Process Team Announcement

It has been over six months since our earthshaking wake-up call — news of financial mismanagement and allegations of sexual misconduct and power abuse. The Interim Board, in place just over 3 months, has wholeheartedly stepped into their challenging job, volunteering numerous hours every week. Though the situation is troublesome, this is also a unique time for deep self-reflection and an incredible opportunity for social transformation.

The Transition Task Force (TTF) is pleased to announce the 82 member Shambhala Process Team (PT), 11 of whom will serve on its Steering Committee. This global group has stepped forward with longing to help us discover how we can continue forward movement and become stronger. They will lead the global Shambhala community in an exploration of what is necessary to reveal fresh relevance and needed changes.

The Steering Committee is the central sensing body of the PT, holding the view and helping facilitate the activities, processes, and communications of the PT. It is not a mandala-wide decision-making body. As a sensing team, the Steering Committee will organize with the PT to gather people to listen, dialogue, and evoke wisdom in communities throughout the sangha. Over the past six months, the following topics have been most frequently shared with the TTF or requested by the Shambhala sangha for focused conversation and action:

1. Healing and Learning – working with personal and societal trauma in Shambhala
2. Culture Change – revealing pathways for diversity and inclusion
3. Governance Structure and Sustainability – reviewing structures that are less top down and more sustainable
4. Community Building – establishing avenues for an integrated and harmonious sangha, including those who feel marginalized. One subset of this topic area includes exploring with those students of the Vidyadhara who feel marginalized.

As the PT evolves, other leaders at regional and local levels are likely to emerge, some of whom are part of the PT and others who will complement its work. The TTF is in the process of creating a Mandala Linkage Group. The purpose of this group is to ensure ongoing communications between the leaders of key areas within the Shambhala mandala and the Steering Committee and Process Team. More information on this will be forthcoming. There is much wisdom to uncover as we ask ourselves, “How can we be a living example of enlightened society within a world that is becoming more polarized and disconnected from the magic of the natural world?”
The PT represents a range of Shambhalians with diverse social identities. PT members have a variety of professional skills, personal interests, and full-heartedness to help our community. * The PT is not a mandala decision-making body. Its job is to listen, sense, and explore, to protype and eventually make recommendations. They will take an oath (see below) next week to work diligently to further the vision of enlightened society and basic goodness.

The Shambhala Process Team Steering Committee

Jim Fladmark,  Boulder, CO, US-West, Governance Structures
LaDawn Haglund, Phoenix, AZ, US-West, Culture Change
Dian Marie Hosking, Bristol, Europe-UK, Governance Structure
Paul Kelway, Brussels, Europe-Belgium, Governance Structure
David Marshall, Kawartha, ON, Canada-East, Governance Structures
Deborah Marshall, Pioneer Valley, MA, USA-East, Culture Change
Frederick Meyer, New Orleans, LA, US-East, Culture Change
Lisa Piemont, New York, NY, US-East, Culture Change
Martin Ramstedt, Berlin, Europe-Germany, Healing and Learning
Jose Tomas Ruano, Santiago, Chile, South America, Governance Structures
Susan Skjei, Boulder, CO, US-West, Community Building

(Photos can be found at the end of this letter)

