Founders
Star in the East Founders, Core Teachers Worldwide
Geshe Michael Roach is a fully ordained Tibetan Buddhist monk. He was the first American to earn the prestigious Geshe degree which requires over twenty years of monastic study. A Presidential Scholar, Geshe Michael graduated from Princeton University and went on to work as a director of a diamond firm which grew to become the fastest growing company in New York City history. A scholar of Sanksrit, Tibetan, and Russian, Geshe Michael has started numerous charitable organizations, more recently an institute for training business people in how to use ethics to turn greater profits.
Christie McNally is a graduate of New York University and is a translator of Tibetan, Sanskrit, and Ancient Greek. Christie is one of America's most popular teachers of meditation and has taught in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and in most of the 50 States. A professor at and co-founder of Diamond Mountain University, Christie is also the co-founder of The Yoga Studies Institute, which trains students in the philosophy and physical practice of yoga. She has also had several books published by Doubleday Randomhouse.
Together, Geshe Michael Roach and Christie McNally have worked as partners for the past ten years. In 2003 they completed a three year solitary retreat. Since then, they have taught at churches worldwide, sharing a vision of a better world created through ethical business practices, healthy relationships based on service, and spiritual practice. Their latest book, The Courage to Have it All: A Guide to Christian Practice, is scheduled for release by Doubleday later this year.
Directors and Core Teachers
Mercedes Bahleda
Star in the East Director, Core Teacher Worldwide
Contact: Mercedes@starintheeast.org
website: www.songsofmercy.com
Born and raised Roman Catholic, Mercedes was taken under the care of Dominican Sisters at the age of 14 when she entered Mount Saint Mary’s Convent Academy for Girls. Under their care, she was inspired to study voice, perform in Chamber Choir, and was introduced to silent retreat, chanting and various forms of Christian meditation.
Mercedes has traveled extensively in the last 10 years to research both Eastern and Western forms of meditation, classical music, and philosophy at the great monasteries and schools of Ladakh and India. A former professional singer, dancer and actress from New York City, she is now dedicated to helping others to radically transform their hearts and minds through
Christian wisdom and meditation.
An honors graduate of New York University, she has served on the teaching staff at Diamond Mountain and New York University. She has done several extensive solitary retreats in the Arizona desert since 2000 and is entering a 3-year silent retreat in 2010.
Mercedes currently leads Christian meditation classes with Will Duncan at St. Phillips in the Hills and Grace St. Paul’s’ Episcopal Churches in Tucson, Arizona & St. Martins’ Episcopal church in Houston, Texas
Will Duncan
Star in the East Director, Core Teacher Worldwide
Contact: Will@starintheast.org
Will Duncan began studying meditation at the age of 14 with Rev. Murray Rogers the founder of the Christian community, Jyotiniketan. Over the past 20 years he has lived and studied in monasteries throughout the United States as well as the Himalayas of India and Nepal. He has a degree in Psychology and worked for 5 years in psychiatric hospitals and clinics. He now spends his time studying and traveling, teaching meditation and spiritual classics.
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Lisette Garcia, Ph.D.
Star in the East Assistant Director, Treasurer, Core Teacher NYC Contact:Lisette@starintheeast.org
website: www.jcanddrg.com
Dr. Lisette Garcia has been with SIE since it's nacient stage. She grew up Catholic and later received a fellowship to study the nature of spirituality and identity in Mexico City. Upon graduating from Tufts University with a Ph.D. in Psychology she worked full-time in the non-profit world before becoming a professor at John Jay College.
Lisette's academic endeavors and her heart desire met when she began her study of ancient scriptures from the East. It was these teachings that served as the key to the teachings of Jesus for her.
Today she and her spiritual partner, James Connor, travel the world studying and sharing what wisdom has been passed on to them, by their teacher, with people across the country but mainly in NYC where they call home.
