Spiritual Leadership
Council

The Spiritual Leadership Council is a group of senior teachers that determine and direct all matters regarding spiritual practice, liturgy, and teaching. The Councils function and composition are described in Article VII of the ZCO bylawsThree members of the Spiritual Leadership Council serve as members on ZCO Board to ensure that governance properly aligns to the organizations spiritual foundations. The Council ensures the continuity of spiritual leadership of the sangha as the current generation of leaders age.

Jan Chozen Bays Roshi

Co-Abbot

Since 1985 Chozen Roshi has been the teacher for Zen Community of Oregon. In 2002 she helped to found Great Vow Zen Monastery and is co-abbot. In 2011 she also helped found Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple in Portland, Oregon. She has written books on mindfulness and mindful eating, and written articles published in Buddhadharma and Shambhala Sun.

Hogen Bays Roshi

Co-Abbot

Hogen Bays, Roshi began practicing Zen in 1968 with Philip Kapleau, Roshi doing residential training at Zen Center of Rochester and eventually at Zen Center of Los Angeles with Taizan Maezumi Roshi. He has been teaching since 1985 and has continued his Zen studies with Shodo Harada Roshi in Japan and on Whidbey Island from 1990 – 2015.

Larry Fuho Trussell

Lay Zen Teacher
Larry Fuho Trussell has been practicing Zen since 1976, and received Lay Transmission from Chozen and Hogen Roshi in 2015. Fuho is the lead teacher on Sunday mornings at Heart of Wisdom. He is one of the sesshin leaders in ZCO. He works as a research scientist and is married with one grown son.

Nancy Kodo Conover

Lay Zen Teacher
Nancy Kodo Conover has been practicing Zen since 2000 and received Lay Transmission from Chozen and Hogen Roshi in 2015, ordained as a temple priest in 2021 and received Dharma Transmission and Preceptor authorization in 2023. Kodo retired from a career as a vocational rehabilitation counselor to help establish Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple and is the Temple Manager since 2010.

Patrick Bansho Green

Zen Teacher
Patrick Bansho Green has practiced with the Zen Community of Oregon since 2004 and received Lay Transmission from Chozen Bays and Hogen Bays in 2019 and ordained in 2021. As board president, he led the effort to found Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple in Portland, Oregon (2010). Bansho worked for twenty years in the labor movement leading social and economic justice political and legislative campaigns. He is married to Laura Jomon Martin and lives at the Monastery.