Shambhala Process Team

Dia Ballou, White River Junction, VT, US-East, Governance Structures
Jonathan Barbieri, Fort Collins, CO, US-West, Governance Structures
John Bel, Amsterdam, Europe-Netherlands, Governance Structures
Henri Bouissou, Marseille, Europe-France, Community Building
Konstanze Brockstedt, Dechen Chöling, Europe-France, Governance Structures
Janet Bronstein, Birmingham, AL, US-East, Governance Structures
Sarah Canfield, Boulder, CO, US-West, Healing and Learning
Michael Carpenter, Victoria,  BC, Canada-West, Culture Change
Laura Chenoweth, Halifax, NS, Canada-East, Governance Structures
Richard Chervenak, Boulder, CO, US-West, Governance Structures
Susie Cook, Sonoma, CA, US-West, Culture Change
Mark Curtin, Phoenix, AZ, US-West, Community Building
Rachel DeMotts, Seattle, WA, US-West, Governance Structures
Loppon Lodro Dorje, Halifax, NS, Canada-East, Community Building
Tanja Duda, Frankfurt, Europe-Germany, Healing and Learning, Culture Change
Lia Duggan, Dechen Chöling, Europe-France & Ireland, Community Building
Catherine Eveillard, Dechen Chöling, Europe-France, Community Building
Mary Fahrefort, Amsterdam, Europe-Netherlands, Governance Structures
Shel Sampa Fisher, Montreal, Canada-East, Governance Structures
Abbey Fox, Austin, TX, US-West, Healing and Learning
Joanna Francis, Vienna, Europe-Austria, Governance Structures
Jessica Gurvit, Palm Beach, FL, US-East, Community Building
Adam Hart, London, Europe-UK, Culture Change
Hans Henning Heide, Malaga, Europe-Spain, Governance Structures
Mathias Hofmann, Ticino, Europe-Switzerland, Culture Change, Governance Structures
Margaret Hughes, Northern Rivers, Australia, Governance Structures
Gerda Jansonius, Marburg, Europe-Germany
Steve Jewell, Boulder, CO, US-West, Healing and Learning
Nancy Kaplon, Washington, D.C., US-East, Community Building
Voula Kereklidou, Stockholm, Europe-Sweden, Governance Structures
Gernot Landschein, Marburg, Europe-Germany, Culture Change
Alexandra Landstra-Kalinine, Leiden, Europe-Netherlands & France, Healing and Learning
Gregory Lubkin, Los Angeles, CA, US-West, Governance Structures
Fleet Maull, US-East, Governance Structures
Brian McCorkle, Boston, MA, US-East, Governance Structures
Kristine McCutcheon, Sydney, Cape Breton, Canada-East, Community Building
Ellen Napodano, Boulder, CO, US-West, Healing and Learning
Dean Nelson, Hawaii, US-West, Governance Structures
Peter Nowak, Vienna, Europe-Austria, Governance Structures
Matilda Perks, Montreal/Halifax, Canada-East, Community Building
David Philbedge, Europe-UK, Community Building
Otto Pichlhoefer, Vienna, Europe-Austria, Culture Change
Sybren Post, Amsterdam, Europe-Nederland, Healing and Learning
Betsy Railla, Denver, CO, US-West, Governance Structures, Community Building
Janet Romaine, Boston, MA, US-East, Governance Structures
Teri Rowe, Eugene, OR, US-West, Culture Change
Robert Salskov, Seattle, WA, US-West, Governance Structures
Alexis Shotwell, Ottawa, Canada-East, Culture Change
John David Smith, Portland, OR, US-West, Governance Structures
Stephen Starkey, Chicago, IL, US-East, Governance Structures
Ute Steiner, Munich, Europe-Germany, Governance Structures, Community Building
Matthew Stephens, Austin, TX, US-West, Community Building
Michael Stephens, Pioneer Valley, MA, US-East, Governance Structures
Bob Stevens, New York, NY, US-East, Community Building
Ruby Stocklin-Weinberg, London, Europe-UK, Healing and Learning, Culture Change
Jan Frans Sturm, Dechen Chöling, Europe-Netherlands, Healing and Learning
Tracy Suchocki, Boulder, CO, US-West, Community Building
Ivan Tröscher, Cologne, Europe-Germany, Culture Change, Governance Structures
Fred van Welsem, Deventer, Europe-Netherlands, Governance Structures
Susanne Vincent, Auckland, New Zealand, Culture Change
Ronald Vine, Hamilton, Canada-East, Culture Change
Diane Whitcomb, Boulder, CO, US-West, Healing and Learning, Governance Structures
Nora Wiser, Gainesville, FL, US-East, Culture Change

We will be in touch again shortly with a few more details regarding the Process Team and its work with the greater Shambhala mandala. For now, we offer our thanks to the Shambhala Process Team members for stepping forward and to you, the community, for supporting their work. We ask that you be patient as the Steering Committee and the Process Team get to know one another and build working relationships in order to manifest what we aspire toward. The journey itself must manifest our vision, a vibrant community that is inclusive and just. Please extend your welcome, gratitude, and support to the Process Team.

With delight,

Ani Pema Chödrön, Acharya
Arawana Hayashi, Acharya
Charlene Leung, Acharya
Suzann Duquette, Acharya
Katrin Stelzel, Treasury Council Europe, Member
Andrew Sacamano, Kasung Shastri
Sharon Owyang, Regional Director
Basia Solarz (facilitator)

Process Team Oath
Calling upon the lineages and dralas of Buddhadharma and Shambhala warriorship to support me in this oath, I, [name], as a member of the Shambhala Process Team, pledge to work diligently to further the vision of enlightened society and basic goodness.

I further pledge to

• apply gentleness, fearlessness, and intelligence in all my activities on the Process Team,
• continue my own practice and study while I serve,
• faithfully represent the wisdom of the lineage, the teachings, and the community as I understand it, and
• refrain from using this position for personal gain.

If I am unable to fulfil these pledges, I request that I be removed from the Process Team.

Jim Fladmark, Boulder, CO, US-West, Governance Structures

LaDawn Haglund, Phoenix, AZ, US-West, Culture Change

Dian Marie Hosking, Bristol, Europe-UK, Governance Structures

Paul Kelway, Brussels, Europe-Belgium, Governance Structure

David Marshall, Kawartha, ON, Canada-East, Governance Structures

Deborah Marshall, Pioneer Valley, MA, USA-East, Culture Change

Frederick Meyer, New Orleans, LA, US-East, Culture Change

Lisa Piemont, New York, NY, USA-East, Culture Change

Dr. Martin Ramstedt, Berlin, Europe-Germany, Healing and Learning

Jose Tomas Ruano, Santiago, Chile, Governance Structures

Susan Skjei, Boulder, CO, US-West, Community Building