Our team encompasses a wide variety of expertise and professional skills, anchored in a deep commitment to community building and practising the engaged mindfulness and peace work that the Plum Village tradition embodies.
Monastic support
The idea of a practice centre in the UK was first proposed by Thich Nhat Hanh to the community in 1997. The project is backed and guided by Plum Village’s British monastic dharma teachers, who offered this letter in support of the project earlier this year. Communities across the UK have benefited from several of monastic tours in recent years, creating fertile ground and widespread support to establish a centre for peace in the UK.
Being Peace Trustees
Phuong Quach
Trustee
Senior Specialist Occupational Therapist with extensive experience in both Charity and NHS sectors. Specialising in palliative care and working with asylum seekers and refugees.
Key organiser of Family Sangha UK and involved with Vietnamese Buddhist Interhelp Sangha, a registered UK charity.
Co-founder of a well-being social enterprise, supporting communities through mindfulness practices.
Miles Dunmore
Trustee
Former teacher with experience in the UK and USA.
Key organiser of the Heart of London sangha and co-facilitator in the Wake Up Schools programme.
Jan Hempsall
Trustee
Jonathan Edwards
Trustee
Background in telecommunications and semiconductor industries, managing multinational design teams.
Trustee and Treasurer for Plum Village UK as well as a councillor in local government.
Rehena Harilall
Trustee
Strategic Global Transformational Change Director with expertise in large-scale, complex programme delivery.
Founder of Buddhists across Traditions, key organiser of PV UK wide engaged events and monastic retreats – practices with Heart of London Sangha and Colours of Compassion Sangha.
Bill Robinson
Trustee
Former Young People’s Charity & Public Sector CEO, Management Consultant & Musician.
Co-Facilitator of Stroud Sangha and an online UK/Spain Sangha. Half-French.
Liz Beth
Trustee
Town Planner and accredited NPIERS Examiner; independent planning consultant.
A practitioner in this tradition for 25 years and Trustee of Plum Village UK since 2019.
Esteban Ruseler
Trustee
Over 20 years in start-ups and multinationals with a decade in leadership roles.
Key organiser of the first London Mindfulness Hub in 2018 and 2024 UK Monastic Tour.
Delivery Team
Nick Kenrick
Project Director
Formerly worked in diplomacy for the UK government before retraining as a psychotherapist in the NHS.
Co-founded the Wake Up London community in 2010.
Has been living and practising in Plum Village France since June 2021, and working with the community on the development of safeguarding and education within the Sangha.
Kasia Stepien
Communications Manager
Facilitator and trainer in the fields of social change, wellbeing, empathic communication and sustainability, currently training as psychotherapeutic counsellor.
Experienced in leading retreats and facilitating groups and communities. Practicing in the Plum Village tradition for a decade and supporting Plum Village UK Sangha since 2020.
Trustee at Mindful Music Charity, promoting mindfulness and wellbeing for children and young people.
Noah Walton
Implementation & Strategy Manager
Chartered structural engineer turned manager in non-profit sectors including refugee, sustainability, and retreats.
Experienced in running retreats and facilitating intentional communities.
Teri West
UK Lay Dharma Teacher
Professional storyteller, singer, and workshop leader.
Accredited teacher in this tradition, dedicated to community-building, running retreats, and establishing a UK practice centre.
Marcus Lindner
Legacies
Retired following enjoyment of three careers including theatre, senior housing/care home development and management and real estate land investments over a period of fifty years. Practitioner in several spiritual traditions. With Thay since 2000.
Hugh Jones
Convener
Project Manager with extensive experience in public and not-for-profit sectors.
Volunteers as a Director of a social enterprise in East Anglia.
Twan Peeters
Digital Content
Experienced filmmaker, photographer and designer of websites and high-end visual content.
Organiser and co-facilitator within the Wake Up London Sangha.
Active Plum Village practitioner since 2016.
Iain Gale
Fundraising Assistant
Experience working in NGOs and social change organisations.
Practising in the tradition since 2019. Facilitates at Wake Up London.
Karim Manji
Social Media Strategy
Advisors
Shantum Seth
Advisor
Shantum Seth is a teacher, social development worker, peace activist, pilgrimage guide and much more.
He received the ‘lamp transmission’ from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in 2001 and is setting up a mindfulness centre and community in the foothills of the Himalayas.
Vari McLuskie
Advisor
Vari was ordained by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in 1995 into the Order of Interbeing and as a lay Dharma teacher in 2012.
She combines this responsibility with work as a Strategic Consultant.
Tasha Bassingthwaighte
Advisor
Manager of The Barn retreat centre in Devon for seven years.
Frequent practitioner at Plum Village in Deer Park, California.
Paul Bellack
Advisor
Extensive experience in commercial property investment; involved in ethical property and renewable energy ventures.
Over 20 years of practice in this tradition.
Michael Schwammberger
Advisor
Ordained as a monastic in 1998 and lived in Plum Village and US monasteries, travelling extensively with Thich Nhat Hanh.
Returned to lay life as an accredited teacher in this tradition in 2012.
Ethan Pollock
Advisor
Teacher of mindfulness & Buddhism on retreats across the UK.
Coordinator of The Barn retreat centre in Devon and director of a UK-based non-profit.
