James Quay

James Quay, PhD, has been a Courage & Renewal facilitator since 2008, when he retired after 25 years as executive director of the California Council for the Humanities. He has offered Circles of Trust® in a variety of formats, including seasonal retreat series, college classes, sessions for cancer survivors, and multi-day retreats.

A native of Pennsylvania, Jim earned a BA in English from Lafayette College, then performed two years of alternative service in central Harlem as a conscientious objector. In 1970, he and his wife moved to California, where he earned an MA and PhD in English Literature from UC Berkeley. Before becoming the executive director of the California Council for the Humanities, he was a lecturer in writing at UC Santa Cruz and an associate producer with California Public Radio.