Trustees & Advisors

PRESIDENT

Michael joins the Karuna Mandala Board of Directors with 17 years of experience writing on health and wellness topics and as a consultant in the healthcare industry, which has prepared him thoroughly in the tasks of team-building and product-launching. Michael has worn many hats in the industry—from seasoned problem solver and communicator to manager and mentor—and more recently to corporate meditation consultant.

Michael is a perennial student of wisdom and began studying dharma and meditation under the guidance of Dr. John Churchill in 2016. He maintains an astrology practice and offers classes at a number of online- and NYC-based studios, where his curriculum regularly weaves together meditation, yoga, dharma, and astrology. Michael lives in the western Catskill mountains of NY with his cat, Jason Catpaw.

SECRETARY

Shea comes to the Karuna Board with deep organizational experience as a trusted advisor and leadership coach. She works across industries with a focus on technical fields such as life sciences, financial and design firms among others including serving non-profits directly and as a Board member. Shea is privileged to work with organizations led by mission at the expense of revenue. Her work is intimate with leaders and teams and integrates a wide range of perspectives, frameworks and tools including pointing out instructions and somatic-based practices as well as more conventional approaches to effectiveness. In essence she meets teams and leaders where they are and journies with them as far as they wish.

Highlights:

20+ years as an independent consultant, coach, facilitator

15+ year career in human behavior research and analysis for consulting firms, producing go-to-market strategies

Deep experience in creating transformation in pivotal moments in team and organization development.

Dedicated practitioner of the dharma and somatic psychotherapy (in training, both).

Devoted mom to two amazing teen daughters, and delighted guardian to two kitties

Lives in the woods, chopping and carrying.

TREASURER, CO-FOUNDER

Nicole brings decades-long experience as a curator, designer, producer, and facilitator of human change initiatives in Adult Education and Leadership to her role as Executive Director. She is a specialist in Human Development, and infuses the the wisdom of this field into the essential fabric of Karuna’s curriculum. An artist at heart, she has a passion for creating unique, sacred learning spaces and experiences, and is a seasoned facilitator who adores helping students dive deep into all phases and textures of the human learning experience.

Previously, she was a founding member of the Integral Institute led by esteemed Transpersonal and Integral philosopher, Ken Wilber, and was mentored for 15 years by respected author and clinical psychologist, Dr. Daniel P. Brown, with whom she received advanced training in Attachment Theory, Positive Psychology, and the “Pointing Out” style of Mahamudra meditation.

Nicole earned her BA from Boston’s world renowned Berklee College of Music, and was awarded a dual Masters from Naropa University where she studied Transpersonal Psychology and Music Therapy.

In addition to her role at Karuna, she is the Co-Founder of Planetary Dharma. She continues to nurture her private practice as psychedelic therapist and completed advanced training and credentialing in Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Therapy through the Center for Medicinal Mindfulness where she was on staff for several years. Her training includes: Psilocybin Support Services and Harm Reduction, Cannabis Assisted Therapy, and Ketamine Assisted Therapy.

Married to her partner John since 2000 they share two teen-agers together - Trinity and Bodhi. Motherhood has been Nicole’s greatest dharma teacher of all, and she is grateful for the experience of raising two amazing humans.

TRUSTEE, CO-FOUNDER

Born in London, Dr. Churchill's interest in psycho-spiritual development, Integral theory, Contemplative studies, Western Esotericism, and Mahayana Buddhism began in his adolescence, eventually leading him to spend several years as a Buddhist monk at Samye Ling Monastery in Scotland. During this time, John received the esoteric Planetary Dharma transmissions that would in time unfold as his contribution to a planetary fourth turning teaching.

Dr. Churchill is a Senior teacher of Tibetan meditation practices having spent 15 years training and teaching “Great Seal” meditation in an Indo-Tibetan Mahayana lineage under the close mentorship of the late senior Western teacher, translator, respected author, and clinical psychologist Dr. Daniel P. Brown.

He is also a founding member of the Integral Institute led by esteemed Transpersonal/Integral philosopher, Ken Wilber.

John has received advanced training in: attachment therapy, hypnosis, positive psychology for peak performance, and the “Pointing Out” style of Mahamudra meditation.

For the last 25 years, John has developed a a Fourth Turning Planetary Dharma practice which includes the somatically based contemplative practice path; Embodying the Open Ground, that integrates psychodynamic healing, adult development and meditation.

John holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from William James College, and is a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Married to his partner, Nicole since 2000, they share two teen-agers together - Trinity and Bodhi, and are Co-Founders of Planetary Dharma and Trustees of Karuna Mandala.