Care-Taking Council

Our Care-Taking Council (CTC) consists of sangha members who have volunteered their time to share the administrative responsibilities of the community and wish to strengthen their skills as group session facilitators.
Council members have received transmission of the Five Mindfulness Trainings from a dharma teacher and have maintained a consistent practice for at least one year in the Plum Village tradition.

ZACK RICHARDS
TRUE CONTINUATION OF THE EARTH

He/Him

Ordained with the dharma name True Continuation of the Earth (Chân Tiếp Địa), Zack co-founded Joyful Mountain Sangha in 2020. He served as a US Army scout during a tour in Iraq, has a Master's in Sustainability from Arizona State University and has been professionally involved in the conservation of environmental resources. He is a certified mindfulness instructor (CMT-P) through International Mindfulness Teacher's Association and the Engaged Mindfulness Institute. As a registered yoga teacher (RYT-500), he specializes in the Yin and Sivananda forms and is a White Tiger QiGong instructor. He has spent several years facilitating mindfulness programs at Maricopa County jails.

LOGAN MITCHELL
TRUE CONTINUATION OF COMPASSION

They/Them

Logan has been practicing mindfulness in the Plum Village tradition since they were 17 years old, and co-founded Joyful Mountain Sangha in March of 2020. They first received the Five Mindfulness Trainings in August 2012 with the dharma name Inclusive Aspiration of the Heart. Logan was ordained into the Order of Interbeing in June 2021 with the dharma name True Continuation of Compassion (Chân Tiếp Bi). Additionally, Logan is a mindfulness instructor trained in both secular and Buddhist meditation and mindfulness practice. Formally, they have received training in mindfulness from Authentic Yoga Scottsdale (RYT-200), Mindfulness First (Teaching Mindfulness I), and they are a Certified Mindfulness Instructor through MNDFL‘s Certification and Training with Rev. angel Kyodo williams. Professionally, they have taught trauma-informed mindfulness to K-5 students, and trained K-12 teachers, counselors, administrators, and corporate clients from across the country. Currently, Logan is pursuing a PhD in Philosophy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where they are specializing in ethics and the philosophy of mindfulness.

SUSAN PATTERSON
TRUE SOURCE OF UNDERSTANDING

She/Her

Susan Patterson has been meditating for fifty years. She began with practicing Yoga when she was 15 years old. She lived in a Kundalini Ashram in Claremont, CA when she attended La Verne University. Susan pursued a career in theatre arts starting with acting then later moving into theatre management. Susan has practiced mindfulness meditation in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hahn for over 20 years. She really enjoys walking meditation. Susan was ordained by Thay (TNH) in 2011 into the Order of Interbeing at the University of Vancouver, British Columbia and has facilitated Sanghas and other mindfulness meditation practices.

KATIE THOMAS
HEALING JOY OF THE SOURCE

She/Her

Katie was introduced to Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings at a retreat led by Clear Grace Dyananda (https://travelingnunk.org/) in early 2022. She found Joyful Mountain Sangha through Reddit and has loved every moment spending time with Sangha. Katie received The Five Mindfulness trainings in late 2022 and was given the name Healing Joy of the Source. The name is suitable as Katie has been working in the mental health field for over 20 years. She is currently a psychotherapist in private practice based in North Carolina. The teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh and this Sangha are critical parts of her self care! Katie enjoys spending time with her 2 dogs.

JENNIE LAMB
BEAUTIFUL CONTINUATION OF THE SOURCE

she/her

Jennie was introduced to the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh (or Thay as his students call him) while attending The University of Texas at Austin in the 1990s—and quoted No Death, No Fear: Comforting Wisdom for Life in her eulogy for her grandfather in 2004. However, with Thay's passing in January of 2022, she began to truly study his teachings and find online sanghas in the Plum Village Tradition of Engaged Buddhism with which to practice. In November of 2022, she took the Three Refuges and the Five Mindfulness Trainings one week before her 49th birthday—receiving the Dharma name “Beautiful Continuation of the Source.” Jennie has worked as a professional communicator in higher education since 1999. She is a devoted wife, stepmother, grandmother, and mother to three beautiful dogs. She enjoys meeting several times a week with her siblings in the practice—attending book clubs, meditation practice, dharma study, and sangha gatherings online.

We know that sometimes practicing in a virtual sangha can make it feel like we are more isolated from one another, or that we can’t reach out when we feel as though we would benefit from some extra support. The CTC of Joyful Mountain Sangha wanted to let you know that we are here for you, and we are very happy. Please feel free to reach out to one (or all) of us if you ever feel as though you could use some extra support, have questions about your practice, suggestions for improvement, or anything you could think of.

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