Howie Cohn guiding teacher Howie has led the Mission Dharma sitting group in San Francisco for over 30 years. He has practiced meditation since 1972, has led vipassana retreats since 1985, and is a senior teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. Howie has studied with many Asian and western teachers of several traditions, including Theravada, Zen, Dzogchen and Advaita Vedanta, and has been strongly influenced by contact with the Indian master H.W.L. Poonja. Howie is known by his students for his kindheartedness and warm sense of humor. |
Mary Davis President Mary fell in love with meditation in 1997 and has practiced and studied in Tibetan traditions before coming to Insight Meditation ten years ago. She is one of three co-leaders of Insight Richmond, weekly sangha in her hometown of Richmond. In addition, she graduated from Spirit Rock's Community Dharma Leader program 2017, and has taught beginning meditation classes at Mission Dharma. Mary has taken the lead in bringing mindfulness classes and sitting groups for staff and physicians at Kaiser San Francisco, where she works as an administrative manager. |
Dan Petrie vice-president Dan has been practicing meditation and Buddhism in a number of lineages including Vipassana since 2010. He's been a regular at Mission Dharma since 2014, and has made it his home sangha. Most recently he completed UCLA's Training in Mindfulness Facilitation (TMF) through the Mindful Awareness Research Center overseen by Dr. Dan Siegel & Diana Winston. Dan enjoys cycling, cooking, and weekend getaways into the wilderness. |
Noemi Sohn Noemi has been part of the Mission Dharma sangha for almost nine years and Howard Cohn is her primary dharma teacher. She has studied Zen and Tibetan Buddhism. However she is most nurtured in the Theravada/Vipassana tradition. Noemi has been to several residential retreats and practices in the dharma everyday. She has devoted her life to working for social justice, working in racial equality, ending violence against women and disability rights. Sometimes she’s a poet. |
Catherine Girardeau Catherine first encountered Buddhism when a friend invited her to Green Gulch Farm Zen Center 25 years ago, and learned to meditate in the Zen tradition. She was introduced to Vipassana and Spirit Rock Meditation Center while working as an intern for dharma teacher and radio host Wes “Scoop” Nisker on his KFOG show – “If you don’t like the news, go out and make some of your own” – and found her spiritual home in Vipassana practice. She is grateful to have joined the Mission Dharma sangha in 2015. Catherine enjoys walking, writing, backpacking, and playing the violin. |
Kathy Kim Kathy became interested in meditation at the beginning of 2019. Soon after she started practicing meditation, she found Mission Dharma and became a regular visitor of its Tuesday Nights. Besides working as an accounting manager during weekdays, Kathy loves all kinds of music and attends live music. Her favorite is electronic music and becoming a part-time DJ is on her bucket list. Kathy is an animal lover, and enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, rock climbing and tennis. |