CSE Ministers and Teachers
Our Founder and Spiritual Director, Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, eleven Kriya Teachers (Associate Ministers), and many other CSE Teachers and Interns support the work of the ministry at our CSE World Headquarters and beyond.
| | Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian, spiritual director of Center for Spiritual Enlightenment, is a meditation teacher, retreat leader, poet, and writer who has been teaching Kriya Yoga for more than 40 years. Ordained in 1982 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, she has published several books and audio programs about meditation and spiritual living including the bestseller The Jewel of Abundance: Finding Prosperity through the Ancient Wisdom of Yoga, Living the Eternal Way: Spiritual Meaning and Practice in Daily Life, and three volumes of poetry including the award-winning title The Moon Reminded Me.
Yogacharya O’Brian has received several awards for community service, including the Mahatma Gandhi Award for the Promotion of Religious Pluralism from the Hindu American Foundation. Learn more about Yogacharya and her work at www.EllenGraceOBrian.com. |
Acharya Sundari Jensen met her spiritual teacher, Yogacharya O’Brian, in March of 1992, was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 1999, and ordained in 2002. She is a Senior Kriya Yoga Teacher and serves as CSE’s Executive Director & Board President. As Provost of Meru Institute, Rev. Sundari oversees the training & preparation of CSE teachers and leaders. In addition, Acharya Sundari is a certified Hatha Yoga teacher, Vedic Counselor, and IAYT certified Yoga Therapist.
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Acharya Devin Kent Sodt (Atma) met his guru, Yogacharya O'Brian, in the Fall of 2001. He was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2003 & ordained in 2009. He is a Senior Kriya Teacher, an Associate Minister, Meru Institute faculty member, and a certified Vedic Counselor. He has been teaching meditation and spiritual growth practices since 2005 and started instructing hatha yoga in 2007—completing his 500-hour hatha yoga teacher training in 2010.
Rev. Elena Fritchle (Kanti) was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2002 and ordained in 2007. She is an Associate Minister and serves as part of our Community Care Ministry offering Vedic Counseling, Spiritual Direction, officiating Sacred Ceremonies, and is a certified Hatha Yoga teacher. Kanti served on staff as manager of the CSE Youth and Family Ministry before retiring in 2023.
Rev. Claire Hayes was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2009 and ordained in 2019. She is a CSE Minister, Meditation Teacher, and Hatha Yoga Teacher. Rev. Claire serves on staff as Community Ministry Manager, offers Vedic Counseling, officiates sacred ceremonies, and serves on the CSE Board of Directors. She is a retired Chartered Accountant and CPA (inactive), having worked in the Public Accounting field for 30 years.
Rev. Marcella Macartney (Shanti) was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2002 by her spiritual teacher, Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian, and ordained in 2006. She serves as part of our CSE Community Care Ministry, offering spiritual direction, care for the ill and dying, and officiating sacred ceremonies.
Acharya Paula Whang-Ramos (Vandana) was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2007 and ordained in 2012. She is a CSE Associate Minister and Spiritual Director at Blue Lotus Meditation & Yoga Center, a CSE affiliate. Vandana is a Meru Institute faculty member and teaches meditation & Tai Chi/Qi Gong. She also offers Vedic Counseling, Spiritual Direction, officiates Sacred Ceremonies, and is a psychologist with a private practice in Gilroy.
Rev. Ann Hayes (Sarasvati) was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2000 and ordained in 2007. She is a CSE Associate Minister, Meditation Teacher, and Meru Institute faculty member. Rev. Hayes and her husband, Rev. Jeff Collins, lead a Kriya Yoga Meditation Group in Santa Rosa, CA. Rev. Ann offers Spiritual Direction and officiates sacred ceremonies. She is a retired Registered Nurse and serves as a Hospice volunteer.
Rev. Jeff Collins (Manohara) was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2000 and ordained in 2007. He is a CSE Associate Minister and Meru Institute graduate. Jeff and his wife, Rev. Ann Hayes, lead the Santa Rosa Kriya Yoga Meditation Group.
Acharya Priya Friday-Pabros was initiated into Kriya Yoga by Yogacharya Ellen Grace O'Brian in 2002 and ordained to teach in 2005. She is a Senior Kriya Yoga Teacher and Associate Minister at Center for Spiritual Enlightenment. She is the Spiritual Director of Meditate & Thrive Kriya Yoga Community serving the Delmarva region of the Eastern US, where she shares the teachings of Kriya Yoga with all sincere seekers.
Rev. Dr. Laurel Trujillo (Prema) was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2003 and ordained in 2014. She is Producer and Host of The Yoga Hour, a Unity Online Radio program. Rev. Trujillo is a medical doctor who formerly worked at a multi-specialty medical group with a focus on Quality Improvement.
Rev. Tara Fukuda was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2004 and ordained in 2009. She is a Meru Institute graduate and Meditation Teacher. Tara is the Controller at Charities Housing Development Corporation, a member of the California Society of CPAs, and the Guadalupe River Park and Gardens previous treasurer and current member.
