Lena DiGenti

I have worn many hats throughout my life—teacher, entrepreneur, executive, consultant, foster parent, caregiver, coach, and contemplative practitioner. Through every role and transition, one thing has remained constant: mindfulness. It has been my foundation, offering clarity, resilience, and perspective whether I was leading organizations, building businesses, supporting others through challenge, or navigating life’s most profound transitions.

Today, I serve as Executive Director of Karmê Chöling, a contemplative retreat center in Vermont dedicated to awakening personal and societal potential through meditation practice, community, and wisdom traditions. In this role, I bring together decades of experience in leadership, organizational development, contemplative practice, and human development.

For more than twenty-five years, I have worked with individuals and organizations across sectors, from entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders to Fortune 20 companies. I have built businesses, led teams, guided organizational transformation, and supported people through periods of growth, uncertainty, and change. These experiences have taught me that effective leadership requires more than strategy and expertise—it requires presence, self-awareness, courage, and authenticity.

My work integrates authentic leadership, contemplative practice, executive coaching, spiritual care, and embodied awareness. As a trained yoga instructor and lifelong meditation practitioner, I draw on somatic awareness and nervous system regulation not as wellness trends, but as practical foundations for wise decision-making, resilient leadership, and meaningful human connection.

I hold certifications in ontological coaching and authentic leadership, a degree in education and mathematics, and a master’s degree in psychology. I am currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Naropa University with a focus on chaplaincy and spiritual care.

My path has never been linear. I have learned to lead in boardrooms and classrooms, to care for others in times of crisis and transition, and to return—again and again—to the practices that cultivate wisdom, compassion, and presence. These experiences continue to shape my work as a leader, educator, practitioner, and chaplain-in-training.

I believe that leadership is not ultimately about position or achievement, but about relationship, responsibility, and the courage to remain fully human. Whether I am stewarding an organization, teaching meditation, offering spiritual care, or supporting others through change, I remain committed to helping individuals and communities cultivate greater clarity, connection, and flourishing.