Board of Directors
Our governing body
The Board of Directors is the governing body of IMCW, a 501 C3 non-profit religious corporation.
Board members serve as the stewards of IMCW, its resources, programs and activities. Officers include the President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary. The Board meets quarterly to discuss issues, deliberate policy, and to vote.
IMCW is committed to expanding the diversity of its board and committees, and especially encourages individuals from a diversity of races, sexual preferences, and ages to offer their services.
You are always welcome to contact Board members to ask questions, offer suggestions, or give feedback and input.
Board Members
Stephen Gold (President and Acting Treasurer)
Stephen (he/him) started his journey in Vipissana meditation as one of Jonathan Foust’s early students in 2006. He is a graduate from the Year of Living Mindfully, has attended dozens of daylong and weeklong meditation retreats over the past 15 years, and is involved in three spiritual friends meditation groups, including administering one of IMCW’s virtual meditation groups.
A strong believer in the need to bring insight meditation philosophy and practices into the workplace, Stephen introduced mindfulness practices into his own nonprofit company in 2016, and has presented on the topic of mindfulness in the workplace to other companies and at conferences. He has an M.A. in history from George Washington University and a J.D. from George Mason School of Law.
Booma Venkataraman (Secretary)
Booma (she/her) has been practicing Vipassana meditation for 7 years and has attended several residential retreats. Booma graduated from the 2-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program (MMTCP) in 2021.
Booma is born in Kolkata, India, and was drawn to the mystery of spirituality from a young age. She dedicated herself to Hindu meditation practices, including the reading of Bhagavad Gita. Her professional work brought her to the U.S. in 1997. In 2011, she moved to the Washington D.C. area, and she felt a strong urge to explore and enhance her spiri, motivating her to explore the Insight path. One Wednesday evening in 2015, she walked into Tara Brach’s sangha—the teaching was like a cool, clear, fresh fountain. This felt like “a spacious home” for Booma and there was no turning back.
Booma works for the Federal Government. She’s trained as an engineer and has a Master’s degree in business administration. She has held several leadership positions, including championing the promotion of diversity and inclusion activities at her work. She is delighted to serve as the IMCW board member. Booma sees this as an opportunity to deepen wisdom, collaborate, and serve all beings by the rippling of compassionate action.
Anna Johns
Anna (she/her) has been practicing yoga and meditation since 2001, when she began her training with Indian Master Kamal Srinivas followed by Therapeutic Yoga training at Duke University, Mindfulness Meditation Certification Program with Dr. Tara Brach and Dr. Jack Kornfield and Buddhist Chaplaincy program with Sati Center.
Anna is serving as a Chaplain (Clinical Pastoral Education Resident) at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She is a teacher and board member at IMCW, the co-founder of IMCW’s Asian Sangha, and an assistant teacher with Inward Bound Mindfulness Education teen retreats.
Growing up in India, Anna watched her father meditate in the woods. The seeds were planted then, her spiritual path has continued, and her life and the lives of those she serves have been transformed through these practices. Anna continues to develop her practice through her ongoing mentorship with Jonathan Foust and Master Kamal.
Neele Johnston
Silvia Garcia-Pereira
Silvia (she/her) has been formally practicing Vipassana, Insight Meditation, for over 15 years. She graduated from the Year of Living Mindfully program in 2009 and in 2013 graduated from The Meditation Teacher Training Institute’s two-year program with teachers Tara Brach, Jonathan Foust, Hugh Byrne and Pat Coffey. That year, she also received a .b mindfulness in schools, teacher certification and has recently completed the Advance Practitioners Program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, a one-year program for senior students of the dharma. She has been an IMCW Affiliate Teacher for several years.
Silvia holds an MFA in film and television from NYU and works as a video producer for Montgomery County Public Schools. She has contributed as video producer to several of IMCW’s videos and is happy to work on multiple video projects to spread her love for the dharma.
As a mother of two young adults, her practice is an integral part of daily life.
Stig Regli
Stig (he/him) is a teacher for IMCW. He has practiced Vipassana meditation since 1984 and facilitated sitting groups and classes since 1997. He was introduced to the practice in Thailand in accordance with the teachings of the Burmese Mahasi Sayadaw tradition. He has been guided by numerous Asian and North American teachers with his primary teacher being Tara Brach. Stig is grateful for finding sangha through engagement with IMCWs formation, previously serving on its first board and as vice president. In 2008 he completed the three-year Community Dharma Leadership program sponsored by the Spirit Rock Meditation Center. He is thrilled with now serving again on the board.
Stig retired from USEPA in March 2021 after working for 40 years as an environmental engineer, regulation manager, and senior policy advisor and receiving a Distinguished Career Service Award. His search for “right livelihood” prior to EPA is described in the book he recently co-authored: The Road Taken: The Remarkable Story of a Transcontinental Bicycle Odyssey. He and his wife, Melanie La Force, two daughters, and two dogs live in Arlington, Virginia.
Valca Valentine
Valca Valentine (she/her) is a public engagement strategist and former journalist developing and leading communications programs for a variety of government, corporate and non-profit organizations. From 1994 to 2012 she oversaw program and public affairs as Director of Communications within the DC Mayor’s Executive Office, was Senior Associate at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, and Strategic Communications Contract Manager for the Veterans Health Administration and most recently, Senior Technical Editor for General Dynamics Information Technology. Her roles included management of cross-functional teams, public awareness campaign development and relationship management strategies.
A co-founder of Mindful Living in DC, Valca is a 2019 graduate of the two-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program for Teaching Awareness and Compassion-Based Practices founded and taught by Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. Valca’s mindfulness and meditation practice evolved from a desire for healthy responses and ease toward an individual and shared spiritual path of enlightenment.