MIND & LIFE INSTITUTE - Key Persons
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- Fellow
- Member of the Board
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- Florida State University / Grantee, Reviewer
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee, Planning Committee Member, Steering Council Member
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- Fellow, Grantee, Reviewer
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- Member of the Planning Committee
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee
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- Discussant, Fellow, Reviewer
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- Fellow, Grantee, Reviewer
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer, Steering Council Member
Barry Hershey is a filmmaker who has written and directed eight films. He has been involved in various capacities in two dozen other films, including as executive producer of The Dalai Lama-Scientist. Most recently, he has produced the documentary film, Climate Emergencies: Feedback Loops, as well as the one-hour broadcast film Earth Emergency. He received his MFA from USC School of Cinematic Arts. He is currently working on a fiction script, Shadowpoem. For over 30 years, he has been involved with the Mind & Life Institute and joined its board in 2012.
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- Fellow, Planning Committee Member
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- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina
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- Massachusetts General Hospital / Grantee, Reviewer
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- Convening Faculty, Grantee, Reviewer
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- Convening Faculty, Planning Committee Member
Brynn is the Advancement Manager at the Mind & Life Institute. She has a BS in Zoology from the University of New Hampshire with a background in environmental science and conservation, and is pursuing her MA in Science Writing from Johns Hopkins University. She believes in the power of personal narrative to communicate science to the public, and her essays have appeared in She Explores, LOST Magazine, and Polaris Literary Magazine. Outside of nonprofit storytelling and development, Brynn enjoys photography, hikes with her dog, and planning road trips and adventures overseas.
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- Senior Grants Coordinator
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee
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- Member of the Planning Committee
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- Accounting and HR Support
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- Fellow, Grantee, Reviewer
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- Fellow, Planning Committee Member
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer
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- Independent Clinical Psychologist and Researcher
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- Clinical Psychologist
- Convening Faculty, Grantee, Reviewer
- Creating Safe Spaces for Collective Learning
Through her Critical Consciousness framework, clinical psychologist Doris Chang refers to the process of beginning to see systems of oppression and privilege, the structures they create for people in our communities, and how each of us are complicit in upholding those oppressive structures without necessarily knowing it.
It's something she teaches clinicians in a classroom setting, and it's often a rocky ride. It can be painful to experience suffering as a daily reality for so many. And learning is not always a linear journey, especially with experiences as messy as racial biases and systems of oppression. So how can we support our collective learning while being kind to ourselves and others?
Mindfulness and contemplative practices help foster environments that are open, curious, and compassionate for each of us on the journey to healing. Doris' class becomes a community where students can monitor traditional power dynamics-like male students speaking up more than females or white students speaking up more than students of color-and engage in tough conversations without shame. "We want people to bring their full selves to the table," she says, "and to create space for everybody else to do that also." Hear more on the Mind & Life podcast.
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow
- Researcher and Practitioner
Peter Wayne, PhD, is a researcher and practitioner in the field of mind-body and integrative medicine. Dr. Wayne is the Bernard Osher Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School (HMS), and the Director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, jointly based at HMS and the Brigham and Women's Hospital. He is also the Founding Director of the Tree of Life Tai Chi Center in Boston and a Mind & Life Fellow.
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- Member of the Planning Committee
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- Rabbi or Rose / the Center for Global Judaism
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer
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- Massachusetts General Hospital / Grantee
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- Member of the Planning Committee
- Events & Logistics Manager
Ellen is the Events & Logistics Manager at the Mind & Life Institute. She supports Mind & Life by creating in-person and online events, from smaller board and advancement meetings to Mind & Life's larger gatherings. A graduate of American University, Ellen has 25+ years infusing excellence, kindness, and smiles into event and project management. Ellen is the author of The Pro-Child Way: Parenting with an Ex, a book on mindful divorced parenting and has presented at Omega Institute on the topic. In addition to a knack for attracting stray cats, Ellen enjoys hiking and spending downtime at the local breweries and vineyards.
