Dr. Siegel is a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and the founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA. He is also the executive director of the Mindsight Institute, which focuses on developing mindsight to teach insight, empathy, and integration in individuals, families, and communities. Dr. Siegel has published extensively for both the professional and lay audiences. His four “New York Times” best sellers are: “Mind: A Journey to the Heart of Being Human,” “Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain,” and, with Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D., “The Whole-Brain Child” and “No-Drama Discipline.” His other books include: “The Developing Mind” (2nd ed.), “Mindsight,” “The Mindful Brain,” “The Mindful Therapist,” “The Yes Brain” (also with Tina Payne Bryson), and his latest book, “Aware” (2018). Dr. Siegel also is the founding editor for the Norton Professional Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology, which contains over 60 textbooks.

Kirat is a student at Columbia University studying how psychology and contemplative practices can be used as instruments for individual and societal transformation. She is completing research at The Contemplative Sciences Center at the University of Virginia to identify and deconstruct the multilayered conditioning that prohibits human flourishing. Kirat aims to integrate Tibetan Buddhist philosophy into a traditional psychotherapeutic framework to support others on their path toward self-actualization.

Chris Kaplan received his M.A. in the social sciences from the University of Chicago, where he researched politically engaged Buddhism and the global justice movement. Since then, he has been involved in the field of contemplative research and education in a number of capacities, including as a visiting researcher at Brown University, a visiting scholar and research associate with the Mind & Life Institute, a mentor for Inward Bound Mindfulness Education, and various other ongoing collaborations. He locates his work at the intersection of embodied contemplative practice, social justice, and collective transformation through nature connection, communal healing, and cultural repair. 

Larry Yang teaches mindfulness and loving kindness retreats nationally and has a special interest in creating access to the dharma for diverse multicultural communities. Larry has practiced meditation for almost 30 years, with extensive time in Burma and Thailand, and a six-month period of ordination as a Buddhist monastic. Larry is on the Teachers Council of Spirit Rock Meditation Center, is one of the founding teachers of both East Bay Meditation Center (Oakland) and Insight Community of the Desert (Palm Springs). Larry was honored for his work in racial justice by being selected as the community’s choice for Grand Marshal in the 2016 San Francisco LGBTIQ Pride Parade, whose theme that year was “For Racial and Economic Justice.” He has been part of the coordinating team developing future diverse community meditation teachers in Spirit Rock’s Community Dharma Leadership Programs for 10 years. Larry is one of the core trainers for the current Spirit Rock Dharma Teacher Training Program to develop the participation from multicultural communities as fully empowered dharma teachers. His new book is “Awakening Together: the Spiritual Practice of Inclusivity and Community” (Wisdom Publications).