In 2022 a group of graduates from The School of the Sacred Wild recognized an opportunity to amplify our community’s shared dedication to making Earth education and herbal medicine accessible to all. From a place of devotion to the Earth Mother, we gathered and dreamed the Sanctuary of the Sacred Wild into being. With a mission of creating more healing, beauty and intimate connection between humans and the Earth.
Today, the Sanctuary is a federally recognized church and non-profit organization. Our core activities include:
Training our advanced herbalists and earth stewards.
Receiving training in nonviolent communication, non hierarchical leadership
Creating physical and spiritual sanctuaries for the Earth
Making herbal medicine and Earth wisdom accessible to all
Preserving land for future generations
Organizing an online herbal symposium planned for September 6 & 7, 2025
Fundraising to purchase land that will be preserved and tended for generations to come and will serve as a refuge for deep communion.
Fundraising for scholarships for herbalists to attend the School of the Sacred Wild
We welcome and appreciate your support and participation!
OUR MISSION
We are a refuge for the Sacred Wild where Mother Earth thrives and is centered by a community of stewards who embrace our sacred responsibilities as sovereign beings to nourish life and play while making Earth Medicine accessible to all. Connected by a passion for Earth education, regenerative living and shared value of devotional relationship to Self, Earth, and Spirit.
OUR VISION
We are a refuge for the Sacred Wild where Mother Earth thrives and is centered by a community of stewards who embrace our sacred responsibilities as sovereign beings to nourish life and play while making Earth Medicine accessible to all. Connected by a passion for Earth education, regenerative living and shared value of devotional relationship to Self, Earth, and Spirit.
Meet our Board
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Marysia Miernowska
PRESIDENT
Marysia is the founder and director of one of California’s most renowned herbal schools. She brings a lifetime of training in traditional herbalism, earth stewardship, regenerative earth care & community building. She is an author, formulator, teacher, gardener & steward of the Earth.
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Rachel Jonte
VICE PRESIDENT
Rachel brings over 20 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising & management with a background in scientific research & communications. She is a folk herbalist, ceremonialist, and devoted land-tender who helps manage a beautiful organic avocado & coffee farm in Southern California.
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Shari Boyer
SECRETARY
Shari is an experienced marketing executive with 30 years of experience in cause marketing and partnerships that benefit our public lands. Shari is a certified herbalist and author of the forthcoming Book of Modern Ceremony.
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Stephanie Paine
TREASURER
Stephanie brings 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur, building businesses on the global scale ranging from the wellness industry to professional sports. Her life long philanthropic efforts in animal rescue and advocacy extend into the arts, education and enviromental causes. She is a certified herbalist, reiki master, gardener and prolific entrepreneur.
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Ella Murphy
BOARD MEMBER
Ella brings over 15 years of expertise in food as medicine, recipe development, food styling, and cookbook authorship. With a passion for regenerative farming practices, she is also actively involved in non-profit initiatives, embodying a holistic approach to sustainable food systems and community support. Ella is devoted as a chef, herbalist, teacher and food educator, offering new pathways to nourishment.
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Isabel Barreto
BOARD MEMBER
Isabel brings 15 yeas of experience as an event producer and coordinator, along with decades of experience as a guide and facilitator for transformation through movement and breath. Her work is focused in creating intuitive, heart-centered leaders for our world. She is a movement & meditation teacher, folk herbalist and earth medicine woman.
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Shannon Factor
BOARD MEMBER
Shannon brings decades of experience as a start-up consultant, documentary filmmaker and lawyer. Focused in health and wellness she tends to her regenerative urban farm and apiary, living in reciprocity with the land and crafting products to educate and care for her community. Shannon is a career coach, writer, land steward and philanthropist.
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“We breathe air exhaled from trees whose leaves are made of starlight. Our veins echo the pattern of rivers, branches and roots. We are not a part of Nature. We are Nature.”
~ Marysia Miernowska, Founder of the Sanctuary of the Sacred Wild, herbalist, author & Director of the School of the Sacred Wild.
A special thank you to Viviene Zehr Benjamin
Our HEAD OF OPERATIONSViviene brings many years of experience in communication and events while working with renowned earth based education schools and tending to the experiences of young women and girls. Her work focuses on creating nurturing spaces for young women and supporting their path through her classes and gatherings. Viviene is a certified herbalist, ceremonialist, mother and education advocate.
