Minds Incorporated - For five years, Dave had the honor of serving as Program Director & Co-Lead Trainer for Minds, a nonprofit integrating mindfulness in Wash. DC area schools. During 2013-18, Minds:

• Served over 18,000 students, educators, parents

• Served over 40 schools in four school districts

• Created a team of 35 mindfulness trainers

• Designed curricula for Educators, Teens, K-5th

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Peace of Mind - https://teachpeaceofmind.org/ - PoM's innovative program integrates: Mindfulness, Peace Education, Neuroscience, Social Justice. Roles served:

• Advisory Board - Consultation on mindfulness practice, building partnerships, equity & inclusion 

• Program Designer - Co-creator of year-long "Virtual Community Circles" program 

• Facilitator - Co-Facilitator of year-long VCC's 

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Soliya International - https://soliya.net/ 

• Cross-Cultural Dialog - Guiding virtual circles of students from Africa, the Middle East, and North & South America in increased empathy & awareness

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Mindful Schools - https://www.mindfulschools.org/

• Program Design - Co-created revision of Mindfulness Teacher Certification Program 

• Guiding Teacher - MTCP educator cohorts

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Mindfulness First - https://www.mindfulnessfirst.org/

• Program Design - Co-created "Teaching Mindfulness II" Training Series for educators

• Facilitator & Coach - Mindfulness educator circles

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Millennium Forum - https://www.millenniumforum.org/

Mindfulness, community, and flourishing for educators

• Facilitation - Year-Long mindfulness-circle guide​

Organizations & Schools:
Facilitation, consulting

American University

• Mindfulness - Schools of Public Health, Education

  • Course Design - 15-week courses integrating mindfulness, community building, inclusion

  • Facilitation - 15-week​ courses for students of public health, psychology, education, business 

• Restorative Justice & Inclusion - Facilitator/Trainer 

  • Circle Facilitation

  • Restorative Dialog & Practices

  • Restoring racial harm

Guest-Speaking & Panels - Mindfulness

• Children's National Hospital

• Kojo Nnamdi Show (WAMU) 

• iBme - Inward Bound Mindfulness Education

• IMCW - Insight Meditation Community of Wash DC

• Mindful Kids Peace Summit

• Mindful Schools

• The Peace Alliance

• Washington DC Interfaith Leadership Summit 

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Schools (K-12) - Mindfulness, Restorative Justice ​

• District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) 

• Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) 

• Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)

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Organizations - Org Development, Mindfulness

• American University 

• Associated Builders & Contractors 

• CollabraLink 

• ECIN - Early Childhood Innovation Network 

• EYEJ - Empowering Youth, Exploring Justice 

• Henkel (Belgium) 

• Port of Antwerp (Belgium) 

• Swagelok (Cleveland)

• Yoga Studios (Wash DC based)

Wisdom Teachers from my Youth

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My Parents & Family - For raising me to be curious, to ask questions, to always stand up for others (especially when they don't have a voice), for teaching me to trust myself, and for teaching me kindness and generosity.

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Sifu Fran Farrell - For showing me the true spirit of martial arts: that warriors train to embody peace to self, peace to others, and to act with heart, mind, and courage.  Never violence. 

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Sam Holt - My 9th grade history teacher, who taught me the strength to be vulnerable in front of others, the courage to be myself, and the importance of creating safe spaces for teens. 

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Caleen Jennings - My African American Arts professor, who taught me that our cultural differences can be celebrated, and that a sense of community and an honoring of our hearts belong in every classroom.

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Steve Smith - My 8th grade history teacher, who taught me that the best teachers are the ones who challenge students, and think outside the box in order to best touch the lives of others.

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Mayer Selekman - My Rabbi, who taught me that kindness and gentleness have no limits, to always ask questions, and how to speak with grace, intelligence, and conviction.

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Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi - For teaching me that spirituality has no bounds, that humor can be found in everything, and that the wisest parts of ourselves know how to connect to the wisdom in others. 

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Richard Berendzen - My Astronomy professor, who taught me that sacredness and wonder belong in science, to embody humbleness, and that people who have harmed others are capable of change.

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Allen Iverson - For showing me how to create and express with unbridled joy, to trust my intuition, and to find the grit and tenacity to keep getting back up.

Meditation teachers who continue to

inspire my practice and teaching:

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            Pema Chodron   -   Thich Nhat Hanh 

            Jonathan Foust   -   Florence Meleo-Meyer

            Angel Kyodo-Williams   -   Bhante Gunaratana

            Jon Kabat-Zinn   -   La Sarmiento 

            Marisela Gomez   -   S.N. Goenka   

            Alan Watts   -   Trudy Mitchell-Gilkey 

            Mushim Ikeda   -   Larry Yang  

            Ram Dass   -   Ma Joya Sati Bhagavati  

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My other great wisdom teachers:

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Music - For being the art that helped me find joy and express sadness.  For helping me process endless emotions.  For tuning me into my true nature.  

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Storytelling - For creating spaces where every person has wisdom to offer, and cultivating empathy by  learning from each person's unique life path.   

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Tai-Chi - For teaching me to how to let go.  For showing me what it means to feel empowered in my body, and to befriend my body's innate wisdom.

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Basketball - For teaching my younger self that was so hurt, angry, and self-loathing that we can find peace and resilience during our most challenging emotions.

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Lloyd Alexander - For being the first storyteller who touched my heart, and made me want to read.  For teaching me that we can learn from everyone, and that that purity still exists amidst life's sorrows.

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James Baldwin & Ralph Ellison - For teaching me to explore the depths of injustice rooted in our systems, and the importance of fully feeling our anger.

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Richard Pryor - For embodying what it means to be an artist.  For teaching me to balance dualities: that joy is tinged with loss, and that sadness can wear a smile.  

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Kobe Bryant - For teaching me discipline and work ethic.  For challenging me to find resilience to work through adversity, and to pursue goals with tenacity.