Our Teachers
Kadam Morten Clausen
Kadam Morten Clausen is the Resident Teacher at Vajra Light Buddhist Center and Kadampa Meditation Center New York City. For over 25 years he has been a close disciple of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, who gave him the title Kadam, indicating that he is a senior lay teacher of the Kadampa Tradition.
Kadam Morten met his teacher Geshe Kelsang while attending university in England. He taught widely throughout the UK, and helped develop many Kadampa Centers in England. Kadam Morten has been teaching in the US for more than 15 years and has established Centers throughout the New York area, as well as Washington DC, Virginia, and Puerto Rico.
Kadam Morten is greatly admired as a meditation teacher and in particular he is known for his clarity, humor and inspirational presentation of Dharma. His teachings are always practical and easy to apply to everyday life. Through his gentle and joyful approach, and his peaceful example, he has helped many people find true happiness in their hearts.
Donna Campanelli
Donna has been a dedicated practitioner of Buddhist meditation for over 16 years. At Kadam Morten's request, she began teaching regularly at Vajra Light Center in 2009. As a wife and mother of three teenagers, Donna delights in applying Dharma wisdom to her own challenges as a suburban mom. With humor and kindness, Donna shows her students how to transform day-to-day difficulties into a meaningful life.
In the summer of 2010, Donna led the Vajra Light sangha in the establishment of its new Center in Hartsdale. She teaches the Wednesday evening General Program class, the Thursday evening Foundation Program class and the branch class in Stamford on Monday evenings. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Donna takes care of the day-to-day spiritual life of the Center, including leading meditation retreats and presiding at weekly and monthly pujas.