Rev. Devi McFadden was initiated into Kriya Yoga by Yogacharya in 2008 and ordained in 2022. She is a certified Yoga Teacher, Meditation Teacher, and Vedic Counselor and received her M.Div. at CSE’s Meru Institute where she now serves as Dean of Students. Her intention is to support practitioners of all levels, in nourishing body, mind, and soul through yoga, meditation, and Vedic Counseling.
Rev. Nita Kenyon (Shankari) was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2011 by Yogacharya O'Brian and ordained in 2016. She served as the Spiritual Director at Awakening Kriya Yoga Meditation Center from 2017-2021. Rev. Shankari graduated from Meru Institute in 2018, is a certified Vedic Counselor, and continues to teach and lead meditation.
Rev. Julie Hitchcock (Darshini) was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2011 by Yogacharya O'Brian and ordained to teach in 2019. Rev. Darshini serves as the Spiritual Director and Board President at Awakening Meditation and Kriya Yoga Center, a CSE affiliate center on the central coast of California.
Rev. Irma Lovic (Sandhya) was initiated into Kriya Yoga by Yogacharya O’Brian in 2015 and ordained in 2021. She serves on CSE staff as assistant to Yogacharya O'Brian and CSE Press/Media Director. A Meru Institute graduate and 200-hour Yoga Teacher, Sandhya is a Kriya teacher, certified Vedic counselor, and Meru Institute faculty member who supports others in integrating yoga practices for overall well-being and spiritual growth.
Rev. Mukti Devi Lanier was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2011, earned her M.Div. from Meru Institute in 2018, and ordained in 2021. She serves as CSE Meditation Programs Coordinator, leads Morning Sadhana, and teaches meditation at CSE, both online and in-person. Mukti Devi also serves on the Community Care Ministry Team, offers Vedic Counseling, leads chanting, and is a member of CSE's Gitanjali Kirtan Band and The Center Band.
Rev. Zachiah Murray (Viveka) was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2003 and ordained in 2021. They are a graduate of Meru Institute, teach meditation, provide leadership for the Teen Rite of Passage program, and officiate wedding ceremonies. Professionally, they are a Registered Landscape Architect, Certified Massage Therapist and Active Release Practitioner, and they are the author of Mindfulness in the Garden: Zen Tools for Digging in the Dirt.
Rev. Usha Sharma (Brahmi) was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2017 and ordained in 2021. She is a certified meditation teacher and Vedic Counselor. Trained in India and the United States, Brahmi is also a certified hatha yoga instructor and is an author and poet, facilitating poetic medicine as a tool for wellness and supporting souls in opening the heart’s voice.
Rev. Tina Petrigni (Kashi) met Yogacharya O’Brian in 2007, was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2010, and ordained in 2021. Kashi is a 2018 Meru Institute graduate, certified meditation teacher, Vedic Counselor, and offers guided meditation in Spanish. Inspired by Yogacharya’s book the Jewel of Abundance, Kashi facilitates the discovery of one’s innate bliss & uplifts the wellbeing of all through joy—ananda.
Rev. Genie Palmer, PhD. was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2013 and ordained in 2021. She earned her M.Div. from Meru Institute, where she now serves as faculty and is a certified meditation teacher. Rev. Genie previously held the position of Executive Core Faculty at Sofia University where she served as Director of the Writing & Research Center and Dissertation Director. She is also a retired RN, having worked in the medical field for over 30 years.
Rev. Erin Edwards (Bhavani) was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2012, graduated from Meru Institute in 2016, and ordained in 2021. Bhavani serves as a CSE meditation leader, prayer minister, Racial Justice Program leader, and small group facilitator. Residing in Arizona, Bhavani is currently studying to be a marriage and family therapist to enable her to serve while blending the healing modalities of therapy with the principles of Kriya Yoga.
Rev. Deborah Dixon (Jyoti) was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2012 and ordained in 2024. She completed her training in Yoga Studies at Meru Institute in 2020 and is a certified meditation teacher. Jyoti oversees the website and weekly newsletter for Blue Lotus Meditation & Yoga Center, a CSE affiliate. She also supports online programs, teaches meditation, and serves as Vice-President on the Blue Lotus Board of Directors
Rev. Brian McIntyre (Rajendra) was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 2010 and ordained in 2024. Rajendra is a graduate of Meru Institute, a certified hatha yoga teacher, and serves on staff as CSE Facilities Manager.
D
aniel Duarte (Sanjay), M.Div., is a RYT-500 hatha yoga teacher and a CSE certified meditation instructor. He completed yoga teacher trainings through Yoga Bharati at CSE, Breathe for Change Yoga Training (San Francisco), and the Integral Yoga Institute. Sanjay has studied closely with Yogacharya O’Brian since 2014, and graduated from Meru Institute with an M.Div in Yoga Studies in 2018.
Kim Bick-Maurischat (Sri), M.Div., was initiated into Kriya Yoga in 1988 and is a graduate of Meru Institute. She is a Waldorf Early Childhood Teacher and is also a certified hatha yoga instructor. She teaches meditation and serves as a Senior Meditation Teacher at Carry the Vision.
Chris Lanier (Janardana) was initiated into Kriya yoga in 2012, is a certified hatha yoga teacher, meditation teacher, and serves in the CSE Music Ministry as a member of the Gitanjali Kirtan Band and The Center Band.
