Yvette McDonnell (she/her) is a dedicated Interfaith Chaplain with roots in the African American Baptist tradition and embraces the branches of the many ways of knowing. She is committed to fostering inclusive spiritual spaces and employs a transformative approach that is grounded in love, healing, and ancestral wisdom. This approach inspires hope among individuals navigating life's transitions. With a robust background in social justice, Yvette effectively supports marginalized communities and helps individuals confront and explore their biases. As an educator and Spiritual Companion Ritualist, she emphasizes the importance of mindfulness, encouraging people to breathe deeply and appreciate each moment to cultivate integrated awareness in their lives. Yvette facilitates rituals that honor various aspects of the human experience, including guidance, protection, celebration, and mourning. She holds a master’s degree in education from the University of Connecticut and a master's degree in social change, along with certificates in multi-religious and chaplaincy studies from the UU seminary Starr King School for the Ministry in California. Yvette has also completed a unit of clinical pastoral education and is currently on the path to becoming an ordained Unitarian Universalist (UU) minister. In her personal life, Yvette enjoys dancing, taking long walks, engaging in arts and crafts, baking, gardening, and creating herbal medicines. She has lived in Maine for more than fifteen years and currently resides in Bryn Mawr with her daughter.