About the ATA

Our Mission

The American Tarot Association is a professional and social organization for Tarot enthusiasts, students, scholars, and readers. We promote the study and appreciation of Tarot by supporting a variety of educational programs. We require a high level of ethics in Tarot readings by asking our members to agree to our published code of ethics. Please feel free to contact any of our Board members with any comments, questions or concerns.

Tarot Ethical Statement

The Tarot Ethical Statement is available for download in either Adobe PDF format or Microsoft Word. [ Links open in a new window.] [PDF] [Doc] Please help us guard the integrity of your membership by never sharing your username and password with anyone.

Minutes and Motions

The American Tarot Association has an elected Board of Directors that oversee the organization. The Board meets on a regular basis. You can review the Board's workings by reading the Minutes and Motions.

The ATA Board of Directors

The American Tarot Association Board of Directors includes a wide variety of Tarot readers, authors, and professionals from all over the American Tarot community. To contact any of them, simply click their names in the bio entries below as well as any of the ATA staff.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Stephanie Arwen Lynch has been been reading the Tarot since 1979 and began reading professionally in 1982. She has taught workshops on Tarot for the Professional Fiction Writer as well as How To Create Your Own Spread.

A self-confessed tarotaholic, Arwen owns a collection of nearly 75 decks to date. She is intrigued by the various ways artists express the archetypes of the Tarot. She subscribes to the Jungian archetype philosophy in her reading. One of her passions is designing Tarot spreads. Currently she is engaged in writing a series on fairy tales and spreads that examine the underlying archetypes found in fairy tales. Arwen reads for everyone but she specializes in reading for the writing community as well as the GLBQT community. As a queer femme, she feels that it is important to be sensitive to everyone's personal gender preferences. She has run her online Tarot business since 2005 and reads online as well as in person and over the phone. She has read on the Free Reading Network as well. She is the past editor of the ATA Quarterly journal. Tarot By Arwen is Arwen's professional site.

President Duties

• Is a member of the Board of Directors
• Preside over board meetings as Chair of the Board of Directors
• Ensure that the Board and other ATA staff and volunteers perform their duties
• Be the public face of the American Tarot Association
• Respond to letters and emails that the ATA receives from the public
• Interact with the press in conjunction with the Board
• Responsible for periodic audits and reviewing said audits with Board
• Responsible for ensuring there is a grievance mechanism in place
• Has direct oversight of the Membership Coordinator and any other paid staff, in conjunction with the Board
• Stays current on activities, conferences, organizations and other doings in the broader tarot community
• Is knowledgeable about tarot history, professional tarot reading and tarot ethics

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   Eliot is that rare creature, a native of New York City who still lives there. He brings to the ATA Board over 20 years experience in public relations and business consultation through a small business he and his wife Saundra run. The couple also own and operate a highly esteemed community newspaper covering Manhattan’s storied Hell’s Kitchen community, just west of Times Square. Additionally, Eliot has written and sold six screenplays and has worked as a “Play Doctor” for several productions. Currently, Eliot has a play optioned for Broadway under the terms of a Dramatists Guild contract.  New Yorkers know of Eliot through the many letters he has had published in the NY Times and the Sunday Times Magazine.

Eliot has been an ardent devotee of the Tarot since he picked up his first set of cards almost 30 years ago. From there, as is probably the case with most if not all ATA members, Eliot began traveling a road that led to many other fascinating and rewarding Esoteric Disciplines.  He has a large collection of rare Esoteric books as well as many Tarot Decks, almost all of which he uses regularly for himself and for clients/friends.  For the record, his favorite decks are The Aquarian Tarot and the Vandenborre BacchusTarot (alas, not an original).

Having a position on the Board of such a widely known and respected group as the ATA is a great honor for Eliot. He eagerly looks forward to the next 2 years.

