Administrative Board of the Rhine Research Center

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Rhine Research Center Board of Directors

Officers:

President: Bonnie Albright, BA

Bonnie Albright holds a B.A. in philosophy/religious studies with a minor in psychology from The College of Saint Rose, Albany, New York. Her background includes study and participation in workshops on meditation, yoga science, Native American and Eastern thought. Interest in spirituality, the process of death and dying, and research on near-death experiences led to bereavement study at Maria College and work as a Community Hospice volunteer at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany. She worked for over twenty-five years in college administration and served on committees as varied as governance, accreditation, communication, fund-raising, social, and administrative searches.

Bonnie also has two years certification for paranormal studies at the Holistic Studies Institute, where experiential learning was emphasized. Her primary areas of interest are meditation, sound/chanting effects on states of consciousness, telepathy, reincarnation, OBEs and NDEs. In early 2007 she retired and relocated to Durham, NC, in order to be close to the Rhine Research Center and be actively involved. During that time, she has served as a volunteer for programs and serves on the Institutional Review Board.

Vice-President: William F. Higgins, B.S.

Mr. Bill Higgins is a graduate of the US Naval Academy, a retired Naval Reserve Captain and former FBI agent. He is a successful businessman, developer and former realtor in the New York - New Jersey area. He is very knowledgeable about and interested in the practical applications of psi. He has been an investor in psi research at the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research Laboratory. Mr. Higgins is a Director and Vice President of the IRVA (International Remote Viewers Association) and the SSE (Society for Scientific Exploration). As former Director of PEAR Inc, he assisted in the funding of their process patent on the effect of intention on random events. He is also a founding Director for a Charter School in the South Bronx.

Executive Director: Sally Rhine Feather, Ph.D.

As the eldest daughter of JB and Louisa Rhine, Sally Feather grew up in the world of parapsychology in Durham NC. She worked as a research assistant at the Duke Lab before and after a B.A. from the College of Wooster (1951) and as a researcher at FRNM after a doctorate in psychology (Duke University, 1967). Dr. Feather then worked over 30+ years as a clinical psychologist in mental health and psychiatric clinics and in private practice in North Carolina and New Jersey. Since 1995 she has been active at the RRC in various administrative roles, serving on two different occasions as volunteer Executive Director. Currently she is working on a research grant on the phenomenology of spontaneous PK experiencers. In 2005 she co-authored a book The Gift (St. Martins Press) that is an update of Louisa E. Rhine’s books on spontaneous ESP experiences.

Sally Rhine Feather is the recipient of the Parapsychological Association 's 2010 Outstanding Career Award.

Treasurer: Benton Bogle

Benton has taken his interests in technology, consciousness and personal growth and applied them first to a Masters degree in Education, and then into many years of work as a counselor, teacher and computer technician. Currently employed as an IT technician and trainer, he also enjoys a long relationship with the Rhine Center as a volunteer, assisting with computer and software needs. He's worked for many years with online Remote Viewing groups to help others learn about remote viewing and other PSI related interests. He helps facilitate a monthly Remote Viewing group at the Rhine Center. The group was founded to give local folks the opportunity to experience and practice their skills with like minded individuals since Benton believes that it is the relationship of the participants that is essential to PSI events.

He has done technical/computer training for a number of businesses in the Southeast, and has taught Psychology and Sociology courses at the undergraduate level in colleges in NC. He's written software for binaural-beat brain entrainment technology. He has worked in webpage design, database design and implementation, as well as project management. Enthusiastically dedicated to the science of parapsychology he continues to explore the variables involved in anomalous human experience.

Secretary: Thomas Hardison

Thomas Hardison is a Financial Advisor in the Durham, NC office of Merrill Lynch. Tom is a Durham native and graduate of NC Wesleyan College where he received a BA in English. Prior to entering the investment field he held positions as US National Marketing Director of Pirelli, an international radial tire maker and as vice president of a family-owned retail firm. Tom's relationship with the Rhine dates back to his junior high days when he prepared a science report on Parapsychology with the assistance of the Rhine staff. Since then, Tom has harbored a keen interest in the field and in The Rhine, particularly. He is especially interested in the Rhine's work on business intuition. Tom is also active in the American Heart Association and is a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow.

Members:

Dr. Carl Blackman

Dr. Carl F. Blackman is a Research Scientist in the Environmental Carcinogenesis Division of the US Environmental Protection Agency. He received his Ph.D. in Biophysics in 1969, performed post-doctoral training at Brookhaven National Laboratory (1969-1970), and joined the EPA in 1970. Dr. Blackman studied the complexities of electric and magnetic field interactions with biological systems (1970-1998, which included support from US DOE 1989-1998). His work resulted in several discoveries including multiple effect "windows" of intensity and frequency, the earth's magnetic field involvement in some biological responses to EMF, the action of the oncostatic hormone, melatonin, to modulate gap junction intercellular communication, and that magnetic field exposure can alter the action of melatonin and nerve growth factor in cells. He now performs research examining biochemical pathways revealed by microarray analyses that are expected to lead to mode-of-action information associated with the carcinogenic activity of a class of chemicals of environmental interest.

