In Memoriam: Dr. Walter Semkiw († June 9, 2022)

With deep gratitude and remembrance, we dedicate this Advisory Board page in honor of Dr. Walter Semkiw, founder and longtime steward of ReincarnationResearch.com. His visionary force, scholarly curiosity, and tireless devotion laid the groundwork for the archive that now joins with the community in Reignite. His legacy continues through every case preserved, every question asked, and every bridge built between research and story.

---

Reignite Advisory Board

We’re honored to be guided by a diverse, interdisciplinary Advisory Board whose insight helps keep Reignite both bold and grounded.

Chuck McMurray – Digital Technologies, AI & Web Design
At the helm of Reignite, Chuck combines expertise in web architecture, human-centered UX, and emergent AI tools. He guides the technical vision, designing platforms that integrate archive, annotation, and community engagement in seamless, ethical ways.

Henry Bieryla – Education
With a background in curriculum development and educational outreach, Henry’s focus is translating deep research into materials that are accessible, digestible, and inspiring for wide audiences.

W.G. Fox, MBA – Education & Social Media
W.G. brings strategic insight on how to grow our reach, frame content, and engage new audiences while retaining scholarly integrity.

Kevin Ryerson – Spiritual Communication & Mediumship
Kevin, a trance medium active in earlier work with ReincarnationResearch, contributes experiential insight into spiritual communication, channeling, and interpretive dimensions of memory phenomena.

Janna Weiss, PhD – Liaison for Tibet House, Buddhist Studies & Judaism
Janna links Reignite to contemplative traditions, interfaith dialogue, and philosophical perspectives—particularly Buddhist and Judaic lenses on memory, rebirth, and identity.

Ashok Kumar Sharma, PhD – Promotion of Reincarnation Research in India
Dr. Sharma’s network and expertise help ensure that Indian and South Asian case traditions, scholarship, and perspectives are well represented and supported in our global vision.

Gary Tiemann, LCSW – Reincarnation Research & Psychotherapy
Gary’s experience in psychotherapy and soul-memory integration offers balance and psychological sensitivity, especially when working with families, emotional narratives, and memory work.

Shai Tubali – Kundalini, Chakras & Expansion of Consciousness
Shai contributes awareness of energy systems (Kundalini, chakras, consciousness expansion) and how they may interface with memory phenomena, serving as a bridge between experiential traditions and case analysis.

Satyen Yadav, PhD – Promotion of Reincarnation Research in India & South Asia | Dr. Yadav works in synergy with Dr. Sharma to support translations, regional research collaborations, and outreach to academic and cultural partners in

Robert A.F. Thurman (Bob Thurman) – Tibetan Buddhism & Cultural Preservation (South Asia) | Bob Thurman is a renowned scholar and the first Westerner to be ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist monk by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Named by The New York Times as the leading American expert on Tibetan Buddhism, Bob served as the Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University for 30 years. He is the co-founder and active president of Tibet House US, dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Tibetan culture. His expertise in Buddhist philosophy, reincarnation studies, and cross-cultural spiritual dialogue brings invaluable depth to Reignite’s exploration of consciousness, memory, and rebirth phenomena.