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow, Planning Committee Member
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee, Reviewer
- Professor of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia
Evan Thompson is Professor of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia and an Associate Member of the Department of Psychology and the Department of Asian Studies. He studies the mind, life, consciousness, and the self, from the perspectives of cognitive science, philosophy of mind, phenomenology, and cross-cultural philosophy (especially Buddhism and other Indian philosophical traditions). He co-authored The Embodied Mind (1991) with Francisco Varela and Eleanor Rosch; his recent books include Why I Am Not a Buddhist (2020) and Waking, Dreaming, Being: Self and Consciousness in Neuroscience, Meditation, and Philosophy (2015).
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer, Steering Council Member
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee, Planning Committee Member
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee, Reviewer
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- Associate Professor
- Science & Grants Consultant, Mind & Life Institute Emory University
Jennifer Mascaro is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at Emory University. Her research interests center on human social cognition and the biology of interconnection, as well as the variation of these elements across individuals and over time. A biological anthropologist by training, Jennifer weaves together multiple research methodologies, including neuroimaging (both anatomical and functional MRI), ambulatory experience and linguistic sampling, and implementation science methods to explore how contemplative practices affect prosocial emotions and behaviors, and how these in turn impact health. Ever interdisciplinary, Jennifer's research also interfaces with the fields of medicine, neuroscience, evolutionary biology, religion, and social, clinical, and cognitive psychology in order to examine interventions that enhance social connectivity, and in so doing, impact well-being.
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D. is Professor of Medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where he founded the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society (in 1995), and (in 1979) its world-renown Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Clinic. He is the author of ten books, including the bestsellers Full Catastrophe Living, Wherever You Go, There You Are, and Mindfulness for Beginners. With Mark Williams, he is co-editor of Mindfulness: Diverse Perspectives on its Meaning, Origins, and Applications (2013). His books are published in over 40 languages. His work has contributed to a growing movement of mindfulness into mainstream institutions such as medicine, psychology, health care, neuroscience, schools, higher education, business, social justice, criminal justice, prisons, the law, technology, government, and professional sports. Over 700 hospitals and medical centers around the world now offer clinical programs based on training in mindfulness and MBSR. Jon lectures and leads mindfulness workshops and retreats around the world.
Jon previously served on the Mind & Life Board of Directors.
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- Member of the Planning Committee
- Digital Media Coordinator
Jon is the Digital Media Coordinator at Mind & Life. Prior to joining Mind & Life, Jon was trained as a neuropharmacologist at the University of Virginia where he received his PhD in Pharmacology. Jon is also a passionate photographer and filmmaker, and outside of Mind & Life Jon focuses his lens on his family and philanthropic endeavors.
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- Northwell Health - Feinstein Institute for Medical Research ( NY ) Grantee
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- Universidad De Antioquia Massachusetts Institute of Technology / Grantee, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer
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- Pennsylvania State University / Grantee
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- Convening Faculty, Reviewer
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- Director of Grants & Events
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- Division of Interdisciplinary Inquiry, Lesley University
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer
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- National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health
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- Convening Faculty, Grantee, Reviewer
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- Vice Chair
- Fiduciary Trust International / Board Member
Lisette Cooper, PhD, Vice Chair of Fiduciary Trust International and former CEO of Athena Capital Advisors, has over 30 years of investment management experience. She is a member of Fiduciary Trust's Board of Directors and a member of Franklin Templeton's Management Committee. Dr. Cooper founded Athena Capital Advisors, an award-winning OCIO (outsourced Chief Investment Officer) and wealth management firm, which was sold to Fiduciary Trust International in March 2020. Dr. Cooper helped establish Athena Capital as one of the leaders in the field of sustainable and impact investing. At Fiduciary Trust, Dr. Cooper guides the firm's investment risk strategy and leads its impact investing practice. She is a pioneer in guiding individuals and organizations to integrate their social values into their investing. Described by AUM Boston as taking "the revolutionary charge of changing the world through values-based investing," and named a 2017 "Women to Watch" honoree by InvestmentNews, Dr. Cooper is a leading advocate on gender equality and diversity through shareholder activism. Dr. Cooper is a board member of the Boston Youth Sanctuary and the Center for Heathy Minds Innovations. She is former chair of the board of The Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. She is a Mind and Life Fellow and has served as an Expert in Residence at the Harvard Innovation Lab. Dr. Cooper received her undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University and a PhD from Harvard University. She holds the CFA designation as well as several patents.
