Rob Walker (Nangen Kokyo - South Source, Bright Mirror) began practicing at SFZC in 2010 and became a student of Jamie Howell's in 2011. He received lay ordination at San Francisco Zen Center in 2015 from preceptor Anshin Rosalie Curtis. Rob lives in Oakland, California with his wife Lisa and two dogs (Charlie and Jolene), and he practices regularly at Berkeley Zen Center and Oakland Zen Center.  

Kate Shipman (Sangen Yugetsu - Mountain Source, Mysterious Moon) began Zen practice in 2008 with a memorable (and comedic) trip to Zen Mountain Monastery and formally entered practice with San Francisco Zen Center in 2010. She began study with Kogen Jamie Howell in 2011. In 2016, she took the Zen precepts from Michael Wenger at Dragon’s Leap Zen Center. Outside of practice, she enjoys creating ceramics, contributing to her children’s school PTA, and working as a full stack software engineer in San Francisco.

Gerald Bernstein (Daisan Honshin - Great cedar, Original mind) is in his Zen 2.0 phase of life.  He first practiced in the early '70’s with a Soto monk in London; a practice which devolved after 5 years for lack of a Sangha.  He (re)started at San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC) in 2008 where he studied with Shosan Victoria Austin leading to Lay transmission in October 2013.  He dynamically balances his time between studying with Jamie Howell, practicing at both SFZC and Minnesota Zen Meditation Center, supporting congregations of all faiths convert to solar electricity, and spending time with grandchildren, woodworking and hiking.

Lisa Dunseth (Iku Dō Raku Nen – Nurturing Path, Joy Spontaneous) began practicing at the San Francisco Zen Center with the Saturday Sangha a while ago. She received lay precepts from Teah Strozer in 2005. Since the Covid pandemic she has been practicing and studying—via the worldwide web—with Jamie Howell, Rosalie Curtis, and Mark Lancaster. 
She appreciates Gil Fronsdal’s teachings and feels supported by the Insight Meditation Center. She has recently been reacquainting herself with the Roman Catholic Church of her childhood—looking to make peace with it and to find its commonalities within the Buddhist tradition.

Magdy Tawadrous first began meditating in 2008 with the guidance of Kogen Jamie Howell who told him at that time "Everyone comes to Zen in crisis."  He continued (inconsistent) meditation practice after his (minor) crisis of faith abated and began Koan studies with Kogen Jamie Howell in 2013 at San Francisco Zen Center and continues regular Koan studies and meditation. He is married with two children who provide much joy and motivation to continue Zen practice.

Hello!

My name is Miguel Rojas. I am Buddhist priest in the Soto Zen tradition. I can safely say that I’ve been practicing now for about 20 years! I’ve been very lucky to have started my practice at Zen Center of Los Angeles, moving to San Francisco in 2013, and being a student of Jamie Howell and Micheal Wenger. All of which has encouraged a great deal of practice and patience. I was a cook for a good chunk of my early days and I now have a much less hectic professional life. Both trades encourage a great deal of practice and patience. I play banjo and accordion, both instruments encourage practice and patience. It’s is my sincere vow to use all this to cultivate a heart, mind, body of wisdom and compassion. Which can be accomplished via practice and patience.