Department: Board of Directors

Susan Farrar practices in two traditions—in the Tibetan tradition with Lion’s Roar Dharma Center since 2008, and more recently, with Valley Streams Zen Sangha.  She completed the 2-year Foundation of Buddhist Thought training in 2014 and  the Chaplaincy Program from the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies in 2019. She volunteers as a chaplain at U.C. Davis Medical Center and has volunteered as a hospice worker also through U.C Davis. She is also active in various activities surrounding food insecurity in the Sacramento community.

Prior to her retirement in 2004, Susan worked as a law office manager and as a research manager specializing in data and demographic research. She has a BA from the University of Colorado and post-graduate work at UCLA.

Jody Ansell started meditating in 2008 with One Drop Rinzai Zen’s Water Moon Sangha. She has been sitting with Valley Streams since 2014. She is retired, a hiking and biking enthusiast and a poet.

Charles is a long time Valley Steams member and serves on Valley Stream’s Board of Directors.

Malia is a member of the Valley Streams Board of Directors and serves as secretary.  She recently
retired from the practice of child and adolescent psychiatry.  She has two daughters in college and lives
in Davis with her husband.  She feels very fortunate to have been able to practice with Valley Streams
since 2019

Ko Shin Dave Jarrell was first attracted to Buddhism, and Zen in particular, through the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh and Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. He received the precepts from Rev. Myō Lahey and is a member of the Valley Streams Doan Ryo.

Dave works on the staff of Child Advocates of El Dorado County, and when not engaged with family, work, or sangha, he enjoys wandering through the Sierra Nevada.