Vice President of Communication Duties

• Supervises the editors of the ATA Quarterly and Tarot Reflections. The VP may have to serve as editor if that position is vacant.
• Writes press releases
• Keeps informed about tarot-related topics in the media and drafts responses for the ATA in the form of letters to the editor, press releases, or articles.
• Writes flyers, advertisements, and other written communications at the direction of the board.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Errol picked up his first deck and Tarot books seven years ago on a trip to New Orleans at a small shop in the Quarter called Esoterica; however, Errol's teaching experience goes back twenty-five years, having been involved with teaching and directing theatre-related classes and workshops throughout the United States.

Errol has had over twenty-five articles published on the educational aspects of Tarot. He currently resides in the Chicago area, where he teaches a 15-week Tarot Master Class. In his spare time he is an actor, director and interactive theatre performer.Errol primarily reads with The Nigel Jackson Tarot, but uses the Rider-Waite deck as his personal meditation deck and the Tarot of the Sephiroth for working on his study of the Tree of Life. Errol believes that Tarot provides practical guidance to allow us to create our own future and that the strongest power in the universe is the power of laughter.

You are invited to visit Errol at The TarotGuy website.

VP of Education Duties

• Is a member of the Board of Directors
• Is responsible for writing curriculum
• Is responsible for overseeing the teaching lists
• Is responsible for recruiting mentors and teachers
• Is responsible for assigning mentors to members who request them

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Sheri was introduced to Tarot many years ago after working with the I-Ching and runes. The discovery of Tarot changed her life. She has more than 50 Tarot decks and oracles in her collection. She joined the ATA after reading the ATA code of ethics and finding it was the same as her own internal one. Although she has been reading cards for herself and others for many years, she has only recently embarked on reading professionally, and can be found at reading fairs in the Seattle, Washington area. In her mundane life, Sheri is a software systems engineer and holds degrees in engineering and information technology.

Sheri's first Tarot deck was a Universal Waite, but she uses Kate Black's Golden Tarot for client readings. She prefers the Jacques Vieville Tarot and the Mystical Lenormand decks for her own personal use. In her spare time, Sheri enjoys exposing herself to new and unconventional ideas in Tarot and "pimping" her decks by trimming the borders off and/or gilding the cards or the edges of the cards.
Sheri is thrilled to be able to give back and share with the Tarot community through the ATA and has been serving as the Editor of the ATA's online monthly magazine, Tarot Reflections, since October 2007.

The VP of Outreach is responsible for general ATA public relations and coordinating volunteers. This requires that the VP of Outreach work collaboratively with the VP of Communications to maintain a consistent overall message of the ATA as a whole: Board, members, and the public served by ATA readers.

VP of Outreach Duties

• Is a member of the Board of Directors;
• Is responsible for public relations;
• Is responsible for membership outreach;
• Is responsible for marketing;
• Is responsible for Volunteer Coordinating;
• assists the President and other Board members as needed; and
• will abide by the ATA bylaws and code of ethics.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Andria K. Molina M.A,   From the Midwest; she has been working with Tarot for the more than 16 years.    A 3rd generation tarot reading in her family from both sides of her parental lineage, she had an early interest in Tarot. Her educational background is a B.S in Biology, a Masters in Biology, and currently working on a M.D in Medicine.  Tarot Reading is a hobby of hers; she enjoys conducting professional readings via phone or email.  She views Tarot as a “unique metaphysical tool “in looking at ones current situation and in the way it can give a different perspective on ones issue. Andria feels tarot is a dynamic tool in which “time” can allow one to learn the mysterious that lye within the tarot deck.

