David Robert Loy is a professor of Buddhist and comparative philosophy (now retired).  He is also a Zen teacher in the Sanbo Zen tradition of Japanese Zen Buddhism. He is a prolific author, and his articles appear regularly in the pages of Buddhist magazines including Tricycle, Lion’s Roar, and Buddhadharma, as well as in a variety of scholarly journals. David focuses primarily on the encounter between Buddhism and modernity: what each can learn from the other. He is especially concerned about social and ecological issues. Presently he is offering talks and workshops on Ecodharma: Buddhist Teachings for the Ecological Crisis, published in 2019. He also leads meditation retreats.

His BA is from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and he studied analytic philosophy at King’s College, University of London. His MA is from the University of Hawaii in Honolulu and his PhD is from the National University of Singapore. His dissertation was published by Yale University Press as Nonduality: A Study in Comparative Philosophy. In June 2014, David received an honorary degree from Carleton College, his alma mater, during its 2014 Commencement. In April 2016 David returned his honorary degree to the College, to protest the decision of the Board of Trustees not to divest from fossil fuel companies.

Tsewang Namgyal is a Director in the Structured Finance Group of Global Corporate and Investment Banking at one of the world’s largest financial institutions. He serves on the Tibet Fund Board and the Garrison Institute Advisory Board, where he founded the Compassionate Leadership in Finance (CLiF) program. He is a founding member of Mindful on Wall Street and the key visionary behind the Reimagining Doeguling Tibetan Settlement Project. Tsewang is a graduate of Tibetan Children’s Village, Dickinson College, and the Thunderbird School of Global Management, where he serves on the Thunderbird Global Alumni Network Advisory Council (TGAN).

Michelle Flores Vryn, CFRE is an engagement strategist and fundraiser who helps nonprofits grow with clarity and integrity. With over 15 years of experience across conservation, higher education, and civic engagement missions, she co-founded two national research efforts—the AI Equity Project and the Social Impact Staff Retention Project—focused on the future of nonprofit work. She also serves as a board member for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Global.

A frequent writer and speaker, Michelle is passionate about building bridges across sectors and communities to spark more regenerative forms of social change. One of her deepest grounding practices is daily meditation, a discipline she has carried for nearly two decades. Outside of work, you can find her on long walks with her dogs or discussing business strategy with her endlessly patient husband.

Park Krausen is a story sharer with over 30 years of experience as a professional actor, director, producer, and translator. She is committed to supporting cross cultural and cross disciplinary conversations—exploring timely questions at the intersections of science, belief systems, and creativity through art. As Producing Artistic director of Théâtre du Rêve, the only professional Francophone theater company in the U.S., she performed classics, commissioned new works, and created immersive public experiences.

Recently, as a story sharer turned filmmaker, Park is honored to capture the current manifestation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s initiative to foster a dialogue between Buddhism and science in the forthcoming documentary, Frontiers of the Mind: The 100 Year Project. The film highlights a collaboration between young monastics and international academic researchers. Since 2019 she has traveled to Drepung Loeseling Monastery, Dharamshala, Mind & Life’s Summer Research Institute, and Emory and Northwestern Universities, capturing the newest chapter of the Emory Tibet Science Initiative’s Research training program, which inspires groundbreaking research initiated by monastic scientists. Additionally, Park served as the Director of Monastic Research Training at Northwestern and supported Mind & Life’s initiative to expand monastic involvement in the Summer Research Institute.  

She is deeply grateful for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings and inspired by found family—the monastic scientists—to live the teachings.

Gábor Karsai, based near Budapest, Hungary, is a long-standing member of the MLE Association, and presently serves as Rector of the Dharma Gate Buddhist College in Budapest, as well as Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies. Gabor has undertaken Ph.D studies with a focus on process philosophy (A. N. Whitehead), phenomenology and Buddhism. Over the last 15 years, he has had extensive management engagements, including as a deputy CEO at Bankar Holding Plc. (Hungary), Director of the Spirit of Humanity Forum (Iceland), the Education for Peace Foundation (Switzerland) and as CEO at the Ling Jiou Mountain Buddhist Society (Taiwan). He combines practical experience in running a not for profit organisation together with a deep appreciation for contemplative practice and science as well as the values and vision which MLE embodies.

Yuri Belfali leads the work of the Directorate for Education and Skills in the field of early childhood education and care, and international comparative studies of education systems. She oversees large scale surveys including the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Teaching and Learning International Survey programme (TALIS). She also manages thematic policy analyses and supports education systems and schools to develop policies and innovations for better learning and well-being of learners.

Ms. Belfali spent the last 20 years in France, the US, and in several countries of SouthEast Asia, Africa and Middle East and North Africa regions. Before joining her current organization, she worked for UNICEF as Chief of the Education Section in Morocco and the World Bank in the field of human development between 2002 and 2012. She had a leadership role in advising governments for education reforms and gender mainstreaming. Ms. Belfali, a Japanese national, holds a Master’s degree in International Educational Administration and Policy Analysis from Stanford University.

Wendy R. Bradford is an accomplished HR professional with over 25 years of experience in
developing and executing HR strategies in global organizations. She excels in fostering
partnerships with business leaders and implementing policies that drive employee success and
organizational goals. Wendy is skilled in strategic planning, talent management, compensation
and benefits, staff performance, engagement, and employee relations across diverse and globally
distributed workforces.

Wendy thrives in cultivating cultures of excellence and inclusivity while ensuring compliance
with employment laws and maximizing HR operations efficiency. As a strategic leader, she has
provided overall management of the human resource function in fast-paced, complex global
organizations. Known for her firm yet collaborative leadership style, Wendy fosters collegial
partnerships and possesses an entrepreneurial drive to strengthen and advance organizational
goals.

Wendy holds a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Human Resources
and a Bachelor of Science in Law from California Southern University.