ABOUT RUAH WOODS INSTITUTE

As a formation institute, Ruah Woods Institute is here to serve the Catholic community to help us apply Theology of the Body to our everyday lives—becoming more of the sons and daughters God, our Father, created us to be.

Ruah Woods Institute provides Theology of the Body curriculum and resources for our time. 

We are a group of Catholic scholars and educators here to help people find answers to the hard questions by offering a range of resources.  

  • Foundational K-12 curriculum that is easy to incorporate and teach to all age groups. 
  • Training and support for teachers, catechists and homeschooling parents. 
  • Online courses for adults to ground themselves in the truth about their innate dignity. 
  • Psychological services in the Cincinnati/Dayton area integrating the best of psychological science and the truths of the Catholic faith.
  • Videos and information to explain What is Theology of the Body? 
  • An online shop with books and publications.  

Understanding who God is, who we are, and how we fit into the world is challenging. 

Most of us didn’t receive proper formation ourselves, and are unsure of where we can go for clear answers. It can feel overwhelming to tackle tough theological and moral questions. But it doesn’t need to be. We want to help you realize the truth of your innate dignity. That’s why Ruah Woods Institute provides a variety of affordable resources for adults, teachers, and parents to grow in their understanding of who God made them to be. We believe that the world needs the beautiful message that Pope St. John Paul II articulated more than ever. 

Ruah Woods Institute Leadership 

Board of Directors

Tony Maas, President, Founder & Chairman of the Board

Joe Brink, Vice President

Tom Gruber, Treasurer

Michael Reckers, Secretary

Ken Jones

Steve Trimble

Tim Reilly

Marc Neltner

MEET THE TEAM

Ruah Woods Institute Staff

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Courtney Brown

Executive Director

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Michael Reckers

Vice President of Operations & Finance

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DJ Hueneman

Director of Content & Marketing

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Evie Estes

Curriculum Production Manager, Editor, Sales & Web Site Support

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Carrie Priestle

Fundraising, Events Manager & Accounting

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Andy Bonjour

Director of Video Production


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Tyler Saxton

Studio Videographer/ Video Editor

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Dr. Joan Kingsland

Fellow & Theological Consultant

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Kathleen Cory

Curriculum Consultant, Southeast Region

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Dena Reany

Curriculum Consultant, West Region

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Claudia Kimura

TOB Campus Administrator

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Robin Kennovin

Curriculum Consultant, Northeast Region

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Victoria O’Donnell

Curriculum Consultant,
Midwest

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Sharon Hoesl

Administrative Assistant

How is “Ruah” related to Theology of the Body?

Wind and breath are physical realities that point us to the Holy Spirit.

“The body, in fact, and it alone, is capable of making visible what is invisible: the spiritual and divine. It was created to transfer into the visible reality of the world, the mystery hidden since time immemorial in God, and thus to be a sign of it.” 

Pope St. John Paul II
Michelangelo's Creation of Adam from the Sistine Chapel

The entire Theology of the Body catechesis hinges on this point.

A sign is something that points us to a reality beyond itself and, in some way, makes that transcendent reality present to us. For human beings, wind and breath make visible the invisible mystery of the Holy Spirit, in a concrete way. Similarly, the body, which is made in the image and likeness of God, is a physical, concrete sign of the invisible divine mystery of God.