Eric began his meditation practice in 2011 and began sitting regularly in 2020 during the COVID pandemic. After working with several local groups near his home in Spartanburg, SC, he found the sangha at IMC Charlotte in 2023.

Eric is an independent consultant teaching and coaching Continuous Improvement. He is married to Marianne and has two daughters Zora (20) and Jazz (15). Crash, Shellie, and Gigi and their three Shetland Sheepdogs, and Dipper is the cat that adopted them.

Eric is a member of a KM group, serves on the Finance Committee, and graduated from the Dharma Study and Practice Program.

Deborah began her inquiry into Buddhism and meditation ten years ago. She attended three retreats with Pema Chodron at Omega Institute, but had found no local community to reinforce her practice. After joining IMCC in 2022, she began her daily practice.

Deborah is a retired professor of Technical Communication from UNC Charlotte after 25 years of teaching and learning from her students. Prior to her retirement, she started her own business, The Plain Language Group. Deborah is married to Martin Settle, a local poet and artist, and is the mother of Hannah Settle (37) who lives in Los Angeles.

Deborah is a member of a KM group.

David Brand joined the Insight Meditation Community in 2023. He and his wife Maureen moved to Tega Cay, SC from New York in 2018, and have been meditating since 2016, when they were introduced to the practice through a Shambhala Meditation Center. He has found regular meditation practice and study of the Dharma conducive to a greater sense of contentment as well as improved relationships in all aspects of his daily life.

David leads the lending division for a local Credit Union and lives with his wife Maureen, one of their three adult children, and three cats.

David is a member of a KM group and serves on the Finance Committee.

Kelly has been a member of IMCC since 2017 and has found Insight Meditation to be life
changing in so many ways. She has attended residential retreats as well as many full day and
half day meditation retreats and has been an active volunteer with IMCC over the years. She
has also been a member of a KM group and served on the Metta Committee prior to Covid.

Kelly lives in Charlotte with her two sweet cats, has raised three children and is the proud
grandmother of five.

Teresa has practiced meditation for numerous years and began sitting regularly in 2023 upon experiencing the true joy of the Dharma while supporting a dear friend and Dharma Leader in practice. Since joining the IMCC Sangha in 2023, she has attended multiple residential, full-day, and half-day meditation retreats and volunteers regularly for the Sangha. She is also a grateful member of a KM group.

Teresa has raised three children and works as a social worker after spending more than 15 years as a victims’ and child advocate. Teresa lives in Union County, NC and is grateful for the Zoom meditation practices, where you will regularly find her.

Teresa serves as the Communications Committee Chair, is on the Finance Committee, and graduated from the Dharma Study and Practice Program in the Spring of 2026.

Laura has been a grateful member of IMCC for 7 years. She has attended meditation retreats and classes with Bikhu Bodhi and other sangha leaders. Introduced to meditation through yoga 30 years ago, her practice has been an anchor throughout her life.

The concepts of mindful living with awareness helped to weather a long career in product development, marketing and M&A for 4 Fortune 50 companies. Now retired, she enjoys oil painting, piano, tennis, hiking and yoga. She is married to Paul and has 2 sons and 6 grandchildren.

Laura has served on the Metta committee for 5 years, assisting with various events.

Ward Simmons has been practicing Insight Meditation since 1999. He regularly participates in residential meditation retreats ranging in length from a week to a month. He has completed the year-long Integrated Study and Practice Program at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies in Barre, Massachusetts, and the two-year Community Dharma Leader program through Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Marin County, California.

Ward has found the practice of Insight Meditation to be life-changing, and he considers it a privilege to share this path with others.