Saint Peter Faber, SJ (13 April 1506 – 1 August 1546) was the first Jesuit priest and theologian, who was also a co-founder of the Society of Jesus. He was canonized by Pope Francis on December 17, 2013.

*Original iconography by Mary Claire Russell MacDonald of Wellwick Iconography

Rick was born in 1954 into a Catholic family founded by a Family Physician father and a Literature and Music loving mother; he grew up with five siblings; he was educated in Catholic and public schools; he entered the Jesuit Order (the Society of Jesus) at the age of nineteen in 1973. He earned top honors in his studies of Classical Languages and Civilization, Philosophy, Theology studies (1973-1997). During these years he was profoundly formed in the Ignatian and Jesuit traditions as a Spiritual Director. He has directed thousands of persons of all ages, and across all Christian denominational lines. He has directed some two hundred Retreats (day long, weekend long, eight days long, and thirty-days long). He was ordained a Catholic Priest in 1984, exercising throughout his ordained life (1984-2020) the works of the Sacraments, of preaching, and working for the cultivation of the spiritual depth of people. He built friendships across all Christian denominational lines for the purpose of breaking the hold of Christian tribalism and getting us to belong together better than we do, learning how to learn from each other. Over and through all of this, Rick has been a Teacher, a scholar of Philosophy and Theology and Spirituality (broad and deep disciplines of wisdom), a published writer in these disciplines, and a widely experienced speaker in settings sacred and secular. In October 2014, at sixty-years old, Rick founded the Faber Institute with the help of a circle of close friends. In December 2020, he retired from being a formal representative of the Jesuit Order and of the Catholic Church (1973-2020), in order to give the remainder of his life to the works of the Institute.

Amy met Rick back in 2010 through a connection with the Portland Fellows Program. She is a native of the Seattle area, and graduated from Linfield College, followed by a Master's degree in Community Social Psychology from the University of Massachusetts. Amy lives in Sherwood, Oregon with her husband, Jason, and their two school aged daughters, Ella and Adelyn.   

Tara first met Rick nearly 15 years ago as a student at Marylhurst University, and eagerly enrolled in every course he offered before graduating in 2013 with a self-designed interdisciplinary degree in Holistic Ministry. Upon graduation, Tara discerned a call to be a spiritual friend to others, and completed her certification in spiritual direction with Fr. Jim Galluzzo at the Urban Spirituality Center in 2014, just three days before the birth of her first child. As residents of Troutdale, Tara and her husband Matt enjoy adventuring in the Columbia Gorge with their three rambunctious little ones: Cirocco, Sabina and Gesumina. 

Tom has spent more than two decades in ministry and administration at educational institutions and in direct service to people experiencing poverty. His parents, a physician and nurse from Eastern Washington were both healers and Tom takes after them in his own way by tending to brokenness. Tom currently serves as the Director of Nonprofit Services for Becker Capital Management. In that role, he provides consulting service for nonprofits throughout the Northwest. Tom received his formal education from Colville High School, the University of Notre Dame and the Harvard Business School.

Dan joined the Faber Institute Board in September 2021. He grew up in Caldwell, Idaho, and received his BBA in Accounting from Gonzaga University in 1973.  Following graduation, Dan moved to Tacoma and worked in public accounting.  He joined Pierce County Medical (a predecessor company of Regence/Cambia Health Services) in 1977 and retired from Cambia in 2014.  His career with Cambia included positions in Finance and Senior Management, and a move from Tacoma to Portland in 1996.  He holds a CPA license (retired) in Oregon. While in Tacoma, Dan met his wonderful wife, Kathleen, and they married in 1977.  They have three grown and married children, and four grandchildren.  Dan and Kathleen are members of St. Juan Diego Parish. Dan has been involved in a number of civic and nonprofit organizations over the years, including Rotary, Boy Scouts, Catholic parishes and Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon Ministries Corporation. Dan enjoys playing golf, travel, cheering for the Zags and being with family and friends. 

Jimmy grew up in Boerne, Texas and graduated with a BBA from Baylor University. In 2010, he moved to Portland to be part of the Oregon Fellows Program where he first met Rick Ganz.  Jimmy earned his JD at Lewis & Clark Law School and now practices energy law at Primergy Solar as Senior Counsel.  Jimmy lives in Southeast Portland’s Montavilla neighborhood with his wife Blair, their young daughters Tegan and Juniper, and a slew of his best friends. He is most comfortable on his bicycle and especially enjoys his new hobby of soaking up Tegan’s giggles as he tows her to and from her school in the bike trailer.

Shannon is a physics professor and past-chair of the Department of Physics at the University of Portland. She is also Co-Director of the Garaventa Center for Catholic Intellectual Life & American Culture, bringing her passion for dialogue regarding the intersection of faith and science.  Shannon and her husband Steve, a chemistry professor at the University, are the parents of two young-adult daughters. Shannon is the co-editor of the book Awaken the Stars (ACTA Publications, 2017), a collection of essays about wonder, transformation, empathy, and faith from the faculty at the University Portland.

Richard  grew up in Salem, Oregon and received a BS from University of Oregon and MS from Oregon State University, both in geology. He worked as a geologist and later an executive in the international oil and gas exploration industry, with a number of international postings. Richard and his family spent several years in London, where they attended Church at Holy Trinity Brompton and there he and his wife Penny became involved in leading Alpha courses, an introduction to the basic tenants of the Christian faith which was developed at Holy Trinity Brompton. After retiring in 2014, Richard and Penny returned to Oregon where they divide their time between Portland and Neskowin. They attend Bridgetown Church in Portland, where they are excited to be helping lead Alpha in a dynamic young church. Richard and Penny have three children, Leslie a journalist in London, John a geologist in Portland, and Abigail a physician in Houston.

