The members of the Snow Lion Meditation Community come from diverse backgrounds. We are everyday people who have chosen to engage in the simple and profound practice of meditation. Because we’ve realized the direct benefit it brings to ourselves, we’ve made a commitment to the practice and to the community of practice.
Our community is a registered not-for-profit organization and is led by a rotating board of volunteers as listed below.
Board Members
Kim Ingall
Kim has been a part of the community since 2013. During that time he played many roles: from transcription of dharma talks, to liaising with the Pape church, to facilitating the production and sale of meditation cushions through the Snow Lion store. Kim enjoys a daily practice of hot yoga.
Igor Tchouiko
Igor has been with the community since 2010 and helps to manage the WhatsApp group. He currently works for the Canadian Coast Guard in Victoria BC but is originally from Toronto. Igor is an avid sailor, climber, and loves dirt biking.
Anita Fast
Anita has been a member since 2014 and helps to manage the finances. She works as a Rapid Response Nurse specializing in geriatrics with a background in emergency nursing. Anita enjoys outdoor sports and activities, and losing herself in nature and wilderness.
Sophia Grigoriadis
Sophia has been a member of the Toronto Mindfulness Community since 2016. She helps with coordinating the technology for in-person/hybrid weekly meditation classes, as well as organizing visits up to the farm in Grey County. Sophia is a musician and teacher in Toronto.
Nathan Carey
Nathan has been a member of the community since 2015. Living in Grey County he has supported classes and activities local to the Owen Sound area. He enjoys playing board games with his wife and son. He works as an animator for broadcast television.
Yara Robul
Yara has been part of the community since 2017 and has sat on the board for the last two years. He lives in Toronto, is married with two kids, and works in the logistics industry.
Community Members
Below are some of our more long-standing community members who you may meet. These members serve as examples of the diversity of our group. We have many other members who are not featured here and we welcome anyone with interest to join us.
Shivankur Sharma
Shivankur has been a member of the Snow Lion community since 2009 and supports with marketing, communications and in any way he can. He lives in Ottawa with his partner and works in Canada’s Foreign Service. Beyond work, he enjoys photography and spending time in nature.
Michelle Shahoud
Michelle has been with the community since 2015. She leads the community’s monthly student meetings as well as various fundraising initiatives. Michelle works as an Executive Assistant at an international not-for-profit humanitarian and international development organization and enjoys spending time in nature.
Christopher Collins
Christopher joined the community in 2012 after a serendipitous offer of tea in the Snow Lion Meditation Shop. Chris supports the community website and provides technical support for devices and the finance team. He works as a research scientist at a global technology company and a professor of computer science.
Andrea Paras
Andy has been a community member since 2011, and she co-manages the finances for the community. She teaches political science at the University of Guelph and enjoys weightlifting in her free time.
Shamsha Shamsy
Shamsha joined the community in March of 2014. She lives in Toronto. She contributes to the community in whatever way she can. Shamsha helped start up our morning community meditation sits and also helps graphic design the quotes for our website.
Cameron Perret
Cameron has been a member of TMC since 2015, after a chance visit to the Snow Lion Meditation Shop in Toronto. He assists with the technology for Zoom meetings and the setup for in-person classes. He studied music in Tampa, Florida, and lives in Markham.
Andy Mckerroll
Andy is the land steward and has been a member of the Toronto Mindfulness Community since 2018. He helps at the farm which is in Grey County near Owen Sound. Andy is a retired secondary school teacher. He enjoys golfing, kayaking and skiing.
Kimberly Kavaluk
Kimberly has been part of the community since 2017. She lives in Ottawa with her partner, where she works as a federal public servant. She supports the community’s online presence and marketing activities. Kimberly enjoys taking modern and contemporary dance classes, and hiking in nature.