The training and synchronization of the faculty are integral parts of the program. Our faculty members are committed to personal development, both spiritually and professionally. Beyond that shared vision, their backgrounds and educations are diverse as one can see from their biographies.
The dedication of our faculty to the academic and personal journeys of the students is extraordinary, as one can see from the student testimonials. They are equally devoted to exploring contemplative education as a group. The program faculty members have worked closely since the start of the program in 2001. Some have worked together on developing contemplative education for years before that. Over the years they have devoted scores of extra hours to planning this program, not only their individual courses, but also the interplay among the courses. It is not unusual to have more than one faculty member in a given class during the summers. The passion of faculty to learn from each other and from the students is inspiring. Online faculty, too, often visit the summer program, particularly during the opening weekend.
Core Faculty:
Dale Asrael BS, Northwestern University
Elementary and Secondary Education certificates, Notre Dame University (Canada)
Dale has taught in the field of contemplative education for more than twenty-five years. She taught K–12 students for many years at the Buddhist-inspired Vidya School in Boulder, Colorado. Dale is an Acharya (Senior Teacher) in the lineage of Naropa’s founder, Ven. Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and the Sakyong, Mipham Rinpoche and an Upadhyaya (Buddhist minister). In addition to her teaching as core faculty at Naropa, she leads meditation retreats internationally and trains meditation instructors.
Richard C. Brown, Co-Chair, Department of Contemplative Education BA, Knox College
MA, The Naropa Institute
Graduate Study, Earlham School of Religion
Certificate in Elementary Education, University of Denver
Richard C. Brown founded the Contemplative Education Department at Naropa University in 1990. The department adapts wisdom, compassion, and skillful means drawn from Buddhist and holistic education traditions to non-sectarian teacher education. Its programs include a BA in Early Childhood Education, a fifth-year state teacher licensure program, and a low-residency MA in Contemplative Education. After teaching public elementary school, Richard taught seven years during the 1980s at The Vidya School, a Buddhist-inspired K-12 in Boulder. Since then he has been involved in the formation of several contemplative schools, has helped develop Buddhist rites of passage programs, and has published a Buddhist view of child and adolescent spiritual development. Richard has mainly written on various areas of contemplative teacher education including emotion, awareness, and observation.
Lee Worley BA, Mount Holyoke College
MA, The Naropa Institute
Lee Worley founded the Theatre Studies program at Naropa in 1974. She has developed contemplative exercises for arts in education and contemplative education programs throughout her career at Naropa. She also taught theatre at a Buddhist-inspired middle school in Boulder for many years. She is one of a very few holders of the Mudra Space Awareness lineage—a performance training derived from Tibetan Yoga. She was a founding member, actress and teacher in Joseph Chaikin's Open Theater and is a senior student of Tibetan Buddhism. Her recent book, Coming from Nothing: The Sacred Art of Acting, outlines her contemplative acting method.
Genét Simone BA, Education, Western Washington University
MS, Women's Studies, Mankato State University, MN
PhD, Social Foundations of Education, Policy and Practice, University of Colorado, Boulder
Her research focused on the inner work and professional development of teachers in a program called "The Courage to Teach." While in Boulder, Dr. Simone became involved with Naropa University, assisting with the development and implementation of their Master's in Contemplative Education program. She is still actively involved in the on-going process of program development.
Currently, Dr. Simone works as faculty and Site Director (Kitsap/Olympic Peninsula) for Western Washington University, Woodring College of Education. She teaches a variety of classes to undergraduate and masters-level students pursing their teaching degree and certification. Her research with the Courage to Teach and Naropa's Contemplative Education program inform her work with students at all levels; she is constantly striving to find ways to empower and nurture teachers so they can establish genuine and healthy relationships with their students and colleagues.
Dr. Simone lives in West Seattle. She thoroughly enjoys being near the ocean and all of Seattle's renowned coffee shops.
JoAnn Robinson PhD, Human Development and Family Studies, Cornell University
JoAnn has taught at Naropa University since 1997. JoAnn is professor and director of Early Childhood Education Training in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Connecticut. Previously, she worked in the Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, researching impacts of early interventions on young children and their families. JoAnn is a long-time member of a Head Start Bureau national research consortium studying the impact of Early Head Start in extending services to poor pregnant women and families with children 0–3 years old.
Michele Blumberg
Michele Blumberg has graduate and undergraduate degrees in education, as well as Montessori certification. Michele has trained and taught in Montessori and Waldorf schools, directed her own small school and worked as an educator in social service agencies. Currently, she teaches at Global Village School, a progressive high school for homeschoolers; directs FlyingStart Tutoring in San Diego; and instructs teachers in the Contemplative Education Department at Naropa University. Michele is also an educational consultant for Jewish Family Service of San Diego in their youth services and school-based programs department.
Michael Girodo BA, Psychology, The Naropa Institute
MA candidate, Interdisciplinary Studies: Education and Art, Naropa University
Prior to receiving his BA from Naropa in 1987, Michael worked in the field of Early Childhood Education as a trained Montessori teacher. He has also worked at Alaya Preschool and Blue Sky Kindergarten developing his understanding of both Contemplative early education and Waldorf-inspired early education. Since his graduation he has worked for Naropa University in the areas of International Education coordinating trips to Nepal; in the Performing Arts Center as assistant director in charge of lights, sound and set design. His most current position began in 1999 when he became the administrative director for the Contemplative Education Department, advisor for the MA program and adjunct faculty for the BA Early Childhood Education program. He is also working toward an MA in Contemplative Education and Art through Naropa University’s Interdisciplinary Studies program.
Alexandra MacKay Shenpen BA, Naropa University
MA, Expressive Arts in Psychotherapy, Lesley College
PhD, The Creative Arts, The Union Institute
LPC, REAT
Alexandra MacKay Shenpen has been teaching in various capacities at Naropa since 1986. Some of the areas include the arts, psychology, meditation and Space Awareness or Maitri practice. In addition, she has held several clinical positions in the Boulder area, including an inpatient drug and alcohol treatment unit and Boulder County's inpatient eating disorders program.
Richard C. Brown, Co-Chair, Department of Contemplative Education 
Lee Worley
Genét Simone
JoAnn Robinson