Other Sangha Leaders – Valley Streams Zen Sangha

Gambō Berry Crawford

Other Sangha Leaders

Berry Crawford first started practicing Zen meditation in 1992. He lived at the Sonoma Mountain Zen Center and practiced as a resident in the mid 1990s. There he completed the initiation ordeal known as tangaryo and completed traditional Soto Zen Practice Periods. Berry next practiced with Diane “Eshin” Rizzetto in the Ordinary Mind Zen School started by Joko Beck. Later, Berry became a student of John “Shoji” Sorenson and in 2022 was authorized to independently teach Zen. He currently engages in traditional White Plum koan study with his koan teacher Russell “Kyofu Seikyo” Mitchell and was authorized as an Assistant Koan Teacher by him in 2023. Berry is a member of the “Doan-ryo” at the Valley Streams Zen Sangha and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Sacramento Dharma Center. He is the host of the Simplicity Zen Podcast (https://simplicityzen.com/) and maintains the Science of Zen website (https://scienceofzen.org/).

Unjo Karen Hamilton

Other Sangha Leaders

Karen began practicing in 1979 and is a founding member of the sangha. She was a student at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center and San Francisco Zen Center for about four years, and was lay ordained in 2002 by Eijun Linda Cutts. She previously served on the board and after managing the website for some years, she currently assists with the Events calendar and graphic designs when needed. She is an artist and former librarian.

Shitoku Rollin Ives

Other Sangha Leaders

Rollin is a long time Valley Streams Sangha member and coordinates our Tuesday Morning sittings and book group. Rollin received Jukai (lay precepts) from Steve Weintraub in 2016 at Presidio Hill Zen Center in San Francisco. He began practicing Buddhism in 2001. His Buddhist name is translated as Lion of Devotion – Imperturbable Heart.

Sarah O’Gara

Board of Directors, Other Sangha Leaders, Practice Committee

Sarah has practiced in several different Buddhist traditions including Nichiren Shoshu’s Soka Gakkai, the Chan lineage of Master Sheng Yen and, since 2007, in the Soto Zen lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. She shares her avocation for botany and the natural world leading hikes for the Sacramento Valley Conservancy and volunteering at the Cosumnes River Preserve. She is a retired IT professional and former camp cook for Forest Service backcountry work crews. In addition to serving on our Board of Directors and Practice Committee, Sarah edits our events calendar and creates Eventbrite invitations.