In our current reality of rapid change and information overload, a godparent or spiritual mentor can provide spiritual grounding and thoughtful guidance that helps a child/young person navigate life's challenges with greater resilience, stability and inner strength.

Most commonly chosen by a parent or parents to play a special role in their child and young person’s life, a godparent/spiritual mentor serves as a presence and supportive figure who helps nurture both personal growth and spiritual development. While rooted in Christian tradition, the role of spiritual guidance has become increasingly valuable in today's complicated world and contributes to having trusted adults who can help explore questions of meaning, values, and purpose even in the absence of religious tradition or practice. 

Beyond what is encountered in daily life, godparents and spiritual mentors offer a unique perspective on life's deeper questions, providing wisdom and moral support during times of uncertainty while helping young persons develop their own sense of ethics and connection to something greater than themselves.

The Rev. Dr. Joanne Sanders retired in July 2020 as Senior Associate Dean for Religious Life after 20 years of ministry at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA.   She is a priest in the Episcopal Church and earned a Master of Divinity from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP) at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California and a Doctor of Ministry (D. Min) from Seattle University in Seattle, WA, with a concentration on interdisciplinary leadership.

During her time at Stanford, Joanne engaged regularly in the spiritual and pastoral care and well-being of the university community across campus, preached regularly at Stanford Memorial Church and provided expansive leadership for its liturgical life.  She also initiated and developed programs for contemplative life through the Windhover Contemplative Center on campus, which included an outdoor labyrinth as well as opportunities for yoga, meditation and mindfulness practices.

Joanne was instrumental in establishing significant collaborative efforts among colleagues across campus including athletics, mental health and wellbeing, outdoor education, community centers, public service and the development of undergraduate courses in spirituality, social justice and change, liberation theology, and gender equality.

In addition, her professional background includes previous university experience in college admissions and intercollegiate athletics, including collegiate coaching and a Master of Science in Sports Administration.  Her educational research and religious interests have explored the integrated connection between religion, spirituality and sport.  She has presented and taught at the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Women’s Coaches Academy in Denver, CO in 2018 and 2019 in conjunction with WeCOACH, a non-profit organization committed to supporting, developing and retaining women coaches in collegiate, high school and professional coaching endeavors.  She currently serves on the WeCOACH Board of Directors and is chair of its Membership and Engagement Committee.

Joanne served as the President of the Association of College and University Religious Affairs (ACURA), a national organization of professionals in higher education working to support pluralistic and inclusive endeavors in religion, spirituality and ethics in colleges and universities. Along with its Board of Directors, she facilitated the merging, creation and establishment of ACSLHE (Association of Chaplaincy and Spiritual Life in Higher Education) and is a lifetime member.

Joanne is a certified mindfulness instructor following the completion of a Mindfulness Meditation Teaching Certification Course in 2022, a collaboration between Sounds True based in Boulder, CO (principal teachers Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach) and the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley. Joanne also served as a non-stipend Priest Associate at Trinity Church in Menlo Park, CA and currently serves in a similar role at St Michael’s Episcopal Church in Colorado Springs, CO, where she and her spouse Katherine Armstrong have resided since 2021.
 

This session is part of the FREE Contemplation by Design Summit, Oct. 15-27, 2025.

The full summit schedule is posted at: https://med.stanford.edu/contemplation/summit.html.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stanford-contemplation-by-design-summit-2025-online-oct-15-27-registration-1520413249959