MEET OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Our Nonprofit is served by enthusiastic supporters of the Mission and Purpose of Meditate and Thrive. Their service is inspired by the life-affirming teachings of Kriya Yoga that has changed their lives. They give because they have received so much.
– Maya Angelou
Are You Inspired to Share Your Skills and Talents?
Meditate & Thrive is sustained by selfless volunteers and generous donors. As a nonprofit religious organization, we are governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors. Our Directors generally serve a term of two years and when that term is up, we look to our community for new members. We are continually seeking additional members to expand our diverse leadership group. You are welcome to participate at a level that works for you.
Many benefits and opportunities come with serving on our Board.
• Your service will contribute to positive change and make a meaningful impact on our community’s needs.
• You’ll build valuable connections with like-minded individuals.
• Gain a sense of fulfillment and personal satisfaction by being part of a mission-driven organization.
• Apply your skills and expertise to address challenges and help our organization achieve its goals.
• Boost your professional profile by showcasing board service, and demonstrating commitment to community engagement.
• Develop and demonstrate effective leadership skills, which can be beneficial in both professional and personal contexts.
• Play a role in shaping the direction and policies of the organization, influencing its long-term success.
• Experience the satisfaction that comes from contributing to a cause you believe in and supporting positive change in the community.
• Work closely with Acharya Priya to enrich and secure the future of the Meditate & Thrive community.
Are you inspired to serve? The Board invites you to attend our next Virtual Board of Directors Meeting to get a sense of how we work together to manage the organizational aspects of Meditate & Thrive.
RSVP to our next meeting
2nd Monday of the month
2:00 – 3:30 (Eastern) 11:00 – 12:30 (Pacific)
If you have questions you are very welcome to contact the Board.
In deep gratitude,
Pam Jones, Sparrow Bailey, Acharya Priya, Helena Fleming
The Board of Directors of Meditate and Thrive
ABOUT ACHARYA PRIYA
I live in Delmar, Delaware with my wife of 15 years, our amazing dog Bella, and our cat Mz Kat-Niz Everpurr.
My life service is to share the teachings of Kriya Yoga which has at its foundation meditation, self-discipline, and service. I discovered Kriya Yoga when I was about 19 years old and read Paramahansa Yogananda’s Autobiography of a Yogi. Like many others, I felt a connection with Yogananda right away. After immersing myself in the teachings of Kriya the desire to find a living teacher in the tradition inspired me to leave my hometown of New York and move to California. There I found my guiding teacher Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian, Founder and Spiritual Director of the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment (CSE) in San Jose. My life has never been the same. I was initiated into Kriya Yoga by my Yogacharya (yoga teacher) in 2002, graduated from CSE’s Meru Institute in 2004, was ordained in 2005. I have been serving in this tradition ever since.
My intention as a yogi and minister is to hold a sacred space that encourages individuals to blossom from the inside out. I believe that great spiritual learning environments are simply safe containers where seekers of truth are given encouragement to ask self-reflective questions and offered tools for discovering the answers. I’ve dedicated my life to creating these types of spaces. It can be a meditation center, my home, or my heart.
Connect with our Spiritual Director
Helena Fleming
Member-at-large
Helena Fleming
I have worked 30+ years as a corporate trainer and customer service manager for several health insurance companies, including Care First Blue Cross Blue Shield, Humana, and Kaiser Permanente.
I also worked as an independent training consultant / contractor. I’ve worked as a Train the Trainer consultant for AARP. I was also a training consultant for a small minority business that provided classroom paraprofessionals for autistic students in Washington, DC’s public school system.
In recent years, I have conducted Board of Director retreat seminars and served on the board of
a nonprofit providing housing to underserved seniors in Washington, DC. Though no longer
serving on the board, I currently serve as an executive volunteer, training consultant and
Program Manager for this nonprofit. More recently, I am a cultural competency training
consultant for, DCAL, DC Department of Aging and Community Living.
I have a master’s degree in TPI (Training and Performance Improvement) from Capella
University and a bachelor’s degree in English and Secondary education from Salisbury
University. In 2012, I completed an Adult ESOL & Literacy-GED program certification through
Montgomery College’s TESOL Teacher Training Institute.
In addition, I volunteer as an ESL adult distance learning instructor for the Washington English
Center in Washington, DC. I teach ESL English, and citizenship and am also an ESL writing tutor.
Finally, I serve my community as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc; NAACP
(Wicomico County Branch) and a volunteer mediator with Tri Community Mediation.
Sparrow Daydancer: Treasurer
ABOUT SPARROW
Sparrow grew up near East Los Angeles and yearned for more connection to nature and spirituality. She moved first to Northern California when she was 18, to Oregon after she lost her home in the 1989 earthquake, and then back to N. California. Each move brought her closer to the things she valued.
She earned her Bachelor’s in Business Administration from San Jose State and held a CPA license in both California and Oregon. Since retiring, she has been able to spend even more time pursuing her dreams.
Shortly after moving back to California in 2017, Sparrow discovered Meditate and Thrive. She began attending Kirtan and meditating regularly. She knew she had found a nurturing community.
Sparrow began volunteering her time to help support Meditate and Thrive by joining its Abundance Committee in January 2020. She also began attending the monthly Board of Directors meetings on Zoom as a member-at-large.
Sparrow said: “I originally decided to get involved because it feels rewarding to me to give back to an organization that has impacted my life in such a positive way. And now, after serving in those capacities for the past 20 months, I have come to realize that the rewards are multi-leveled. Even the meetings I have attended fed my Spirit in ways that other activities in my life do not. For example, every meeting I have attended has started and ended with a prayer. Not only do the prayers set the mood for a positive meeting, but I believe they go a long way to create the outcomes that we are striving for. At the last meeting I attended of the Abundance Committee, the opening prayer included ‘may our meeting be filled with inspiration and collaboration. May it be effortless, productive, and joyful.’ And, the meeting was all of those things!”
Sparrow is happy to be filling the role of Treasurer and continue learning and growing in her skills and spirituality with Meditate and Thrive.
Contact our Treasurer
Pamela D. Jones: Secretary
ABOUT PAM
Pamela (Pam) Jones is a 45-year resident of Menlo Park living in the Belle Haven neighborhood. She is a member of Menlo Park Residents for Civic Engagement (formerly Good Governance) and former School Board Member of the Ravenswood City School District. She currently sits on the Menlo Park Historical Association Board, San Mateo County Voter’s Choice Act Education and Outreach Committee, and Cañada College President’s Advisory Committee.
Pamela is a retired community college professor and healthcare professional.
She is deeply devoted to her family, with 4 great-grandchildren, 6 grandchildren, and 3 daughters who all serve as inspiration for her spiritual path and community activities.
Pam is committed to promoting civic engagement by all residents through demystifying government policy development and educating people to recognize both their power and responsibility in driving change for the betterment of Menlo Park.
In 1986, while seeking a more relevant spiritual path, Pam read Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. Though studying the Self-Realization Fellowship teachings, she did not formally practice Kriya Yoga. Upon developing a practice of meditation through the teachings of Rev. Priya Friday-Pabros, Pam was initiated into Kriya Yoga by Roy Eugene Davis in 2010. It is through this practice that Pam is beginning to find inner peace in the chaos of the world. Retirement now affords Pam the time to engage in what she loves, spiritual practice, family, and civic engagement.
Pam states, “That which feeds my Spirit is the opportunity to help and give back to the People. It is an honor to be a member of and treasurer for Meditate and Thrive. As my life has been enriched and filled with unlimited possibilities, I deeply desire this for all those seeking the answer to their innermost question.”
Namasté ॐ