Miriam grew up in Sonoma County, CA, married her guitar playing summer camp love interest in Nashville, TN, and they both migrated back to the west coast to Portland, Oregon, in 2010. Here she finished up a liberal arts degree at Portland State University and dove into the world of Christian educational digital media, spending the past eight years at BibleProject. Throughout this time in Portland, she and her husband, Chris, have welcomed two small munchkins into the family - Jasper Bay + Remy LaRue - and the days are bursting. Faber Institute has come to play an important role for her in the form of a lighthouse amidst the foggy moments of life. Weekend pilgrim retreats, musings in her inbox, streamed events and yearly traditions are a strong pull to the Source of life itself, her own Soul, and the dear Souls that surround her.

Mary, the founding administrator of the Faber Institute, is a native of Texas and a graduate of Baylor University.  Mary moved to Oregon in 2009 to serve in a role at the MJ Murdock Trust, where she first met Rick.  She then joined Faber in 2016, bringing nearly a decade of experience in nonprofit management. Mary used her gifts to establish organizational structure and bolster development of the Faber Institute for eight years.  She currently works within Providence Health Systems and lives in Lake Oswego with her two young daughters, Cora and Ruth.

Lynn met Rick Ganz while working as VP for Advancement for Marylhurst University and has been blessed to watch the Faber Institute grow from inception to reality with his leadership. She currently serves as Director of Development for Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Parish in Lake Oswego. A native of Iowa, Lynn has made the Pacific Northwest her home since 1984 and has worked in the Portland area for nine years. Her 28-year career has been about building and growing fundraising programs for educational institutions, mostly in Catholic and Christian schools and universities, and now at Medical Teams International. She knows first-hand the transformative power of education as a first-generation college grad.

Pat is President of Golding Consulting a national healthcare consulting firm. Golding Consulting serves as an advisor to healthcare executives and provides a variety of services and programs to the health care industry including Surgical Services Programs, Clinics, Physician Group Practices, Emergency Services, and all Medical Center Departments. Among these services is to work in partnership with the client using an interdisciplinary approach to make work easier so that more time is available to do the work that makes a difference. Pat brings some of the same analytical capacity she has brought to non-profits such as St. Pius X Catholic Church and to Jesuit High School, at which institutions she served as a Board member and for many years. Yet her analytical gifts are for the sake of her deeper commitment to the “soul” of non-profit institutions, wanting to help them more richly serve those deeper values, re-discovering their significance in the fulfillment of their purposes for the common good. She and her husband Mark have two children, Jeff and Annie.

Bruce is a board-certified anesthesiologist in Portland, Oregon. He and his wife, Nancy, have two young-adult children: Alex and Audriana. Bruce is an outdoor enthusiast, and a runner. He also has a knack for amazing quotes. It was Bruce and his wife Nancy who conceived the idea of having an annual fundraiser for the Faber Institute – the Fireside Evening – and then hosted the first two in their home.

Pietro is a strategist and change maker who thrives working collaboratively at the intersection of purpose and equity to create shared value in disadvantaged communities. With over 20 years of experience at the forefront of various social impact and community development initiatives including serving as Executive Director of Hacienda CDC, Catholic Charities Oregon, James Beard Public Market and Friends of the Children-Portland. With a bright spirit of generosity and lived experience as a leader of color, Pietro supports individuals across cultures who are dedicated to working for a better world. A native of Bolivia where he continues to visit, Pietro and his wife Bertis from Guadalajara, Mexico share a blended family of three adult children, Paolo, Andrea and Alan, and a loyal labradoodle named "Leo".

Fr. Boly, SJ, Ph.D. (Systematic Theology), is the former Pastor at St. Ignatius Catholic Parish (Jesuit) in Portland, OR, and a Jesuit of 50-years-long commitment in the works of the Jesuits in the Pacific Northwest. He is a deeply trained intellectual in the disciplines of philosophy and theology – a set of inner capacities highly unusual to have in a parish Priest, and now longtime Pastor. He is known for his commitment as a Jesuit to excellence of work, which he cultivates through his deep commitment to the spiritual and theological and pastoral formation of his leadership team as a collaborative and discerning work of the Spirit. 

Janeen is CEO at Becker Capital Management. She has been comprehensively dedicated throughout the Portland region to the support of non-profit entities that commit to serving those most in need, serving on their Boards, guiding them in their finances, and cultivating the crucial social connections that stabilize these essential works for the common good. Yet, she has also had a long-standing commitment to institutions of education on all levels, including the University of Puget Sound where she currently serves on the board of trustees. She also has served many years on the Jesuit High School Board, and as its Chair, through which institution she and her husband, Mal, sent their two children Ryan and Megan.

Greg is the CEO of Specht Development, Inc. and Specht Properties, Inc. He has been a significant supporter and dedicated worker on behalf of non-profit institutions in the region, such as at Jesuit High School where he has served on the Board for many years, and as its Chair for a time, and through which institution he and Roxanne sent their three children, Whitney, Madi and Mat. He is also a trusted counselor to those younger into their careers and who are trying to learn how to build their businesses. He and his wife Roxanne have been dedicated members of Lake Grove Presbyterian Church in Lake Oswego and are at this point in their lives grandparents six times.