Board Meetings
The AIMC Board of Directors usually meets on the fourth Sunday of February, April, June, August, October and December from 4 PM to 6 PM. Meetings are announced in the newsletter and listed on the website calendar. The Board welcomes community involvement and a process of participatory decision-making. If you would like to attend and/or add a board agenda item for consideration, please email to confirm the meeting date, time and location.
Board Service
Board members serve two-year terms, and new board members are elected in the fall at the annual membership meeting. The terms of board members are staggered to help maintain the continuity of the board.
We are grateful to all who have served on past or present boards.
Board of Directors
Jameson Beekman | President (he/him/his) came to Buddhist practice in 2009 and was immediately drawn to the early Buddhist teachings. He has practiced with sanghas in Los Angeles, Boston, and Cambridge, MA and completed Meditation Instructor and Group Facilitator training at Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society in 2011. He also served as manager of the Boston Meditation Center from 2016-2017.
After much reflection, Jameson left the Boston area in 2017 and embarked on a two-year journey across the United States in a small Airstream with his partner before eventually settling in Albuquerque. During this time, he focused on deepening his connection to practice while more fully integrating mindfulness into his daily life and interactions.
Jameson continues to be inspired by the dhamma and focuses on using Buddhist principles to find meaning and reduce suffering in the world. He is currently a chaplain candidate through the Upaya Zen Center and is particularly interested in working with people in recovery and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Donna Haughney | Vice President is a long-time yogi who began her Buddhist practice in 1978 on the East Coast. Her journey began with Tibetan Buddhism. She attended a 3-month Seminary with Chögyam Trungpa in 1986 and also participated in the Shambala Training programs in NYC. She was introduced to Theravada Buddhism and Insight Meditation in the early 90s and attended the Women’s Retreat at IMS for 20 years. She also participated in retreats at the Forest Refuge as well as weekend retreats at the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center (CIMC). Donna is retired and lived in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for 10 years before moving to New Mexico in 2019. One of her reasons for relocating was to belong to an active Sangha. After visiting several different Sanghas, she chose AIMC! She enjoys being of service to AIMC and is currently responsible for bringing in visiting teachers as well as organizing day-long and residential retreats for the community.
Jill Hankins | Secretary (she/her) first joined our sangha during the pandemic in 2021. She has had a meditation practice for 10 years, and a Buddhist practice for 5 years. She studied many other traditions before finding her true home in Vipassana. She has taken several dharma courses taught by James Baraz, Robert A.F. Thurman, and Tricycle.
Jill is a retired librarian, fiber artist and photographer. She has lived in New Mexico since 2001, with a few years on the East Coast, and currently lives in Tijeras, NM with her husband, Andy.
Sophia Bowers | Treasurer (she/her) has been attending our sangha since 2016. She works as an application engineer and has an MBA and PhD. Meditation touches all aspects of her life, even in secular settings. Her dissertation was on Mindfulness in the Workplace, and she is a certified MBSR instructor and Mindfulness in the Workplace facilitator. Sophia is also a long-time practitioner of Aikido and Iaido, both Japanese martial arts.
Emjae M Jeanne has been a regularly irregular member of this Sangha since 2004. Meditation and Yoga have been essential parts of her life for decades. With a love and respect for the differences and similarities of all beings, Emjae desires diverse inclusivity. She has a steady belief that all people, of every background and perspective, deserve to experience embodied connection with all beings, including the earth.
Emjae has been a RN for 21 years, with experience in emergency, psychiatric, hospice and currently oncology nursing. Emjae served as founding secretary on the board of Web of Connection (a Sangha in Colorado Springs, CO) from 2016-2020. Emjae is delighted to be a member of AIMC Sangha.
Mike Kivitz retired as President and CEO of Adelante Development Center, Inc. after 42 years. Adelante is a nonprofit serving people with disabilities, disadvantages, and seniors through a variety of programs. He initially trained in Counseling Psychology, earning a Master’s degree, and later received an MBA. Mike has practiced in Vipassana, Tibetan and Zen traditions since the 1970’s.
Marsha Lichtenstein In 2006, Marsha attended a Mindful-based Stress Reduction course and connected very deeply with the mindfulness meditation practice. When she asked the instructor where she could continue to practice the meditation learned in the course, he directed her to the Albuquerque Vipassana Sangha – now Albuquerque Insight Meditation Center – which has become her spiritual home.
Before adopting the Buddhist path, Marsha practiced meditation in other spiritual traditions. As someone born and raised in New York City, she was drawn to more boisterous meditation practices involving chanting and movement. However, after her move to New Mexico in 1990 where she fell in love with the spaciousness, quiet, and tranquility of the forests and rivers, her heart and soul were most at home with the Vipassana path. She enjoys silent retreats, practicing metta, and learning more about the dharma.
Sarah Schwartz has been a member of AIMC since maybe 2008. She has served on the board as treasurer and has also served as the web administrator. Sarah is part of a kalyana mitta (spiritual friends) group with other sangha members and likes geeky stuff.
Gerald Shifrin I am a retired engineer with degrees in math and computer science. I have been a practicing Buddhist for nearly 20 years. I originally became involved with Buddhism while trying out meditation to deal with stress and the need to stay focused on complex tasks. Eventually I stumbled into Buddhist practice and found it helpful as a general lifestyle approach. I was initially with a Theravada community in Colorado Springs, Rocky Mountain Insight, and found it to be generally compatible. Later, I wanted to go deeper into Buddhist studies and entered a graduate program at Naropa University, a Buddhist college in Boulder Colorado. This offered studies on other areas like Zen, and Shambhala and Tibetan Buddhism and also awakened a desire to find ways to be of service. Subsequently, I started practicing with a Zen teacher at Springs Mountain Sangha also in Colorado Springs. I have found that continuing my studies and sharing Buddhist teachings bring me enormous satisfaction.
