Welcome our new Deputy Director: Max Roberts-Zirker

We are so thrilled to have Max Roberts-Zirker step in as our Deputy Director! This is a brand new position that works closely with the Executive Director to manage the operations of the Center. While we are striving to offer more to greater Boston, we also need to nourish our community and our capacity as an organization. Max will be building teams to support the functioning of programs, developing a comprehensive Path of Service, working with our Membership and Development team to clarify the Path of Membership and building a team to support Marketing and Communications. Max’s position will continue to grow and evolve, as many of our staff and volunteer positions have over the last several years. Your support and insight are all welcome while we re-organize and strengthen our local mandala.

Max has worked for the past 3 years on the wholesale team at Taza Chocolate, learning the ins and outs of the specialty food trade, managing broker and distribution networks and sharing the story of a unique and historic style of chocolate-making. Prior to that he has been a program coordinator at an arts non-profit, a nurseryman (for plants not people), a project manager for a state cultural commission, and a Boy Scout camp Area Director among others.

His first contact with Shambhala was a second hand copy of Turning the Mind into an Ally he picked up while going to college in Albuquerque, NM. At the time he was sitting with the local Rinzai Zen community his father had lived with a few decades earlier. Looking for a practice community after moving to Boston in 2010, his wife brought him to the 30’s and Under group which gradually became is core practice group. He became the group’s coordinator in July 2012 and is now a Co-Continuity Director with Nikki Jiraff under the direction of Shastri Nick Kranz.

He attended Level 1 in September 2011, participated in the Emerging Teacher training with Acharya Lobel in January 2014, and became a Shambhala Guide in October 2014. Max was also the Assistant Producer for the Sakyong’s visit to Boston and has been a dedicated staff and coordinator for numerous community events and programs.

We are so lucky to have such a skilled, passionate and organized person join our staff team. Please warmly welcome Max into his new role and feel free to contact him through his shiny-new email address: [email protected]