Wisdom House Retreat & Conference Center Welcomes New Program Director, Dr. Travis Tucker

“Wisdom House’s Board of Directors and Search Committee are exceedingly delighted to announce that Dr. Travis Tucker has accepted a position as program director of our organization’s year-round spiritual retreat and conference center that is celebrating its 70 year anniversary in 2019,” stated Wisdom House Executive Director Deborah Kelly.

A ministry of the Daughters of Wisdom, Wisdom House is an Interfaith Spiritual Retreat and Conference Center that presents programs that celebrate the sacred in everyday life, the arts and ecology. In addition to numerous workshop and conference meeting spaces, throughout each year Wisdom House offers daily meals and overnight accommodations for academic, nonprofit, and business organizations from across the United States and around the world.

The Daughters of Wisdom originated in 18^th Century France and founded the US Province in 1949 with the purchase of the former Spruce Brook Farm in East Litchfield.  Originally, the Wisdom House property was utilized by the order as a Convent and Novitiate.

Dr. Tucker commented, “With my academic background, one of my numerous ambitions is to see Wisdom House become the premier destination for people seeking inter-faith programs that are not only spiritually nourishing but also intellectually stimulating."

Travis Tucker, Ph.D., comes to Wisdom House with nearly thirty years of experience in education, administration, and coaching.  He is a former Associate Director of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture where he managed day-to-day operations of the Ethics & Spirituality in the Workplace division. He holds a Ph.D. from Yale University in Philosophy and Religious Studies with a specialization in ethics. Additionally, he is a former Philosophy professor at the Universities of Hartford and New Haven.  While with these universities, he published articles on philosophical and religious ethics and was named an “Ethnic Gem” by “Ethnic Online” magazine. 

Since 2014, Dr. Tucker has served as a volunteer consultant for the School for Ethical Education, regularly participating as a judge for its “Laws of Life” essay contest.  Most recently, he founded two educational organizations serving Connecticut.  Leadership Skills 101 is an internet-based business dedicated to introducing teens to the leadership traits encouraged by business, sports, and psychology.  Students of Character is a not-for-profit organization seeking to bring philosophically-based character education to low-income students throughout Connecticut and the mid-Atlantic region. 

Dr. Tucker has also served as an Assistant Coach for the Yale Women’s Tennis Team, has been a tennis instructor for the Upward Bound program at Coppin State University in Baltimore, Maryland and at the Yale Junior Tennis Camp, he also regularly teaches tennis to Connecticut middle schoolers.  He lives in Connecticut with his wife and son and his daughter is currently attending college.  

"Because my primary responsibility is to develop programs that serve the needs and interests of the community, both near and far, an initial goal for me will be to encourage folks to reach out and let me know what types of programs they would like to see here," stated Dr. Tucker.

Wisdom House-hosted programs are open to individuals and groups of all faiths. To learn more, please visit www.wisdomhouse.org, call 860-567-3163, or email program manager Bonnie Mis at programs@wisdomhouse.org.