Secretary Duties

• Is a member of the Board of Directors
• Prepare the agenda, minutes, and list of motions for the formal meetings of the ATA Board of Directors.
• Create tasks lists for each board member from the final minutes.
• Keep a record of policies and other decisions established by the Board of Directors during its ongoing e-mail discussions.
• Keep a book containing hard copies of minutes, motions, policies and decisions, Bylaws, and Articles of Incorporation
• Prepare an Annual Report summarizing the activities of the Board of Directors.
• Maintain control of the Corporate Seal.
• Type correspondence and other documents at the request of board members.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Tracy began her own Tarot journey while recovering from her first son's birth on New Year's Eve, 1996. She tried to study on her own for nearly a year, picking up what she could from books and websites, but she had a lot of trouble piecing everything together. Through membership in the American Tarot Association, she met the contacts and gained the expertise needed to gain her certification as a Certified Tarot Master.

Tracy uses a variety of decks to gain a fresh perspective on problems, or to point out ideas or issues she might not have considered otherwise. She admits that she can't predict the future, but does believe that working with the cards can help "move life forward."

In addition to keeping track of our financial and legal records, Tracy also manages our two free reading networks and works closely with our incarcerated members through the Prison Service Project.

Treasurer Duties

• Is a member of the Board of Directors
• Prepares a financial statement yearly
• Reports to the Board

OPEN: Member-at-Large Duties

• A voting member of the Board of Directors
• Attend board meetings
• Participate in the board’s email discussions
• Assist other board members with their tasks
• Handle special projects as assigned by the President

The ATA Staff

The American Tarot Association Staff includes a wide variety of interesting people. To contact any of them, simply click their names in the bio entries below.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Rickey is a rank beginner in Tarot, but has a wide variety of decks he uses. He is known to always have a deck handy.

While not a Board member, Rickey does our record keeping, database maintenance, programming our free reading networks, packing and shipping course material, and maintaining our website. In fact, he's the fellow you talk to when you call our toll-free number: 800-372-1524.

Membership Coordinator Duties

• Process new and renewed memberships
• Send renewal notices to current members whose membership is about to expire
• Send educational booklets and CDs to members when purchased
• Maintain a supply of educational material by burning CDs and printing booklets
• Maintain the membership database and post it regularly to the board’s webpage
• Answer the ATA’s phone. Respond to phone queries or forward them to the appropriate board member or committee.
• Maintain regular office hours as determined by the Board
  • Current office hours are 12-2pm EST
• Collect the US Mail and answer it
• Verify membership of people asking for members’ services
• Sign members up for the 800 number or an email forwarder
• Monitor ATA’s email and respond or forward to the appropriate board member or committee
• Print and mail the quarterly newsletter (added task, not integral to the position)

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .   Elizabeth Hazel (aka Lady Vala Runesinger) is a tarotist, astrologer, and author of "Tarot Decoded," the first handbook of tarot dignities. She writes horoscope and astrology columns for newspapers and magazines, and has been a regular contributor to ATA publications since 2002. Her articles also appear in a variety of Llewellyn annuals.Any correspondence about the American Tarot Association Quarterly Journal, please put "QJ" in the subject line.

Liz is an accomplished musician and an awarded composer, an artist, and an ancient studies scholar. She has given lectures and workshops on a variety of topics including astrology, tarot, paganism, and spellcasting techniques; and is completing a book about the pagan year. She can be contacted at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Jessica bought her first tarot deck, the Aquarian Tarot, at fifteen. She’s been reading tarot for herself and friends ever since. Her interest in symbolism, languages, art and the internet collided when her wrote an online Java based relational database and tarot card reader for her Internet Engineering master's thesis. Becoming a reiki master-teacher around the same time, she found there was a corollary between tarot and reiki energy and added that to her thesis research which culminated in her publishing White Light Tarot ~ The Light From Within tarot deck in 2006. It has been dubbed one of the first, if not the only tarot that offers reiki concepts for each card by Aeclectic Tarot.

Her book of interpretation, The Power Within - Combining Tarot and Reiki published by Sylphar Press is available from Amazon.com. She is available for web, reiki, tarot, and publishing consultations. Jessica is delighted to contribute to the Tarot community through the ATA and has been serving as a Webmaster for the ATA's website since October of 2007.