Venerable Kuo Kuang become a Bhikkhuni in 1990. She received transmission from our late Master Sheng Yen and became one of the Dharma Heirs in 2005 when she was the executive vice-provost of DDM. Venerable was the provost of DDM from 2006~2013 then she took a six-year solitary retreat from 2013~2019 in Taiwan. Venerable is currently appointed as the Vice-abbot of Dharma Drum Mountain and serve as a senior teacher at CMC.

Venerable Chang-Hwa is the Director of Chan Meditation Center. She received full ordination in 2005. Venerable served as Director of the Department of International Relations and Development in DDM Taiwan during 2008~2009. In addition to her current position as Director, Ven. Chang-Hwa also supervises DDM Dharmapala Groups in North America, gives public lectures and leads meditation programs. Venerable holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Venerable is fluent in Mandarin, Taiwanese, and English.

This is Venerable's second term as a resident monastic at the Chan Meditation Center. Ven. Guo-Sheng graduated with an MBA from the University of Detroit in 1980. Venerable became a Buddhist in 1987 and served as a volunteer at CMC for 11 years. In 1998, Venerable entered Nung Chan Monastery in Taipei as a novice and received full ordination in 2000. After 3 years monastic training, Venerable returned to the CMC and served as Director and Treasurer from 2001 to 2004. From 2004 to 2011, Venerable served as Resident Master and a Counselor for the female students of Sangha University at DDM World Center for Buddhist Education. Venerable speaks Mandarin and English.

Venerable Chang Xian joined the DDM Sangha in 2003 and entered the Dharma Drum Sangha University (DDSU) to learn the monastic life. In 2006, Venerable received full ordination. After graduating from DDSU in 2007, Venerable served in different positions at various DDM offices and branches in Taiwan. During the past 15 years, Venerable also devoted herself to the leading of various chanting practices and giving lectures. She became a resident monastic at the Chan Meditation Center in New York in August 2022. Venerable speaks Mandarin and Taiwanese.

Venerable Chang-Xun entered the Dharma Drum Sangha University (DDSU) in 2005. In 2007, Venerable received full ordination. After graduating from DDSU, Venerable has served in different positions at various DDM offices and branches in Taiwan, such as a Monastic Advisor in Visitor Service Office of the Dharma Drum Mountain World Center for Buddhist Education and Bao Yun Monastery. As a Disciplinary Nun and Executive officer in Dharma Service Affairs Office in DDM Headquarter. She become one of the resident members of the Chan Meditation Center in New York since 2019 in May.
Venerable speaks English, Mandarin and Taiwanese.

Venerable Chang-Zhai entered the Dharma Drum Sangha University (DDSU) in 2008, mainly studying under the Chan Practice program. In 2010, Venerable received full ordination. In 2012, after completing a 4-year monastic education at DDSUniversity in Taiwan, she returned to the U.S. and has served as a member of the Chan Meditation Center in New York until now.
Venerable speaks Mandarin and English.

Žarko Andričević, is founder of Dharmaloka Chan Buddhist Community and Chan Retreat Centre in Croatia. Zarko first encountered Buddhism 1975 and has been a martial arts and yoga teacher since the 1970s. In the mid-80s he started the first Buddhist study and meditation group in Croatia. In 1996 he meet Chan Master Sheng Yen and become one of his students. Zarko received Dharma transmission from Master Sheng Yen in June 2001. Since then he is teaching and leading Chan retreats in Europe, USA, Canada, Taiwan and Australia. He currently lives and teaches at Chan Retreat Center in Croatia.

Gilbert Gutierrez has over thirty-nine years of meditation experience, which includes his study of various martial arts as well as Chi Gong. In 2002, he received Dharma Transmission from Chan Master Sheng Yen, making him the only western lineage holder currently residing in the United States. He conducts retreats and lectures throughout North America.
His home base is in Southern California and he lectures regularly at the Los Angeles DDMBA chapter and with his own Riverside Chan Meditation Group in California. Gilbert teaches in a classical Chan style which inspires his students to investigate Chan through diligent practice.

