Steward

Gary has called the San Juan Islands home for nearly 50 years. Nearly a decade ago, he stood on the edge of the Cornet Bay property and saw what it could become—a place of beauty, care, and deep connection to the land.

What you see today is the result of his quiet genius and relentless creativity: live-edge wood fences, repurposed metal decks, lovingly rebuilt cottages, and the kind of small details that make a place feel alive. Every corner holds his touch.

His favorite parts? The bird feeders scattered across the trees, and the Net Shed—that little building perched above the water, where the light hits just right.

If you stay, there’s a good chance you’ll meet Gary. He may show up with a bundle of firewood, a freshly caught crab, or an impromptu tour of the land—delivered with a twinkle in his eye and his signature dry wit.

Superpowers: Seeing what others don’t. Fixing what others can’t.

Known for: Vision, resourcefulness, and a perfectly dark sense of humor.

Steward + Rest Facilitator

Sarah grew up exploring the forests and shores of the San Juan Islands—biking dusty trails, hiking coastal paths, and learning early on that the land could hold you.

After years of building organizations at the intersection of gender justice, women’s rights, and health, she returned home with three kids, a dog, and two cats—and, soon after, a life-changing cancer diagnosis. That pause cracked something open. It became clear: the world doesn’t just need more action. It needs places for rest, too.

Cornet Bay Sanctuary was born from that realization—and from her deep desire to support the people working tirelessly to build a more just, joyful, and livable world.

Her favorite part of this journey? Creating it side-by-side with her dad. Watching the property evolve to become a place where others can finally exhale.

Superpowers: Big vision. Bigger laugh. Weaver of people and possibilities. 

Known for: Asking the deeper questions, starting the needed conversations, and making things real.

For Purpose Partner

Tandem is our nonprofit partner, offering paid “Sanctuary Fellowships” that support social change-makers in rest, reflection, and reconnection—with self, community, and purpose.

Together, we create pathways for return—so that those shaping a better world can move forward more rooted, aligned, and whole.

Rest Facilitator

Monica was raised in Flagstaff and Birdsprings, Arizona, and spent her summers by the San Juan River near Bluff, Utah. She is a member of the Navajo Nation—born for the Deer Spring Clan and for the Cherokee, Scottish, and Bohemian peoples. Her roots run deep in land, water, and kinship.

Monica brings decades of experience as a DEIB consultant, facilitator, and nonprofit leader, but her truest compass is ancestral: joy, justice, creativity, and care. Her people are the jokesters, the helpers, the healers, the ones who brave rest as an act of resistance and resilience.

Whether guiding changemakers through reflective practice or simply holding space with grounded presence, Monica leads with dignity, belonging, and a fierce commitment to equity. Her favorite part of the Sanctuary is creating space for others to return to themselves—with laughter, honesty, and deep compassion.

Superpowers: Bridge Builder | Creative | Cultivator

Known for: Leading with heart | Holding complexity with care | Walking between worlds

Creative Partners

More Starch is a creative studio led by Luis Sosa and Alma Muñoz—a multidisciplinary duo working at the intersection of branding, storytelling, narrative consulting, and spatial design. With backgrounds spanning film, architecture, editorial, and digital strategy, they bring a deeply integrated and human approach to projects rooted in culture, care, and resonance.

At Cornet Bay Sanctuary, More Starch serves as creative partner—shaping the voice, visual identity, and narrative expression of the Cornet Bay Sanctuary Experience.

Superpowers: Narrative Alchemy, Strategic Empathy, Aesthetic Integrity, and Spatial Intuition.