Board of Directors and Core Teachers
Father Brian Baker
Star in the East Board of Directors and Guest Teacher: NYC and California
Contact: tvrbaker@trinitycathedral.org
Father Brian Baker is a 1983 graduate of The United States Military Academy at West Point and served 5 years as an Army officer before attending seminary to become an Episcopal priest. He was ordained in 1991 and currently serves as the Dean (senior priest) of Trinity Cathedral in Sacramento, California. While serving as priest in Sun Valley, Idaho, Brian meditated regularly with Tibetan Buddhist Pilar Tumulo and they jointly taught classes in Christianity and Buddhism. He hosted Geshe Roach for a series of talks and later held SIE classes in his congregation. Brian learned to meditate at the age of 13 and approaches Christianity from a mystical perspective.
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Ruth Dantzer
Star in the East Board of Directors and Core Teacher Colorado
Contact: ruth@starintheeast.org
Ruth was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition. She has spent long periods in monasteries and contemplative communities around the world. In effort to achieve a balance between social action and her inner life, Ruth has devoted much time as a volunteer in places such as Calcutta, India, at the Mother Teresa organization, and in Dorothy Day's 'Catholic Worker House'. During her travels she immersed herself in the Eastern religions, and this fueled her interest in the meditative traditions, leading her to complete extensive meditation retreats under the guidance of both Buddhist and Christian teachers. Altogether, Ruth has spent nearly one year in silent retreat. Ruth Dantzer studied at Naropa University, in Boulder, Colorado, which is an alternative college that emphasizes spirituality. Here she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies and Psychology. Presently, her time is divided between studying at ‘Diamond Mountain University’, in Arizona, teaching yoga, and leading retreats worldwide for ‘Star in the East’. Ruth studied at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, finishing one year in the Masters of Divinity program. She is currently in the discernment process for ordination, as she hopes to become an Episcopal priest.
Star in the East Board of Directors and Core Teacher: Houston, Texas and Tucson, AZ
Contact: julia@starintheeast.org
Julia Ferganchick, Ph.D., is a life-long Christian who has studied meditation in North America, India, and Europe. She earned her doctorate of philosophy in rhetoric from the University of Arizona where she studied communication, language theory, and education. As an international speaker, Julia has presented at various academic conferences and has taught writing and meditation workshops around the world. She taught high school Sunday school at St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church in Tucson and was an active founding member of Voices of Sophia, a Presbyterian women’s group.
Star in the East Board of Directors and Core Teacher: California
Contact: eva@starintheeast.org
Eva Natanya defended her thesis, “Diamond Speaking Fire: Towards A Christian Theology of the Middle Way," for a Masters’ degree from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Ca, in September, 2007. As a practicing Roman Catholic, she has been studying Tibetan Buddhism for over five years under Geshe Michael Roach and Lama Christie McNally, and reads and writes both Tibetan and French. She has led a forum at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology on the interface between Christian and Buddhist thought, developed a Lenten Series of Christian meditations based upon Tibetan Buddhist forms at the GTU, and taught a course called "The Christian Mandala" at Diamond Mountain University in Arizona.
Eva was a 1996 White House Presidential Scholar and received her BA in Philosophy from Fordham, the Jesuit University of New York. At the same time, from 1995-2004, she was a full-time professional ballet dancer, performing principal, solo and corps de ballet roles in over one hundred productions, first with the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center and then with The Royal Ballet at Covent Garden, London. She toured the world with both companies, and appeared as a Guest Artist in Paris, Varna, and Kyoto.
Eva has practiced daily meditation for over seven years, completing numerous solitary retreats at Christian monasteries and hermitages. She is also a devoted practitioner of Tibetan Heart Yoga, has climbed and camped in the high Himalayas in Ladakh, and continues travels to India to study Tibetan language and debating at Sera Mey Monastery.
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Christine Walsh
Star in the East Board of Directors and Core Teacher: Chicago
Contact: Chris0812@gmail.com
Christine Leal Walsh is a clinical psychologist by profession. Her passion for her work and her curiosity led her to explore many different traditions and schools of thought in developing treatment programs for her clients. She discovered that a strong spiritual belief system can deeply help individuals in their process of healing. Dr. Walsh was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition and her spiritual practice has always been a significant part of her life. In the 80s she encountered Tibetan Buddhism and received teachings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This led to the study of Buddhism and various meditative techniques which she used in her practice with her clients. She found the wisdom of the East was deeply complimentary with her psychology background and her spiritual path.
