Sr. Cheryl Clemons, OSU, PhD

Sr. Cheryl Clemons, OSU, PhD, serves as Executive Director of WVIS and is an Ursuline Sister of Mount Saint Joseph, Maple Mount, KY. She holds a Certificate in Spiritual Direction, Supervision, and leading the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, an MA in Theological Studies from the University of Dayton, and a PhD in Historical Theology–Systematics from The Catholic University of America, with minors in Medieval Church History and Feminist Theology.

She has taught at Catholic Theological Union’s Hesburgh Sabbatical Program, Washington Theological Union, The Catholic University of America (undergraduate), and the University of Dayton (graduate summer programs), as well as parish and high school settings for nearly 40 years. Her topics include social justice, the Trinity, sacraments, Scripture, prayer traditions, and Loving God with the Mind: Cardinal John Henry Newman.

Sr. Cheryl has led retreats for religious, laity, and clergy (various faith traditions)—weekend, week-long, silent, seasonal, and thematic—covering subjects such as women in the Bible, 12-Step spirituality, and the Paschal Mystery. She has been a keynote speaker for national Ursuline gatherings, presented at RCIA sessions, and spoken on topics ranging from the role of Mary and the saints to church history and the Eucharist.

Her leadership roles include service within her order, as Owensboro Diocesan Director of Social Concerns, and as Vice President for Academic Affairs/Academic Dean of Brescia University. She is also the editor of the three-volume Ursuline Book of Prayer.

Liz Deal, BFA, MFA

Liz Deal is a graduate of the Associate Spiritual Direction Training Program at the West Virginia Institute for Spirituality (WVIS), with certificates in Directing the Ignatian 19th Annotation Retreat in Everyday Life and in Supervision of Spiritual Direction. She serves as Associate Coordinator of the training program and teaches across all areas.

Liz earned BFA and MFA degrees in Drama from Syracuse University and worked with Villanova University Theatre (1984–2000), where she created a training program for graduate stage managers. From 1997 to 2010, she was Adult Formation Coordinator for a large suburban Philadelphia parish, leading Bible studies, sacramental preparation, and liturgies.

In 2014, Liz became volunteer coordinator and later assistant director of a rape crisis center serving six West Virginia counties. As a trained sexual assault victim advocate, she developed professional workshops on healthy boundaries, communication, and the impact of trauma, and in 2022 co-created an annual retreat for women survivors of sexual violence.

Now a full-time spiritual director, Liz has served on the faculty and as a supervisor at the North Carolina Institute for Spiritual Direction and Formation, coordinated parish liturgy and formation, and continues to lead individual and group spiritual direction, Ignatian retreats, and supervision. She regularly pursues ongoing formation through workshops on the Enneagram, dreams, Internal Family Systems theory, and Mental Health First Aid.

Rev. Meredith Hutchison, MM, MDIV

Rev. Meredith Hutchison is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. Born and raised in western Pennsylvania, she earned a B.S. in music education from Indiana University of PA (1972) and an M.M. from Ithaca College while teaching vocal music in upstate New York. She directed choirs, musicals, and appeared in operas and musicals.

Feeling called to ministry, she graduated from Andover Newton Theological School (1981), was ordained, and served as pastor in Fulton, NY, then Rutherford, NJ, where she was named a Fellow in Pastoral Leadership Development by Princeton Seminary. She later worked as Associate Conference Minister for the Massachusetts Conference UCC before returning to PA to pastor Denmark Manor UCC for 14 years and serve on the faculty of the Penn West Academy for Ministry.

Introduced to WVIS through Sr. Ritamary Shulz, Meredith attended numerous Ignatian retreats, completed spiritual direction training (2020), and became a certified supervisor (2024). She now offers spiritual direction and supervision via Zoom, assists with WVIS training programs, and serves on the Committee on Ministry for the Westmoreland Association UCC.

Meredith is an active member of Emmanuel Reformed UCC in Murrysville, PA, sings in the choir, and leads programs. She is also a caregiver for her older brother and enjoys annual visits with her nephew’s family in Kentucky.

Michael Lisowski, MS, MQP

Michael Lisowski is a Spiritual Director, Martial Artist, and Medical Qigong Practitioner with over 10 years of experience. A Lay Associate of the Dominican Sisters in Grand Rapids since 2016, he completed their Spiritual Direction Program in 2020 and was certified through WVIS to give the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises in 2023, direct 3-, 5-, and 8-day silent retreats in 2024, and serve as a Spiritual Director Supervisor in 2025. He serves on the WVIS faculty for both the 19th Annotation Training Program and the Initial Spiritual Direction Training Program.

