ABOUT
MEET OUR GOVERNING ORGANIZATION
at Mount Madonna, California
Hanuman Fellowship
A vehicle for the teachings of Yoga
The Hanuman Fellowship is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded by the students of Baba Hari Dass in 1971 as a vehicle for the teachings of Yoga and for organizing the variety of projects inspired by him. The Hanuman Fellowship governs Mount Madonna Center, including the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, and is the umbrella organization for Mount Madonna Institute.
The Board of Directors of the Hanuman Fellowship is responsible for steering Mount Madonna toward a sustainable future by adopting sound governance practices, allocating resources to advance the mission, and ensuring that the organization’s work and aims are in alignment with Hanuman Fellowship’s mission, vision and values.
The Advaita Society is the legal parent organization for the Hanuman Fellowship, Mount Madonna Center, Mount Madonna Institute, Mount Madonna School, and the Sri Rama Foundation. The panchayat (Council of Elders) is a body of community leaders who serve as a wisdom council to provide guidance and preserve the mission, vision and values of the Advaita Society family of initiatives. Panchayat members also serve as or designate the board members for the Advaita Society.
Mission
The Attainment of Peace
Hanuman Fellowship is organized, as inspired by the example and teachings of master yogi Baba Hari Dass, to promote the principles and practice of Yoga by means of sadhana (spiritual practice), karma yoga (selfless actions to attain liberation) and satsang (community of spiritual seekers), as well as other spiritual disciplines and learning that foster personal and spiritual development and wellness and that create an environment for the attainment of peace.
Vision
Honoring Our Yogic Roots
A thriving community of spiritual practice that honors our yogic roots, and inspires peaceful transformation in ourselves and the world.
Core Values
what we stand for
The members of the Hanuman Fellowship, inspired by the teachings and example of Baba Hari Dass, aspire to live the following Core Values:
Work Honestly
To approach all work (physical, intellectual, and emotional; individual and collaborative; personal and interpersonal) with courage and integrity. To recognize our own self-interest and do our best to move beyond it in the spirit of selfless service. To see all work as an opportunity for spiritual practice and self-discovery when approached with the aim of peace. To honor the gifts of nature, and our place within it, ensuring that our work sustains the health and well-being of the natural world for future generations.
Meditate Every Day
To cultivate peace through regular sadhana (spiritual practice). To recognize and value the many and varied forms of practice that promote self-reflection and self-development with the aim of peace. To do daily sadhana and create conditions that support this practice for all members of the community – resident and non-resident, program guests, students, and visitors.
Meet People Without Fear
To communicate with openness and compassion, inviting all voices to foster a multi-generational community that is caring, diverse, and equitable. To include and accept one another in the loving spirit of family. To engage with courage and vulnerability, learning from and supporting one another in our shared aim of self-transformation and peace, even when conflicts arise. To nurture each new generation (and invite them to define their own path, wherever it leads), with the support, skills, and mentoring of previous generations. To care for elders and honor their contributions to the community, past and present.
Play
To make space and time for play in all its forms, including art, music, dance, theater, athletics, and other shared activities. To uncover hidden talents through practices that reduce fear, promote self-knowledge, and spark creative self-expression. To welcome children and all youth as embodiments of play, to celebrate them for the joy they bring, and encourage them to participate in community life. To recognize play as essential for inspiring hope and sustaining disciplined lives in the context of community.
Board of Directors
Hanuman Fellowship
Executive Director
Prabha grew up at Mount Madonna Center, is an alumna of Mount Madonna School, and completed Mount Madonna’s Yoga Teacher Training 200-hour and 300-hour programs. She currently serves as the Executive Director of Hanuman Fellowship, focusing on finances, operations, staff development and supporting the overarching work of Mount Madonna Institute, Mount Madonna Center (including the Temple), Mount Madonna School, and Sri Ram Ashram. Previously, Prabha worked at Starbucks for 26 years in various roles and recently retired to focus full-time on building and sustaining the Hanuman Fellowship. She is grateful and passionate about the opportunity to support the Fellowship and its various vital entities in this next stage of growth and development.
Board President
Usha was raised at Mount Madonna and attended Mount Madonna School for 10 years. After graduation, she went on to attend Reed College and Lewis & Clark Law School. As a practicing attorney for ten years, Usha supported clients in civil litigation matters and consulted to nonprofit organizations. In 2008, Usha co-founded Kona Pacific Public Charter School on Hawai’i Island and served as its director for seven years. During that time, she was also President of the Hawai’i Public Charter Schools Network and served on the Hawai’i State Public Charter School Commission. She then went on to be a part of several statewide public-school nutrition projects. Usha currently serves as the Hawai’i Program Director for The Healy Foundation, supporting the environment and youth in Oregon and Hawai’i, as President of the Hanuman Fellowship Board, as well as on the panchayat.
Board Vice President
Anusri is an active member of several Board subcommittees, including the Membership and Bylaws Committees, and a Sankaṭ Mochan Hanumān Temple advisory committee. She helps to design and send out most Hanuman Fellowship and Temple communications and newsletters and is happiest when stringing flower malas for Babaji’s chair and special events. She completed Mount Madonna’s Yoga Teacher Training 200 hour program in 2015 and enjoys spending time at Sri Ram Ashram with her son, Mount Madonna School alumnus, Devin. Anusri is a senior research scientist with a nonprofit focused on women’s reproductive health and rights.
