With deep love and gratitude, we honor the passing of Nancy Roof—visionary founder of Kosmos Journal and tireless advocate for global transformation. Her light continues in each of us who knew her or were touched by her. Nancy’s passing was peaceful and serene, in her home, with loved ones present.
“We are not isolated individuals. We are cells in the body of humanity, and what we do to one another we do to ourselves. The new story is one of interdependence, shared purpose, and sacred relationship with all Life.” — Nancy Roof
Nancy B. Roof, Ph.D., Founder and Editor Emeritus of Kosmos Journal, passed away peacefully at the age of 96 on September 29th, 2025. Through her life and work, Nancy bridged the realms of spiritual insight, global citizenship, and transformative media. She leaves behind a living legacy of service to humanity’s evolving consciousness—from personal awakening to planetary wholeness.
Nancy founded Kosmos Journal in 2001 with the intention of uplifting voices committed to inner transformation and systemic change. Under her leadership, Kosmos became a widely respected platform at the intersection of spirituality, ecology, governance, and cultural evolution. In 2004, the journal was nominated by Utne Reader for excellence in journalism. In 2009, Nancy received the Images and Voices of Hope Award for using journalism as a tool for global transformation.
Nancy’s engagement with the United Nations began in the late 1980s, where she helped define the field of global values. She co-founded the Values Caucus in 1994 and the Spirituality Caucus in 2000, advocating for a spiritual ethos, lifelong learning, and ethical policymaking. Her testimony on the human dimension of the UN was distributed to the U.S. President and Congress. She spoke at multiple UN forums, including the World Summit for Social Development attended by 184 governments, and was invited in 2002 by Mikhail Gorbachev to speak at the World Political Forum.
In 2005, Nancy traveled to Tokyo to help launch the Creating the New Civilization Initiative, representing Kosmos Journal as one of 14 founding partners. The initiative brought together leading global organizations such as The Club of Rome, The Goi Peace Foundation, The Institute of Noetic Sciences, and others to forge a more compassionate and values-centered future.
Kosmos was also named the first media ambassador to the World Wisdom Council, invited by philosopher Ervin Laszlo. Nancy traveled with the council to several countries, presenting on the role of consciousness in shaping a just and sustainable world. She often said she was deeply honored to be the first Media Ambassador of the group.
Nancy’s earlier work helped pioneer the field of Transpersonal Psychology in the 1970s, and she served as a spiritual guide for over two decades. After working with 78 international organizations in war zones, she recognized the far-reaching effects of secondary trauma and developed the first global training programs and workbooks addressing this issue for service providers and communities affected by conflict.
Her early life, marked by illness and hardship—including paralysis from polio and single parenthood—deepened her spiritual commitment and shaped her understanding of resilience, compassion, and the inner journey. These formative experiences informed her belief that healing the world requires healing the self, and that global change must arise from deeply rooted spiritual awareness.
Nancy was a founding member of numerous councils and international initiatives focused on global transformation. Her voice, always rooted in clarity and service, helped shape a movement committed to justice, regeneration, and the sacred beauty of life.
She is survived by her three children, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren, as well as many colleagues and readers whose lives she touched. Her later years were marked by reflection, gratitude, and trust in the unfolding of a greater wisdom. Nancy’s presence continues through the ongoing work of Kosmos Journal, the communities she helped inspire, and the countless hearts she awakened.
Nancy asked that, in lieu of flowers, friends consider supporting Kosmos Journal in their charitable intentions as a way to honor her life’s work.