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- CSO / University of San Diego
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- University of Pennsylvania and VA Palo Alto Health Care System
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- Portland State University
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- the Pennsylvania State University / Grantee
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- Pennsylvania State University / Convening Faculty, Fellow, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer
Martin N. Davidson is the Johnson & Higgins Professor of Business Administration at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. He currently serves as senior associate dean and global chief diversity officer for the School. His thought leadership, informed by his contemplative practice, has changed how many executives approach inclusion and diversity in their organizations. He teaches, conducts research, and consults with global leaders to help them understand how diversity makes organizations better. His book, The End of Diversity as We Know It: Why Diversity Efforts Fail and How Leveraging Difference Can Succeed, introduces a research-driven roadmap to help leaders more make diversity, equity, and inclusion a generative part of everyday life their organizations. In addition to teaching leadership in Darden's MBA and Executive Education programs, Davidson has consulted with leaders of a host of Fortune 500 firms, government agencies and social profit organizations. He has been featured in numerous media outlets including The New York Times, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, National Public Radio, and CNN. He earned his A.B. from Harvard University and his Ph.D. from Stanford University.
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow
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- Transformative Educational Leadership
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- California Institute of Technology / Grantee, Reviewer
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- Department of Psychology, Rowan University
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- Member of the Planning Committee
Natalie is the Advancement Associate at the Mind & Life Institute. She holds a BA in history from Randolph College, with minors in art history and museum studies, and a background in research and writing. She is new to the professional field of contemplative sciences but enjoys yoga and the benefits of mindfulness and meditation. Natalie also enjoys photography, tending to her tiny garden, spending time with her dog and cat, and exploring historical sites with her fiance.
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- Senior Information Technology Manager
Ned is the Information Technology Manager at the Mind & Life Institute. He is a graduate of Montserrat College of Art with 20 years of professional IT consulting, administration, and management experience, specializing in the nonprofit sector. Outside of work hours he enjoys the company of his family, the affection of domestic animals, and the photography of distant birds and other wildlife.
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- Edinburgh Institute for Advanced Learning
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- Fellow, Grantee, Reviewer
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- Associate Professor
- Fellow, Grantee, Reviewer
Norman Farb is an associate professor in psychology at the University of Toronto Mississauga, where he directs the Regulatory and Affective Dynamics laboratory (www.radlab.zone). A Fellow at the Mind & Life Institute, he studies the social neuroscience of the self and human emotion, with a focus on how biases in self-representation shape emotions to determine well-being. Dr. Farb's work employs varied measures, including self-report, behavioral tasks, physiology, and brain activity. Dr. Farb is particularly interested in how training practices such as meditation and yoga foster resilience against stress, reducing vulnerability to disorders such as depression.
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee, Reviewer
- Education for Peace
- Professor of Education at the Curry School of Education
Prof. Jennings is a Professor of Education at the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia. She is an internationally recognized leader in the fields of social and emotional learning and mindfulness in education with a specific emphasis on teacher stress and how it impacts the social and emotional context of the classroom. Jennings led the team that developed CARE for Teachers, a mindfulness-based professional development program that improves teacher well-being, emotional supportiveness and student engagement in the largest randomized controlled trial of a mindfulness-based intervention designed specifically to address teacher occupational stress. Jennings is leading the development of the Compassionate Schools Project curriculum, an integrated health education program designed to align with state and national health and physical education standards. She is Co-Principal Investigator on a large randomized controlled trial being conducted in Louisville, KY to evaluate the curriculum's efficacy. Jennings was a member of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Fostering Healthy Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Development among Children and Youth. Dr. Jennings was recognized by Mindful Magazine as one of "Ten Mindfulness Researchers You Should Know." Earlier in her career, Jennings spent over 22 years as a teacher, school director and teacher educator. She is the author of Mindfulness for Teachers: Simple Skills for Peace and Productivity in the Classroom and The Trauma-Sensitive Classroom: Building Resilience with Compassionate Teaching, both part of the WW Norton Series on the Social Neuroscience of Education.
