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The Mindfulness Alliance is working to walk the talk. As a contemplative organization we are on a journey of discovery, exploring what it means to hold awareness and collective wellbeing at the center of organizational development processes. Aligned with the principles of networked and collective leadership, we are participating in a form of governance that is collaborative, inclusive, and authentic, that distributes authority and accountability broadly, in addition to being aligned with the values and principles of mindfulness practice. We value the innate gifts and contributions of everyone involved.

Founding Members

Our nine organizational founders come from diverse disciplines, sectors, and wisdom traditions. They are dedicated to embodying their practices-in-action, promoting awareness-based social change, and making collective wellbeing a reality.

Lisa Napora

Founding Director & Vision Steward

A lifelong contemplative, Lisa is fluent in the language of transformation. Her deep exploration of the relational dynamics between inner and outer change has fueled her passion for mindfulness education, mindful leadership, and to drive social systems change forward for collective well-being. Thus, Lisa plays a multifaceted role within The Alliance. She contributes to organizational development, always ensuring alignment with contemplative principles. She sets the cultural tone for contemplative governance and inspires commitment to the process of emergence and living our practice in action. Her expertise in non-profit management and community-building underpins her oversight of daily operations. Lisa also writes, speaks, holds workshops, and offers consulting on an array of awareness-based topics. She holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership and serves as a Visiting Scholar at the University at Buffalo. She teaches Mindful Leadership and Quantum Leadership programs at the State University of New York’s Leadership Institute, which supports 64 campuses. Lisa’s collaborations are wide-ranging and include working with the United States Coast Guard, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and various universities and organizations across the United States. She served on the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Contemplative Inquiry and the board of the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society. Additionally, she was a Fellow at Mind and Life’s Academy for Contemplative and Ethical Leadership.

Mitchell Alegre

​Groundskeeper
As Groundskeeper, Mitch helps cultivate and maintain The Alliance’s philosophical ground, support the development of contemplative governance structures and functions, and keep the organization aligned with its intentions. Mitch has been on a conscious spiritual journey even as a child. His introduction to mindfulness came through Transcendental Meditation as a freshman in college. Mitch has always pursued his work as a consultant, trainer, and educator a calling confirmed decades ago on a ten-day vision quest in the Utah Canyonlands. In addition to providing consulting and training services in personal and organizational effectiveness for the past four decades, Mitch teaches management and leadership courses for Niagara University’s College of Business Administration and serves as advisor to the University’s Interdisciplinary Minor in Leadership. He recently became a Veriditas-trained labyrinth facilitator.

John Frederick

​Principle Navigator & Facilitator in Residence

John brings his interest in creativity and leadership to The Alliance as the Principle Navigator and Facilitator in Residence. He helps coordinate strategic planning initiatives and the design of sustainable contemplative governance structures. A lifelong educator, he established a leadership development center at Buffalo State College and taught at the International Center for Studies in Creativity. After 25 years at Buff State, he created the Center for Executive Leadership at Daemen College and designed the Executive Leadership and Change MS program. This program was founded on the premise that what destinguishes a leader from other contributors in an organization is a heightened sense of awareness. His current research interests examine the synergy between Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem Solving, Theory U, and Social Presencing Theater.

Katie Darling

Money Minder & ​Grant Wrangler

Katie applies her savvy budgeting and organizational development strategies as the Money Minder for The Alliance. She devotes her time to managing money with intentionality and integrity, in addition to supporting organizational sustainability by finding and securing funding in her role as the Grant Wrangler. Several years ago, Katie read an article about improving college student learning and wellbeing through mindfulness techniques. She was hooked – Mindfulness works, it can help anyone! She began developing her own contemplative practice and joined others on a crusade to legitimize contemplative pedagogy on her campus. Katie is a seasoned education administrator and currently the Associate Dean for Academic Services in the Graduate School at the University of Buffalo.

Danielle Pelfrey Duryea

Passionate Wordsmith

Danielle is a writer at heart. As the Passionate Wordsmith, she helps The Alliance to articulate its mission precisely and effectively. Danielle began practicing meditation some years ago while experiencing significant health issues. In 2015, inspired by her colleague Stephanie Phillips and by Daniel Barbezat, then director of the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society, she began to integrate awareness-based practices into her law teaching and joined campus-wide efforts to integrate mindfulness. As a teacher in experiential learning at the Boston University School of Law, she seeks to nurture creative, conscious, and compassionate emerging lawyers. She has written about how mindfulness can enhance law student intentionality and resilience, as well as deepen understanding of justice and injustice. 

Rosa D’Abate

​Idea Elevator 

As the Idea Elevator for The Alliance, Rosa shares her gifts with ideation, relatedness, and ground to help bring organizational concepts into externalized forms.  Rosa worked as the Coordinator of Student Services for the Williamsville Central School District where she helped bring mindfulness to K-12 students and teachers under the guidance of Linda Lantieri. In her 25 years of K-12 experience, she has also been a Math teacher and a School Psychologist. Rosa is a long-standing practitioner of yoga and meditation. She maintains a daily practice and enjoys teaching yoga and mindfulness to adults and children. Recently she completed an Ayurveda Yoga Specialist program through the Himalayan Institute.

Nicole Newcomb-Chumsky

​Founder

Nicole utilized her design and business skills to create engaging marketing campaigns, attract new volunteers, and launch events. Nicole’s journey into mindfulness began during graduate school when she attended a group meditation course, felt at home, and realized a great desire to learn more. Her journey continued with graduate level training courses, silent retreats, self-study and seminars. She dedicates her life work to spreading the magic of mindfulness to those in her community. She is a Licensed Mental Health counselor, Mindfulness Coach, Certified Trauma Informed Yoga Instructor, and the Founder of Be Embodied – a Mindfulness-based Counseling Center. Nicole has a heart-felt connection and deep commitment to awareness-based social change and The Alliance.

