leadership team
Anthony DeMauro is the Director of Dalai Lama Fellows at the University of Virginia Contemplative Sciences Center. Full bio.
Donna Mejia is Associate Professor at CU Boulder and the Inaugural Chancellor's Scholar in Residence for the Renée Crown Wellness Institute. Full bio.
Jonah Willihnganz is Director of the Stanford Storytelling Project and Co-Founder of the LifeWorks Program for Integrative Learning at Stanford University. Full bio.
Kelly Crace is Executive Director of the Contemplative Sciences Center at the University of Virginia. Full bio.
Leah Peña Teeters is the Outreach and Education Director at the Renée Crown Wellness Institute at CU Boulder.
Full bio.
Nehali Patel is the Assistant Director of Dalai Lama Fellows at the University of Virginia Contemplative Sciences Center. Full bio.
Shubham Sapkota is the Contemplative Programs and Scholars Leader at the Renée Crown Wellness Institute at CU Boulder. Full bio.
Sona Dimidjian is Director of the Renée Crown Wellness Institute and Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at CU Boulder. Full bio.
2026-2027 Community Fellows
This select group of DLF alumni participate in the fellowship for a second year, serving as culture keepers and community weavers for the current cohort of Fellows.
Cindy Adem is a community builder with a deep interest in how people navigate change, uncertainty, and leadership in a rapidly evolving world. Her work sits at the intersection of technology, learning, and human development. (2020 Fellow)
Ekin Berk Polat is an independent curator, researcher, and educator working across contemporary art, politics, artistic activism, and social justice. (2020 Fellow)
Roxana Turcu is an educational trainer and founder of Embody Yourself, a mentorship program for women navigating life transitions. (2019 Fellow)
Tiffany Kodakin-Yakeleya is a mother and entrepreneur, and she is passionate about language learning, traditional medicines, and healing through the arts. (2013 Fellow)