to take shape as a return to the land incorporating organic farming and spiritual formation programming. Now Scott and his life partner, Beth Thoresen, have envisioned what Carl Jung described as the individuation phase of their lives. Together they have embarked on a journey of discovery that connects them more deeply with nature. They are working to create a miniature Chautauqua, called Jomeokee (the Saura Indian name for Pilot Mountain, which means ‘the guide’). There people will gather in weekend retreat to blend ancient wisdoms of spiritual insight with contemporary theories of scientific investigation in celebration of the mystery of our witness to creation. |
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Kelly Carpenter
Originally from Indiana, Kelly is an ordained United Methodist minister. For the past 20 years, he has served as Senior Pastor of Green Street United Methodist Church, a multiracial congregation with a commitment to community service,social justice, ministries with people in recovery, the LBGTQ community, interfaith relations and public activism. In 2006, Kelly founded The Shalom Project, a local non profit seeking to disrupt the cycle of poverty for people. With a B.A.’s in Religion & English Literature from the University of Indianapolis, 1988, and a Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt Divinity School, 1994, Kelly has a love of writing/reading poetry, organic gardening, centering prayer, jazz, Jungian spirituality and running. In 2007, his dear friend Georgia Sprinkle began the process of leaving the gift of her estate for the founding of a retreat center. After many talks on long runs, Dr. Scott Wilson and Kelly began mapping out the vision of The Threshold. In 2016 at 99 years of age, Georgia passed the same year that the Threshold project began. He is certified in Dream Group Leadership (2015) and Spiritual Direction (2017) from the Haden Institute. |
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Beth Thoresen
Originally from the Midwest (Milwaukee and Indianapolis) Beth has called North Carolina her home since 1996 when her career in operations management moved her with her family to Greensboro. She now serves as the Director of Operations for the National Peer Review Program for the American Institute of CPAs. She is the mother of two young adults: one a graduate of NC State University, married and pursuing graduate studies in computer science at Georgia Institute of Technology, and the other a teacher at the German International School of Chicago.
Since childhood Beth has loved organizing and hosting gatherings for her family and friends and volunteering in her community. She has facilitated refugee resettlement, served as a Stephen Minister, co-created and lead a job placement ministry for unemployed individuals, and has been a host parent and liaison to numerous exchange students from many countries.
Beth is excited to be a part of the Threshold Retreat to further explore her passions of environmentalism, spiritual development, and mindful meditation. Beth is happy to share her operational strengths with the Threshold Retreat and Farm community alongside her Love, Scott Wilson. When she’s not working on spreadsheets, you can find Beth clearing trails, destroying green brier vines, photographing nature, and assisting at the Threshold Farm.
Originally from the Midwest (Milwaukee and Indianapolis) Beth has called North Carolina her home since 1996 when her career in operations management moved her with her family to Greensboro. She now serves as the Director of Operations for the National Peer Review Program for the American Institute of CPAs. She is the mother of two young adults: one a graduate of NC State University, married and pursuing graduate studies in computer science at Georgia Institute of Technology, and the other a teacher at the German International School of Chicago.
Since childhood Beth has loved organizing and hosting gatherings for her family and friends and volunteering in her community. She has facilitated refugee resettlement, served as a Stephen Minister, co-created and lead a job placement ministry for unemployed individuals, and has been a host parent and liaison to numerous exchange students from many countries.
Beth is excited to be a part of the Threshold Retreat to further explore her passions of environmentalism, spiritual development, and mindful meditation. Beth is happy to share her operational strengths with the Threshold Retreat and Farm community alongside her Love, Scott Wilson. When she’s not working on spreadsheets, you can find Beth clearing trails, destroying green brier vines, photographing nature, and assisting at the Threshold Farm.
Maria Teresa Jones
Reverend Jones serves as the Chaplaincy Program Manager for Faculty and Staff Support at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist – Winston Salem campus.
In their role as Chaplain for Faculty and Staff, their primary focus is on “total person care: mind, body & spirit” providing spiritual support, crisis, grief counseling, and spiritual direction to faculty and staff. In addition, they manage The Employee Emergency Fund, an exquisite and valuable tool for staff care and support.
Education across the health system on issues related to compassion fatigue, burnout, and moral distress with emphasis on self-care and emotional resiliency, are some of their responsibilities guided under the administration of Code Lavender.
Chaplain Jones received a Master of Divinity with certification in Spirituality, Religion, and Health Professions from Wake Forest University School of Divinity, is a board-certified chaplain through the Association of Professional Chaplains, (APC), and a graduate of The Haden Institute with certifications in Spiritual Direction and Leader Dream-Work.
A native of Old San Juan Puerto Rico, a US Army Veteran, and resident of Winston Salem since November 1981.
Reverend Jones serves as the Chaplaincy Program Manager for Faculty and Staff Support at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist – Winston Salem campus.
