Meet the Council
We currently have five active council members. Council members moderate the Facebook page, host events, teach, host sabbats, maintain our group's peaceful family-friendly atmosphere, and act as guides/facilitators when needed. All council members are ordained ministers and can legally perform weddings and handfastings.
Amy
Amy was raised in Oklahoma in a fundamentalist Evangelical Christian church. She found her way to Paganism in 2013 and joined an ATC affiliate group in Lawton, OK - Church of Our Lady - and finally felt at home. In 2015 Amy and her spouse relocated to Plattsburgh, NY and have raised their children here since. Amy was a solitary practitioner until she came across NTP at Gem Goddess Emporium in 2020. Amy practices Green/Hearth witchcraft and leans towards Hellenistic Paganism, working mostly with the goddesses Hera, Demeter, and Persephone. Amy brought many resources to NTP, including most of the rituals we use regularly. She actively teaches a variety of classes at Gem Goddess including Paganism 101 & 102, Pagan Self-Care, Protection Magic, and Pagan Parenting. Amy organizes our Full Moon Chats and she and her spouse table at Pride events as well.
Sean
Sean was raised in Peru, NY as a Catholic. He went to Catholic elementary school, was an altar boy, sang in the choir, and went to youth group. He first discovered Paganism and witchcraft through playing Dungeons & Dragons with his mom and her friends on Saturday nights. Sean was given a copy of What Witches Do to help answer his questions on the subject. He read that and then moved on to the Man, Myth & Magic encyclopedia set. Sean combined his beliefs to become a ChristoPagan at this point, but later on had a hard time reconciling those beliefs as he came to terms with his sexuality. He took a Paganism 101 series at a metaphysical shop and in 2015 became initiated as an Eclectic Neo-Pagan Witch and vowed to the deities present to learn and to teach others. Sean came up with the idea to create NTP in 2018 so the local and surrounding communities could have a support group of like-minded individuals that could learn and share their knowledge in a safe space. Sean teaches in our Paganism 101 & 102 classes, Pagan Self-Care, hosts sabbats and events like Deity Bowling and Photos with Krampus, and is an active representative at Pride events. You will see him on Facebook as Donavin Blackthorn.
Gabrielle “Gabby”
Gabrielle “Gabby” was born in Virginia, but raised in Peru, NY by a Catholic mother and Atheist father. Gabby went to a K-6 Catholic school and was very active in her church. Through the influence of her father, she was also well educated in science, history, literature, and politics. Gabby began to drift spiritually after high school, unsure what she truly believed in. When she came across Pagan books at the library and started seeing them in shops as well, she began to read them and dabble. One night she had a dream that set her on her current path, a dream of Thor, whom she was not acquainted with yet, telling her to stay. Gabby began to research Thor and was drawn to Norse Paganism. She was a solitary practitioner until she found NTP at Gem Goddess. Gabby is an avid marathon runner and has hosted sabbats and participated in a variety of NTP events.
Brandy
Keith
Keith was raised in Ohio as an Evangelical Christian. He served 7 years in the US Air Force and settled in upstate NY with his wife to raise their family. Keith continued to practice as an Evangelical Christian, even becoming a minister with the Church of the Nazarene. In 2012 Keith converted to Buddhism, learning the invaluable practice of meditation. After some time looking into earth based religions, he came upon the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD). Keith joined NTP in 2022 and became a council member in 2023. In 2025 Keith completed his OBOD training to become a full Druid. (Congrats Keith!) You will often see Keith at Gem Goddess Emporium or Koffee Kat teaching classes on Tarot, Shamanic Journeying, and Reiki, as well as giving readings. He also teaches divination for our Paganism 101 & 102 and leads our New Moon Drum Circle.
Brandy was raised in Plattsburgh, NY in the United Methodist Church. She was an active member of her church, but the more studying she did, the more questions she had, and the more she realized that the goddess was missing. Brandy has taken classes on Paganism and psychic development in Montreal, has taken Shamanic workshops with a local practitioner, and is both a Usui and a Shamanic Reiki Master. Brandy stumbled across NTP at the Gem Goddess in 2022 and joined immediately, later being invited to join the council in 2023. Brandy teaches at a variety of venues including Gem Goddess, Babbie Farm, and Adirondack View Lavender. Most classes are craft oriented like broom making, corn husk dolls, lavender wands and wreaths, etc, but she also teaches Shamanic Journeying, Reiki, Pagan Self-Care, and the energy work section of Paganism 101 & 102. She organizes Pagan Coffee Hour and our Book Club. Brandy sees herself as a ChristoPagan and leans towards Hearth Witchcraft and Animism, but loves learning about all modalities and pantheons.