He is the founding member of Enlightened Heart Ministries & Holistic Healing, LLC (est. 2018), offering spiritual direction and holistic health services. As a Medical Qigong Practitioner, he holds certifications in Daoist Energetic and Spiritual Training (Daoyou rank), Minerals, Plants, and Animals in Chinese Energetic Medicine, and is pursuing advanced Medical Qigong Therapy training. His pastoral theology emphasizes a covenantal relationship between director and directee to deepen one’s connection with the divine and discover the True Self.

A Black Belt in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu since 2015, Michael continues to study Tai Chi, Daoist Mysticism, Interfaith Spiritual Practices, and Integrative Health. He holds a BS in Physics from Indiana University and an MS from Ball State University, with 17 patents as an Optical Engineer.

Sr. Molly Maloney, OSF, MA, LMT

Sr. Molly Maloney, OSF, MA, LMT is a native of Charleston, WV, Sr. Molly is a member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity. Educated by the Sisters of St. Francis and influenced by the Capuchin Franciscans, she discovered her love for spiritual direction early in her formation.

She served as Campus Minister at St. Bonaventure University (NY), earning an M.A. in Theology, and later at Santa Clara University (CA) with the Jesuits, completing Mercy Center’s Spiritual Direction program and coursework in embodied spirituality at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley.

After 27 years of ministry in NY, OH, CO, and CA, she returned to WV, earning a certificate in spiritual direction from the West Virginia Institute for Spirituality (WVIS), where she has ministered for 21 years. She coordinates the Associate Spiritual Direction Training Program, serves on faculty, helped develop the advanced 19th Annotation Retreat training, supervises interns, and offers silent Ignatian retreats.

Sr. Molly is also a licensed massage therapist, trained in Berkeley, CA, and licensed in WV since 2003.

Cindy Neely, BSN, MS

Cindy Neely, BSN, MS, is a Christian laywoman, married, mother, grandmother, retired nurse leader, and healthcare administrator. She earned her BSN from WVU in 1972 and MS in Child Development and Family Resources in 1978. A former WVU School of Nursing instructor, she trained in Transactional Analysis therapy, which shaped her psychospiritual practice. Certified in 2009 by the West Virginia Institute for Spirituality (WVIS) as a spiritual director and director of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, she now serves WVIS as faculty and supervisor. Cindy retired in 2010 as Vice President of Women and Children’s Hospital and Chief Quality Officer for Charleston Area Medical Center.

After relocating to North Carolina, she became the first coordinator of the Spiritual Direction Ministry at St. Thomas More Parish in Chapel Hill, expanding it to 13 directors serving both the parish and the Newman Community. She was on the founding leadership team of the North Carolina Institute for Spiritual Direction and Formation and trained as a supervisor with Lucy Abbott Tucker and WVIS. She offers individual and group direction, Ignatian retreats, and supervision.

A cancer survivor, Cindy companions those with serious illness, parents of LGBT children, couples, and women who have survived sexual abuse. She led the STM Abuse Response Team (2018–2021) and founded a healing retreat program for women survivors, offering four months of accompaniment followed by a three-day retreat—now held annually.

Her nursing background shapes her spiritual direction as a ministry of healing body, mind, and soul, helping others live fully into the Gospel. She lives in Pittsboro, NC, with her husband of 54 years, Ed, and maintains a full spiritual direction practice.

Ms. Sally Orcutt, OP, MA

Sally Orcutt, Director of Operations at WVIS, is a lay Dominican (Order of Preachers), married with two adult sons and one grandchild. A certified Spiritual Director with an advanced certificate in leading the 19th Annotation Retreat in Everyday Life, she is also a Supervisor, published author (Say Yes 2 Your Life: Journey to Celebrate Your “is-ness”), and presenter for WVIS and other organizations on the topics of emotional sobriety, grief, and spiritual healing .

She holds a graduate degree in Public Administration (Strategic Planning) from Pembroke University, NC, and an undergraduate degree in Chemistry and Environmental Analysis from Ramapo College, NJ. A survivor of childhood trauma, Sally shares the fruit of her journey through training and certification in spirituality-based 12-step programs, sociometrics and internal family systems, dreams as spiritual practice, and the Progoff Intensive Journaling Method.

Her leadership extends beyond WVIS, including service as president and secretary of her lay Dominican Chapter, and roles as retreat facilitator, workshop leader, life coach, and spiritual program leader for both youth and adults.