Meet UUI's New President

Claire Thurston has been a student of The Urantia Book’s teachings since 1980 and has actively participated in Urantia Book-related organizations. As a vice-president and trustee of UUI, she has focused on outreach and strategic planning.

Claire Thurston

A current highlight of her work with UUI is collaborating with others in creating foundational work for a new service program. In addition to her continued work with UUI, she has collaborated with her daughter, Angie Thurston, on spiritual projects specifically designed for Gen Z, a generation that has been acutely in need of meaning and purpose.

The Urantia Book’s perspective on fatherhood spurred research on fathers’ roles in child development, which led to a book, The Dad Difference, and a protocol to prevent child abuse that was piloted with the Denver probation department.

In 2020, she retired from her fifteen-year career with the federal government’s Center for Leadership Development, where she helped to launch three programs:

• The International program where she worked with countries such as South Korea and Taiwan that were formulating their civil service progression criteria;

• The Process and Performance Improvement program which helps leaders implement change;

• The LEAD Certificate program which gives people at multiple career levels the emotional intelligence tools to improve their leadership skills at their current level and to advance.

This certificate program served as a model for the initial series of courses for UUI. She is excited that Urantia University will be an institution of higher education awaiting her grandson!

Watch the interview with CaroleRae Spence and Claire Thurston below...