Teen Retreat Info Session
for Teens & Parents/Guardians
Hear from teens about their retreat experience! Learn more about:
- Mindfulness (what is it? what’s it like?)
- Tools to help calm your mind and to de-stress
- How to cultivate joy and compassion, within ourselves and for our shared world
Get the low down on:
- What it’s like to be on retreat, from daily schedules to types of activities
- Costs of retreat and scholarship
Who You’ll Be Hearing From
Sarah Wrean Programs, Co-Lead
Sarah is currently responsible for management of all program activities and logistics, and works with Tonya on program strategy and new program development. Sarah works with retreat centers, staff teams, and families to ensure retreats run smoothly and is grateful to be able to contribute to this work. Sarah truly believes that the best way to prepare humanity for the challenges ahead is to help teens discover compassion, inner wisdom, and authentic connection. Sarah has spent the past 15 years working in administration and fundraising for mission-driven nonprofits. Sarah received a BA and MA in Government and Comparative Politics from Connecticut College and then Northeastern University, and focused her studies on the intersection of politics and gender through a feminist lens. Sarah spent formative time as a teen in the White Mountains at an faith-based wilderness camp, which was the catalyst for being drawn to the work of iBme a half decade ago.. When Sarah isn’t planning retreats, she can be found gardening, snuggling her three rescue dogs, hiking with her wife, and devouring all the live music she can!
Zac Ispa-Landa Coordinating Teacher on Retreat
Zac Ispa-Landa has practiced and studied insight meditation, mindfulness, and other awareness practices for over 20 years. He’s deeply inspired by the role contemplative practices can play in supporting our individual and collective journey toward flourishing and sustainability. He became devoted to awareness practices in his early 20s and has spent thousands of hours in meditation and 100+ days on silent retreat.
At iBme, he has the joy of teaching Teen Retreats, Harvard Retreats, and the Mindfulness Teacher Training Program. He’s also a Senior Lecturer in the School of Environment and Natural Resources at University of Vermont, where he designs and teaches courses on environmental justice, beekeeping, environmental assessment, sustainability, and mindfulness. His work focuses on mentoring students in developing their capacity to create conditions for positive change in complex socio-ecological systems. He has many years of experience creating transformative education environments with a focus on contemplative practices, nature connection, and relationship. As an ecologist, beekeeper, meditator, and father, Zac has deep respect for interdependence, diversity, complexity, self-organization, gratitude, and the transformative power of awareness. He aspires towards embodied liberation, wisdom, and compassion in all domains of his life.
Zac lives in Winooski, Vermont with his partner, son, cat, and tens of thousands of honey bees.
Mark Wax Mindfulness Teacher
Mark Wax is deeply grateful to be working with iBme. Mark has been a sincere student of many meditative arts for the last 15 years. He has worked for Yoga International, The Himalayan Institute, and Spirit Rock Meditation Center. He recently completed his 500-hour yoga teacher certification through Spirit Rock’s Mindful Yoga and Meditation Training.
Audrey Rose Youth Advisory Committee Member
Audrey (she/her) has been on so many iBme retreats she’s lost count, despite ample effort to keep track. She has been a part of the community for the past 7 years, and with each experience and interaction within it she has found more reasons to stop being a stubborn brooding introvert, and developed a deeper and more loving understanding of just how deeply our lives intertwine; and how precious and rare connection is.
She has recently graduated with a degree in Expressive Arts Therapy and practices music, movement, and art therapy with adults with developmental disabilities, using skills she would not have unearthed if not for her time cultivating a foundation for mindfulness and self-acceptance over her years on retreat. She hopes to give back to the iBme community as best she can, and to continue to teach and practice mindfulness with others throughout her career.
Gracie Yaconelli Youth Advisory Committee Member
Gracie Yaconelli is a senior in high school living in the foothills of the Cascade and Siskiyou mountain ranges in Ashland, Oregon. She is a musician, songwriter and avid trail runner. In her free time Gracie enjoys reading, writing, hiking, and deep conversations over tea. She first encountered mindfulness at three years old and has been hooked ever since.
Naomi Corlette Youth Advisory Committee Member
Hi, I’m Naomi, and I’m currently in my first year at Harvard College studying government and computer science. I’ve been practicing mindfulness my entire life and I’ve been going to iBme retreats for about four years, so I’m very excited for this opportunity to give back to the community!
