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Writer's pictureShanthi Project

A Warm Welcome to our New Executive Director

Updated: Sep 27, 2023

We are excited to announce that Kimberly Hopkins has joined Shanthi Project as our new Executive Director!

"I’m grateful for the opportunity to help create a more peaceful, compassionate, and resilient Lehigh Valley through Shanthi Project’s evidence-based mindfulness programming,” said Kim. "No one is immune to adversity, and Shanthi's empowering mission has never been more essential. I look forward to working with our stakeholders and forming new partnerships to share the wondrous teachings and useful practices within our in-school and community-based mindfulness services."

Kim has held senior leadership positions in both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, specializing in strategic planning, fundraising, partnership development, and marketing. Prior to joining Shanthi Project, she served as the first-ever Executive Director of the Wilson Area Partners in Education Foundation. She credits her long-standing energy work, mindfulness, and yoga practice with helping her navigate significant personal adversities.


"We are thrilled to welcome Kim Hopkins as the new Executive Director of our mission,” said Tiffany Yurasits, president of Shanthi Project’s Board of Directors. “Her enthusiasm, vision, and leadership will undoubtedly inspire positive change and drive us closer to our goals."


While Denise Veres, Shanthi Project’s founder and recent interim Executive Director, has passed the baton, she will continue to serve on the Board of Directors. Denise and the Board look forward to the future of Shanthi Project under Kim’s leadership, knowing that “her experience will be a huge asset for the organization in this stage of development,” said Denise.


As we welcome Kim to our team, we also thank Maureen Wendling for her work as our previous Executive Director. For four and a half years, Maureen led Shanthi Project through milestones and challenges with grace, including the trials that accompanied the pandemic. We wish her all the best in her new position with Lehigh Valley Community Foundation!


Our staff is shifting in more than just its leadership, too. After a move to the Midwest, our Director of Community Education and Engagement Georgia Bomgardner will dive into a new role as Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at The Center for Mindfulness & CBT.


In light of Georgia’s move, other talented members of Shanthi Project staff will assume her responsibilities. Dan Massaro, our Research & Development Coordinator, will take on Georgia’s collaboration with United Way's Resilient Lehigh Valley to gather and analyze data. Shauna Williams, our Workplace Mindfulness Trainer, will now spearhead and coordinate workplace mindfulness and compassion resilience workshops.


We’re excited to see where these new staffing changes take us, and we want to thank Georgia for all that she’s done in pursuit of our mission! About her time at Shanthi Project, Georgia told us, “Being part of this organization was life changing, and I cannot express how thankful I am for the opportunity to lead and learn in this organization and in partnership with so many other amazing organizations. I have felt valued, supported, and challenged. I am grateful for every conversation and collaboration and humbled by those who trusted me to listen and support. I believe in the good that the humans in this space can do and I know that the work we have done together will continue and blossom.

“Shanthi Project has beautiful things on the horizon and I can’t wait to see how everything unfolds,” she told us.

We feel the same way; with so many changes happening, we can’t help but feel excited about what the future holds, and we can’t wait to share it all with you. Keep an eye on our blog, social media, and email newsletter to see what’s coming next!


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