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LEADERSHIP

ADVANCING OUR MISSION

Dharmakaya Center leadership—staff, board and longtime volunteers—work wholeheartedly to support and advance the Center and its mission.

STAFF

FRANK DE RAFFELE
Executive Director

Frank is an accomplished executive and serial entrepreneur, with a track record of building successful organizations. A long-standing Buddhist practitioner, he has led retreats for personal, professional, and spiritual development in the US and abroad. He is a New York Times best-selling author, inspirational speaker, and has been recognized as Entrepreneur of the Year. Frank believes that success comes from planning, hard work, being customer-centric, and always trying to improve. He is a graduate of Syracuse University with a Dual Bachelor's Degree in Speech Communication and Telecommunications from the S.I. Newhouse School and the Visual and Performing Arts College.

LILIANA FRANCO
Senior Operations Manager

With twenty years of experience in hospitality, Liliana brings to Dharmakaya a deep dedication to guest experience, strong team leadership skills, and a finally honed sense of organization. The wellness community in Upstate New York has been the world in which she organized and hosted retreats and workshops of all sizes; she has also consulted with executives on employee motivation. She graduated magna cum laude with a degree in psychology from Rutgers University. Yoga, meditation, and nature help keep her healthy and centered.

PATRICK WIGHT
Facilities Supervisor

A lifelong resident of the Hudson Valley, Patrick spent his formative years on farms—first a dairy farm and then a horse farm—which gave him a love of working with nature, as well as a solid foundation in managing equipment. He enjoys hands-on work, and is fascinated by taking things apart, understanding how they work, and then rebuilding them. A natural problem-solver, Patrick has served, among other roles, as a maintenance supervisor and in hotel management. He enjoys the peace of the Dharmakaya Center grounds and the opportunity to be with people from around the world. 

JOSHUA GEFROH
Head Chef

Joshua joined Dharmakaya following many years of developing his culinary skills and creativity in European retreat centers. He loves cooking, eating, and exploring the world of food. Many of his favorite foods come from diverse cultural traditions rooted in vegetarian cuisine, and he strives to bring that variety to the menu at Dharmakaya. Trained in macrobiotic cooking, he believes that good food begins with good ingredients. Yet, it is from his family’s strong tradition in home cooking that he learned food is always better when shared with others. He is happy to both nourish and be a part of the Dharmakaya community.

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

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TREVANIA DUDLEY HENDERSON                                                   

President & Director 

A solopreneur, Trevania founded her company in 1993 to serve as an outsourced marketing department for small to mid-sized organizations. She brings the Center both marketing and entrepreneurial expertise, as well as extensive non-profit board experience, including chairmanship of two non-profit boards, vice-chairmanship of a third, and twice serving as chair of board governance committees. A devoted student of Rinpoche’s, she regularly helps with retreat organization.

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GARY WHEATON                                                                   

Vice President & Director

With over two decades of specialization in both business and personnel problem solving, Gary brings the Center invaluable experience in the management of staff and organizational design.  His retail and guest management experience is important to the future growth of the Center.  A long-standing student of Rinpoche’s, Gary has also served as a teacher's assistant and five-day retreat leader. Professionally he is a human resources executive with expertise in conflict resolution, people strategies and leadership development.

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KARMA SHERPA                                                                   

Treasurer & Director

Karma brings deep expertise in all aspects of non-profit accounting, including budgeting, forecasting, financial analyses, internal auditing, strategic assessment and cash management. She has extensive knowledge of GAAP, GAAS, Governmental Auditing Standards and SOX compliance, and, critically, a successful track record of developing and administering effective organizational policies and procedures. She is a life-long student of Rinpoche’s.

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ANNA WINKLER                                                                             

Secretary & Director

 

Anna has been practicing and teaching yoga since 1989, certified through the Sivananda Yoga Organization. Her deep knowledge of and enthusiasm for health and wellness professions and techniques help guide the Center in expanding our course offerings. Her lived entrepreneurial experience helps ensure that the Center sees challenges as they arise and is prepared to meet them. She has been a long-standing student of Rinpoche’s, leads special Tibetan yoga sessions at Rinpoche’s retreats, and is a teacher at the Center.

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JOHN HENDERSON                                                                                      

Director

A veteran of two large-scale entrepreneurial ventures, and past president of a construction company, John has demonstrated success building and rapidly growing organizations. He understands how to build bottom-up infrastructure and strategic initiatives that create organizational value, addressing short term objectives while positioning for long-term success. A student of Rinpoche’s for more than two decades, John also serves as vice president of the Dharmakaya Organization, a board member of Buddhist Relief Services, and is a teacher, teacher-assistant, and retreat leader at the Center.

Dharmakaya Center For Wellbeing
191 Cragsmoor Road

Cragsmoor, New York 12566
845.640.4593

© 2019 Dharmakaya Center for Wellbeing. All rights reserved

Privacy Policy

Dharmakaya Center For Wellbeing
191 Cragsmoor Road Cragsmoor, New York 12566
845.640.4593

Privacy Policy

© 2019 Dharmakaya Center for Wellbeing. All rights reserved