Shanthi Project Welcomes New Board Leadership to Advance Mission

Shanthi Project is pleased to announce several changes to our Board of Directors, including the appointment of Debora “Debi” Rice as our newest President of the Board. This change concurs with the appointment of Sarah Morgan as Vice President, along with the recent addition of several new board members. These appointments mark a significant milestone as the organization builds on the legacy of its outgoing leadership to further its mission of teaching social-emotional resiliency through the practice of mindfulness.

Debi Rice has served on Shanthi Project’s Board for two years, most recently as Chair of the Fund Development Committee. In her new role, she aims to expand our mission and increase and diversify funding, along with supporting the responsibilities of our Executive Director. During her time as President of the Board, she looks forward to strengthening Shanthi Project’s focus areas, including teen and tween mental health.

Debi steps into this role with decades of event management under her belt. Founder of Lehigh Valley-based Fun-Nominal Events & Marketing, she is involved in organizing over 300 annual events. In addition to Debi's professional pursuits, she also serves on numerous civic, local, and regional committees and boards around the Lehigh Valley. These experiences will inform her tenure as President of our Board, she says: “On the event planning and marketing side, I can create and grow events that are branded to Shanthi. We can build a lineup of known events that create both awareness and revenue for the organization.”

Her leadership position at Shanthi Project is motivated by a personal commitment to mindfulness. When Debi joined the Board two years ago, “I needed more mindfulness in my life,” she explained. “I wanted reduced stress and greater calm.” Now, she feels pulled to support our mission. “This organization does work that is so needed for both youth and adults. To share our mission with the community in all different ways, for all different ages, is so important.”

Shanthi Project’s Executive Director Kim Hopkins shares her enthusiasm:

Tiffany Yurasits, who has served as President of the Board since 2022, will be stepping down to welcome Debi into the position. Tiffany’s involvement with Shanthi Project began in 2020, and in her tenure, she helped the organization deepen and broaden our impact and keep our mission grounded in measurable outcomes and research‑backed approaches.

As she reflects, “Serving as President has been a humbling and inspiring journey. I am incredibly proud of the dedicated Board, staff, and instructors, who collectively strengthened Shanthi Project’s foundation, adapted to evolving community needs, and ensured that dignity, connection, and care remained at the center of our work. Together, we built a strong platform for long‑term sustainability while honoring the heart of the organization’s mission.”

This impact has not gone unnoticed. “Shanthi wouldn’t be here without Tiffany at the helm,” says Debi, her successor. “She did an amazing job securing the footing of the Board and the organization. She steered us toward hiring a great Executive Director and other staff, providing stability on the board when things were changing.”

As we bid farewell to Tiffany, she has high hopes for Shanthi Project’s future. She envisions the organization expanding our reach, deepening our partnerships, and remaining a trusted resource for mindfulness, resilience, and community care. She leaves these goals in good hands, saying, “As I pass the baton to Debi, I do so with full confidence and enthusiasm. Debi brings a thoughtful leadership style, strong community connections, and a clear vision for Shanthi Project’s future. I am excited to see Shanthi Project continue to thrive under her leadership, and I am confident that the organization’s best chapters are still to come!”

Working alongside Debi will be Sarah Morgan, newly appointed Vice President of the Board. Involved with Shanthi Project since 2024, Sarah brings to our organization more than two decades of healthcare communications expertise across corporate, agency, and startup environments.

Sarah is drawn to our mission’s focus on mindfulness and mental health, having maintained a “transformational” meditation practice since 2012. In the past few years, she has deepened her commitment to mindfulness by completing a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course, as well as a 100 Hour Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training. For the past two years, Sarah has also led meditation practices for Penn Mindfulness weekly community sits.

Now, in her tenure as VP, Sarah hopes that the Board “is able to successfully support our staff, expand the public's awareness of our work, and increase the impact that Shanthi Project has on kids and adults throughout the Lehigh Valley.”

Sarah enters the role as Dave Erickson, former Vice President of the Board, steps down. About his time with Shanthi Project, he said, “Watching the transformation and growth of Shanthi has been truly rewarding. I can’t emphasize enough the power of mindfulness techniques both for adults and children, especially in the world we are currently in. While it is bittersweet to end my time serving, I trust the direction of the organization and its leadership to achieve new heights in delivering the mission.”

Over the past few months, Shanthi Project has also welcomed several new Board members, including Meghan Hoffner, PA-C; Ramon Negron-Walther; and Beth Peters, Ed.D. We look forward to working with them, as well as our new Board leadership, as we enter a new year with anticipation, optimism and continued commitment to our mission.