Board of Directors
Melanie Van Amsterdam, Chair
Melanie Van Amsterdam has been a Zen Buddhist and student at the Bodhi Manda Zen Center since 1997. She has also practiced at the Albuquerque Zen Center and currently with the Cheong Ryang Sa Zen Buddhist Order in Jensen Beach, Florida.
She first joined the Board of Trustees in 2015, serving as Chair in 2016-2017. She happily rejoined the Board as Chair in November 2021. She is committed to helping the Bodhi Manda evolve as an American Zen Center and to support the practice of the Sangha, the Abbess Jiun Hosen Ranger and Roshi Danan Henry.
In secular life, she is a palliative medicine physician. She lives in Stuart, Fl with her wife and 2 dogs.
Mike Kivitz
Mike Kivitz served the Adelante Development Center in Albuequerque NM for more than 42 years in various capacities. He retired as president and CEO of the organization in April 2021. Kivitz led Adelante from a small nonprofit with six clients to one of the largest nonprofits in New Mexico. Currently the organization helps more than 80,000 disabled, disadvantaged, and elderly people each year with a $40 million operating budget in 2024.
Mike lives in Albuquerque and joined the board in September 2024.
Tom Brennan
Tom Brennan has studied Zen and Contemplative Prayer since 1978 with strong emphasis on Thomas Merton. He helped to establish the Completive Prayer Center with Brian Taylor and Joko Beck (San Diego Zen Center) at St Michaels and All Angels Episcopal Church and has visited and practiced at the Bodhi since 2000. For Tom, the blending of eastern and western approaches is intuitive and crucial. The chance to add value to the Bodhi, actively participate in its programs and to seek convergence of truth draws him to the Bodhi, to Hosen and to the expanding refined mission that we are collectively attempting to offer more succinctly to our community and the world.
With ARCH Venture Partners since 2008. Currently leading their LabStart, ARCH Technical Services (ATS), New York City Life Science Funding Initiative NYC LSF and all aspects of early stage technology commercialization with emphasis on life sciences, platform and completely disruptive technologies.
Elaine Hausman
Elaine Hausman’s first experience at the Bodhi was in 1983, for a retreat weekend with the Sathya Sai Baba organization. Since then, the Bodhi has been a spiritual home for the Sai Baba organization, with members meeting there annually on Labor Day weekends for 38 years. To honor her deep respect for Hosen, Elaine volunteered to be the Bodhi bookkeeper in 2014. She is honored to now serve as a Member of the Board of Directors and as Treasurer of the Bodhi Manda Zen Center.
As a longtime supporter of arts for young people, Elaine was a founding director of the Santa Fe Youth Symphony in 1994. Elaine served as Treasurer and then Executive Director of the Moving People Dance Santa Fe from 2004 through 2009.
She is currently a Member of the Board of Directors and Treasurer of Moving Arts Española, which offers fine arts instruction to youth in one of the most under-served counties in New Mexico.
Mrs. Hausman also serves as the Southwest Region 9 President for the Sathya Sai Baba International Organization.
Jan Wooten
Jan Wooten is a retired research chemist who lives in Richmond, VA. He was introduced to the Bodhi while attending a retreat more than 20 years ago. After a number of retreats, he often returned to the Bodhi for personal Zen practice and vacation. He was introduced to Zazen and Zen philosophy at the Bodhi.
Jan has participated in fund raising and is currently the newsletter editor and webmaster. He joined the board of directors in April, 2022.
Carl Baccellieri
Carl is a contemplative psychotherapist and executive coach who arrived at the Bodhi seeking a natural setting for sincere practice. He quickly felt a deep sense of connection to the Bodhi and its mission, and feels honored to be invited to participate on the board. He lives with his wife Eve on a small acequia-fed homestead in La Puebla, NM within sight of the Jemez Mountains.