Anthony Hoetsu Falcone began meditation practice in 1983. He studied with Bernie Glassman-roshi at the Greyston Bakery in New York and developed an interest in service. He later joined ZCB/Clare Sangha, studying with founders Janet Richardson-roshi and Rosalie McQuaide-sensei until 2005. He then took up training with Bruce Blackman-sensei, receiving the Bodhisattva precepts and becoming an assistant teacher. For three years, Anthony worked in Colorado where he studied with Roshis Gerry Wick and Ilia Perez. He continued study with Blackman-sensei and Barbara Craig-sensei, receiving transmission in 2016. Anthony was installed as a Lay Preceptor on November 19, 2022 by Ryotan Eiger Roshi of Village Zendo standing in for Seiryu Blackman Roshi. His dharma name is Hoetsu (“dharma joy”).

Anthony serves on the board of directors of ZCB/Clare Sangha as Guiding Teacher. He completed Thich Nhat Hanh's Five Mindfulness Trainings. He also completed Companioning the Dying hospice training with Senseis Rose Mary Dougherty and William Dietrich, and now volunteers hospice care in Baltimore. Anthony received a BS in Biological Sciences and a Masters of Computer Science. He works in computer programming and information technology. He holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

Sensei Andy Ryūshin Santanello is a teacher in the White Plum Asanga. He first became interested in Buddhist practice as a teenager when a high school teacher introduced him to the First Noble Truth: Life is suffering. As a Junior in college (2000), he started a meditation practice and attended his first sesshin with Roshi Robert Kennedy. He experimented with various forms of meditation over the years, including Tibetan practice and secular meditation practices such as Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction before finding his way back to Zen. Prior to joining Clare Sangha in 2013, he practiced with the Howard County Dharma Group, attended several sesshin with Roshi Robert Jinsen Kennedy. Ryūshin shares the role of Practice Leader with Seichō Sensei and served on the ZCB/Clare Sangha board of directors from 2018-2023. He received the precepts in 2016 and was given the dharma name Ryūshin (“Dragon Heart/Mind”). Roshi Blackman named Ryūshin a Hoshi (dharma holder) in 2018. In March 2022, Ryūshin received  Denbō (dharma transmission) from his current teacher, Sensei Tony Hoetsu Falcone. He continues his Zen study with Hoetsu Sensei.

Sensei Ryūshin is a licensed clinical psychologist in Maryland and received his Psy.D. from La Salle University in 2006. In addition to his clinical work, he enjoys training other mental health professionals in evidence-based psychotherapy, especially Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and working to disseminate evidence-baed psychotherapy to the public at large through the ACT Academy. Sensei Ryūshin is happily married and the proud caretaker of his beloved dog, Clancy. He enjoys a good laugh with friends, bad puns, and being in Vermont any chance he can get.

Sensei Jon Seichō McCollum is a teacher in the White Plum Asanga, an ordained Sōtō Zen priest, and a Soto Zen Buddhist Association member. He joined Clare Sangha in 2015 and underwent Jukai, taking the sixteen bodhisattva precepts in 2016 from Roshi Bruce Seiryū Blackman; he received the dharma name, Seichō (“pure melody”). Roshi Blackman named Seichō a Hoshi (dharma holder) in 2018 and in 2019, he received the five mindfulness trainings in the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition as a renewal of his bodhisattva vows. In March 2022, Seichō received Denbō (dharma transmission) from Sensei Tony Hoetsu Falcone. He was ordained by Sensei Edward Sangetsu Sullivan of Red Rose Sangha.

Seichō received an M.Div. from the Shogaku Zen Institute in spring 2022. He holds a Ph.D. (2004) in ethnomusicology from the University of Maryland, College Park and is full Professor of Music at Washington College, located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Seichō is recipient of Zen shakuhachi transmission and in 2015 was awarded a Shihan (Master's license) and the honorific name (natori) “Kenzen” from Dai Shihan (Grand Master) Chikuzan Gould. Seichō is married to Kimberly Dōka McCollum with whom they share their amazing daughter, Isla. He enjoys performing music, making art, working out at the gym, playing with his dog, Maxx, reading existential philosophy, and traveling around the world.

Bruce Blackman (1942-2019) was a Zen teacher in the White Plum lineage. He began meditation in 1981 and studied Zen several years in Southeast Asia with Elaine MacInnes-roshi of the Sanbo Kyodan, and later with the Diamond Sangha of Robert Aitken-roshi. He joined Clare Sangha in 1996, becoming a student of Janet Richardson and Bernie Glassman-roshis. Named a dharma holder in 2001, Bruce was installed as Sensei in 2004. He served as the guiding teacher with Clare Sangha and a lay preceptor for transmitting the Bodhisattva precepts until his passing in 2021. His dharma name is Seiryu (“clear stream”). He was installed as Roshi in 2020 by Janet Richardson and Robert Kennedy-roshis.

Bruce worked 25 years in East Asia and Latin America, specializing in economic
program development. A Spanish speaker, he received his BA from the University of
Oregon, and master's degrees from UC Berkeley and Johns Hopkins U. Since work
overseas, he transported special needs children to schools, and worked with a restorative justice agency - mentoring and teaching awareness to inmates. Sensei was also elected to the board of an international adoption agency. He and his wife Joan reside in Northern Virginia.