Amanda Sue Briggs serves as the Spiritual Leader at Unity of Verde Valley. Raised near Kansas City, the birthplace of the Unity movement, Amanda Sue discovered Unity at the age of 16. She later moved to the Phoenix area to attend Arizona State University, where she embarked on a successful career in real estate technology. After receiving her call to ministry, Amanda Sue sold her tech company to pursue Unity's ministerial program full-time. She is set to be ordained as a Unity Minister in June 2025. Amanda Sue is committed to empowering individuals to transform their lives from the inside out through spiritual practices, with a particular passion for mental health.
“We are our own good fortune; we have wthin us powers and capabilities that, if used, would create a whole new world for us, a rich, prosperous, successful world.”
Martha Smock
Our Minister
Grace-filled Blessings
Rev. Charli is an ordained UNITY minister whose passion is to inspire, enlighten, and empower individuals and groups as together we consciously awaken the Divinity within. Her mission is: Seeing the Divine in all, birthing consciousness.
She does this by:
- Working with individuals to break through the barriers that hold us back.
- Teaching classes and workshops that empower spiritual students to see with new eyes and hear with new ears.
- Speaking at Sunday Services to inspire and enlighten as together we explore deeper understandings of spiritual principles.
Our Board of Trustees
Grace Cassidy
Secretary-Treasurer
Grace began attending Unity of Sedona in approximately 2008, and then moved her membership to the Cottonwood Unity Center of the Valley started by Rev. Bruce Kellogg in 2009. When Grace walked into Unity Center of the Valley and was so warmly welcomed there, she definitely felt acknowledged. She loved the community feel of greeting each other and the after-church gatherings.
Grace feels her long history as a legal secretary and good office skills prepared her for being of service on the Board of Trustees of Unity of Verde Valley. Grace enjoys being helpful and being a part of something important that brings people together.
Julie Marttila
Board Member
Born and raised in Massachusetts, Julie attended the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, and graduated from the University of Florida in Orlando with a BA in psychology. She worked in the mental health department for the State of Florida in the Department of Corrections as an institutional counselor. As a licensed massage therapist with training in hypnotherapy, crystal therapy and sound therapy, she worked for several years at ‘HealthQuest Wellness Center’ on the Space Coast of Florida, where she taught classes as a Reiki Master. Upon becoming an ordained minister for the worldwide interfaith organization of Alliance of Divine Love, she accompanies spiritual counseling with Emotional Freedom Technique and Flower Essences. Julie moved to Cottonwood AZ in 2012 and was employed in Sedona at ‘Amara Spa’ for 9 years, as well as ‘Peace Place’, as a practitioner for the ‘International Center for Reiki’. In 2021 Julie started her own business ‘Holistic Healing of Sedona’ from her home studio in Cottonwood. For over 15 years, Julie has been building sweat lodges in Florida and is a drummer/singer for annual Native American ceremonies in Kansas. On her days off, Julie is most usually swimming her 2 labrador retrievers in creeks and rivers or hunting petrified lightening in the Sedona sands.
Robert Trustman
Board Member
Robert Trustman is a clinical psychologist who was in private practice and managed a small mental health practice in Santa Ana, CA from 1980 to 1987. He then participated in the development of intern training and supervision at Shasta County Mental Health in Redding CA until 2015. Bob has extensive experience with report writing and topic research and is interested in finance and investing. For Unity of Verde Valley he coordinates our special music artists and music selections for Sunday service among other things.