Stephanie Phillips

Founder
(In Memoriam)

As Purveyor of Lovingkindness, Stephanie prioritized the value of compassion for oneself, as well as in the interpersonal, institutional, and social domains. She strived to ensure that, in all respects of this work, The Mindfulness Alliance reflects the fundamental premises that all humans have intrinsic worth, and that we share desires for happiness, health, and security.  Stephanie taught for more than thirty years in the School of Law at the University of Buffalo. Since 2010, she had taught a seminar entitled “Mindfulness & Professional Identity: Becoming a Lawyer While Keeping Your Values Intact,” a lawyering course that holds compassion as a unifying theme, and that offers the tools of mindfulness to assist students in becoming skilled and ethical lawyers. An advocate for Engaged Mindfulness, Stephanie was deeply committed to social change.

Debra Perkowski

Founder

Deb started her mindfulness journey many years ago when her former boss fatefully shared a Jon Kabat-Zinn recording with her to brighten her lengthy commute. The planting of this seed sparked so many questions, more books to read, and her role as a founding member of The Mindfulness Alliance. As the Manifestation Architect, Deb focused her efforts on information gathering, database building, event planning, and record keeping to support the organization. Deb has three decades of higher education administration experience, and currently worked as the Executive Secretary for the Provost at Genesee Community College. She has learned much from the energetic, like-minded individuals on the team and the collective efforts to advance individual and collective wellbeing.

Community Supporters

We celebrate the incredible volunteers who are the heart of our organization. Their unwavering dedication and selfless contributions drive our mission forward, making a tangible difference in the lives we collectively touch. We deeply value and appreciate each volunteer’s efforts.

Ava Calabrese

Creativity Supporter

Ava was first introduced to mindfulness many years ago through founding member Nicole Chumsky—an experience that ultimately led her to The Mindfulness Alliance (TMA). She pursued a doctoral degree in clinical psychology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is currently completing her doctoral internship at the Buffalo VA Hospital, where her work centers on chronic pain and trauma.

Guided by a deep appreciation for the mind–body connection, Ava aspires to support Veterans in their healing journeys by using a somatic and mindfulness-based approach to therapy and psychodiagnostic assessment. Ava began her work with TMA as an intern in 2019, contributing to the Uplift Buffalo Festival, and continues to share her creativity with the organization through graphic design, marketing, and social media projects.

Angeline Cooper

Program Manager

Angel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University at Buffalo. She plans to continue her education with the goal of becoming a mental health counselor or school psychologist. Her multiple years of working with elementary children has inspired her to continue fostering meaningful relationships as well as educating herself on the different perspectives of others, no matter the age. She served as a TMA intern, and continues to use her technical and analytical mind to support online learning programs. She believes her passion for social change, optimism, and her willingness to learn from others will contribute to The Mindfulness Alliance.

Nicole Zelazny

Number Cruncher

Nicole became familiar with mindfulness several years ago when she took a deep dive into her own mindful and contemplative practices. Her attendance at Uplift Buffalo 2019 began her journey with The Mindfulness Alliance, intrigued by the organization and her desire to learn more about participating. Her background in finance and accounting led her to take on a number crunching role as well as helping with information flow from one electronic platform to another. Nicole currently works with businesses providing direction in both their financial and general operational processes. Her gentle spirit, dedication, and tenacity are a welcome presence and guiding support in organization development and beyond.

Jasmitha Keesara

Intern
Jasmitha is a student at the University at Buffalo pursuing a double major in Neuroscience and Public Health, with a minor in Psychology. She is passionate about mental health, mindfulness, and understanding how we can better support both individual and community wellbeing. Through her studies and experiences in healthcare, she hopes to combine her interests in psychology, public health, and medicine as she works toward her goal of becoming a pediatrician. Outside of school, Jasmitha enjoys taking long walks, reading, yoga, scrapbooking, and finding creative ways to relax and unwind.

Tessa Bechtold

Event Coordinator

Tessa regularly integrates mindfulness into her work as a licensed mental health counselor in private practice. She finds tremendous value integrating mindfulness concepts and skills throughout her work, and that this has consistently led to more successful outcomes in her client’s overall wellbeing. Tessa began her journey with The Mindfulness Alliance as an attendee at Uplift Buffalo – Buffalo’s First Mindfulness Festival in 2019 – to later attending Mindful Mixers. In 2021, Tessa began volunteering as co-coordinator of events. She develops and plans events to provide mindfulness opportunities to the community. Independently, Tessa strongly aligns with TMAs mission and goals to collaboratively aid individual personal transformation and community change to better serve humanity. Tessa cherishes the opportunity to be a part of The Mindfulness Alliance and to support the collective whole through compassion, justice, and inclusivity.

Layla Providente

Research Explorer

Layla Providente is a kind and compassionate soul interested in awareness-based practices and their effect on our collective wellbeing. She is a mental health practitioner who wears many hats – school psychologist, mindfulness teacher, parent, partner, and advocate. Layla enjoys working collaboratively with children, adolescents, and young adults in an effort to guide them on their journey to authenticity and awareness-based living. She operates from a trauma-informed lens and strongly believes that mindfulness and meditation open the door for inner healing and spiritual growth. It is here that Layla meets the service work of TMA, sharing her analytic skills and attention to detail to support research and evaluation efforts. She looks forward to sharing and growing through this co-creative journey.