Plenary Faculty and Discussants
Plenary faculty deliver lectures and are available to answer attendee questions throughout the week, often leading breakout sessions and participating in panel discussions. Their lectures expand on the week’s theme, deepening and broadening our shared knowledge from a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and disciplines. The faculty includes scientists, researchers, contemplative practitioners, scholars, changemakers and teachers from a variety of disciplines. ( More to be updated as we confirm faculty soon! )
Molly Crockett, PhD
Princeton University
Convening Faculty, Discussant, Fellow
Dr. Molly Crockett is an Associate Professor at Princeton University’s Department of Psychology and University Center for Human Values. Crockett’s lab investigates moral cognition: how people decide whether to help … MORE
David DeSteno
Northeastern University
Convening Faculty, Planning Committee Member
David DeSteno is a professor of psychology at Northeastern University. At the broadest level, his work examines the mechanisms of the mind that shape vice and virtue. Studying honesty and … MORE
Andrew Dreitcer, MDiv, PhD
Claremont School of Theology
Convening Faculty, Planning Committee Member
Andrew Dreitcer is Professor of Spirituality, Director of Spiritual Formation, Director of the D.Min in “Spiritual Renewal, Contemplative Practice, and Strategic Leadership,” and co-directs the Center for Engaged Compassion at … MORE
Tyralynn Frazier, PhD, MPH
Emory University
Convening Faculty, Grantee, Reviewer
Tyralynn Frazier, Ph.D., MPH, is Lead Scientist for SEE Learning at the Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics at Emory University. In her current role, she guides the center … MORE
Reginald Hubbard
Founder/Chief Serving Officer of Active Peace Yoga
Convening Faculty, Discussant, Planning Committee Member
Reggie began his yoga journey in November 2014 seeking to alchemize and navigate extreme professional adversity. Through disciplined practice, ruthless focus and surrender to inner peace he has adopted the … MORE
Sará King, M.A., Ph.D.
Convening Faculty
Dr. Sará King is an internationally recognized neuroscientist, artist, political and learning scientist, education philosopher, social impact entrepreneur, and public speaker. She has completed her YTT-200 and YTT-300 hr. yoga … MORE
James Kirby, PhD
The University of Queensland
Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee
James N. Kirby, Ph.D., is a Senior Lecturer, Clinical Psychologist, and the Co-Director of the Compassionate Mind Research Group at the University of Queensland. He has broad research interests in … MORE
Jennifer Mascaro, PhD
Science & Grants Consultant, Mind & Life Institute; Emory University
Convening Faculty, Fellow, Grantee, Reviewer
Jenny Mascaro is an applied biological anthropologist whose research focuses on investigating the impact of mindfulness and compassion meditation practices on the well-being, compassion, and health of both hospitalized patients … MORE
Oneika Mays
Convening Faculty
Oneika Mays, she/her, LMT, E-RYT, is a multi-hyphenate facilitator who leads with joy, passion, and wisdom. She is a grounded leader with lived experience that centers on mindfulness and transformation. … MORE
Dina Nayeri
University of St. Andrews
Discussant
Dina Nayeri is the author of two novels and two books of creative nonfiction, Who Gets Believed? (2023) and The Ungrateful Refugee (2019), winner of the Geschwister Scholl Preis and finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book … MORE
Pir Zia Inayat-Khan, Pir of the Inayatiyya
Pir of the Inayatiyya and founder of Sulūk Academy
Convening Faculty, Discussant
Pir Zia Inayat Khan, PH.D., is a scholar of religion and teacher of Sufism in the universalist Sufi lineage of his grandfather, Hazrat Inayat Khan. Pir Zia is president of … MORE
Geoffrey Mitelman
Sinai and Synapses
Discussant
Rabbi Geoffrey A. Mitelman is the Founding Director of Sinai and Synapses, an organization that bridges the scientific and religious worlds, and is being incubated at Clal – The National … MORE
Emiliana Simon-Thomas, PhD
Greater Good Science Center, University of California–Berkeley
Convening Faculty, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer
Emiliana Simon-Thomas is the Science Director at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. A Berkeley native, she earned her PhD in Psychology studying how emotional and cognitive processes interact to shape … MORE
Contemplative Faculty
Contemplative faculty guide participants through practices that integrate their first-person experience with themes being explored, interspersing contemplative art and practice sessions with free time for personal reflection. In addition to daily practice, the contemplative faculty lead the retreat time.
Larry Ward
Executive director of The Lotus Institute
Convening Faculty
Dr. Larry Ward is the co-founder of The Lotus Institute, a senior teacher in Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village tradition of Engaged Buddhism, the author of America’s Racial … MORE
Peggy Rowe-Ward
Founder and Director of The Lotus Institute
Convening Faculty
Peggy’s joyful spirit enables her students to discover and embody their most creative and authentic selves. She offers a path of deep insight through methods such as movement, writing, art … MORE
Oneika Mays
Convening Faculty
Oneika Mays, she/her, LMT, E-RYT, is a multi-hyphenate facilitator who leads with joy, passion, and wisdom. She is a grounded leader with lived experience that centers on mindfulness and transformation. … MORE
Peter Wayne, PhD
Harvard Medical School
Convening Faculty, Fellow
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 … MORE
Program Planning Committee
The Program Planning Committee (PPC) is a committee of invited specialists from diverse disciplines and perspectives who bring their expertise to curate and produce the content of the conference. In addition to developing the overall theme and narrative arc of the program, the members of the PPC actively participate and serve in leadership and plenary roles throughout the conference.
Nilanjana (Buju) Dasgupta, PhD
University of Massachusetts–Amherst
Fellow, Planning Committee Member, Research and Programs Council Member
Nilanjana (Buju) Dasgupta is Professor of Psychology and the Director of Faculty Equity and Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts–Amherst. Her research is on implicit bias. Whereas past work had … MORE
David DeSteno
Northeastern University
Convening Faculty, Planning Committee Member
David DeSteno is a professor of psychology at Northeastern University. At the broadest level, his work examines the mechanisms of the mind that shape vice and virtue. Studying honesty and … MORE
Reginald Hubbard
Founder/Chief Serving Officer of Active Peace Yoga
Convening Faculty, Discussant, Planning Committee Member
Reggie began his yoga journey in November 2014 seeking to alchemize and navigate extreme professional adversity. Through disciplined practice, ruthless focus and surrender to inner peace he has adopted the … MORE
Jenny Mascaro
Associate Professor, Emory University School of Medicine
Convening Faculty, Fellow, Planning Committee Member, Reviewer
Jenny Mascaro is an applied biological anthropologist whose research focuses on investigating the impact of mindfulness and compassion meditation practices on the well-being, compassion, and health of both hospitalized patients … MORE
Malena Price
University of Miami
Grantee, Planning Committee Member
Malena Price is a fourth-year Clinical Psychology PhD student at the University of Miami studying the impacts of mindfulness training on psychological health outcomes, such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. … MORE