Rikki Asher is a certified Hatha yoga instructor and meditation teacher who began her practice with Master Sheng Yen in 1976. She teaches Beginners and Intermediate Meditation in Queens, NY, the C.G. Jung Institute of New York, and the Omega Institute in Rhineback, NY. She leads one day retreats at the Chan Meditation Center (CMC) and Dharma Drum Retreat Center (DDRC) in Pine Bush, NY. She published a yoga book entitled, "Yoga: Harmonizing Body and Mind" and several articles and curriculum materials related to Buddhist art. She has given Dharma talks and talks about Buddhist art at various locales nationwide, including the Rubin Museum and the National Art Education Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is a visual artist, and Director of Art Education at Queens College, City University of New York. She received her Doctorate in 1991 from Columbia University Teachers College and her MFA in painting at CUNY, Lehman College in 1981. In 2017, Rikki led Meditation classes at a New York C.Jungian Psychoanalyst Conference on Trauma.

Nancy began practicing meditation with Master Sheng Yen in May 1978. Since then, she has participated on retreats regularly. She has been the secretary for the Chan Meditation Center since 1979, and serves on the Board of Trustees. In 1999, she was among the first students to complete the Dharma Teacher Training program initiated by Shifu, Ven. Guo Yuan, and Guo Gu. She conducts Beginners' and Intermediate meditation classes, as well as one-day retreats. She has led metta and wellness workshops at retreats at the Dharma Drum Retreat Center in Pine Bush, New York, as well as at the Connecticut chapter of DDMBA and Stony Brook University. Nancy lives in Connecticut and teaches English to seventh graders.

Rebecca attended her first seven-day intensive retreat with Chan Master Sheng Yen in 1996. Since then, she has attended intensive Chan retreats regularly and began translating for Master Sheng Yen in 1999. In the same year, she joined the teacher's training program at CMC for Dharma lecturers and meditation instructors led by Chan Master Sheng Yen and Ven. Guo Yuan. She teaches beginners' Dharma classes, meditation classes and workshops, conducts one-day retreats, and gives occasional Dharma talks at CMC. She also leads one-day and Beginner's Mind Retreats at DDRC, and teaches at some DDMBA local chapters. Rebecca is currently a member of the board of the Dharma Drum Retreat Center. Professionally, she is a sociology professor, and lives with her husband in New Jersey.

Peter Lin, a licensed psychologist, received an M.S. in Biostatistics from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (with an emphasis in Health Psychology) from Yeshiva University (Ferkauf Graduate School & Albert Einstein College of Medicine). His primary clinical training was at Weill Cornell Medical College, and his postdoctoral training was at the HIV Research Center of Columbia University. Peter has great interest in the parallelism between Western psychology and Buddhism. He integrates Chan teachings in his clinical work, and his research interest focuses on the effects of mindfulness meditation. Peter started his Buddhist practice since 1988, and in 2003, he began his Chan practice at Dharma Drum Mountain. Currently, Peter is a professor at St. Joseph's College, and has a private practice in New York City

Harry Miller studied with Master Sheng Yen for over 30 years. He was editor of the Chan Newsletter for over 10 years, is a frequent contributor to Chan Magazine, and a lecturer at CMC. He is a board member of Dharma Drum Retreat Center and a member of the Dharma Teachers in Training at CMC. He holds a B.A in French and English literature from Sarah Lawrence, and an M.A. in Chinese Literature and M.Phil. in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.

David began practicing Soto Zen in 1992, and Chan with Master Sheng Yen in 1995. He teaches Beginner's Meditation Classes and Beginner's Dharma classes, leads One Day Chan Retreats, and gives occasional Dharma talks at the Chan Meditation Center in Queens, NY. He also leads One Day Retreats and weekend Beginner's Mind Retreats at the Dharma Drum Retreat Center in Pine Bush, NY. David has previously served on the Chan Meditation Center Board of Trustees, and currently resides in New Jersey where he is a professor of biology.

Bill became interested in Buddhism as a high school student in the 1960s, and began studying Chan with Master Sheng Yen in 1992. He is a graduate of Chan Master Sheng Yen's Dharma Teacher Training Program, and has taught Dharma classes and lectured on Dharma topics for several years. Bill holds an A.B. degree from Cornell University and a law degree from Columbia University. He is a retired attorney and lives with his wife in New York City.