Leadership

Senior Teachers

Deborah Barrett

Deborah is a minister and teacher at ZCOC. She has been a serious meditation practitioner for over 40 years. Deborah is a counselor with a Ph.D. in psychology and an M.A. in theology. She has a law degree (Juris Doctor) from DePaul University. She is currently Conservator and Care Manager for a special needs friend.

Past experiences: Deborah was a counselor and therapist in private practice for 25 years. She is recently retired from counseling. She served as a hospice chaplain for four years. She taught “Introduction to Psychology” and “Psychology of Effective Behavior” at Santiago Canyon College and Santa Ana College. She also taught “Comparative Mysticism,” “Contemporary Practices of the World’s Religions, “Spirituality and Aging” and “Death and Dying” courses at Cal State Fullerton.

Her background also includes extensive practice in the Christian tradition. She is an Associate Member of the Presentation Sisters (PBVM) of Dubuque, Iowa. For more on Christianity and Zen, see: Christian Zen

Her email is Barrett@zcoc.org

Rev. Carol Aguilar

Carol is a minister and teacher at ZCOC. She has been a Zen practitioner for over 40 years. In addition to teaching and administration, Carol leads the Engaged Buddhism Program and represents the Zen Center at community events. She provides individualized Introduction to Zen Meditation Workshops.

Carol is owner of Zen Home Stitchery, providing meditation cushions at affordable prices for thousands of Zen students and hundreds of meditation groups and Zen Centers. Carol has an M.A. in Philosophy from SDSU with an emphasis in Dōgen Studies. Her B.A. degree is in Asian history from the University of California, San Diego. She enjoys her grandson, Sol, and her granddaugher, Giada. Her email is Aguilar@zcoc.org

Teachers

Sr. Virgie Luchsinger

	Virgie is a teacher at ZCOC. She is a Professor of Ikebana in the Ikenobo tradition (flower arranging) and she is a chanoyu (tea ceremony) teacher. She is a registered nurse, now retired, with an M.A. degree in theology from Loyola University, Chicago. Sr. Virgie’s spiritual background is as a cloistered Carmelite nun, and currently as a Sister For Christian Community.

Though well-grounded in the classical Christian contemplative and mystical tradition, she has been a pioneer in contemporary forms of contemplation and spirituality, especially in relating Zen to aphophatic prayer. She offers tea and flower arranging on a regular basis at ZCOC. Virgie’s interests include travel, piano, calligraphy, modern art, astronomy, and architecture. Her email is Luchsinger@zcoc.org

Tad Sullivan

Tad is a Teacher at ZCOC. He offers talks and leads readings and discussions on a regular basis. He leads many of the Zen Center’s Introduction to Zen Meditation Workshops. Tad leads the monthly “Chi Gong for Zen Practitioners” program. He provides an orientation program for new practitioners at the Center and for newcomers at retreat days. He also lead the small groups discussion program of classical Zen readings.

Tad has a B.A. degree from Occidental College majoring in English/Drama with an emphasis on Creative Writing, and a minor in Philosophy. He owned and managed a sales rep business to the college, stationery, and art markets for 35 years, and a family wholesale business in the paper and packaging markets for 25 years.

He lives in Corona Del Mar with his wife Chris, an artist, teacher, and art professor emeritus at Coastline Community College. They have enjoyed being married for over 40 years. They have a son, Riley, recently married, living and working in Orange County. Tad continues to explore the practices of the Way of Haiku and the Way of Ikebana (Flower Arranging), and has begun studying the Way of Chanoyu (Tea Ceremony).

His email is: Sullivan@zcoc.org