Dr. Blackman is one of six founders in 1978 of the Bioelectromagnetics Society, served as president in 1990, on the Editorial Board (14 years), and is now serves on the Board of Directors (2007-2010). He served on numerous national and international scientific committees, including the WHO (Environmental Health Criteria #137, 1993 - RFR health implications), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC, Volume 80, 2002 - ELF EMF and cancer), the ANSI/IEEE (1992, US Radiofrequency Radiation exposure guidelines), and the US National Council of Radiation and Measurement's committee (SC 79, chaired by Adey - health effects of ELF EMF). He has reviewed grant applications for 17 organizations and manuscripts for 56 organizations.

Dr. Blackman is a member of the American Society for Cell Biology, American Society for Photobiology, the Biophysics Society, Bioelectromagnetics Society, European BioElectromagnetics Association, and the Society for In Vitro Biology. He has co-authored 58 peer-reviewed publications, 23 book chapters, 57 invited presentations, and 132 abstracts. He has had a long time interest in the issue of consciousness research, and when he relocated to the RTP area of North Carolina in the early 1970s he started attending talks at the Rhine Center when it was located on the Duke University campus.

Pat Connolly, MSW

Pat Connolly has a Masters in Social Work from Fordham University in NY. Prior to relocating to North Carolina she held a number of supervisory positions in the New York State Criminal Justice system. She led one of the first therapy groups for sex offenders in the state, started a Victim Advocate Group, and a Rape Crises Group that was singled out and recognized by the NY State Governor for its outstanding achievement. In addition, Pat taught Criminal Justice and Hypnosis at Marist College and at Ulster Community College. Pat has practiced hypnosis and has worked as a therapist with private and EAP clients. At present, Pat teaches Yoga and Meditation along with healing techniques at the UNC Wellness Center and the Town of Cary. Pat teaches and practices several healing modalities, including: EFT, Visualization, Quantum Touch, Meditation, Self Hypnosis, Reiki, and the Tapas Technique. In addition, Pat leads 2-3 Yoga and Art Beach Retreats for women each year where chanting, meditating, and intuitive art are included in the weekend.

Thomas Connolly

Tom holds a BA in History and Psychology from Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY, where he initially taught high school and then proceeded to a thirty year career at IBM in Executive Management, responsible for Technical Communications, Human Factors, and Industrial Design. Upon his retirement from IBM he joined Sykes Enterprises, where he served as Director of Employee Development and Consulting Services Management. He also served as Director of Marketing and Services for the Northeast Region and manager of Sykes New York Branch. Tom received an IBM Corporate Management Excellence Award, was a member of the IBM Corporate Information Development Council, served as President of the United Way of Ulster County, and was an Adjunct Professor in Technical Communications at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Tom is a member of the Fine Arts League of Cary, is a muralist, faux painter, trompe l'oeil artist, woodwork designer, and operates his own decorating business. Tom is also a REIKI and Quantum Touch healing practitioner.

Barbara Ensrud

Barbara Ensrud is a wine journalist and author. She spent most of her adult life in New York, first working at Time-Life Books, then as a freelance journalist whose articles appeared in the Wall St. Journal, Food & Wine, Decanter, Wine Spectator, Vogue, GQ and numerous other magazines and metropolitan newspapers across the country. She has authored four book on wine and one on cheese.

Barbara taught wine classes in New York for more than 20 years and now teaches at Duke University Continuing Ed. She has served as a wine judge in the nation’s top wine competitions and as panel moderator at the Aspen Wine & Food festival. Barbara has traveled widely and is a frequent speaker on the subject of wine and its role in culture, history, symbol and myth. She now makes her home in Durham, NC.

Barbara came to the Rhine Research Center in 2004. “I’ve had a lifelong interest in psi and the study of human consciousness. After moving to Durham, I came to the Rhine one day, thinking that the organization must have a library. It proved to be a treasure trove, and I spent many mornings and afternoons in the Tannous Library doing research. I also found a lively and congenial community of people associated with the Rhine and began to attend programs. When asked to be a volunteer, I was delighted to be able to help with the Rhine’s mission and legacy.

As co-chair of the Library, it has been my job to become thoroughly familiar with its resources and to help inaugurate the catalog system that will soon enable us to post library resources online.”

