Staff
Forest Stewards
Those who live, work, and serve here consider ourselves stewards and caretakers of the Forest, in the spirit of Benedictine stewardship.
Residents
David MacDonald, Executive Director
David was born and raised in Akron, Ohio, and attended college and seminary in Ohio as well. Most of his ministry career has taken place there, except for two years spent in England, serving Methodist and Anglican churches.
He’s an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, as well as a Benedictine monk, as a member of the disperse St. Brigid of Kildare monastery. He’s a trained spiritual director and retreat leader, and for the past 11 years has served as the chaplain at Ohio Northern University, located in Ada, Ohio.
He met his wife, Kelly, while in college, and they now have two college-aged children–Rebecca (22) and Jane (18). They also have a lab mix dog named Felix (which is Latin for “happy go lucky,” and fits his personality well), and three cats: Luna, Jupiter, and Nebula (they’re out of this world!).
David likes to spend his spare time knitting and crocheting, reading (especially non-fiction, historical fiction, and sci-fi/fantasy fiction), being outdoors, and playing his bagpipes.
“I am just as likely to be seen wearing a kilt as I am trousers, as I have a collection of several kilts and find them the most comfortable garments I own!” he says.
He’s a tea aficionado and loves meeting people over a steaming mug of a good brew. He’s delighted to be a part of the Forest community, sharing sacred space with all who visit here.
Jeni Enns, Coordinator
Jeni is a professional writer and has worked for 20 years as a technical writer in the software industry. From 2016 – 2018, she lived and served at the Forest in various capacities, from a residency to being the guest services coordinator. She’s delighted to be back at the Forest holding sacred space and serving in a new capacity.
Jeni was born in California and grew up in California and Kansas. She loves to travel and experience other cultures and has lived in Seattle, Maryland, and Germany. Now she finds grounding under these spacious Oklahoma skies and being nested in the Osage hills.
She is rooted in the earth-based, Celtic spirituality of her ancestors and in the Divine Feminine. Her spirituality is very much centered in the cycles of nature and the seasons. She loves to create rituals for herself and others, a potent and transformative way to move through the seasons of life.
She’s a certified Ayurvedic Health Coach with the Kerala Ayurveda Academy. She’s currently enrolled in Red School UK’s 2024 Menstruality Leadership Programme, working towards a certification in teaching menstrual cycle awareness and holding space for the sacred rites of passage of menarche and menopause.
Jeni is here to help your stay at the Forest be comfortable and peaceful.
Staff and volunteers
Jan Humphrey and Paul Humphrey, Housekeepers
Jan and Paul work diligently to keep the Forest facilities spotlessly clean. They are the ones who get your cabin ready for your stay. In the brutal heat of August, when the Forest is closed to guests, they deep clean every corner of the Forest buildings. They’ve been with the Forest for several years, and we don’t know what we’d do without them!
Content and social media: Jeni Enns/Ennscribe, LLC (freelance)
Ken Jackson, Volunteer
Dennis Gundersen, Volunteer