Our Mission
We believe that educating ourselves, we better ourselves.
Our mission is to convey the importance of the teachings within the spiritist doctrine, to create opportunities for improving ourselves, spiritually and morally, applying the knowledge and principles presented by the spiritist doctrine.
Who are we?
The Spiritist Study Group of Seattle (SSGS) is dedicated to understanding and disseminating the teachings of the Spiritist doctrine, as codified by Allan Kardec, and inspired by the moral teachings of Jesus Christ.
Kardec’s work is the result of the study of mediumistic phenomena, which he initially believed to be of a fraudulent nature. By questioning several mediums in trance on a variety of matters, he compiled, compared and synthesized the answers obtained from spirits into a body of knowledge known as the codification. It speaks of the constant need to investigate the world around us (science), to make sense of our findings (philosophy), and to apply them to our day-to-day living so as to improve ourselves and the world around us (religion). This approach is often referred to as the triple-aspect of Spiritism: the conjoining of Science, Philosophy, and Religion.
Get to know our board of directors
President
Flavia Carolyne Valadao Souza has lived in the US since 2009, where she is raising her family. She is a teacher with a degree in Pedagogy from the Federal University of Goias, Brazil. Currently, she dedicates her time as a volunteer in the Spiritist Study Group of Seattle, where is the current president and general coordinator of the studies for children, youth, and adults.
Secretary
Mirelle Franca Wuolle is a hospitality professional and dedicated community volunteer with more than 20 years of experience in relationship-building, service, and community engagement. She currently serves as a Volunteer Coordinator and Spiritist Educator with the Kardec Spiritist Group of Austin, where she coordinates family-centered community service initiatives and youth education programs. Mirelle organizes four annual community events - Let’s Clean the Park, Family Retreat, St. Jude Walk, and Cherishing the Elderly — all focused on service, wellness, and community connection. As a Spiritist Educator for youth ages 12–17, she leads classes and activities that encourage values, empathy, personal growth, and community involvement.
Treasurer
Elaine Cristina Belentani-Saito is a food engineer who graduated from UNICAMP - Universidade Estadual de Campinas in Brazil with over six years of experience in the field. She is currently pursuing an AA degree in Accounting from Bellevue College while supporting three nonprofit organizations with their bookkeeping (BayBrazil, Spark Northwest, and Spiritist Study Group of Seattle). Elaine also supports the nonprofit BayBrazil with partners relationship and event planning, and the nonprofit Spiritist Study Group of Seattle as a board member and study facilitator besides other related activities. Fluent in Portuguese and English. Basic understanding of Spanish
Counselor
Mateus Oliveira is a publicist who graduated in advertising and marketing from UCG - Catholic University of Goiás, Brazil. He currently owns a cleaning services business called MJO Cleaning Services which he has run for over 10 years. Mateus considers himself enthusiastic, self-motivated, reliable, responsible, and hard-working.
Marketing Director
João Paulo Assunção is an experienced digital marketing professional whose career began in 2001 with a background in web design and later expanded into digital strategy. Throughout his career, he has supported businesses and organizations in strengthening their digital presence, with a focus on customer engagement, brand development, and data-driven decision-making. In addition to his professional work, João has been involved in community initiatives, including volunteering with a Spiritist group in Brasília previously. He values collaboration and connection and enjoys applying his skills to support initiatives with positive social impact.