Board Meetings
Board meetings are usually held on the third Monday evening of even-numbered months and are listed in the calendar. All community members are encouraged to attend. The Board of Directors welcomes community involvement and a process of participatory decision-making.
Board of Directors
Jameson Beekman | President (he/him/his) came to Buddhist practice in 2009 and was immediately drawn to the early Buddhist teachings. He has practiced with sanghas in Los Angeles, Boston, and Cambridge, MA and completed Meditation Instructor and Group Facilitator training at Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society in 2011. He also served as manager of the Boston Meditation Center from 2016-2017. After much reflection, Jameson left the Boston area in 2017 and embarked on a two-year journey across the United States in a small Airstream with his partner before eventually settling in Albuquerque. During this time, he focused on deepening his connection to practice while more fully integrating mindfulness into his daily life and interactions. Jameson continues to be inspired by the dhamma and focuses on using Buddhist principles to find meaning and reduce suffering in the world. He is particularly interested in working with people in recovery and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Donna Haughney | Vice President is a long-time yogi who began her Buddhist practice in 1978 on the East Coast. Her journey began with Tibetan Buddhism. She attended a 3-month Seminary with Chögyam Trungpa in 1986 and also participated in the Shambala Training programs in NYC. She was introduced to Theravada Buddhism and Insight Meditation in the early 90s and attended the Women’s Retreat at IMS for 20 years. She also participated in retreats at the Forest Refuge as well as weekend retreats at the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center (CIMC). Donna is retired and lived in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for 10 years before moving to New Mexico in 2019. One of her reasons for relocating was to belong to an active Sangha. After visiting several different Sanghas, she chose AIMC! She enjoys being of service to AIMC and is currently responsible for bringing in visiting teachers as well as organizing day-long and residential retreats for the community.
Jill Hankins | Secretary (she/her) first joined our sangha during the pandemic in 2021. She has had a meditation practice for 10 years, and a Buddhist practice for 5 years. She studied many other traditions before finding her true home in Vipassana. She has taken several dharma courses taught by James Baraz, Robert A.F. Thurman, and Tricycle.
Jill is a retired librarian, fiber artist and photographer. She has lived in New Mexico since 2001, with a few years on the East Coast, and currently lives in Tijeras, NM with her husband, Andy.
Sophia Bowers | Treasurer (she/her) has been attending our sangha since 2016. She works as an application engineer and has an MBA and PhD. Meditation touches all aspects of her life, even in secular settings. Her dissertation was on Mindfulness in the Workplace, and she is a certified MBSR instructor and Mindfulness in the Workplace facilitator. Sophia is also a long-time practitioner of Aikido and Iaido, both Japanese martial arts.
Emjae M Jeanne has been a regularly irregular member of this Sangha since 2004. Meditation and Yoga have been essential parts of her life for decades. With a love and respect for the differences and similarities of all beings, Emjae desires diverse inclusivity. She has a steady belief that all people, of every background and perspective, deserve to experience embodied connection with all beings, including the earth.
Emjae has been a RN for 21 years, with experience in emergency, psychiatric, hospice and currently oncology nursing. Emjae served as founding secretary on the board of Web of Connection (a Sangha in Colorado Springs, CO) from 2016-2020. Emjae is delighted to be a member of AIMC Sangha.
Mike Kivitz retired as President and CEO of Adelante Development Center, Inc. after 42 years. Adelante is a nonprofit serving people with disabilities, disadvantages, and seniors through a variety of programs. He initially trained in Counseling Psychology, earning a Master’s degree, and later received an MBA. Mike has practiced in Vipassana, Tibetan and Zen traditions since the 1970’s.
Marsha Lichtenstein In 2006, Marsha attended a Mindful-based Stress Reduction course and connected very deeply with the mindfulness meditation practice. When she asked the instructor where she could continue to practice the meditation learned in the course, he directed her to the Albuquerque Vipassana Sangha – now Albuquerque Insight Meditation Center – which has become her spiritual home.
Before adopting the Buddhist path, Marsha practiced meditation in other spiritual traditions. As someone born and raised in New York City, she was drawn to more boisterous meditation practices involving chanting and movement. However, after her move to New Mexico in 1990 where she fell in love with the spaciousness, quiet, and tranquility of the forests and rivers, her heart and soul were most at home with the Vipassana path. She enjoys silent retreats, practicing metta, and learning more about the dharma.
Sarah Schwartz has been a member of AIMC since maybe 2008. She has served on the board as treasurer and has also served as the web administrator. Sarah is part of a kalyana mitta (spiritual friends) group with other sangha members and likes geeky stuff.
Gerald Shifrin I am a retired engineer with degrees in math and computer science. I have been a practicing Buddhist for nearly 20 years. I originally became involved with Buddhism while trying out meditation to deal with stress and the need to stay focused on complex tasks. Eventually I stumbled into Buddhist practice and found it helpful as a general lifestyle approach. I was initially with a Theravada community in Colorado Springs, Rocky Mountain Insight, and found it to be generally compatible. Later, I wanted to go deeper into Buddhist studies and entered a graduate program at Naropa University, a Buddhist college in Boulder Colorado. This offered studies on other areas like Zen, and Shambhala and Tibetan Buddhism and also awakened a desire to find ways to be of service. Subsequently, I started practicing with a Zen teacher at Springs Mountain Sangha also in Colorado Springs. I have found that continuing my studies and sharing Buddhist teachings bring me enormous satisfaction.
Board Service
Board members serve two-year terms, and new board members are elected in the fall at the annual membership meeting. The terms of board members are staggered to help maintain the continuity of the board.
We are grateful to all who have served on past or present boards.
“For the awakening of the heart, conditions are always good enough.”