Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun

Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun is on her fourth career of firsts. She was one of the first black women to graduate from the law school at the University of Chicago. As an Illinois state legislator, she was the first black woman to become an assistant majority leader and spokesperson for the Mayor of Chicago. She was elected to executive office in Cook County, the first woman to do so. In an historic effort, she was elected to serve as the only black member of the United States Senate in 1992, and the first and only woman to be elected to the Senate from Illinois. As Senator, she became the first woman in history to serve on the Finance Committee where she amassed an impressive legislative record. The farm bureau named her their “Ethanol Queen” for her work on that alternative fuel. She served as Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. She is the first and only United States Ambassador to be made a member of the Te Atiawa Maori tribe. She is not the first, but the second African American woman to compete for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, following the precedent set by her mentor, the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. Her fourth career is as an entrepreneur; and she is the Founder and CEO of a biodynamic organic food company, Good Food Organics, with a biodynamic organic line of teas, coffees and spices named Ambassador Organics. She calls herself a recovering politician.

William New, M.D., Ph.D.

A physician, engineer, inventor and successful serial entrepreneur, Dr. William New received his BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, his MD from Duke University, a Ph.D. in Physiology from UCLA, and his MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. He recently retired from the Stanford University School of Medicine faculty after 25 years of service. A strong advocate for independent education, he serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Independent Schools. His visionary advice has been valuable as Sant Bani looks ahead to the next generation.

Professor Todd Lewis, Ph.D.

Professor Lewis is a specialist in the religions of the mid-montaine Himalayan region and the social history of Buddhism. Beginning with his scholarly training at Columbia University (where he earned his Ph.D. in Religion in 1984), Professor Lewis’ research and teaching has been interdisciplinary, linking anthropology and the history of religions. In addition to scholarly books and articles Professor Lewis has shot, directed, and produced films for classroom use. His most recent books are World Religions Today and Popular Buddhist Texts from Nepal: Narratives and Rituals of Newar Buddhism.