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Introducing…

The Vermont Zen Center is run by Sangha members who generously volunteer their time and expertise. There is no staff other than our teacher, Sensei Graef. Here are some of the people you may meet taking care of the gardens, mowing the lawn, cleaning the temple, answering the phones, greeting visitors, working on our newsletter and, in general, maintaining the Center from top to bottom, inside and out.

Ti’an Callery

Ti’an was born in 1940 in Boston, but grew up in Connecticut. She majored in Political Science at Smith College. Ti’an first encountered Zen in 1987, and began practicing seriously in 1989 when she discovered that there was a teacher near her home in Charlotte. In 2004, Ti’an became the first priest ordained by Sensei Graef. She works full-time at the Center as a priest and head gardener. Ti’an and her husband Jake have two married daughters and five grandchildren.

Bob Rice

Born in Egypt in 1942, Bob grew up mostly overseas—in Angola, England, and Nigeria—until he was 12. He spent the rest of his youth in Ohio. Bob earned a Ph.D. in the history of ideas from Brandeis University and is now a semi-retired teacher of philosophy and intellectual history. He lives with his wife Marny Frantz in the woods of Westford in a house they built themselves. Bob began practicing Zen in 1988 and is currently training to be ordained as a Zen priest. Bob monitors sittings and sesshins and works at the Center at least one day a week. He also offers private instruction in Zen to new members and is the person you will most likely encounter if you come early to a sitting to receive general instruction in zazen.

Bonnie Coulter

Bonnie was born in Lakewood, New Jersey in 1944 and grew up in Beachwood, NJ. Her passion from age 8 through her twenties was sailing. Bonnie graduated from Springfield College, MA and taught physical education at the middle school level in Princeton, NJ. She earned her masters in PE at The University of Wisconsin and taught at Wellesley College. Bonnie worked for Outward Bound in Minnesota for three years where she met her husband Alan. Together they spent two years as Peace Corp volunteers in Ghana before making their home in Middlebury, Vermont, where, for twenty years, Bonnie taught kindergarten. Bonnie became a member of the Zen Center in 1989. She recently retired from teaching, in part to have more time to pursue her practice and to work at the Center. Bonnie has been in charge of the Center's kitchen for many years and shares head cook duties with Cheryl Betz.

Dave Tisdell

Dave was born in 1961 in Salem, Massachusetts and grew up in Swampscott. He studied Music and Education at Saint Michael’s College and received his Masters from Castleton State College. In 1985 Dave began practicing Zen at the Rochester Zen Center, then in 1988 became one of Sensei Graef’s first students at the newly established Vermont Zen Center. Dave teaches music to middle schoolers, grades 5–8. He and his wife Betsy have two young children, James and Andrew. In 2006, he and Kelly Story become the first two members of the Sangha who were ordained as lay priests. Dave monitors sittings and sesshins and was one of our first lead chanters.

Kathy Clarke

Kathy was born 1949 in Connecticut where she lived until high school graduation. After high school, she moved to Vermont and attended Royalton College majoring in World Literature and ceramics. She began practicing Zen at the Vermont Zen Center in 1989. Kathy works at Frog Hollow Craft Center in Middlebury teaching and making pottery. She has three grown children, an old house, and an old cat. She loves to travel, drink coffee with friends, walk through the woods or by any sea, read, listen to live chamber music, go to museums, eat fine food and creamies, notice light and feel the air in all seasons. Over the years, Kathy has made hundreds of cups, platters, and Hungry Ghost dishes for the Center. Kathy says, “These years of Zen practice make me happy and profoundly grateful. I recommend it to anyone!”

Jim Kahle

Jim was born in 1949 in San Jose, California and grew up in the Bay Area. He went to school at Miami of Ohio where he studied Psychology. While at school, around 1969, he attended a lecture by Roshi Philip Kapleau in a religion class. Jim started practicing Zen at the Rochester Zen Center in the 70's and began Zen training at the Vermont Zen Center in 1988, becoming one of Sensei Graef’s first students. He is the purchasing manager for Tuttle Printing & Engraving in Rutland, Vermont and oversees the printing of all special mailings of the Zen Center. Jim says, “Among other things, I am still trying to work through my attachment to the San Francisco Giants.”