She continues her Buddhist studies at Diamond Mountain University in Arizona and is involved in teaching both the basics of Buddhism and teaching Christian focused classes with Star in the East.
Teachers
Erin and Dan Bann
Star in the East Teachers: Rodchester, Michigan
Contact: Erin@starintheeeast.org
website: www.echoscommunity.com
Dan’s Christian education began in his family and church and further developed through Christian elementary and high school. He went on to receive his B.A. in Religion with honors from Hope College, a Christian affiliated Liberal Arts college. Dan has studied in India and Central America. He spent several years working in full-time youth ministry and has been an active volunteer with Athletes in Action for more than a dozen years. Dan’s Christian faith has been revitalized through the study of ancient meditation practices from the Jewish, Buddhist, and Christian traditions. He is currently pursuing his Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Oakland University, while serving his personal training clients in Rochester, MI.
Erin is a life-long Christian. She obtained her undergraduate education in Biology at Hope College where she actively participated in small group Bible study and performed with the Gospel Choir. She also led Sunday worship as a lead vocalist for many years. She has been seriously studying yoga and meditation since 2003. The practices of meditation and spiritual awareness have greatly contributed to the growth and strength of her personal experience of Christ. She currently works as a veterinary oncologist and acupuncturist.
Dan and Erin have been married since 1998. Echos, the house church they started in 2006, is a simple organic spiritual community exploring meditation and eastern philosophy in the context of Jesus’ teachings. They meet in Rochester Hills, Michigan.
Gabriel Conroy
Star in the East Teacher: Colorado
Contact: conroy3000@hotmail.com
Gabriel was raised in the Catholic faith in Colorado. As a young adult he found a deep interest in Buddhism, and his studies of the Eastern traditions rekindled his desire to return to his Christian roots. Currently, Gabriel's time is spent teaching for Star in the East, studying at Diamond Mountain University, and running his fashion design company in Denver. Many of his fashion shows have supported various charities in the Denver area, such as hospice, where he was also a long-time volunteer. He and Ruth have team taught in both Canada and the U.S, leading retreats and giving lectures on contemplative prayer.
Ron Starbuck
Star in the East Teacher: Houston, Texas
Contact: ronstarbuck@sbcglobal.net
Website: http://pages.sbcglobal.net/ronstarbuck/
Ron Starbuck began practicing meditation and other forms of contemplative prayer as a teenager, and continues this practice in his spiritual life as an adult. He currently serves on the Vestry of Trinity Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas, where he and his wife Joanne are both in positions of leadership at a parish level. Ron sees God and the teachings of Jesus Christ as inclusive, without exception.
We are all called to become God’s people and called to embrace the holiness (wholeness) of the Lord. Answering God’s call through a sacramental practice of meditation is one way to experience the “Kingdom of God” in the present moment. Sacraments are an “outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual grace” whereby the Spirit of God becomes present to us; sacraments are a means of grace and a vehicle for the Holy Spirit to enter into our lives.
Fr. Thomas Keating has often said, “that intimacy with God requires not effort, but simple consent.” Through meditation we are consenting to enter into the divine with a holy intention. This holy intention, this turning towards God, is the seed that allows us to experience God’s presence in our lives and to touch heaven on earth. The workshops and courseware offered by Star In The East give us a wonderful way to develop and strengthening our relationship with God and between one another. Practice in this sense, helps to make perfect the love of Christ dwelling within us all.
1 John 4:16 – “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”
Ron Starbuck is an information technology professional and consultant in Houston, Texas, with over 20 years of experience in program/project management, human resources training, as well as executive planning and staff development. With a very clear intention he makes time to serve God, his community, meditate, write poetry, paint, and participate in the life the church and other spiritual communities.
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