The School of Contemplative Life is led by a small and deeply committed team. Alongside our two part-time staff members, we are sustained by a generous network of volunteers who offer their time and gifts. The direction of the charity is guided by our trustees, each bringing a wealth of experience and wisdom.
Every member of our team shares a personal commitment to meditation, and our work is grounded in the practice we seek to share with others.
Chris Whittington is the Founder and Lead Teacher of The School of Contemplative Life. He was introduced to meditation and the contemplative life when he went to live at the Benedictine monastery of Prinknash Abbey, England, where he spent time living and studying as part of several years of formation. His monastic teachers (including Dom Sylvester Houédard OSB) taught meditation as a universal spiritual practice – a pathway to peace, community, and solidarity with all people. Following an introduction from the Abbot at Prinknash Abbey, Chris spent time studying at the Dalai Lama’s monastery in Dharamsala, India, deepening his understanding of meditation practice across contemplative traditions.
Since then, he has introduced Christian meditation to thousands of people across the UK and beyond. Chris has extensive training in meditation and is known for his ability to communicate the subtleties of the practice and complex spiritual texts in simple, practical ways, resonant with the challenges and complexities of everyday life.
Rachel Sharpe is the Executive Director of The School of Contemplative Life. She brings over 20 years of senior leadership experience across the commercial and non-profit sectors. Most recently, she served as Group CEO for the Church of England’s national social action arm, where she successfully led a major turnaround project and oversaw three charities focused on Christian social action, interfaith collaboration, and financial education.
Rachel has a strong background in strategy, operational leadership and fundraising. She is passionate about building sustainable organisations that are driven by a clear purpose. Her work has taken her around the world, including to the United States and Iran where she lead local projects. In her thirties, Rachel spent time volunteering in Kolkata, India —an experience that profoundly shaped her understanding of compassion, connection, and interfaith friendship.
She began meditating in the Christian tradition over 15 years ago. Rachel is also a qualified yoga teacher, a member of the British Association of Women Entrepreneurs, and holds an MBA.
Carla Cooper serves as Chair of Trustees for The School of Contemplative Life. She brings deep experience in both contemplative practice and organisational leadership. For eight years, Carla was Chair of the Guiding Board of WCCM where she played a key role in developing and delivering teaching programmes internationally.
Carla’s professional background spans 19 years in higher education, where she held senior roles in academic affairs, strategic planning, university relations, public affairs, and development. She has served at the University of Houston System, the University of Iowa, and the University of Texas School of Law.
In addition to her work in education, Carla spent 12 years in health care and was the Founding Director and CEO of St. Luke’s Episcopal Health Charities—an initiative dedicated to addressing health equity and the social determinants of health.
Peter Ruxton (trustee) is a finance specialist with a lifelong interest in the natural world and social justice. After an early career in mineral exploration across Australasia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands, Peter pursued his desire to address global inequality – particularly between the West and the developing world – completing an MBA in Finance.
This led to a new path in mining investment, initially with the British Government and later through his own Africa-focused mining finance fund, supporting responsible development projects in poorer rural communities. Born in Malawi, Peter has a deep personal connection to Africa and a longstanding interest in how economic opportunity can serve human dignity and empowerment.
In recent years, he has turned increasingly toward Christian spirituality, completing an MA and training in spiritual direction at Sarum College. He now runs retreats rooted in the wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers and Celtic spirituality, helping others explore the contemplative path in a grounded and ancient way.
Janet Williams (trustee) is Vice Principal of St Hild College in Yorkshire, where she is responsible for Anglican ministerial formation and leads the St Hild Centre for Christian Spirituality.
Her academic interests include Christian and Buddhist spiritualities, with a particular focus on the apophatic tradition. She has studied Zen with Masters Gudo Wafu Nijishima, Robert Jinsen Kennedy, Eido Mike Luetchford and Dave Keizan Scott.
Janet studied Classics and Philosophy at Oxford University, followed by a Master’s in Patristic Theology (Oxford) and a PhD in Religious Studies from the University of Winchester. She has taught in universities and colleges in both Japan and the UK; among her publications are Denying Divinity: Apophasis in the Patristic Christian and Soto Zen Buddhist Traditions (Oxford, 2000) and Seeking the God Beyond: A Beginner’s Guide to Christian Apophatic Spirituality (SCM, 2018)
Ordained in the Diocese of Gloucester in 2009, Janet served as a Minister in Secular Employment before becoming Dean of the West of England Ministry Training Course in 2012. She joined St Hild College in 2018 and now lives in Mirfield, Yorkshire.
Maggie Farrar (trustee) is a meditation teacher and internationally respected leader in education with over 45 years’ experience working across schools, governments, and community organisations.
A former Chief Executive and Director at England’s National College for School Leadership, Maggie now brings her depth of leadership experience into the contemplative space—supporting individuals and organisations to lead with presence, compassion, and clarity. She is a trained mindfulness teacher and Director of Empowering Leadership, offering mindfulness -based coaching and development programmes for leaders in education and third sector organisations.
Maggie’s work weaves together her passion for spiritual practice with her lifelong commitment to social transformation.