Ruth Haley Barton (Doctor of Divinity, Northern Baptist Theological Seminary) is founder of the Transforming Center (www.transformingcenter.org), a ministry dedicated to strengthening the souls of clergy, Christian leaders and the congregations and organizations they serve. A sought-after speaker, retreat leader and trained spiritual director (Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation), she is the author of numerous books and resources on the spiritual life including:

• Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership: Seeking God in the Crucible of Ministry
• Pursuing God’s Will Together: A Discernment Practice for Leadership Groups
• Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation
• Life Together in Christ: Experiencing Transformation in Community
• Invitation to Solitude and Silence

Dr. Barton has been a student, a practitioner, a teacher and a leader in the area of Christian spirituality and spiritual formation for over twenty years. She has served on the pastoral staff of several churches, has taught at the graduate level and travels widely, teaching and consulting with churches in the areas of spiritual formation, leadership discernment and transforming community.