Phil Zelazo is the Nancy M. and John E. Lindahl Professor at the Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota. His research has helped shape current understanding of executive function (EF) and its development, including the key roles of reflection, rule use, hierarchical complexity, mindfulness, and emotion (hot versus cool EF), and it has led to the design of widely used standardized measures of EF (e.g., he was lead developer of the EF measures for the NIH Toolbox measures of EF) and the creation of effective interventions for promoting the healthy development of EF in early childhood. Zelazo has received numerous awards, including a Boyd McCandless Young Scientist Award from the APA, and a Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 Award. He was Founding Editor of the Journal of Cognition and Development, he serves on several editorial boards, and is editor of the two-volume Oxford Handbook of Developmental Psychology (2013).
Shankari is a Program Manager at the Mind & Life Institute. Trained in the lineage of Integral Yoga, Shankari has spent years connecting to breath, body, strength, movement, and energy. She is a Certified Yoga of Recovery Instructor, an Accessible Yoga Ambassador, activist and a founder of Shensara Yoga Festival, The Black Female Farmers Network, and the Black Yogis of Virginia group. She hosts the Mind & Life Inspiring Minds web series, which brings together thought leaders and contemplatives to engage with one another and the audience in exploring the role of the mind in human flourishing. An avid Social Justice activist, she continues to find ways to help propel the voices of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) forward and share their embodied practices. Shankari lives on a regenerative farm, with her husband and more than 60 animals and livestock.
Brynn is the Advancement & Communications Manager at the Mind & Life Institute. She has an MA in Science Writing from Johns Hopkins University and a BS in Zoology from the University of New Hampshire. She believes in the power of narrative to communicate science to the public, and her writing has appeared in Earth Island Journal, Hakai Magazine, Popular Science, and She Explores, among others. Outside of nonprofit storytelling and development, Brynn enjoys photography, riding horses, and planning road trips and adventures overseas.
Elizabeth is the Administrative Associate at the Mind & Life Institute. She graduated from the University of Virginia in 2018 with a Bachelor’s degree in American Studies. At Mind & Life, she provides administrative support to the executive and operations team, and assists other teams as needs arise. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing, doing yoga, taking walks by the river, and connecting with friends. She aspires to continue to find ways to live her values personally and professionally.
Vivi is the Director of Client Accounting at Forward Financial Intelligence and serves as Financial Consultant for Mind & Life Institute. She has a BS in Accounting from Indiana University and spent a decade in public accounting. Since then she has been directing the finance and operations functions in various non-profits and closely held small businesses. Vivi likes to cycle, hike, weave, and connect to others through heart-felt conversations.
Ellen joined Mind & Life in 2016 and delights in creating impactful experiences as Head of Events. From intimate board and donor gatherings to large-scale symposia and international convenings, she has shaped both in-person and online programs that bring the Mind & Life community together. A graduate of American University, Ellen brings over 25 years of experience infusing excellence, kindness, and warmth into academic and nonprofit spaces.
Before joining Mind & Life, Ellen owned and operated a successful inn in Hershey, PA, serving as its General Manager—a role that sharpened her executive and hospitality skills. She is also the author of The Pro-Child Way: Parenting with an Ex, a mindful co-parenting guide, and has been invited twice to present on the topic at Omega Institute.
Ellen has a soft spot for stray cats, has hiked the Camino de Santiago twice, enjoys camping with her husband, and relaxing at the local breweries and vineyards near her home in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Sarah Moseley has an MA in sociolinguistics and a PhD in rhetoric from Old Dominion University, as well as a background in non-profit communications. Previously, Sarah was faculty at the University of Virginia, where she continues to teach yoga and conduct grant-funded research. Sarah is passionate about creating access to yoga and creating community through yoga. She also teaches yoga at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women where she co-led the first Registered Yoga Teacher Training for people who are incarcerated in Virginia.
Ned is the Information Technology Manager at the Mind & Life Institute. He is a graduate of Montserrat College of Art with 20 years of professional IT consulting, administration, and management experience, specializing in the nonprofit sector. Outside of work hours he enjoys the company of his family, the affection of domestic animals, and the photography of distant birds and other wildlife.
Jon is the Digital Media Coordinator at Mind & Life. Prior to joining Mind & Life, Jon was trained as a neuropharmacologist at the University of Virginia where he received his PhD in Pharmacology. Jon is also a passionate photographer and filmmaker, and outside of Mind & Life Jon focuses his lens on his family and philanthropic endeavors.
Maggie is the Director of Advancement of the Mind & Life Institute. She has worked since 2007 with Charlottesville-based nonprofits that cultivate human connection and celebrate our shared humanity, including stints at Virginia Humanities and Piedmont Council for the Arts. She taught Arts Marketing for UMass Amherst and University of Virginia, where she earned her BA in art history prior to receiving an MA in arts administration from Columbia University. Maggie loves starting her day with meditation, spending time outside with her husband and their blended family, learning to weave, co-leading a Girl Scout troop, and supporting artists.
