September 3, 2025
We are delighted to welcome Anna Sardar as the new Program Director of Brooklyn Zen Center! We extend our deep gratitude to the Hemera Foundation for funding this vital position. Anna is excited to support the variety of suchness each of our members brings into our shared practice life, both online and in person, at Brooklyn Zen. We look forward to the wisdom, warmth, and dedication Anna brings to our sangha.
Anna Kalyani Sardar was born in the foothills of the Himalayas and raised across Yavatmal, New Delhi, and Indianapolis. She moved to New York in the fall of 2021 and completed her Master of Divinity in 2024, focusing on Buddhism and Interreligious Engagement at Union Theological Seminary.
Most recently, Anna served as the administrative coordinator for the Office of Religious Life at Columbia University, beginning in February 2024. She also completed a chaplain internship at Bellevue Hospital during the summer of 2023. Prior to her graduate studies, Anna served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco alongside her partner, Isaac Bauer, from 2018-2020.
Anna joined the Brooklyn Zen Center community in the fall of 2022, and we are thrilled to have her step into this leadership role.