About Me

I took the lay Buddhist Vows (jukai) in 1991 with Taizan Maezumi Roshi, and in 2015, I was given Dharma Transmission by my Zen teachers authorizing me as an independent teacher (Sensei) in a lineage that goes back to Shakyamuni Buddha. I am inspired by my vows to bring the practices of Presence and Purpose to the place where I see they can bring such great value: the modern workplace.

Having co-founded three Startups, and led strategy for several others, I am intimately familiar with the challenges of remaining conscious, present and clear in a fast-moving, high-risk/high-reward environment full of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity.

Throughout my decades-long professional career, I maintained a dedicated meditation practice, leading daily practice sessions and monthly extended retreats. Based on this experience, I have carefully designed all of my Zen Life Mentorship programs to be most relevant, powerful and accessible to modern professionals.

I began my Zen Life mentorship work after three decades of Zen practice and a long professional career as a technology entrepreneur, with side ventures in the travel and publishing spaces. For most of my life, my professional and practice paths were quite independent of each other, while mutually-supporting. Starting in 2018, I have combined my Zen and professional teachings into an integrated offering of accessible principles and practices aimed at Founders and Solo/Entrepreneurs.

I received a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics from Dartmouth College, and a Master’s in English from the University of Chicago. My graduate work was supported by a Mellon Fellowship in the Humanities. In addition to leadership of Zen@Work and Eon Zen, I currently serve on the Faculty and Board of Willow Farm Contemplative Caregiving Center. Since 2019, I lead the Mindfulness program at Red Mountain Colorado Residential Treatment Center for Teens.

It is my conviction that our current global moment is calling especially to Entrepreneurs to envision and actualize a new order. Traditional business institutions are falling short of what’s needed to meet the challenges of social and climatic disruption. The inner wisdom of visionary individuals — whether you are a company founder, a solopreneur developing your personal offering, or a more traditional professional seeking to actualize your life at the highest level — will more and more create the field required for collective transformation. You will thrive along with the common good.

What I Offer

Few meditation teachers have long and broad experience in corporate leadership positions. And few leaders have engaged in a dedicated meditation practice over decades, or received transmission (teaching authorization) in a lineage that goes back to the Buddha. Because I have done both, I can easily recognize a leader’s common blockages and I can teach you specific practices to address them.

My one-on-one work is developed through decades of Zen practice, and literally thousands of individual sessions with my teachers, students, and clients. Unlike most other meditation traditions, Zen puts a primacy on one-to-one work.

In my individual work, I bring a trained sensitivity to your energetic flows as they manifest in your interconnected physical, emotional and mental patterns. Through my transmission, I help you bring alive your whole self, and teach you to access its power and wisdom.

My Service

My service is my offering. My offering is my dharma. My dharma is my life.

I offer the dharma of my life in service to all those whom it may help. 

My life has had personal and professional experiences that I have engaged consciously for 30 years on my path of awakening. These are more relevant and resonant to some than to others. 

I offer my dharma through Presence, Practices and Principles. This has always been the way of Zen.