Bonnie Shoultz is the Assistant Buddhist Chaplain at Syracuse University. Coming from The Zen Center of Syracuse, she coordinated and helped run the on-campus sitting meditations located in Hendricks Chapel for many years. Bonnie originally worked for SU’s Center on Human Policy beginning in 1986, but, after retiring in 2005, she came to Hendricks Chapel in 2006 as Buddhist Chaplain. 

Her work, in addition to leading and coordinating sitting meditations, focuses on developing health and wellness initiatives at Syracuse University. Bonnie’s leadership, vision, and initiative have helped to create the Contemplative Collaborative, a group that gives Syracuse students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to integrate contemplative practice into their daily lives.

Diane Grimes (Ph.D. Purdue, 1996), director of the Contemplative Collaborative, is an associate professor in the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies at Syracuse University. Interested in the relationship between mindfulness and communication theory, she teaches courses on Mindful Communication Skills, Mindful Communication Theory, and a contemplative version of Communication and Organizational Diversity. Trained in critical organizational communication, her research includes work on race, whiteness, and gender in relation to communication, identity, change, and power in organizations. She has presented mindfulness and pedagogy at multiple conferences. She leads meditation for the Syracuse Veterans’ Writing Group. She is the lead editor of the book Empirical Studies of Contemplative Practices, which included contributions from many CC members. New projects include considering whether mindfulness is or can be “woke.” 

Rachel Razza, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Science at Syracuse University. She earned her doctorate in human development and family studies from Pennsylvania State University and completed postdoctoral work at the National Center for Children and Families, Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research focuses on self-regulation in children and youth; current projects highlight mindfulness as an intervention strategy to enhance these skills. She teaches courses on mindfulness and child development and serves as the coordinator for the Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies minor. Learn more about her current research projects here.

Joshua C. Felver, Ph.D., ABPP, is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Syracuse University, and Director of Clinical Training in the School Psychology program. Dr. Felver teaches courses in child development, child and family interventions, and school-based mental health. His research broadly focuses on the development, implementation, and study of mindfulness-based interventions in school and community settings. He studies how mindfulness-based interventions can be implemented in schools to support academic functioning and classroom behavior, and investigates the neurobiological mechanisms of contemplative practices. Learn about his current work: Mind Body Laboratory website.

Qiu Wang is an associate professor of quantitative research methodology at Syracuse University. His research interests include: 1) educational assessment, large-scale and big-data analyses using factor analysis, structural equation modeling, and data mining methods; 2) intervention effect estimation and propensity score matching in program evaluation through synthetic cohort design and measurement error modeling in math/science education; and 3) human development and changes in school settings with foci on empirical contemplative studies, technology, and human-computer interaction, and individuals with special needs.

Mansi Brat is a staff therapist with the Barnes Center at the Arch and facilitator of the Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Workshop, Brat provides students with the tools to gain peace through mindfulness meditation when stress begins to overwhelm. Her aim is to provide students with greater clarity and self-awareness about their suffering and unhealthy patterns. Built on the foundational elements of creative transformation and sound intentionality, Brat provides a safe space of comfort, warmth, and trust that enables individuals to find freedom in their distress.