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Sunday, August 30th

10:15-11:45

Also on Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89696209837

"At The Table": Exploring Food, Families and History

 with Kathleen Benjamin

 

Rev. Kathleen Benjamin is a licensed minister, interfaith leader, and community organizer serving as President of the Santa Monica Area Interfaith Council. She brings extensive experience in spiritual leadership, event planning, and collaborative community‑building, including museum programming, cultural exhibits, and educational workshops in Santa Monica and Ventura County. An award‑winning fundraiser for the American Red Cross and past president of the Santa Monica College General Advisory Board, she also co‑programmed the seven‑year Love and Unity Festival, deepening her commitment to inclusive, community‑centered outreach and celebration. Drawing on over four decades in food service and culinary arts, including her work as owner‑operator of Your Private Chef, a full‑service catering and chef‑staffing company, and as a private chef, Kathleen brings a refined gift for creating hospitable, welcoming spaces of shared nourishment and connection, where all feel empowered.

 

Her spiritual formation has been enriched through study with Self‑Realization Fellowship, founded by Paramahansa Yogananda, as well as with renowned contemporary teachers Jean Houston, Deepak Chopra, and Michael Bernard Beckwith. Trained through the Holmes Institute and the Centers for Spiritual Living in leadership studies and ministerial formation, she is dedicated to fostering inclusive spiritual dialogue, social justice, and compassionate service across diverse traditions.