Ben Fleury-Steiner practiced Korean Zen Buddhism for over 10 years and was a teacher in the Kwan Um School of Zen from 2008-2010. Ben first became interested in meditation as a graduate student where he was introduced to Vipassana at the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center in the early 1990s. He is currently Associate Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice at the University of Delaware. He has written three books challenging the death penalty, mass imprisonment, and the ever growing struggle for civil rights in the contemporary U.S. Ben currently lives in Wilmington, Delaware with his wonderful wife Ruth and daughters Anna and Robin and two beloved cats, Misty and Clementine

William McCracken has been studying and practicing various forms of meditation for 25 years. In addition to facilitating at OHZS, he is currently the head Dharma Teacher and Abbot of the Delaware Valley Zen Center in Newark. He has a MSW from the University of Pennsylvania and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Before practicing within the Kwan Um School of Zen, he practiced in the Japanese Soto tradition and in Thich Nhat Hahn’s tradition of the Order of Interbeing. William also trained in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) through the Center for Mindfulness and co-leads MBSR training seminars. He has studied and taught the arts of Bonsai and Taiji Chuan and also enjoys writing music and playing guitar.

Jenna Tedesco is trained in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and has incorporated MBSR into her private practice as a licensed clinical psychologist for several years. Most recently, she has continued to use MBSR and the very complimentary mindfulness practices of Thicht Nhat Hahn in her work with military veterans as the Health Behavior Coordinator of the Wilmington V.A. Medical Center. Jenna is passionate about the power of mindfulness to promote healing and well being. In her spare time she loves making clothing, cooking, writing and reading poetry, singing and playing music, and giving lots of love to her beloved Italian Greyhound, Doodle.

Pei-Li and Chao Chu joined a Chinese Buddhist group when they lived in Lexington, Massachusetts in the early 1990s. They learned Mahayana Buddhism through Sutra study and practicing with visiting Monks and Nuns at the Universal Worthy Bodhisattva Lecture Hall. After moving to Delaware, they led a meditation group at their home for about two years. They then practiced for twelve years with the Delaware Valley Zen Center in Newark; an affiliate of the Kwan Um School of Zen. Pei-Li's practice focuses on the simplicity of Zen; sitting meditation, cultivating inner peace, clear mind, and self awareness. Chao's practice is grounded in the Chinese Pure Land school, sitting, walking and chanting meditation and studying the Heart Sutra, Diamond Sutra and Infinite Life Sutra. He has followed the teaching of Master Chin Kung faithfully for many years. Chao is a retired chemist and Pei-Li is in the Information Technology field. They both love cooking, hiking, traveling and reading.

Phil J. Dowd, Jr.has been a member of the First Unitarian Church of Wilmington for 21 years. Since his retirement Phil has been able to be more involved with church life, and is currently an active member of the Caring Friends, Adult Religious Education, and Nominating Committees. Phil was attracted to Buddhism while studying culture change about 20 years ago. He has engaged in individual practices and attended meditation retreats. Attending a Day of Mindfulness with Thich Nhat Hanh on two occasions have been most memorable experiences. The Open Heart Sangha is the first sangha in which Phil has been involved, and he has been a member since it began. The group practice of the sangha has given a depth and structure to his spiritual practice that has not been possible before. He looks forward to greater spiritual growth. For the last 19 years of his working career Phil specialized in training, facilitating groups, management development, and being involved in organizational culture change.

Marie J. Oakbergwas led to the First Unitarian Church of Wilmington 23 years ago after a spiritual awakening. Since that time she has been very active in the church, especially in group facilitation, strategic planning, anti-racism, LGBT concerns, and social justice. Religious education classes and retreats at First U and individual study led her to Buddhism as a core spiritual practice. She first encountered the work of Thich Nhat Hanh 19 years ago through a colleague, and highlights of her practice have been two Days of Mindfulness with Thay. Marie has practiced with the Open Heart Sangha since it was started in January of 2010. Group practice has helped her manage through major changes and it enriches individual practice. She appreciates the dharma friends she has made, and looks forward to the sangha deepening its practice together. Marie is an organization development professional with 14 years of experience in multicultural awareness, diversity and inclusion, culture change, leadership development, group process facilitation and strategic planning. She earned an MBA at Widener University and an MAR from Lancaster Seminary. Her focus areas at Lancaster were world religions, ethics, and community ministry.

Marsha Sloan began her practice of daily meditation when she was a graduate student in Boston. Because of the positive effects of meditation, she has continued to meditate daily over the past thirty-six years, without skipping a day. Marsha has attended several retreats on Insight Meditation, Qigong, and energy healing. The most recent retreats she has attended were given by world-renowned Qigong Master Robert Peng, at Healing Tao University, in North Carolina, and by Lama Surya Das, a Dzogchen Master and author of many books, including Awakening the Buddha Within and Buddha is as Buddha Does, at the Omega Institute, in NewYork. In Marsha’s free time, she takes ballet and belly dance lessons, and goes to Qigong class.

Don Wood was introduced to Transcendental Meditation (TM) in 1970 and has maintained a daily practice ever since. He is also a Reiki Master, assistant Tai Chi and Qigong instructor, and is a professional photographer who began in 1960s as an aerial photographer in his Native Canada. Don's hobbies include Bonsai, his backyard Koi pond, biking, hiking, and kayaking.