Rev. Carol Hovis, Executive Director   

     Carol is an ordained Presbyterian minister (PCUSA) and the Executive Director of the Marin Interfaith Council, since July 2004.  Prior to her position with MIC, she served for six years as the Community Advocate with the San Rafael Canal Ministry in San Rafael, CA.

Carol moved to northern California from northern Virginia in January 1998.  Born and raised in metropolitan Washington, DC, Carol attended college in Pennsylvania and Union Theological Seminary in New York City.  She returned to the DC area in 1988 to serve a Presbyterian congregation in Fairfax, VA.  After nine years on staff at Providence Presbyterian Church, seven as associate pastor, she resigned in November 1997 to begin a 11 month personal sabbatical which brought her to northern California.  In September 2000, Carol received the Diploma in the Art of Spiritual Direction from the San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo, CA.   

     In May 2009, with great joy, Carol married ChrisHighland.  Chris is a published author, teacher and freethinker.  He was an ordained Presbyterian minister and served as an interfaith chaplain for a total of 20 years in the MarinCounty jail and then with the unhoused street community.   

ALISON HENDLEY,  Program Manager

Alison is on the ordination track of the UnitedMethodistChurch, and has been the Program Manager of the Marin Interfaith Council since June 2008.  In May 2008 she graduated from the Pacific School of Religion with a Masters of Divinity and San Francisco Theological Seminary with the Diploma in the Art of Spiritual Direction.  In addition to her work with MIC Alison works as a spiritual director and as Associate Pastor and youth leader at a local church. 

Alison moved to Northern California in 1995 for a year when she worked as a nanny for a family before returning to England to attend the University of Plymouth.  There she was awarded a BA Hons. in Waldorf Education before returning to the Placerville area to teach grade school.  She came to Marin in 2004 to attend seminary.

Niki Smith, Administrative Assistant

Niki Smith is a Rosen Method bodywork practitioner.  Before MIC, she worked with several MarinCounty non-profits, including Canal Alliance and Homeward Bound, and the Seva Foundation in Berkeley. 

After traveling with MIC to Cuernavaca in 2007, Niki became more involved with Marin’s interfaith community, staffing the winter homeless shelter in 2008-09, and volunteering for various MIC events.

 She lives in San Rafael with her husband and teenage daughter.