Gábor Karsai, based near Budapest, Hungary, is a long-standing member of the MLE Association, and presently serves as Rector of the Dharma Gate Buddhist College in Budapest, as well as Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies. Gabor has undertaken Ph.D studies with a focus on process philosophy (A. N. Whitehead), phenomenology and Buddhism. Over the last 15 years, he has had extensive management engagements, including as a deputy CEO at Bankar Holding Plc. (Hungary), Director of the Spirit of Humanity Forum (Iceland), the Education for Peace Foundation (Switzerland) and as CEO at the Ling Jiou Mountain Buddhist Society (Taiwan). He combines practical experience in running a not for profit organisation together with a deep appreciation for contemplative practice and science as well as the values and vision which MLE embodies.
Yuri Belfali leads the work of the Directorate for Education and Skills in the field of early childhood education and care, and international comparative studies of education systems. She oversees large scale surveys including the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Teaching and Learning International Survey programme (TALIS). She also manages thematic policy analyses and supports education systems and schools to develop policies and innovations for better learning and well-being of learners.
Ms. Belfali spent the last 20 years in France, the US, and in several countries of SouthEast Asia, Africa and Middle East and North Africa regions. Before joining her current organization, she worked for UNICEF as Chief of the Education Section in Morocco and the World Bank in the field of human development between 2002 and 2012. She had a leadership role in advising governments for education reforms and gender mainstreaming. Ms. Belfali, a Japanese national, holds a Master’s degree in International Educational Administration and Policy Analysis from Stanford University.
Wendy R. Bradford is an accomplished HR professional with over 25 years of experience in
developing and executing HR strategies in global organizations. She excels in fostering
partnerships with business leaders and implementing policies that drive employee success and
organizational goals. Wendy is skilled in strategic planning, talent management, compensation
and benefits, staff performance, engagement, and employee relations across diverse and globally
distributed workforces.
Wendy thrives in cultivating cultures of excellence and inclusivity while ensuring compliance
with employment laws and maximizing HR operations efficiency. As a strategic leader, she has
provided overall management of the human resource function in fast-paced, complex global
organizations. Known for her firm yet collaborative leadership style, Wendy fosters collegial
partnerships and possesses an entrepreneurial drive to strengthen and advance organizational
goals.
Wendy holds a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Human Resources
and a Bachelor of Science in Law from California Southern University.
Ami Henson is a seasoned CEO with over 25 years of leadership experience. Over the course of her career, she has managed more than $300 million in programs and nearly 300 staff, including leading teams of up to 80 people and overseeing annual budgets exceeding $80 million. Her ability to navigate complexity while driving operational excellence and fostering innovation and alignment has made her a trusted leader in driving sustainable and measurable outcomes in the organizations and communities she serves.
In addition to her leadership and management expertise, Ami is an expert in strategy, program design and impact measurement. Her technical achievements include: designing how donor development programming in Bangladesh measures results at the country level; developing a Papua New Guinea vocational program to enhance workforce capacity on behalf of a donor government; and designing strategies for donor programs in Sudan that shaped policy implementation.
Ami integrates mindfulness practice into her technical training on systems change, monitoring and evaluation, creating opportunities for reflection that foster deeper learning and collaboration. She lives outside of Houston, TX and has a passion for food, the outdoors, and spending time with her husband and young son.
Hawah Kasat is an author, educator, non-profit leader, TEDx speaker, and yogi. For over 20 years, Hawah has been teaching violence prevention, social-emotional literacy, conflict transformation, yoga, mindfulness, the healing arts, and trauma-informed care to all types of students from diverse demographics around the globe. Hawah is co-founder and former Executive Director of One Common Unity, an award-winning non-profit organization that has impacted the lives of over 40,000 youth and families. Most recently, he helped launch Roots to Sky Sanctuary, a 125-acre regenerative farm and healing arts center situated in northern Appalachia, where he serves as a Managing Partner. Over the years, he has authored 4 books and produced 3 documentary films. He is the host of “Everlutionary,” a new podcast released in 2024.
Dr. Michelle Chatman is a visionary educator, scholar, and community advocate dedicated to fostering transformative educational experiences and social change. As an Associate Professor at the University of the District of Columbia, she leverages her extensive background in cultural anthropology, contemplative practices, and community engagement to inspire meaningful connections between education and social justice.
A thought leader in transformative educational leadership, Michelle’s research focuses on the power of mindfulness, equity, and culturally responsive pedagogy to create healing-centered learning environments. She has developed innovative programs and workshops that empower educators to nurture resilience and agency in their students, while addressing systemic inequities.
Michelle is a sought-after speaker and facilitator, known for her compassionate approach to leadership and commitment to community well-being. Through her work, she continues to reimagine education as a tool for liberation, ensuring it uplifts individuals and strengthens communities. You can view her website here.
Rev. Liên Shutt is a lineage holder in the Shunryu Suzuki tradition. Born to a Buddhist family in Vietnam, she received her meditation training in the Insight and Zen traditions in the U.S., Thailand, Japan, and Vietnam. She was a founding member of the Buddhists of Color in 1998 and currently is the guiding teacher of Access to Zen, an anti-racist, inclusive sangha and non-profit in the San Francisco Bay Area. Please visit AccessToZen.org for ways to connect with her offerings. Liên’s Home Is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path is available through the Online Store.
Valerie Brown is an acclaimed international facilitator, leadership coach, speaker, and award-winning author dedicated to fostering personal and societal transformation. As the founder of Lead Smart Coaching, LLC, Valerie integrates her deep expertise in leadership, mindfulness, and social justice to empower individuals and organizations to lead with clarity and compassion. A Quaker and Zen practitioner ordained in the Plum Village tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, she uniquely bridges contemplative practices with professional development. Valerie holds a Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law and is a former lawyer and lobbyist who transitioned to focus on heart-centered leadership and equity.
Through her work, Valerie has inspired countless leaders to navigate complexity with wisdom and cultivate cultures of inclusion and well-being. She co-directs Georgetown University’s renowned Transformational Leadership for Change program and is a passionate advocate for integrating mindfulness and justice into everyday life. Visit her website.
Monique Gray Smith is an award-winning, best-selling author. Her books cover a broad spectrum of ages, topics and emotions. Woven into all of Monique’s writing, speaking engagements and online courses is the teaching that Love is Medicine. In April, she released her 6th children’s picture, Dreaming Alongside. Monique is well known for her adaptation of Robin Wall Kimmerer’s, New York Times Bestselling book, Braiding Sweetgrass for a younger audience, Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults. Monique’s novel, Tilly and the Crazy Eights was longlisted for Canada Reads 2021.
Monique is trained as a Psychiatric Nurse and since 1990 her focus has been weaving history, resilience and trauma informed training for educators, social workers, librarians and early childhood teams. She is an appointed member of the Board of Directors of Royal Roads University. and is of Cree and Scottish descent.
Denise is a PhD candidate at Simon Fraser University, and a Patient Engagement Specialist at BC SUPPORT Unit, Fraser Health Authority in Canada. Informed by 20+ years as a health advocate, her research explores how digital therapeutics can promote positive life trajectories and flourishing in people with lived experience of chronic health condition(s), and how they in turn can be involved meaningfully in co-producing this research. Within the research process, Denise embeds reflexivity and compassion practices from Buddhist traditions and psychology within project teams, grounded within a relational ‘compassionate design’ framework centering principles of health equity and shared decision making.