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- Seven Generations Consulting and Coaching
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- Fellow, Grantee, Reviewer
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- Creative Content Producer
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- Convening Faculty, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer
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- Indian Institute of Technology Delhi / Grantee
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee
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- Co - Founder of the Mind and Life Institute
R. Adam Engle is the co-founder of the Mind and Life Institute. He was educated at the University of Colorado, Harvard University and Stanford University, where he received his B.A., J.D., and M.B.A. degrees respectively. He has divided his professional life as a lawyer and entrepreneur between the for-profit and non-profit sectors.
In the for-profit sector, Mr. Engle began his career as a lawyer, practicing for 10 years in Beverly Hills, Albuquerque, Santa Barbara, and Teheran. After leaving the practice of law, he formed an investment management firm, focusing on global portfolio management on behalf of individual clients. He also started several business ventures in the United States and Australia.
Mr. Engle began working with various groups in the non-profit sector in 1965. In addition to the Mind and Life Institute, he also co-founded the Colorado Friends of Tibet, a statewide Tibetan support group based in Boulder, Colorado; was a founding member of the Social Venture Network; and has advised numerous other non-profit organizations.
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- Rabbi or Rose / the Center for Global Judaism
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- Founder / Chief Serving Officer of Active Peace Yoga
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- Cambridge Health Alliance / Grantee, Reviewer
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- Pennsylvania State University / Convening Faculty, Reviewer, Steering Council Member
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee
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- Interim Director of Advancement
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow
- Founder of the Upaya Institute and Zen Center in Santa Fe
- Life Fellow and Board Member
ROSHI JOAN HALIFAX, PhD, is the founder of the Upaya Institute and Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Much of her work has focused on the psychosocial, ethical, and spiritual aspects of caring for the dying. Her books include The Human Encounter with Death (with Stanislav Grof), Fruitful Darkness, and Being with Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Wisdom in the Presence of Death.
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- Director of Digital Strategy
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- Pacific University / Reviewer
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- Minneapolis Community and Technical College
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- Salesforce & IT Consultant
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- Member of the Planning Committee
- Storyteller / Content Strategist
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- Member of the Board
- Director of the Renée Crown Wellness Institute
Sona is Director of the Renée Crown Wellness Institute, a professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder, and a Mind & Life board member. Her research focuses on cultivating mental health and wellness among children and families by engaging people in learning to care for themselves and their communities. "Many aspects of our world need to change to ensure long-term and widespread mental health and wellness," wrote Sona in a recent essay published on Mind & Life's Insights website. "We need to make resources easy to access when people need help."
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- San Jose State Research Foundation
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- Division of Counseling and Psychology, Lesley University
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- Woodwell Climate Research Center
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- Authentic Leadership Program, Naropa University
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- Ignite Yoga & Wellness Institute
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- African Women 's Development Fund
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- 19th Surgeon General, United States
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- Financial Consultant, Forward Financial Intelligence Fractional Finance Director
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- Mindful Heart Programs / Grantee
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- Member of the Planning Committee
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- Member of the Planning Committee
- Science Director, Mind & Life Institute / Planning Committee Member, Reviewer
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- Massachusetts General Hospital / Grantee
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- Member of the Planning Committee
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- New York State Alliance for Quality Education ( AQE )
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- Convening Faculty, Fellow, Planning Committee Member