Enriching the Heart of Naropa University
Earlier this semester, Naropa University welcomed seven new Core Faculty members whose diverse backgrounds in scholarship, creativity, and contemplative practice have already begun to deepen our collective learning environment. Their presence strengthens our shared commitment to contemplative and transformative education. Meet them below!
Sriya Bhattacharyya, PhD
Core Candidate Associate Professor, Somatic Counseling
Sriya Bhattacharyya, PhD, is a Bengali-Indian American psychologist, artist, and activist working at the intersection of trauma, social transformation, and creative healing. Her teaching and research dismantle systems of oppression through somatic, contemplative, and arts-based approaches. A graduate of Boston College, she has provided psychological evaluations for international human trafficking survivors and asylum seekers. Featured in The New York Times and NPR, Sriya has presented widely on social liberation and creative resilience. She is delighted to join Naropa’s Somatic Counseling program. See faculty profile.
Ashley Bentzel, MA
Core Candidate Assistant Professor, Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling
Ashley Bentzel is a doctoral candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision at Shippensburg University and a licensed counselor dedicated to the ethical integration of emerging therapies. Her passion lies in the ethical application of artificial intelligence and psychedelic-assisted therapy, inspired by contemplative teaching and mindfulness as tools for fostering social justice and self-awareness. Ashley’s clinical background spans mental health therapy and school counseling, supporting clients in self-awareness and growth. She specializes in working with emerging adults in her private practice. At Naropa, she fosters collaborative, contemplative learning environments that encourage students to explore their “growing edge.” See faculty profile.
Christine DeMarco, MA
Core Candidate Associate Professor, Transpersonal Art Therapy
Chris DeMarco has been a part of Naropa’s teaching community since 2005 as Adjunct Faculty and now joins as Core Faculty and Chair of the Transpersonal Art Therapy program. With degrees in Social Work, Psychology, and Expressive Therapies from Lesley University, she integrates decades of experience as clinician, supervisor, and educator. Chris specializes in community mental health and work with children, teens, and families. She values partnership, service, and creative expression as pathways to healing and transformation, and recently co-managed a resiliency center serving those impacted by mass violence. See faculty profile.
Mica Graves, MA
Core Candidate Assistant Professor, Nature-Based Transpersonal Counseling
Mica Graves harnesses the power of animals and nature to foster connection and belonging. Raised on a working family farm, she values collective work and advocates for group counseling and cohort-based learning. A licensed professional counselor and Naropa alum of Transpersonal Wilderness Therapy, she has chaired the Nature-Based Transpersonal Counseling concentration since 2022. A former therapeutic riding instructor, Mica has led equine therapy programs and camps, helping clients form healthy attachments and supporting neurodiverse, brain-injured, and unhoused populations. Trained in EMDR, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Natural Lifemanship, and pre- and perinatal development, she lives with her husband and two sons near Golden, Colorado. See faculty profile.
Juliet L. King, PhD, ATR-BC, LPC, LMHC
Core Professor, Transpersonal Art Therapy
Juliet L. King, PhD, ATR-BC, LPC, LMHC, joins Naropa University as a Core Professor and serves as Adjunct Associate Professor of Neurology at Indiana University School of Medicine. Formerly on the faculty at The George Washington University and founding director of the graduate art therapy program at IU Herron School of Art and Design—where she established over 30 student internship partnerships—she brings 25+ years as a clinician, educator, and researcher. Her work explores art therapy and neuroscience, focusing on accessibility across diverse communities. Author and editor of Art Therapy, Neuroscience, and Trauma (2nd ed., 2024), she is developing a neuroscience-informed art therapy toolkit to support trauma treatment, education, and global knowledge exchange. See faculty profile.
Netanel Miles-Yépez, DD
Core Candidate Assistant Professor, Religious Studies
Netanel Miles-Yépez, DD, is an artist, philosopher, and Sufi-Hasidic teacher, serving as Pir of the Inayati-Maimuni lineage of Sufism and co-founder of the Charis Foundation for New Monasticism & Interspirituality. A leading voice in interspiritual dialogue, his work bridges mysticism, philosophy, and creative expression. He is the author, translator, and editor of numerous books, including The End of Religion and A Heart Afire. His paintings draw from his Mexican-American heritage and spiritual lineage. At Naropa, he teaches in Religious Studies and directs The Keating-Schachter Center for Interspirituality. See faculty profile.
Monica Mueller, PhD
Core Candidate Associate Professor, Ecopsychology, Environmental Studies, & Interdisciplinary Studies
Monica Mueller, PhD, is Core Candidate Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary and Environmental Studies and Chair of the Ecopsychology program at Naropa University. A philosopher of ethics and social transformation, her work explores what it means to be conscious, responsive beings in an intricately connected world. Formerly the 2024–25 Lenz Joanna Macy Residential Fellow and longtime Philosophy faculty at Portland State University, she brings expertise in ethics, social and political philosophy, and transformative pedagogy. Drawing from years of teaching in carceral settings, she examines how systems of supremacy distort our relationships—with ourselves, each other, and the more-than-human world. Author of Contrary to Thoughtlessness: Rethinking Practical Wisdom, her work invites a shift from separation to interdependence, rooted in justice, reciprocity, and wonder. See faculty profile.
We warmly welcome these remarkable educators to Naropa University who’s collective vision and experience embody the heart of contemplative education—integrating scholarship, presence, and transformation in service to a more compassionate world.
As we celebrate new faculty, we also honor several Core Faculty promotions this semester, whose continued dedication to teaching and scholarship keep fueling the contemplative heart of Naropa’s mission.
Core Faculty Promotions
- Shara Brun, PhD — Core Assistant Professor, Somatic Counseling
- Carla Burns, MA — Core Assistant Professor, BA Psychology
- Anna Dinallo, PhD — Core Assistant Professor, Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling
- Cynthia Drake, PhD — Core Associate Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies
- Nataraja Kallio, MA — Core Professor, Traditional Eastern Arts / Yoga Studies
- Marquita Maxwell, MDiv — Core Assistant Professor, Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling
- Zonovia Proctor, PhD — Core Associate Professor, Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling
- Ben Williams, PhD — Core Associate Professor, Religious Studies / Yoga Studies
Congratulations to all these faculty members for their achievements and continued contributions to Naropa’s contemplative education community!