Board Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer
Mohan came to Mount Madonna Center and School in 1987 and was an early participant in Power of Pranayama with Babaji and youth retreats, where he met his future wife, Yogita. Early on, he adopted Babaji’s saying, “Motivation to bring peace to others is the cause of peace within” as his north star. This led him to Stanford University and then UCSD, where he earned an MIA. in Nonprofit Management. From 2006 to 2021, Mohan served as CEO of FishWise, an internationally recognized nonprofit focused on sustaining our oceans through an integrated people + planet approach. Mohan brings a heart-centered approach to his work, coupled with deep expertise in strategy, governance, financial management, Diversity/Equity/Inclusion/Belonging, and alignment building.
Board Member
Andy is a newcomer to Mount Madonna Center and the Hanuman Fellowship (HFS). He first visited Mount Madonna Center for a New Year’s Retreat in 2018. He moved to the Center in December 2021 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic with his wife, Haley, and almost two-and-a-half year old son, Kai, to live in community and to contribute to the work of the HFS. Andy is currently a member of the HFS Strategic Planning Committee. He’s interested in joining the Board to support implementation of the HFS Strategic Plan and to support the Board’s efforts to increase and build community within HFS. Professionally, Andy is a global public health professional and works remotely for a Washington DC-based organization.
Board Member
Brightstar is the CEO and principal of Bright Research Group, a research, evaluation and strategy firm based in Oakland, CA. Brightstar was raised at Mount Madonna, is a graduate of Mount Madonna School, and has maintained her connection to the Center over the years. She has provided consultation and business model development to the executive leadership team over the past 18 months and possesses expertise in business development, marketing, financial and business planning and organizational development. Brightstar holds a Master’s in Education from the University of New Haven and a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Yale University.
Board Member
Chandru had the wonderful fortune to meet Babaji in 2010. Every major decision that he has made since then – including field of study, career, place to live – has been influenced by Babaji’s example of Karma Yoga and service. Chandru’s ties to the Hanuman Fellowship (HFS) community are strong through bonds nurtured over these past 13 years. A graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas with a MS in Communication Disorders, Chandru currently serves as a speech-language pathologist in Santa Clara County, collaborating with occupational therapists, behaviorists, and speech-language pathologists to develop co-treatment initiatives. He also volunteers with KFJC Radio, where he has hosted a four-hour weekly radio program focusing on music from India and related genres, created specialty content, including interviews with HFS satsang members, and arranged live performances. Additionally, Chandru has served as a volunteer for many years at Mount Madonna Center and the Sankaṭ Mochan Hanumān Temple, where he has participated in planning meetings regarding crowd management, major events, and policies and enforcement. He is deeply committed to ensuring the different entities of HFS continue to thrive as we transition into our next phase. Chandru feels it would be a privilege to serve the community that has meant so much to him and his family.
Board Member
Dayanand “DN” is involved in many of the projects and sister initiatives of Hanuman Fellowship (HFS). He was the director of Mount Madonna Center (MMC) from inception in 1978 until 2019. At MMC he advises on development and land management issues and works regularly in those areas. He serves on the Mount Madonna Institute Board and the yoga faculty, teaching in several yoga programs and the weekly online Yoga Sutra class. He is currently on sabbatical from Mount Madonna School (MMS) where he teaches World Religions. At Sri Ram Ashram he serves as an Advisor Trustee and travels there to work whenever possible. He is a member of the Panchayat. He lives at MMC with his wife, Sarada. His two sons, Noah (Suresh) and PK, grew up at MMC, graduated from MMS, and are leaders in education.
Board Secretary
Stephanie first moved to Mount Madonna Center (MMC) in 2008, and has been active in a range of areas over the years, including Operations, Personnel, YSC facilitation, and Finance. After spending a year with family on the East Coast, she returned to the Center in April 2022. She currently serves as Hanuman Fellowship (HFS) Board Secretary and as MMC’s Director of Operational Systems. A YTT 300 graduate, she loves leading pranayama, meditation, and asana classes, while also being a lifelong student of the rich lineage of the Center. Her professional and academic background is in grassroots organizing and fundraising, international and community development, nonprofit management, child development counseling, and accounting. She is committed to fostering healthy community and positive human development, and feels honored to serve on the Board and support the HFS mission.
Board Member
Avinash is a retired Attorney. He currently serves on the Hanuman Fellowship (HFS) Board Audit Committee. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Mount Madonna Institute (MMI). In that capacity he serves on the Finance Committee and as Chairperson of the Governance Committee. He met Babaji in 1975 at a Camp Swig retreat in the Santa Cruz mountains. He lived at Mount Madonna Center (MMC) in the summer and early fall of 1979 with his wife Sarojani and stepson Jason (Jagadish). He has been practicing Babaji’s system of Ashtanga Yoga for almost 50 years. He attends weekly classes at MMC and online through the MMI Community Yoga Classes. He is interested in ensuring the endurance of Babaji’s teachings and the continuing vitality of HFS during this period of transition.
Become a Member
Hanuman Fellowship
To request or renew an application for Hanuman Fellowship membership, please email memberships@mountmadonna.org. Membership Applications are also available in the Mount Madonna Reception Office.
Join the Hanuman Fellowship Newsletter
To subscribe to the periodic newsletter published by the Hanuman Fellowship, please email memberships@mountmadonna.org
Support our Mission
Holding Space for Personal Transformation
Mount Madonna is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization under the auspices of the Hanuman Fellowship and Advaita Society. Your gift will support stewardship of this vibrant learning community, inspirational wisdom tradition, and sacred land.
