Board of Directors
The Board consists of Kubose family members, led by Reverend Koyo's eldest son. They oversee the organization's strategic direction and ensure the continuation of the dharma legacy began by Reverend Gyomay.
The Leadership Council
Listed by alphabetical order.
Write who the leadership council consists of (LMs) and what it does.
Name
Biography here
Ben Genyo Crenshaw
Ben joined Bright Dawn's LM 16 cohort, looking for an approach to Buddhist practice that belonged in ordinary, daily life. Rev. Gyomay Kubose’s vision of a practical "life-way" rooted in simplicity, non-duality, and everyday action offered exactly that foundation. Ben's background spans decades across technology and education, from the operational front lines of enterprise systems and cybersecurity to curriculum design and instructional leadership. In every setting, Ben's focus centers on the same core principle: translating complex concepts into practical, grounded tools that serve real people.
Ben's practice is enriched by a variety of teaching frameworks and sanghas. He draws inspiration from Mind Muar and the "Playful Path" model, where meditation is approached as an engaging, iterative investigation. He stays actively connected with The Mindful Collective, exploring contemporary applications of insight and community practice, and maintains long-standing leadership involvement with Toastmasters International, where mindful communication, active listening, and public speaking meet. Together, these spaces are a reminder to him that practice is communal and lived out through service.
As an author, Ben writes across the intersections of technology, ethics, and human awareness, including Teaching Cyber and They Hack Minds. His current book, Thus Have I Heard: Stories Along the Eight-fold Path, focuses directly on early Buddhist parables and the living Dharma. Through work and leadership with Bright Dawn, he is committed to supporting fellow students as we explore the path with warmth, curiosity, and Everyday Suchness.
Josh Ichiyo Lovejoy
Josh grew-up in Buffalo, NY. In high school, he developed an interest Buddhism in connection with the Beat generation poets but it never moved beyond the superficial. Later, as an adult suffering from severe anxiety attacks and chronic migraine issues, Josh stumbled upon an interview with Tara Brach and decided to try meditation. After beginning a meditation practice he saw a remarkable improvement in his migraine and anxiety issues and became fascinated to learn as much as possible about the Buddhist teachings behind Tara Brach's work. He began reading and learning everything he could about the Dharma from various author's and traditions. The practice had a positive transforming impact on all aspects of his life. Josh realized that he wanted to learn how to best help others develop the practice that was so helpful to himself - so he enrolled in the 2-year Lay Ministry program at Bright Dawn Center of Oneness Buddhism. After completing the program, Josh decided to start Daybreak Oneness as a way to help those that are suffering and are interested in learning about the Dharma and Buddhist practice. What seemed to be lacking in Western countries was a starting point for those that are interested. Therefore, just as the Sun represents the Dharma in "Bright Dawn", Josh felt that "Daybreak" could help serve as the first glimpse for those that are looking. Josh lives with his wife (Kelli Yuyo), two children, dog and two cats. He works in the live events industry and enjoys hockey and video games.
You can contact Josh at [email protected]
Tyler Inyo Mortensen-Hayes
Tyler grew up in a suburb of Salt Lake City. He became interested in Eastern spiritual traditions as a teenager, when his older brother gave him a copy of the Tao Te Ching. A poet from the time he was able to write, Tyler was drawn to the Tao’s verses and to the way they shifted his perspective—at once surprising and affirming his sense of the nature of life.
Through reading about Eastern religions, Tyler eventually found his way to Zen, practicing at a local Rinzai temple. From there, he discovered the Salt Lake Buddhist Fellowship, led by Christopher Kakuyo Sensei, a Bright Dawn lay minister. He was drawn to Christopher’s inclusive, Jodo Shinshu-inspired, “come as you are” approach, and began studying and practicing Jodo Shinshu himself. After completing an MFA in poetry, he applied to the Bright Dawn lay ministry program, joining the LM 17 cohort.
Tyler works in academia while continuing to write and share poetry, Dharma teachings, and writing workshops online. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and their cats. He strives to ground his practice, creativity, and teaching in deep listening and unconditional compassion.
Elena Hanyo Perez
Elena Hanyo Dakin Perez was a member of LM 12b and was inducted as a Bright Dawn Lay Minister by Reverend Koyo Kubose in 2020. When she met Rev Koyo in 2017 at the Fresno UU church for a talk on American Buddhism, the connection felt fated. Her mother, Carla Jo Dakin, was searching for equanimity as she faced a breast cancer diagnosis, and mother and daughter explored Buddhism together which led them to multiple retreats at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Marin County in the early 2000s. After her mother’s passing in 2006 she worked at funeral homes and crematories in Oakland and Fresno, sitting with the reality of impermanence. Over a decade later, she was establishing herself as an acupuncturist in Fresno, and met Koyo Sensei at her mother’s church. As she had been looking to deepen her Buddhist practice, she found the LM program to be exactly what she had been hoping to find, and was pleased to find common threads of experience with the Kubose family in connections to UC Berkeley, Oakland, the Central California hills, horticultural therapy, and beautiful Kyoto. She signed up right away and never looked back.
Since her induction she has been leading morning meditation practice online three mornings a week with the First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco, and in 2022 embarked on ongoing studies with the Parting Clouds Quanzhen Longmen Daoist group, (which shares a common historical threads with Mahayana Buddhism). Her educational background is a BA in Anthropology from Cal (2002), as well as a Masters (2016-ACCHS, Oakland) and two Doctorate Degrees (2022 ACTCM/CIIS, San Francisco & 2024 ACCHS) in East Asian Medicine.
Elena Hanyo practices as an acupuncturist and herbalist in Fresno, California, and is delighted to have been called into service with a leadership role in Bright Dawn, serving on the leadership council since 2022. Her work with Bright Dawn has been focused around coordinating the 15th to 18th LM cohorts, spearheading the Jizo Garden initiative, and forming the Education Committee. In 2026 she entered emeritus status, making space for newer LMs to contribute their gifts and time to Bright Dawn’s expanding ministry. She has lived at the Bright Dawn Center since 2023, with her son Miles and cats Felipe and Earl Gui.
Morris Sekiyo (Doshin) Sullivan
Morris (LM3) chairs the Bright Dawn leadership council. He is a Soto Zen monk, the spiritual head of Volusia Buddhist Fellowship in DeLand, Florida, and leads a practice group at a UU church in Watertown, Massachusetts.
Before moving to Massachusetts, Morris lectured frequently at White Sands Buddhist Center, a Vietnamese monastery on the Space Coast. He received dharma transmission (in Lam Te Chuc Thanh, Vietnamese Rinzai) from the abbot, Ven. Khai Thien.
Morris received an MBA in the 1980s, working in business and nonprofit management. In the late 1990s, he became a freelance writer and then staff journalist for the Daytona Beach News Journal. By 2010, he focused more on religious activities, including serving as the chaplain for Stetson University. He also led Buddhist services at a state correctional institution and spoke regularly to several Unitarian Universalist Congregations in Central Florida.
Levi Shinyo Walbert
Levi joined the Bright Dawn with LM9, and has since continued working with the organization. Along with his education in the Bright Dawn Program, he has since graduated with his BA in Philosophy, as well as a Masters in Theology from Moravian Theological Seminary.
His education and studies have focused on Interfaith work and comparative religious studies. He currently works in the field of disability advocacy along side his ministerial career.