In their role as Chaplain for Faculty and Staff, their primary focus is on “total person care: mind, body & spirit” providing spiritual support, crisis, grief counseling, and spiritual direction to faculty and staff. In addition, they manage The Employee Emergency Fund, an exquisite and valuable tool for staff care and support.
Education across the health system on issues related to compassion fatigue, burnout, and moral distress with emphasis on self-care and emotional resiliency, are some of their responsibilities guided under the administration of Code Lavender.
Chaplain Jones received a Master of Divinity with certification in Spirituality, Religion, and Health Professions from Wake Forest University School of Divinity, is a board-certified chaplain through the Association of Professional Chaplains, (APC), and a graduate of The Haden Institute with certifications in Spiritual Direction and Leader Dream-Work.
A native of Old San Juan Puerto Rico, a US Army Veteran, and resident of Winston Salem since November 1981.
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Jissan Michelle Nicolle
Jissan Michelle Nicolle, PhD, BCC, is a professional chaplain and novice Zen priest. She graduated from the Upaya Buddhist Chaplaincy program in 2015 and was ordained as a lay minister by Roshi Joan Halifax in 2016. She completed a Clinical Pastoral Care (CPE) residency at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and was board certified by the Association of Professional Chaplains in 2018. Prior to chaplaincy, Dr. Nicolle was engaged as a researcher in behavioral neuroscience studying the neurobiology of cognitive decline in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Jissan is currently employed as a spiritual care provider at the Wake Forest School of Medicine and Medical Center. In 2019, Jissan happily made the commitment to deepen her practice and study of the Dharma as a novice priest with Sensei Joshin Byrnes of Bread Loaf Mountain Zen Community. |
Zoe Wilson
The oldest "zister" of the Wilson family, Zoe has a bachelor degree in Communication from NC State University and an MBA masters degree in Business Analytics from UNG Greensboro.
She works at Volvo Group as a Marketing Business Analyst supporting websites and digital transformation for Volvo Trucks and Mack Trucks.
In her free time Zoe enjoys walking her pit terrier dog, running half marathons, and crocheting.
The oldest "zister" of the Wilson family, Zoe has a bachelor degree in Communication from NC State University and an MBA masters degree in Business Analytics from UNG Greensboro.
She works at Volvo Group as a Marketing Business Analyst supporting websites and digital transformation for Volvo Trucks and Mack Trucks.
In her free time Zoe enjoys walking her pit terrier dog, running half marathons, and crocheting.
Mary Jac Brennan
Mary Jac Brennan enjoys connecting people with nature through gardening and gardens. As a landscape designer and consultant, she has helped bring change into the lives of home gardeners, school communities, and commercial entities through the design and development of sustainable and seasonally inspiring landscape gardens. Mary Jac taught environmental science to high school youth. True to her horticultural training (Clemson University), she used a quarterly garden project to help students experience the natural world first hand.
As the first Community Garden Agent of the Forsyth County Extension, she established the Forsyth Community Garden Program and Community Garden Mentor Training program from 2010-2013. In July 2013, she was hired by NC A&T University to support and educate small farm operators in sustainable fruit and vegetable production. Mary Jac developed and led the Forsyth County Urban Farm School from 2015-2020.
After retiring, Mary Jac has consulted with the MICDC Farm Incubator, has designed residential gardens, taught online courses, been a presenter at the UNC Botanical Gardens, and has compiled a curriculum for NC State on CSA development. Mary Jac enjoys spending time growing gardens on her small farm near Walkertown, NC., hiking and biking, and going to the beach with her husband. She is the mother of 3 adult sons and grandmother to Colin and Isla.
Mary Jac Brennan enjoys connecting people with nature through gardening and gardens. As a landscape designer and consultant, she has helped bring change into the lives of home gardeners, school communities, and commercial entities through the design and development of sustainable and seasonally inspiring landscape gardens. Mary Jac taught environmental science to high school youth. True to her horticultural training (Clemson University), she used a quarterly garden project to help students experience the natural world first hand.
As the first Community Garden Agent of the Forsyth County Extension, she established the Forsyth Community Garden Program and Community Garden Mentor Training program from 2010-2013. In July 2013, she was hired by NC A&T University to support and educate small farm operators in sustainable fruit and vegetable production. Mary Jac developed and led the Forsyth County Urban Farm School from 2015-2020.
After retiring, Mary Jac has consulted with the MICDC Farm Incubator, has designed residential gardens, taught online courses, been a presenter at the UNC Botanical Gardens, and has compiled a curriculum for NC State on CSA development. Mary Jac enjoys spending time growing gardens on her small farm near Walkertown, NC., hiking and biking, and going to the beach with her husband. She is the mother of 3 adult sons and grandmother to Colin and Isla.