Skip Ewing

Skip Ewing is an ordained Tiep Hien (Order of Interbeing) member, and the founder and coordinator of the Nashville Mindfulness Center. He was ordained in June of 2006 by beloved Zen master and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Thich Nhat Hanh in a ceremony held in the the Lower Hamlet at Plum Village in Thenac, France. He is an experienced meditator and practitioner of many years and has had the immense good fortune of studying with some of the world’s most renowned spiritual teachers.

RIta Frizzell

Rita Frizzell Rita Frizzell is a life-long spiritual seeker and has been practicing in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition since 1995. She received ordination in 2004 as a householder (Ngakma) from her teachers, Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche, fondly known as "the Khenpos." They are the founders and spiritual directors of Padmasambhava Buddhist Center, with headquarters in upstate New York and a local center in Nashvillle. Rita is editor of PBC's bi-annual magazine, Pema Mandala, and designs various dharma books and publications as a member of Samye Translation Group. As director of Dakini Graphics, she has also designed a conference for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. She joins the board of the Nashville Buddhist Festival in 2008, having participated in the event since its first year.

Lisa E. Ingham

Lisa Ernst has been meditating and practicing Buddhism for over 18 years. She began her practice in the Zen Buddhist tradition, studying closely with several Zen Masters and attending numerous mediation retreats. Since the late 90’s Lisa has also studied and practiced in the Theravada tradition. In 2006 Lisa founded One Dharma Nashville, a meditation group that focuses on the core practices of loving kindness, compassion and mindfulness, which reflect foundational Buddhist teachings. Lisa has been involved with the Nashville Buddhist Festival in various capacities since its inception in 2003 and served as committee chair in its inaugural year.

Paul Felton

Paul Felton spent 9 years in the Vedanta tradition of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi during which time he became a TM instructor. Since 1995 he has been practicing in the Shambhala community, studying both its Tibetan Buddhist and Shambhala curricula. In 2004, together with his wife, Jill Bates, he started the Nashville Shambhala Group, and they co-coordinate its activities. He is in his fourth year of involvement with the Nashville Buddhist Festival and is the President of the Board.

Bob Jarrell
	Bob Jarrell began his Zen studies at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1981, spent several years with Nichiren Shoshu in New Mexico, and returned to Zen in 2004 at the Nashville Zen Center, where he is on the Board of Directors. He was formally initiated into Soto Zen at the Atlanta Soto Zen Center in 2006, and is second-year member of the Board of the Nashville Buddhist Festival.

Lee Olsen
	Lee Olsen has been active with the Nashville Insight Meditation Group since 1992 and currently serves this peer-led group as a co-facilitator with Barbee and Hap Heilman. He has been involved with the Nashville Buddhist Festival in several different capacities since its inception.