“An innovative and cutting edge spiritual leader”, the Reverend Elder Claude E. Bowen credits his deep roots of Liberation Theology and extensive involvement in Social Justice to the many “parents” that nurtured and promoted his undying quest for a spiritual renaissance. A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Reverend Bowen pledged an early commitment to serve the disenfranchised and voiceless of the community. In the time of great political uncertainty, he enlisted into the United States Marine, only to serve four years in the Viet Nam War. After an Honorable Discharge from the Marines, Reverend continued his public service as an employee for the City Clerk’s Office of Los Angeles and the United States Postal System.

Working in the HIV arena from 1996 to the present, at the he has worked diligently to address the disparities in access to health care within the communities of color as a Peer Educator, Community Outreach Worker and Director of Human Resources for the Minority AIDS Project in Los Angeles California.

Currently, on the staff of THRIVESS as co-author and facilitator of the Silver Lining Project, President of Ubuntu a consulting firm founded with Kevin Williams to continue his work in HIV/AIDS Prevention and Education and Life Coaching. He is a Scholar from the Center of Disease Control HIV Learning Institute. He holds a Bachelor of Psychology (focus on Human Behavior Analysis) and a Masters of Divinity.