Leadership
We are committed to expertise, diversity and inclusion in our selection of officers and board members. Our board consists of people with diverse backgrounds, with expertise in meditation teaching techniques and organizational development.
RUSS EVANS, ACTING president
Russ is a Washington DC native who has taught and practiced in the area since 2011. He has worked in international development, focusing on Eastern Europe and East Asia, and in education, teaching in the DC area, Asia, and Europe. He lives in Northeast Washington with his wife. He holds a BA in English and Spanish from the University of Mary Washington.
Carolyn Stachowski, PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Carolyn has been involved with IOI in its organizational development from its beginning in 2009. She has taught regular classes in the Alexandria Detention Center a federal detention center, the Arlington Detention Center, the Pre Release Center in Montgomery County, and in the D.C. Department of Corrections, including in the mental health unit, a substance abuse treatment facility, and a class for young men aged 18-25. She has served as Program Director for the past three years, which has involved recruiting and mentoring new volunteers, implementing trainings in teacher development and racial awareness, developing the curriculum, and planning volunteer appreciation events. Carolyn is a graduate of the Meditation Teacher Training Institute’s 2-year program, is a founding member of the IMCW Women’s Sangha, one of the founders and an active member of the Dharma Teacher Sangha, a community of meditation teachers of IMCW. She ordained in the Eight Lifetime Precepts with Bhante Gunaratana in 2019. She is active in the running of two food service businesses and is a long-time visual artist.
Mark Stone, treasurer
Mark has been leading mindfulness meditation classes for underserved communities since 2016. He teaches at Downtown Dharma in Washington DC and leads Men’s Healing Circles. Previously, he served as Deputy Chief Economist and Acting Chief Economist of the United States Department of State and held various positions during a long career at the International Monetary Fund. He holds a BSc and MA from the University of Wisconsin, an MSc from the London School of Economics, and a PhD from the University of Wisconsin. He has been meditating for 45 years and serves as a Practice Leader for All Beings Zen Sangha. He also serves as President of the Board of All Beings. He lives in Washington DC with his wife Jessica and is the proud father of two sons.
Julie SALVeRIAN, Secretary
Julie started teaching with IOI in May 2018. She has taught at the Catholic Charities 801 East Men’s Shelter rehabilitation program in Southeast DC and currently teaches at Calvary Women’s Services programs; and at the DC Jail rehabilitation and wellness units. She has also served on IOI’s Anti-Racism and Resource Committees. Julie has been meditating since 2007, when she discovered the work of John Kabat-Zinn and Tara Brach. She has participated in numerous Insight Mediation Community of Washington programs through the years, including retreats and in Jonathan Foust’s Year of Living Mindfully. It was through that program that she heard about IOI. She believes IOI offers a wonderful opportunity to give back after receiving so much from others. Julie served as an Air Force Intelligence Officer before moving on to parenting, including homeschooling her two wonderful children.
Tenaj Moody, Member at large
Tenaj Moody's intersecting identities as an Afro-Latina millennial raised in North Philadelphia, who survived domestic violence, poverty, and having a parent who was incarcerated growing up, quickly taught Tenaj the power in owning her story and resilience. Her accompanying personal testimonies rooted in these lived experiences have fostered an unwavering commitment to shift the narrative around violence prevention education and advocacy. Tenaj provides trauma-informed programming to survivors and system impacted womxn through her for-profit domestic violence prevention consulting, Light To Life. Light To Life's mission is to educate, empower and engage communities to prevent domestic violence. She is a Licensed Behavior Specialist and has her Master's in Criminal Justice with a certification in Applied Behavioral Analysis. Tenaj is a best-selling Author to two books, and an experienced Advocate, Educator, and Speaker in domestic violence, sexual violence, criminal justice reform, and mental health/self-care.
Bernita Johnson, Member at large
Bernita is currently working as a Community Coach and Systems Navigator with the District Alliance for Safe Housing. In this role, she supports the safe housing, financial stability and well-being of survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. Bernita Johnson is an advocate for justice and fair practices. Bernita supervised men and women who were on probation and parole in Washington DC. She also worked with Opportunities Alternatives and Resources (OAR) Fairfax, Inc. as a Program Manager. As a Reentry Coordinator with Catholic Charities, she worked with the Montgomery County Pre-Release Services Center. She currently works as an advocate for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Bernita received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Towson University, has graduate-level studies in Forensic Psychology from Marymount University, and an Associate’s Degree in Mortuary Science from The Community College of Baltimore County. In her free time, Bernita enjoys journaling, reading, traveling, and spending time with her 3 sons.
Erica Krung, Member at large
Erica is a consultant in the field of International Development and Humanitarian Aid. She has lived and worked globally, but has recently returned to the USA. As someone who has worked in multiple conflict environments, Erica came to mindfulness while balancing her work with the anxiety of raising a family in high-threat environments. She has participated in numerous retreats at Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA and has taught a "Basics of Mindfulness" course to English as a Second Language learners. After a decade of practice, and with a "beginner's mind" attitude, she is currently finishing up her Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program coursework. Her strong desire to see reform in criminal justice, matched with her own 1980's history both of incarceration and of volunteering with incarcerated populations, underpins her desire to learn more about, support, and work with IOI.
JoEllen AMBROSE, Member at large
JoEllen grew up in the Chicago area but has lived in every region of the U.S. and enjoys exploring new places. After receiving two bachelor's degrees in Political Science and Criminology from the University of California, Irvine, she moved to DC to work on the Hill and pursue a Master of Public Policy degree from Georgetown University. JoEllen currently works at a housing agency that matches District families experiencing homelessness into permanent supportive housing. Her passion for criminal legal reform and working to reduce the harmful effects of mass incarceration drew JoEllen to the mission of IOI. Outside of work she spends time adding to her houseplant collection, going to concerts, and hanging out at home with her cats.