Marcela Pino

Marcela was born in San José, Costa Rica in 1965. She studied dance and Spanish literature at the University of Costa Rica. She met Sensei Graef in Costa Rica and became her student in 1990. Marcela moved to Vermont in 1991 in order to study Zen and to be close to the Vermont Zen Center. Since then, she has taught Spanish and modern dance in the community, and worked for a women’s health international non-profit. She and her husband, Kevin Clayton live in Shelburne. Marcela often will be found working on flower arrangements at the Center, setting up for ceremonies, and monitoring sittings.

Kelly Story

Kelly was born in Haverhill, MA in 1969, and grew up in northern California. She earned a BA from Saint Michael’s college in Political Science and Russian in 1991. In 1990, Kelly took a course in Buddhism and began sitting immediately, becoming a member of the Vermont Zen Center in 1992. Kelly has worked in education her entire career and now runs a child care center in her home while raising her two sons. Kelly loves nature, the outdoors, and growing and learning through the interests of the children she spends her days with. She is in charge of all Zen Center mailings. In 2006, she and Dave Tisdell become the first two members of the Sangha who were ordained as lay priests.

Glenn Story

Glenn was born in Montpelier, VT in 1965, and grew up in Warren, Vermont. He earned a BA in education and a Masters in Community Mental Health from Trinity College of Vermont. Glenn became a member of the Vermont Zen Center in 1993. He teaches high school math at Vergennes High School and helps his wife Kelly with their home day care in the summer. Glenn loves playing with yo-yo’s and was, for a while, a professional yo-yoist. He is an avid gardener with a special affinity for growing giant pumpkins. Glenn is the mastermind behind the Vesak elephant and has a remarkable ability for solving mechanical problems.

Joan White

Joan was born in 1951 in Brockton, Massachusetts. She attended the University of Massachusetts where she received a B.S. and an M.S. in Natural Resource Economics. Joan began studying Zen in 1992. Currently, she is the Development Director at Spectrum Youth and Family Services, a non-profit organization that provides homeless, foster, and at-risk youth with emergency shelter and support services. Joan is the editor of Walking Mountains, the Zen Center’s newsletter. She is also passionate about plants of any kind. You’ll often find Joan working in the gardens at the Zen Center, arranging flowers for ceremonies, and caring for the Center’s house plants.

Randy Crosby

Randy was born in 1958 in Elizabeth City, NC. His father was in the USMC and he grew up in North and South Carolina, Florida, West Virginia, California and Virginia. Randy began playing music at age five and at age 20 studied the building and repairing of string instruments. Randy’s interest in Zen began in 1980 after hearing lectures of Alan Watts on public radio. He began sitting regularly around 1988 and joined the Zen Center in1994. Randy builds, repairs and designs string instruments, performs occasionally, and sculpts Buddhist figures. He is the father of four and grandfather of three. Randy is in charge of timing sittings, playing the Dharma Drum, and is the point person for all refinishing and furniture repairs at the Center.

Cheryl Betz

Cheryl was born in 1957 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and grew up in various small towns in Wisconsin and Illinois. She received a liberal arts education with an emphasis in the visual arts from Northern Illinois University. After several years of editorial work in the Chicago publishing industry, she and her husband moved to Vermont where she returned to the study of painting and art history, including post-graduate work at Johnson State College and the Vermont Studio Center. She in began practicing at the Vermont Zen Center in 1996, and currently divides her time between the Center, studio work, and her husband and son. For many years, Cheryl has worked as head cook at the Center, sharing responsibilities with Bonnie Coulter.

Ramiro Barrantes

Ramiro was born in 1976 in San José, Costa Rica, where he lived until moving to Vermont in 2001. He studied mathematics and computer science at the University of Costa Rica, and is currently a PhD student in Computational Biology at UVM. In addition to his Zen training, which began in 1996, Ramiro enjoys salsa dancing. Ramiro has been living at the Zen Center since he moved to Vermont. He is responsible for work days and oversees the maintenance of the Zen Center. He is also the guestmaster and the person who helps arrange personal retreats.

Emily Cross

Emily was born in 1971 in Toronto, Canada, where she grew up. She went to high school at Emma Willard School in Troy, NY followed by university at the University of Toronto. There she studied physics and mathematics, with a minor in French. Her Master’s work was in Aerospace Materials at the Institute for Aerospace Studies. She was registered as a professional engineer in 2006. Emily has been a Zen practitioner since 2000. She works as an engineer in building commissioning and energy analysis. She studied violin and has practiced aikido for 18 years. Emily has lived at the Zen Center since 2005. She helps with all aspects of house maintenance and is the go-to person for noise abatement in and around the Center.

Ti'an Callery