John Daido Loori Roshi (1931-2009) was the founder of Zen Mountain Monastery and the Mountains and Rivers Order, and served as the guiding teacher for almost thirty years. Daido Roshi was a lineage holder in the Soto school of Zen, and also received Inka (final seal of approval) in the Rinzai school. Roshi drew on his background as a scientist, artist, naturalist, parent and Zen priest to establish a uniquely American Zen Buddhist training center.

Geoffrey Shugen Arnold Sensei is the Head of the Mountains and Rivers Order, as well as the abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery and the Zen Center of New York City. Trained as a musician, he came to the Monastery in his late twenties after ten years of practicing Zen on his own. He has been in full-time residential training since 1986, and received dharma transmission from Daido Roshi in 1997. He is the author of O, Beautiful End, a collection of Zen memorial poems.

Jody Hojin Kimmel Osho has been in residential training at the Monastery since 1991 and is the training coordinator there. After Daido Roshi’s passing, Hojin Osho completed her training with Shugen Sensei, receiving the priestly transmission from him in 2012. Before ordaining, Hojin was an artist and potter.

Ron Hogen Green has been engaged in formal Zen practice since 1978, and was in residential training at the Monastery for twelve years. In 2007, Hogen returned to lay life, and in 2011, he became a dharma holder in the Order. He lives with his family in Danville, PA.

Vanessa Zuisei Goddard began residency at the Monastery in 1996, ordained in 2005 and returned to lay life in 2014 while continuing on as senior staff and becoming a dharma holder in the Order. She lives in Mount Tremper with her partner and serves as the Director of Dharma Communications.