Christiana Figueres is a Costa Rican citizen and an internationally recognized leader on climate change. She was Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from 2010 to 2016. During her tenure at the UNFCCC, Ms. Figueres brought together national and sub-national governments, corporations and activists, financial institutions and NGOs to jointly deliver the historic Paris Agreement on climate change, in which 195 sovereign nations agreed on a collaborative path forward to limit future global warming to well below 2°C, and strive for 1.5°C, in order to protect the most vulnerable. For this achievement Ms. Figueres has been credited with forging a new brand of collaborative diplomacy and received multiple awards. Since then Ms. Figueres has continued to accelerate the global response to climate change. Today she is the co-founder of Global Optimism, co-host of the podcast “Outrage and Optimism” and is the co-author of the recently published book, “The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis.” Ms. Figueres sits on multiple executive and advisory boards and is a frequent public speaker and media commentator. She is a graduate of Swarthmore College and the London School of Economics. She lives in Costa Rica and has two fantastic daughters.
Two time Grammy Winning/Multi-Platinum selling Pianist/Composer Peter Kater has been a leading innovator of contemporary instrumental music for over 3 decades. He’s received many awards and accolades for his rich and diverse music including 14 Grammy Award nominations; two Grammy wins and the Environment Leadership Award from the United Nations.
A psychologist and a certified yoga therapist, Gail Parker has been practicing yoga for 50 years and teaching it for 20. She is the author of the book Restorative Yoga for Ethnic and Race-Based Stress and Trauma. She is President of the Black Yoga Teachers Alliance Board of Directors.
Owsley Brown is devoted to sustaining healthy communities by enhancing cultural, spiritual, and civic life. He is a documentary filmmaker, a director of foundations and nonprofit boards, a student of theology and the spiritual path, and the leader of exploratory projects in community wellbeing. Owsley is also an active fifth-generation shareholder of Brown-Forman, his family’s international spirits and wine company, founded in 1870.
Owsley’s films include Night Waltz, Music Makes a City, and Serenade for Haiti. His current film, River City Drumbeat, is a timely look at the important power of arts and culture through music in West Louisville.
In his native city and beloved hometown of Louisville, Owsley is known as host and producer of the Festival of Faiths, a founding board member of the Kentucky School of Art and Design, and Chair of the Compassionate Schools Project, the most comprehensive study ever undertaken of an integrated health and wellness curriculum in an elementary school setting.
Owsley serves on the boards of the Mind & Life Institute, University of Virginia’s Center for Contemplative Sciences, Sustainable Food Alliance, Center for Interfaith Relations, Roxie Theater, and the Tsoknyi Humanitarian Foundation. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia.
Connie has a long-time love of learning, meditation, sports, and adventure. She has several post-graduate degrees in art, art history, and anthropology. Connie lived and worked in Africa, taught at the University of Denver, taught childbirth and fitness classes, started a crisis hotline and a wellness institute. Today she is active as the co-owner of a ski resort and guest ranch in Wyoming and involved with many local organizations and boards.
“Being on the M&L Board is a dream come true – the dream of making a difference on a larger scale. I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve an organization I deeply respect.”
nischal (nisch) is a Program Manager at the Mind & Life Institute. He recently graduated from UMass Amherst with a Master’s in Environmental Conservation during which his research investigated the relationship between Mindfulness and Pro-environmental behaviors. Before that, he worked in outreach, communications, and coordination positions in non-profits in Nepal and the Philippines. nisch is currently deconstructing and (re)establishing his understanding of environmentalism and is passionate about integrating compassion, kindness, and justice into conversations around climate adaptation. He reads fiction, runs a little, and tries to play guitar.
Jacob is Chief of Staff at Mind & Life Institute. Originally from South Freeport, Maine, Jacob is new to the Charlottesville area. He brings a diverse background of experience to Mind & Life, having worked in various roles in the theatre industry for over twenty years. Most recently based in Louisville, Kentucky, he was Chief of Staff at KBD, a digital marketing agency. In his free time, Jacob enjoys hiking, astrology, gardening, finding the best local wine, and antiquing with his husband, Kristopher.
Dr. Stephen Nachmanovitch performs and teaches internationally as an improvisational violinist, and at the intersections of multimedia, performing arts, humanities, ecology, and philosophy. He is the author of two books on the creative process, The Art of Is (2019) and Free Play (1990).
Ruth King is the Founder of Mindful of Race Institute, LLC, and is a celebrated author, educator, and meditation teacher. Ruth currently teaches the Mindful of Race Training Program to leaders, teams, and organizations, weaving mindfulness-based principles with an exploration of our racial conditioning, its impact, and our potential. She is the author of Mindful of Race: Transforming Racism from the Inside Out.