Dr. Bill Joines, PhD

Dr. Bill Joines has a B.S. and M.S. degree from N.C. State University and a Ph.D. from Duke University in electrical engineering, where he is now a Professor in the Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles in technical journals and numerous book chapters. Currently he has a BIAL grant for measuring and analyzing mentally induced optical photon emission from the body and electrical charge accumulation on the body of practiced healers and volunteers (shams). In the 1960's and 1970's Dr. Joines served as a consultant-investigator at the Psychical Research Foundation (PRF) with William Roll on poltergeist and haunting events, as well as in investigations of channeling or mediumship, where the goal was to record as much data using instruments as the situation allowed. Dr. Joines continues to seek a clearer understanding of the conscious and non-conscious mechanisms that drive paranormal events.
John Palmer, Ph.D.

John G. Kruth has been a software developer and manager for over 16 years. He holds a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania and is currently pursuing a Masters degree in experimental design and analysis. Because he was raised in a family that practiced healing traditions, John has been using and studying psi techniques for over 35 years. He is certified as an Esoteric Healer following the teachings of Alice Bailey, and he has worked informally as an energetic healer and advisor. John is a member of the Rhine Research team and is actively designing and developing experiments related to precognition, hypnosis, the practical applications and effects of energetic healing, and an examination into the experiences of healers.

"What I now recognize as 'psi' abilities were part of normal experiences in my family when I was younger. We regularly practiced mediation, hypnosis, creative imagining, and positive thinking. My mother's family performed healings for people in the community, and they discussed what they had done at the breakfast table. At times, card games and trivia games became impossible for my brothers and sisters and me. It became too easy to 'guess' the answers or the cards other people were holding in their hands. I would like to use this experience with psi to help to inform my experimental designs and assist in the advancement of the science of parapsychology."

Dr. John Palmer

Dr. John Palmer received his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Texas in 1969. He was on the staff of the Rhine Research Center (formerly Foundation of Research on the Nature of Man) from 1984 to 2004, serving as Director of Research from 2000 to 2004. He was Director of Education from 1988 to 2004, in which capacity he was in charge of the 8-week Summer Study Program. He has been Editor of the Journal of Parapsychology since 1994. He was President of the Parapsychological Association in 1979 and 1992. He has published numerous research articles in professional journals and is co-author of the book Foundations of Parapsychology. His research has focused primarily on psychological factors associated with ESP performance in the laboratory, and in 1979 he published a random survey of psi experiences in an American city.

Pamela St. John
Pamela has experiential learning in meditation, yoga, energy healing, shamanistic journeying, OBE’s, inter-species communication, and various other psi experiences. In the late 1970’s she volunteered at the Durham Parapsychology Research Foundation, led by Dr. William Roll. She has been doing volunteer work at the RRC since 2007, and facilitates the monthly PEG (Psi Experiences Group). She is presently working with members of the Rhine Center on a PEG Network program to spread and help facilitate such groups in new areas.

Pamela received a Bachelor in Music from Indiana University. Over the next 30 years, she proceeded to perform, teach Piano & Composition, and compose works for solo piano, chamber groups, and orchestra. Her compositions have been published and heard in various concert series, including performances by the Ciompi Quartet of Duke University in Durham, NC. She founded and directed a concert series, ComposerWorks, in Carrboro, NC, and an annual student workshop, Compose-A-Thon, for CHMTA. She was a member of the Music Advisory Panel of the ArtsCenter in Carrboro, NC, and later became President of the nonprofit NC Composers’ Alliance. As President, she reorganized the bylaws and introduced her pattern of ComposerWorks concerts, helping to spread them throughout cities in NC.

Nancy L. Zingrone has a PhD in psychology (University of Edinburgh), obtained doctoral candidacy in history (Duke University), an MSEd in community college education with a teaching specialty in psychology (Northern Illinois University), and a BA in psychology (Mundelein College). She has conducted experimental, historical and survey research and published widely in English, Spanish and Portuguese, mainly on the psychological characteristics of psychic experiencers, in such journals as the Australian Journal for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, Imagination, Cognition and Personality, the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, as well as in the such parapsychological publications as the European Journal of Parapsychology, the Journal of Near-Death Studies, the Journal of Parapsychology, the Journal of Scientific Exploration, the Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, and the Revista Argentina de Psicología Paranormal. She has received research grants from the Bial Foundation, the Institut für Grenzgebiete der Psychologie und Psychohygiene, the Parapsychology Foundation, the Parapsychological Association Research Endowment, the Perrott Warrick Fund, and the Society for Psychical Research, and was a co-recipient of Duke University’s Anne McDougall Award. A long-time consultant, employee and now volunteer of the Parapsychology Foundation, she remains the Director of Publications and Executive Editor of the International Journal of Parapsychology. Active with the Parapsychological Association for more than twenty years including two terms as President, she was a first a Research Fellow and then a Visiting Scholar and Summer Study Program instructor at the Rhine Research Center from 1982 through 1993. Currently, she holds a joint appointment, as the Director of Academic Affairs at Atlantic University and as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Research in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Science at the University of Virginia.