Our Board of Directors

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    Jesse Rentai Parrish Lewis

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    Vice President

    Project Director at Deaf and Hard of Hearing Service Center, Author, and Artist.
    Board member since May 2020

  • Thor Keika Cary

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    Treasurer

    Civilian Federal Service
    Board member since May 2022

  • Jessica Valle

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    Secretary/Member at Large

    Freelance Certified ASL Interpreter
    Board member since November 2021

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    President

    President

    More information coming soon

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    Accessibility Coordinator


    More information coming soon

  • Ōshin Jennings

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    Spiritual Director, Ex Oficio

Taishin Michael Augustin
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Our Priests

Taishin started practicing Zen with the Santa Barbara Zen Group in 2012. He received the Bodhisattva precepts during a Jukai ceremony in 2015 at the Santa Barbara Zen Center, and again during a Shukke Tokudo ceremony in 2023 at
O-An Zendo. He is a student of Ōshin Jennings, Sensei.

Taishin studies Nyoho-e style sewing in the tradition of Tomoe Katagiri; organizes and leads a Recovery Dharma meeting to support those in recovery from addictions of all kinds (including himself); and writes about the Dharma, recovery, and the intersection of the two for his Substack, “A Phoenix’s Hut.” He is currently learning American Sign Language.

He lives in Milwaukee, WI, with his partner and their two cats.

Our Support Team

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    Tess Wenderski, MA, NIC

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    Lead Interpreter
    Member of NBZ since 2018

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    Shop Steward

    More information coming soon

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    Sustainability Director

    More information coming soon

  • Teacher's Assistant / Jisha

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