FACULTY AND BOARD
FACULTY MEMBERS:
The following introduces you to our faculty team.
These are the primary participants who rotate in our leadership, teaching and supervision.
Rev. Dr. Care Crawford,
President of CFDM Southern California
Care is a trained Spiritual Director through CFDM and is a trained Supervisor for Spiritual Directors as well. She has a passion for people to grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Through her years of involvement and leadership with CFDM, and in her passion for Christian formation & spiritual direction, she feels as if she has “come home” to my calling. Spiritual formation and spiritual direction is the ministry where she feels most effective, the place where she now serves the Church, and where she knows “God’s pleasure!” HERE she belongs.
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Care herself continues in her own spiritual direction and sees a spiritual director supervisor for her own growth and accountability in her ministry. In addition to her work with CFDM, Care is a professor serving with several seminaries and graduate institutions.
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Married for over 30 years to Stephen Madaris, they live with their two adorable pups on the Westside of Los Angeles and on the island of Iona. Care served for 36 years as Pastor of Soul Care at Bel Air Church.
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A graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, Care holds both Master of Divinity and Master of Theology degrees. Her Doctor of Ministry degree is from Fuller Theological Seminary in Spiritual Formation and Direction. Her dissertation focused on spiritual direction and short-term mission.
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Care is a frequent speaker at retreats and events. She leads training and equipping seminars with churches, Presbyteries, and other organizations in areas of pastoral care, grief and loss, and spiritual formation, spiritual disciplines, and spiritual direction.
Jeff Tacklind, Vice President
Jeff is the lead pastor of Church by the Sea in Laguna Beach, where he lives with his wife, Patty, and three kids, Gabe, Mia, and Lila. He is passionate about spiritual formation, surfing, and anything C.S. Lewis. He is a spiritual director and has a master’s degree in Philosophy and a Doctorate in Semiotics and Future Studies.
Patty Tacklind, Director of Community Engagement, Development, and Communication
Patty Tacklind officially joined CFDM in August 2024 as the Director of Community Engagement, Development, and Communication. She lives in Laguna Beach with her husband, Jeff, and their three grown children. As a spiritual director (CFDM Cohort 13), dance teacher, and lover of yoga, gardens, hospitality, and all things creative and homemade, Patty strives to bring warmth and a deep sense of welcome to all she does. She is drawn to embodied spirituality—experiencing God through nature, movement, breath, and the senses. With a heart for creating spaces where people can draw close to God and one another, she cherishes simplicity, beauty, inspiration, and belonging.
Ron Ottenad
Ron Ottenad is the founder of Rooted Soul Ministries, focused on creating spaces for deepening intimacy with God and living the abiding life. He serves as a Staff Spiritual Director at the Center for Spiritual Renewal in La Mirada, CA, and partners with CFDM to train spiritual directors.
Ron is also an Adjunct Professor at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University and works with organizations to support ministry leaders’ well-being. He served as an executive pastor in a large Southern California church for 21 years.
Ron holds a B.A. in Journalism from California State University Long Beach and two M.A. degrees from Biola University in Organizational Leadership and Spiritual Formation and Soul Care. He is the author of four books covering the subjects of pilgrimage, friendship, and grief: The Good Way, The Ascent to Santiago, The Risk Men, and After.
Married for 38 years with two adult children, Ron is committed to helping others grow spiritually and live with purpose.
Marilyn Crawford
Marilyn Crawford is an ordained Presbyterian Minister, a Spiritual Director (trained through CFDM), and a Supervisor (trained through the Mercy Center). She is the mother of two adult daughters, Mary and Ann who live in Portland, Oregon, and Santa Monica, CA. Having served three Presbyterian Churches in New Jersey, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania, she is now enjoying a ministry of Direction and Supervision and is delighted to be serving on this Faculty. "I am coming to understand the ancient Spiritual Direction Ministry as very current and helpful for each of us. In it, we seek an ever closer union with God. In this one-on-one relationship, the Director accompanies you in noticing God's Spirit at work as you tell your story and as you seek understanding and discernment."
Lynn Ziegenfuss
Lynn Ziegenfuss is a leadership development and spiritual formation specialist. Her passion is to encourage, equip, and empower followers of Jesus, especially leaders, and women, to move toward spiritual maturity, emotional wholeness and Kingdom effectiveness. Lynn is a 40 year veteran of Youth for Christ. She currently serves as a trainer in formation with YFC staff, is a consultant with the Looper Foundation in Houston and has her own spiritual direction ministry. One of the best ways Lynn gets to live into her passion is by serving on the CFDM faculty to train others in spiritual formation and direction. Sitting in the front row of watching God at work in others is an amazing privilege!
BOARD MEMBERS:
The current active Board is:
Rev. Dr. Care Crawford - President
Rev. Dr. Jeff Tacklind - Vice President
Gini Downing - Secretary
Rev. Stephen Madaris - Treasurer
Advisory Members serve on an ad hoc basis