SFZC Councils, Committees & Groups
Abbot Executive Group (AEG)
This group meets to discuss issues that pertain to the highest levels of administrative and practice issues.
AEG: David Zimmerman, Central Abbot - Sozan Miglioli, SFZC President - Angela Ni, Board Chair
Full AEG
Angela Ni, Board Chair
David Zimmerman, Central Abbot
Michael McCord, President
Mako Voelkel, CC Abiding Abbot
Jiryun Rutschman-Byler, GGF Abiding Abbot
Leslie James, Abiding Tassajara Teacher
Kogetsu Jenny Mok , CFO
Eli Brown-Stevenson, Director of Diversity , Equity & Inclusion and Secretary
Cat Li Stevenson, Director of HR
Full Abbot's Group
The Full Abbot's Group is made up of current and former Abbots and Abbesses of SFZC. They select practice period leaders, shusos, teacher training, choose abiding teachers, priest candidates and other high level spiritual decisions.
Mako Voelkel, Jiryu Rutschman-Byler, David Zimmerman
Reb Anderson, Norman Fischer, Paul Haller, Linda Ruth-Cutts, Christina Lehnherr, Ed Sattizahn, Fu Schroeder
Elder’s Council
Marc Lesser (Chair) - Christina Lehnherr - David Zimmerman - Ed Sattizahn - Emila Heller - Fu Schroeder
Gil Fronsdal - Jiryu Rutschman-Byler - Leslie James - Linda Ruth Cutts - Nancy Petrin - Norman Fischer - Paul Haller - Reb Anderson - Sara Tashker Steve Weintraub - Teah Strozer
Abbot's Council
The Abbots Council meets twice yearly to conduct Paths & Gates reviews and discuss meta issues concerning practice at SFZC. The Abbots Council consists of :
Full AEG
Three tantos
Three temple directors
Senior Dharma teachers (invited)
SFZC Officers and Directors (O&D)
Abbreviated minutes from O&D meetings can be found here
The Officers and Directors meet weekly either at CC or GGF. This Committee is charged with making Zen Center wide administrative decisions and all decisions that involve budgets and money. The make up of this committee is:
Officers:
President: Michael McCord
CFO: Kogetsu Jenny Mok
Corporate Secretary: Hiro Ikushima
Directors:
City Center Director: Choku Proudfoot
Green Gulch Farm Director: Nadia Arroudj
Tassajara Director: Heather Iarusso
HR Director: Cat Li Stevenson
DIB Director: Eli Brown-Stevenson
Central DEIA Committee
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) Working Group is a committee that includes the three abbatial leaders, teachers, students and board members whom are committed to driving SFZC's efforts around diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are embodied throughout San Francisco Zen Center's teachings, practice, organizational culture, policies, and operations as a manifestation of our vow to awaken together with all beings.
Abbreviated minutes from meetings can be found here
Tova Green (Co-chair) Eli Brown-Stevenson (Co-chair)
Sozan Miglioli - David Zimmerman - Linda Galijan
Joe Rodriguez - Ellen Simpson
Local DEIA Committees
City Center DEIA Committee Members
CC Director, Tanto, Abbot, DIB
Tova Green
Hiro Ikushima
Chloe Atreya
Kogetsu Mok
Green Gulch DEIA Committee Members
TBD
Tassajara DEIA Committee Members
TBD
Practice Committees
Each Center has a practice committee that meets weekly to support residential students in their Zen Practice. The Tanto chairs the meetings. At all three centers, if there is a shuso, the shuso also is part of the practice committee.
City Center Practice Committee:
Tanto, Abiding Abbot, Ino, Senior Dharma Teacher Paul Haller, CC Director, Rotating Member Eli Brown-Stevenson
Green Gulch Farm:
Tanto, Abiding Abbot, Senior Dharma Teacher, GGF Director, Ino
Tassajara:
Tanto, Abiding Teacher, Leslie James, Director, Ino, (During ZMC practice periods the teacher leading the practice period)
Senior Staff
The senior staff meets on a weekly basis at each center. Generally, they discuss the operations of the center, support the community, staff in work practice and community.
Current Senior Staff:
City Center:
Choku Proudfoot, Director
Tim Wicks, Tanto
Kevin Starbard, Ino
TBD, Work Leader
Roger Hillyard, Shika
N/A, Tenzo
Heiko Lake, Facilities Manager
Francis Dwyer, Facilities Director
Green Gulch Farm:
Nadia Arroudj, Director
Thiemo Blank, Tanto
Kika Hellein, Ino
Cam Esaryk, Guest Program Manager
Jacory Parker, Guest Student Manager
Melina Bloomfield, Tenzo
Reika Kelley, Plant Manager
Brian Perrino, Farm Manager
Carolyn Cavanagh, Land Steward
Tassajara:
Heather Iarusso, Director
TBD , Tanto
Bryan Clark , Tenzo
Myoko Luttman, Ino
Catherine Spaeth, Shika
Christopher Pool, Work Leader
Housing Committee
City Center Housing Committee
Director, Abiding Abbot, Tanto, President, CFO
Tassajara Housing Committee
Director
Green Gulch Farm Housing Committee
Director, Abiding Abbot, Tanto, Ino, Senior Dharma Teacher Reb Anderson
Meiya Wender (rotating member)
SFZC Health & Safety Task Force
At the beginning of March, we formed a Health and Safety committee to address issues related to transmission of Covid-19 both in the wider community and within the sangha. In order to create a more effective decision-making process, in late March we formed a Core team, composed of the temple Directors and the President. As front-line staff, we share information, consult with medical professionals, and draft proposals for specific guidelines and protocols. We then consult with the Full H&S group, which includes the Abbots, Officers and HR. The Core team is responsible for the final decision.
SFZC Board of Directors
The Board of Directors are appointed or elected Board Members. For any questions about the Board
Members please contact the Corporate Secretary at secretary@sfzc.org or Hiro Ikushima.
Please click here for a list and bio of the current board members.